After my temporary go to to London, I loved a prolonged go to to the British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge in Terminal 5 earlier than my flight to Prague. I purposely arrived on the airport effectively upfront of my flight to make the most of the lounge’s facilities.
This lounge is considered one of a handful of British Airways lounges in Terminal 5. After clearing Quick Observe safety, it seemed to be much less busy than the British Airways Galleries North Membership Lounge, positioned on the opposite finish of the terminal.
Since I’d been to the North Lounge a couple of years in the past, I assumed this might be a super alternative to see how the South Lounge compares.
British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge London – Entry
After passing by safety, a big display offers you an thought of how busy every of the British Airways lounges is.
Whereas the Membership Lounge within the B gates space wasn’t busy in any respect, I didn’t really feel like doing the stroll to get there. Because the North Lounge was very busy, and I didn’t have entry to the First Lounge, I made a decision to move to the South Lounge.
Because the title would recommend, the British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge is positioned on the south finish of Terminal 5 at London Heathrow. There are a selection of indicators all through the concourse directing you to the lounge.
As you strategy the southern finish of the terminal, you’ll discover one other signal that directs you up a collection of escalators or to some elevators.
The primary stage you attain is dwelling to the British Airways First Lounge and the British Airways Concorde Room. Since I wasn’t flying in British Airways First Class this time, I may solely stroll by in envy of those that had entry.
One other set of escalators brings you as much as the highest stage of the terminal, the place you’ll discover the doorway to the Galleries South Membership Lounge. Within the touchdown on the high of the escalators, you’ll discover a statue of a horse with a lampshade, in addition to a mannequin plane.
On the entrance, you possibly can both scan your individual boarding move to verify your entry or go to an individual in a cubicle.
I loved entry to the lounge as I used to be flying in Membership Europe (i.e., enterprise class). I had booked a ticket from London to Prague utilizing British Airways Avios.
Passengers flying on a British Airways flight in First Class, Membership World (worldwide enterprise class), or Membership Europe (European enterprise class) have entry to this lounge. Anybody with British Airways Silver or Gold standing may take pleasure in entry when travelling on a Oneworld flight.
Moreover, passengers with Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald standing may take pleasure in entry when flying in any class of service. Passengers departing on a Oneworld-member flight in enterprise class may take pleasure in entry to the British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge.
The lounge is open each day from 5am–10pm. Anybody below the age of 18 have to be accompanied by an grownup.
British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge London – Seating
After scanning my boarding move, I did a fast move by the lounge to scope out the amenities. I used to be initially struck each by how massive the lounge was, and by how busy it was.
There wasn’t a quiet space within the lounge, and it solely received busier all through my keep.
On the southernmost finish of the lounge, there’s a big seating space with tarmac views. Many of the seats on this part are the identical kind of seats you’d discover at most airport lounges, organized in clusters of two or 4.
In the midst of the lounge, you’ll discover some high-top tables and tables with three chairs surrounding them. These are positioned close to to the buffet space, and many individuals had been eating right here or utilizing them to get some work carried out.
As you progress north within the lounge, you’ll discover a cluster of labor stations. Subsequent to those are some extra snug lounge chairs, spaced with tables in between.
Within the northeast nook of the lounge, there’s a quieter space with longer tables, benches, and armchairs. This a part of the lounge was a lot much less hectic than the opposite areas, however sadly, I couldn’t discover a free seat.
In between the northeast seating space and the northern drinks and low station, there was a small, semi-enclosed TV room. In right here had been recliner chairs that largely confronted a TV quietly taking part in information.
On the opposite aspect of the TV room had been some gray couches, which might be nice for teams of 4 or extra.
Within the espresso station areas on the north and south ends of the lounge are clusters of espresso tables with two seats round every. I opted to take a seat in considered one of these as I loved a cappuccino and received caught up on some emails.
Lastly, alongside the northern fringe of the lounge had been some stools alongside a slim desk with a “view” of a wall. Of all of the seating within the lounge, these seemed to be the least preferrred, as they had been at all times accessible.
In case you’re seeking a particular kind of seat, I’d suggest being able to snag one as quickly because it turns into accessible. The lounge had reached capability by the point I left, and lots of passengers had been swirling about on the lookout for a snug place to stake their declare.
British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge London – Eating
The primary buffet space is positioned within the centre of the lounge, midway between the northern and southern flanks. Throughout my keep, the buffet was stocked with breakfast objects.
