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British Airways add summer 24 flights
The new summer schedule comes into effect on 31 March 2024, and BA is still tinkering with the flights. This week has given us a number of changes. Where there is a schedule increase, it means that you will be likely to find more Avios seats, so it is worth a look.
Doha
British Airways will increase its London Heathrow -Doha route from 7x to 14x weekly flights from 31 March 2024
British Airways will terminate its London Gatwick – Doha route from 30 March 2024
London Gatwick – Kingston (Jamaica)
From 6 Jul 24 – 31 Aug 24 flights will increase from 3 to 4 weekly (B777-200ER)
London Gatwick – Las Vegas
From 31 Mar 24 increase from 3 to 5 weekly, B777-200ER (4 weekly from 1 Jul 24)
London Gatwick – Orlando
From 31 Mar 24 increase from 12 to 14 weekly, (B777-200ER)
London Gatwick – Vancouver
From 29 April 24 Seasonal service begins three weeks earlier than planned, with six weekly flights (B777-200ER)
London Heathrow – San Diego
From 31 March 24, a B777-200ER replaces the A350-1000XWB. This is showing as having the Club Suites currently.
From 20 April 24, there is an extra flight each day operated by B787-8 which does not have the Club Suites yet. This gives two flights per day, so there is a lot of Avios availability currently in business class. From the end of April, there are many days with four Avios seats in Club, and almost every day has at least two seats in business class.
London Heathrow to New Orleans
Flights will increase from 3 to 5 per week.
HT: Aeroroutes
Why are the Galleries Club lounges so full at Heathrow?
Over the last couple of weeks, there have been a number of days where the Galleries Club lounges, in particular, have reached capacity. There have been pictures of long queues down to the Galleries First entrance in the South lounge complex. BA display their lounge occupancy outside the lounges so you can see where to go if one is full. The B gates lounge is usually the quietest but you will have to walk back through the tunnel if your flight goes from the A gates and should allow plenty of time.
It is not clear why there is a sudden increase this month when the summer holidays are over, as usually things are no busier than the summer in September. There has been a lot of weather around and air traffic delays, but the queues have persisted. It is not something I have ever seen on this scale before. A lot of people are shouting foul over BA’s Holiday double tier points, but it still requires more than a single long haul in Club would give you (560 tier points), so it is unlikely to be just that.
Here are some of the other reasons why many this may be happening (and why lounges around the world are busier than pre-covid)
- People that previously travelled for work are travelling less and being now downgraded to silver as it is now coming up to a year since the last dispensations finished.
- Due to a shortage of aircraft, there are fewer rotations than before, so people will have longer connections.
- People tend to arrive earlier at the airport than before Covid due to the unpredictability of transport to the airport and security queues.
- More people are travelling in premium cabins on short haul. BA’s Club Europe cabin can expand in size to as many as 12 rows. While it is great for BA’s bottom line, it is not so good for the number of people wanting to access the lounge.
- Recent air traffic control strikes and bad weather leading to delays and cancellations.
Personally, I don’t understand why anyone would stand in a huge queue to get into a mediocre, overcrowded lounge. If you get stuck in a queue, I’d approach staff to see if they can offer you a voucher or money not to visit the lounge. They sometimes do this proactively, but I see no harm in asking (if you can actually find someone to ask). I’d then go and sit in one of the restaurants instead.
Either way, British Airways needs to work out why this is happening on such a regular basis and work out a strategy. There is no easy fix, as they can’t just magic space out of nowhere. However, where the lounges are full, they should be proactively asking people at check-in to skip the lounge in return for a voucher or cash compensation.
Have you noticed overcrowding in the lounges at Heathrow? What do you believe BA should do? Let us know in the comments below.
41 comments
That B lounge though – oh the beautiful tranquility of it all ( compared to any of the main terminals).
Just a side note for those readers with a disability if they do encounter lounge queues.
