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Forums Frequent flyer programs British Airways Executive Club Smoking at Terminal 5 / BA First

  • lwntr 1 post

    I am taking my mother away, though she is unfortunately a very keen smoker. The thought of travelling from heathrow to the US without a cigarette is horrific for her -eye roll-

    Im aware that you cannot really smoke at any airports now, though online searches say there are some “secret” spots but mostly in other terminals and more for passengers arriving in the uk. One site also mentions apparently ba staff may turn a blind eye in the ba first terrace which i cannot believe.

    Im just wondering- if she was flying first, would she have the option of coming back from the lounges to landside for a quick/last “puff”, then be able to quickly come airside again through the first concourse fast track security?

    Thanks!

    NorthernLass 9,496 posts

    Okay, so if this isn’t one of those first trolling posts …

    In theory I think yes, though it may take some negotiation if she’s having to scan her BP more than once.

    But my more pressing thoughts would be how is she going to cope on a long flight if she’s so dependent on nicotine? Wouldn’t it be better if she could get some patches or something from her GP and start using them before the travel date?

    LittleNick 210 posts

    A smoking area I believe seemed to be forgotten about when designing/building T5, which was added when they rebuilt T2.

    I presume she has a through ticket/onward connection to elsewhere, but yes as long as she can enter the UK she can clear immigration and go landslide and smoke, she would then need to clear security via first wing or fast track (may be quicker to get to the CCR via back door). Once airside though can be difficult to get land side again

    TGLoyalty 1,232 posts

    The First “terrace” is still inside so smoking would be illegal and no one should be turning a blind eye.

    BA Flyer IHG Stayer 2,769 posts

    It’s actually quite hard to leave T5 airside unless you depart on a flight.

    What she wants to do isn’t just a case of getting to immigration to re-enter the UK, leave the terminal and then reclear security. There is no quick route that just reverses the way into airside.

    Her “ready to fly status” would need to be reset and that can mean losing her preassigned seat.

    If she’s that desperate to smoke then she should forgo the lounges and remain landslide and go airside no later than 35 mins before departure.

    As to having a sly smoke on the terrace the people who suggest that are fools.

    Tim330 11 posts

    Take a packet of party balloons. Smoke somewhere discreetly exhaling and blowing up party balloons with each puff. Hope for a bus gate and let balloons deflate outside to keep terminal smoke free. There may be flaws in my plan.

    LittleNick 210 posts

    Apologies I’ve misread/misinterpreted the question, I assumed wrongly she was arriving at LHR on a connection. But yes once she enters T5 airside it’s a right pain to get back land side and then airside again, would recommend not to do it. Also would not recommend smoking on terrace

    JD_traveller 31 posts

    There is a smoking area airside in T4 and T2 (staff only?). Heathrow security can allow passengers, at discretion and providing there is enough time to transit to another terminal to have a smoke – usually this is for passengers that have an extended layover in LHR. Transit time from T5 to T4 is c. 30 minutes, including waiting for the bus. Passengers will need to clear security on arrival in the new terminal and then again in T5 when arriving back. You should easily allow 1h30 for this round trip and then still have enough time to get back to your T5 gate.

    Ihar 370 posts

    No blind eye will be turned. At best you’ll be asked to stop and at worst asked to leave. Why not just slap on a nicotine patch for the airport/flight (stop the durg craving even if not the habit).

    I see plenty of “smoking rooms” at airport lounges in Europe. I look inside should turn you off smoking instantly 😉

    Londonsteve 342 posts

    Take a packet of party balloons. Smoke somewhere discreetly exhaling and blowing up party balloons with each puff. Hope for a bus gate and let balloons deflate outside to keep terminal smoke free. There may be flaws in my plan.

    This made my howl with laughter. It still leaves the challenge of what to do with the smoke emanating from the burning cigarette in between puffs but otherwise, brilliant idea! Gawd help anyone if a 5 year old decided to burst the balloon and a cloud of cigarette smoke erupted, engulfing nearby bystanders!

    Blow up red, white and blue baloons, then untie them when outside and it’ll look like an impromptu Red Arrows display.

    I’d agree with other comments here, smoking on the First Terrace is likely to result in a conversation with the Police and quite possibly offloading from the flight! T4 had a publicly accessible smoking area a few years ago but I’ve not seen anything similar at any of the other terminals, which is quite an omission considering there are a lot of smokers in large parts of the world.

    MrWhite 113 posts

    Reminds me of an old colleague who stopped flying for about a decade when smoking was banned on flights as they couldn’t “survive” without a nicotine hit. In the end they gave up smoking as they were fed up of English holidays!