I had an amazing expertise with breakfast on the Galleries North Membership Lounge a couple of years in the past, so I hoped that this breakfast expertise would dwell as much as these reminiscences.
Within the scorching meals space, there have been components of a full English breakfast accessible, together with again bacon, sausages, baked beans, and fried eggs.
Near right here was a pile of pastries, together with croissants and ache au chocolat. Subsequent to the pastries had been plenty of breakfast cereals.
The chilly buffet space featured some bowls of contemporary fruit and yogurt.
Lastly, there have been some contemporary buns, cheese, and chilly cuts positioned in one other chilly buffet.
I helped myself to some scorching meals, a smoothie, and a cappuccino. Whereas it didn’t dwell as much as my lofty expectations, it hit the spot, and I used to be happy with my meal.
There are a couple of espresso and tea stations scattered all through the lounge. The one in the course of the lounge, near the bar space, at all times appeared to have a line, however the stations at both finish of the lounge had been much less busy.
British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge London – Bar
Slightly than having one centralized bar, there are a variety of self-serve bar areas in each a part of the lounge. Regardless of being nonetheless very a lot the morning, all bar areas had been stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
There are additionally a handful of water faucets all through the lounge, providing nonetheless and glowing water.
Within the centre of the lounge, near the buffet, you’ll discover an space stocked with what I assume are nicer wines. There are glass shows with wine bottles near right here, and I discovered it to be fairly an inviting space.
Within the different self-serve bar areas, you’ll discover a collection of liquor, wine, beer, and comfortable drinks.
Must you want to take pleasure in a glass of wine, I observed a couple of individuals fighting the bottles that had been in racks. The bottles don’t have to be faraway from the racks, however relatively poured utilizing the rack as a deal with.
These self-serve bar areas are scattered all through the lounge, so that you’ll by no means be distant from a scorching or chilly drink.
British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge London – Showers
The British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge shares bathe entry with the remainder of the lounges within the space. The showers are positioned subsequent to the doorway to the Concorde Room, so that you’ll need to go down the escalators to make use of them.
You’ll want to order a bathe room earlier than you head down. At every seat and desk, you’ll discover a QR code, which you have to scan to carry up the menu.
When the lounge is busy, you’ll seemingly must maintain checking for availability. Certainly, after I first went to order a bathe, there have been none accessible.
Certain sufficient, a short time later I used to be in a position to safe a bathe. The bathe is reserved below your title for 10 minutes, so you possibly can wrap up no matter you’re doing earlier than heading down.
On the entrance, the attendant will verify your title and provide the variety of a bathe room that’s accessible.
The bathe rooms are comparatively compact, however have every little thing you would possibly anticipate: a bathe, rest room, sink, hair dryer, towels, and facilities.
One function that I discovered amusing was that I may select from a couple of totally different music stations and modify the amount, too.
Journey days normally imply plenty of hustle and bustle earlier than attending to your flight. Having a bathe proper earlier than I board is considered one of my favorite issues to do, and I felt very refreshed and relaxed as I left the bathe space to board my brief flight to Prague.
British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge London – Different Amenities
I ought to be aware that there’s a children play space positioned subsequent to the espresso station within the north arm of the lounge. It was at all times full of kids, and the encompassing space was fairly busy, so I didn’t fairly really feel snug snapping any footage.
To entry the lounge’s Wi-Fi, you’ll must enter a passcode that adjustments daily. It’s displayed on screens all through the lounge, and you may also ask the entry attendants or every other lounge workers should you’re having troubles finding it.
Conclusion
I spent a couple of hours within the British Airways Galleries South Membership Lounge earlier than my flight, and I discovered it to be a well-equipped, spacious lounge. It was significantly busy throughout my go to, which made it tough to discover a good seat, however I used to be nonetheless in a position to calm down, eat, get some work carried out, and bathe earlier than my flight.
In case you’re reserving a British Airways flight from London with Avios, I’d extremely suggest paying the additional factors for a Membership Europe ticket so you possibly can take pleasure in entry to the British Airways lounges. For my part, it’s effectively price the additional value in factors, on condition that Terminal 5 is such a busy place in any other case.
Subsequent time I go to Terminal 5, I hope to be departing in British Airways First Class, so I can get a style of what the Concorde Room is all about.