For those with a “visual disability” ie: you are in a wheelchair etc just go straight to the front and they will let you in as soon as capacity allows
For those of us with non-visual disabilities ( I’m deaf but you have to really look to see my hearing aids) you should do the same and SO LONG AS YOU HAVE REGISTERED YOUR DISABILITY VIA YOUR BAEC ACC THE STAFF WILL DO THE SAME AFTER A BRIEF CHECK.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please do not get offended or irrate at agents for not magically knowing your hidden disability. I happen to know for a fact that they are trained not to pry or to interact with you in any way that could possibly be interpreted as asking you to ‘prove’ or ‘demonstrate’ any conditions or disability you have. THAT is why the facility exists to pre register / create a file record for agents to refer to.
Just to reassure others who are new to their disability ( I only lost my hearing during the lockdowns) registering it will, more often than not although not always, mean you will not be able to do OLCI. This is purely so that at a check-in desk agents can check on any additional or trip specific needs for that flight. Not only will it NOT risk your picked seat but the system actually protects your seat and if traveling with a companion theirs as well. If you get lucky with an upgrade you may be split up but if you need someone with you they will just put you both back where you were – I’ve experienced all the above multiple times since ( apart from the upgrades which was just the once recently) and have spoken at length with BA staff numerous times regarding systems & process’ for disabled travellers & there’s a good level of consistency in both their words and actions that I’m confident enough to stand by the above ( of course they, like everyone else are still woefully bad with wheelchairs and their users but I can’t speak to that personally)
Yup, the B Lounge is great. Long may it remain that way.
I go to lounges as they’re somewhere quiet I can get a few things done before the flight. If I saw a queue I would most definitely head in the other direction (aside from just before opening).
Great comment, though ‘visible’ might be a better choice of word than ‘visual’.
I may get a negative reaction for this but I am not sure if having a sight or hearing disability affects a persons ability to wait & stand in line at all does it? This is surely just ‘using’ your disability to queue jump? Please explain to me why you believe I am wrong.
Persons of reduced mobility who find it difficult to stand I agree should be able to queue jump particularly if there are no available chairs, but those in a wheelchair already why can they not wait like the rest of us? Puzzles me that companies ‘encourage’ queue jumping when it is not needed…
What is wrong with people this morning? In terms of people in wheelchairs, if you had to experience some of the indignities they are forced to undergo as they travel, from constantly breaking their wheelchairs when they are loaded, leaving them stranded on the plane for hours, not being able to get public transport or taxis like everyone else, perhaps you would not bedgrudge them not having to wait in line. I would also say that if they have assistance they are taken to the gate very early so they often have far less time to use the lounge.
I’m pretty sure it’s the double points offer on BA holidays causing the issue, and I really think this whole loyalty club thing is a waste of time for airlines. Just sell a business fare to people that want to pay for it. Myself and wife had 2 long haul BA holidays under this scheme in the past 12 months in club and I’m now silver and my wife is gold (she’s taken a couple of extra flight only)- that’s crazy as we are by no means frequent fliers and nor do we have any loyalty to BA, and actually prefer Emirates. The hols were good deals and worked in their own right, the points offer wasn’t a factor in deciding to use BA hols. That said it has opened my eyes to the whole side industry that has built up around airline loyalty schemes and the importance people attach to their status level!! We have just flown economy to Barcelona – (we were going anyway for a long standing family commitment and BA timings and fare was overall a better option) and used my wife’s gold status to enjoy the first check in and lounge at LHR, all very nice, thanks. But there’s no way I’d bother trying to keep it when our status drops in 9 months. Then again maybe I’m not the target market as I don’t fly enough or have any brand loyalty to BA. In which case the current scheme is clearly not working as it should. As one guy, clearly a long standing member of the airline point collection club commented, People should have to earn it, not just buy a few seats. Not sure what he meant and wasn’t going to ask but if the current promotion is upsetting loyal customers maybe they need a rethink. If I’d paid hard earned money for a business or first class fare, only to be told the lounge is full because of the likes of me, I’d be unhappy too! Maybe airlines should just junk all this stuff and go back to selling business and first tickets to those that want to pay for it?
“I’d approach staff to see if they can offer you a voucher or money not to visit the lounge”
BA were offering pax £30 not to use the Lounge!
