T5 lounge refreshment

British Airways' First lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 has come in for a much needed refurbishment.

Over 220 new pieces of furniture, ranging from stylish high-backed chairs, occasional tables, dining furniture and relaxing sofas have replaced the First lounge’s previous furniture. Additional power outlets have also been fitted.

Troy Warfield, director of customer experience, British Airways, said: “Our First customers and Gold Executive Club members are used to the very best service and surroundings, both in the air and on the ground.  The refurbishment of our First lounge at Terminal 5 will ensure they can continue to enjoy fine cuisine, outstanding wines and champagnes and relax in comfort before flying in style to destinations around the world.”

Since Terminal 5 opened in 2008, BA’s premium customers have been able to relax, dine and refresh themselves throughout the airline’s extensive ‘galleries’ lounge complex, featuring six individual lounges for Club and First customers, including the exclusive Concorde Room.

A Work and Entertainment Zone provides PCs for customer use with free high-speed wi-fi available throughout the lounge.  A specially prepared hot and cold food selection is available (self-service) in the dining area, with a wide selection of beverages available, and bespoke furniture to either dine alone at individual tables or in a group.  www.ba.com

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

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John Davidson, Paris, France

Flying from Paris through LHR to the US in First (for the transatlantic portion), the check-in and boarding experience at CDG with BA is excellent — except that they tell you to go to terminal 2A. In fact, the BA check-in counter is located just between 2A and 2C and it's better to get out of the taxi right at the start of 2C rather than at the taxi area at 2A, which is right at the beginning of the terminal as you head in to the airport (CDG 2). Then, the check-in staff are all subcontractors rather than BA employees. And when they give you your boarding pass for First from LHR to IAD, they do NOT indicate that there's an access to the Concorde lounge after security to the right on the same level. If you don't know this (which it took me many flights to figure out), you have to go down a level or two, then way along to the far end of the terminal, then up a couple of escalators, only to discover that there was a much more direct access to the Concorde lounge — if only BA staff took the time to inform the passenger. Which they don't (or else, they don't know). With two sometimes heavy carry-ons, it would have been much more helpful for BA to emphasise this with its own staff and even its contractors at CDG (and ORY) — although of course the station chief at each airport is in fact a true BA employee, who should instruct the staff working under her/him.

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