    TooPoorToBeHere 297 posts

    Zyn is the answer.

    NorthernLass 9,496 posts

    I remember back in the days of smoking sections on planes deliberately choosing the smoking seats because few people actually wanted to sit there! What smoke there was would soon permeate the entire cabin so I reckoned we might as well have empty seats around us!

    sayling 119 posts

    I remember those days, too, @NorthernLass

    Possibly earlier, though, when those seats were packed with smokers. And the people further forward swapping seats to get their fix!

    LittleNick 210 posts

    There is a smoking area airside in T4 and T2 (staff only?). Heathrow security can allow passengers, at discretion and providing there is enough time to transit to another terminal to have a smoke – usually this is for passengers that have an extended layover in LHR. Transit time from T5 to T4 is c. 30 minutes, including waiting for the bus. Passengers will need to clear security on arrival in the new terminal and then again in T5 when arriving back. You should easily allow 1h30 for this round trip and then still have enough time to get back to your T5 gate.

    I wonder if this could be used as a good excuse to get to T4 to try the QR lounge when flying J on BA?

    Londonsteve 342 posts

    A good thought but I doubt you can travel to T4 if your flight isn’t departing from there. Nor would they allow you through security landside if you first headed there. I don’t think the QR status lounge is anything to write home about based on reports. Only potentially of interest if you had a T5 departure but then T3 is closer and offers a slew of fabulous OW lounge options so why bother with T4?

    Ihar 370 posts

    I remember back in the days of smoking sections on planes deliberately choosing the smoking seats because few people actually wanted to sit there!

    Used to fly Aeroflot where smoking was allowed long after other airlines. Not that anyone cared – smoking was the first to be filled, but it didn’t matter because everyone would smoke wherever they sat. I used to pray for a decompression so I could get some oxygen 😁

    LittleNick 210 posts

    A good thought but I doubt you can travel to T4 if your flight isn’t departing from there. Nor would they allow you through security landside if you first headed there. I don’t think the QR status lounge is anything to write home about based on reports. Only potentially of interest if you had a T5 departure but then T3 is closer and offers a slew of fabulous OW lounge options so why bother with T4?

    I suspect they wouldn’t which is why smoking might be a good reason to be able to access T4 airside on a long enough layover. I wasn’t referring to the status lounge, I was talking about their actual Bus lounge as access is “For Qatar Airways and oneworld First and Business class ticketed revenue customers only.”. So as long as you’re flying club on BA theoretically if you can get there you can access

    Misty 360 posts

    A disappearing OP again!

    NorthernLass 9,496 posts

    Well I am currently at CDG and can confirm there is large-ish smoking room next to the loos in concourse 2E! For those essential Gitanes and Gauloises I suppose 😂

    Aston100 1,608 posts

    I don’t think the QR status lounge is anything to write home about based on reports.

    I think your reports are incorrect, when compared to other lounges in the UK.

    Aston100 1,608 posts

    I recall an Air New Zealand flight from London to Los Angeles back in the very early 90s.
    I was in the very first row of smoking seats, puffing away merrily. Felt so sorry for the people directly in front of me who had specifically chosen non-smoking seats. Technically they were in non-smoking seats, but may as well not have been.

    I still look back in disbelief that in the 80s we used to smoke in the office at our desks, on the bus, in cinemas, in restaurants and pretty much everywhere. All less than 40 years ago.

    Misty 360 posts

    I recall an Air New Zealand flight from London to Los Angeles back in the very early 90s.
    I was in the very first row of smoking seats, puffing away merrily. Felt so sorry for the people directly in front of me who had specifically chosen non-smoking seats. Technically they were in non-smoking seats, but may as well not have been.

    I still look back in disbelief that in the 80s we used to smoke in the office at our desks, on the bus, in cinemas, in restaurants and pretty much everywhere. All less than 40 years ago.

    Yes I remember smoking in offices from ions ago, in one place I was sat at a bank of 4 desks, and everyone smoked, what happened if one person had a fag they threw the other three a fag, so people were probably smoking 4 times as much as if they worked in a store. By the end of the day, it was quite smoggy, good high ceilings though.

    zio 328 posts

    I remember the first time I went to the Brixton Academy post smoking ban I was shocked to see a ceiling! Had been hundreds of times previously without seeing it.
    Absolutely incredible we were coming home from school in smoke-filled bus upper decks.

    Vitareh 1 post

    So there aren’t a ton of smoking spots at Heathrow. But if your mom’s flying First with British Airways, she can totally ask the lounge staff if she can step out for a quick smoke. They might be chill about it in the First lounge, plus with fast-track security, it shouldn’t be a big deal.

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