BA need to end the double TPs offer for BA Holidays. It’s too generous and it’s gone on for too long. It doesn’t benefit anyone having more people with BA status right now if lounges are full.
Much like Delta and their lounge problem, BA does not need more status passengers right now.
Myself and my OH flew from Heathrow on Monday morning, we arrived at around 10.00 the lounge was already really busy. By the time we left there was a long queue waiting to access the lounge. My thoughts are our flight was delayed, we spoke to a couple of other people whose flights had been cancelled and we’re waiting for standby flight. Perhaps it’s a combination of that plus the delayed flights?
We did reflect we should have gone the B terminal lounge!!
BA need to press Heathrow to display B and C gates earlier. Also I am not convinced the capacity is that much worse but I think the queue system seems to be new. Perhaps they also need to be tracking the numbers leaving to get an accurate picture of the capacity
@Jimbo- You beat me to it!
“BA does not need more status passengers right now”
@Chris W- Well if you feel so strongly about it, why don’t you rescind your status!!!!
@Chris W. Genuine question – How can you be proud of being Gold? Why? What do you think it shows/means?
My wife is Gold and I’m Silver – through the BA hols offer and I think it’s the biggest load of marketing junk ever. It’s a plane, you buy a ticket, sit on it for a few hours and get off. Where you sit really doesn’t matter if it drops out of the sky nor does it say anything about your wealth or status.
We were there with our family of 6 last Saturday. When we left for our flight, the queue for the business class lounge was all down the stairs. We were able to split our group between the business and first lounges. The staff were operating a one in one out policy. There was very little communication from staff though. I agree that a proactive approach is needed by staff. I was also surprised that there were 15 rows of Club Europe on our flight. Absolutely more people are travelling in this cabin. I don’t believe it is the fault of the double tier point system offer therefore. People are still prepared to travel well. Or in Club Europe anyway! That said, we did actually award a golden ticket to a crew member on that flight too.
What was the route? I bet Athens flights have a high percentage of BA Holidays passengers in Club right now.
It was Tenerife
Would you be happy to see people get double TPs if you had to queue to get into a lounge because it was full?
What I mean is, it doesn’t benefit any status members if there are so many elites that you can’t use the benefits, like lounge access.
I would argue BA Silver is too easy to earn right now, hence the overcrowded lounges.
There’s a saying in the loyalty world: “When everyone is a VIP, nobody is”
I have queued to gain lounge access, and my view has not changed, I’d argue that silver status was actually easily accessible when the threshold dropped!
There’s also a famous saying! “There is no VIP, we’re all the same”
On Wednesday I had the pleasure of being the only person in the Singapore Airlines first class lounge in T2 for two hours (admittedly I arrived very early when it opened at 0530). In June I struggled to find a spare seat in the the Concorde Room in T5. I know which experience I prefer!
Has issue a few weeks ago. Went for a shower instead. Long que at lunge nothing for a shower. Worth considering if you have just got off a long flight
@Michele- Why have my and @Jimbo’s comments been removed!
They were genuine replies and there was no derogatory language!
So much for free speech. Now I know why I use “Head for Points” as my preferred travel site!
I can’t see which of your comments you are referring to as the only one I removed was Jimbo’s which called another poster an “Elitist snob”. I can see four of your comments as approved including the one I am replying to. If you don’t think that is derogatory language then I can’t help you. I do not allow people to insult each other in that way. It far too normalised on the internet to just hurl nasty comments at people that no one would have the balls to say to their face. Personally I have had enough of it and do not allow them on this website.
Well that’s strange as they were up there, also Chris W replied to both comments and his has also been taken down! Maybe you are using the same IT as BA?
I have no idea but to me they show as published and I have not touched anything.
Hi
Whilst on our round robin trip (1/3 of the way through as I write this) LGW – MCO – MIA – SXM – ANU – LGW, we had the privilege of using the AA Flagship Lounge at MIA. Fantastic lounge, quiet and very relaxing for a 1025am flight to SXM. We are both silver, but took advantage of being able to use Flagship vice Admiral’s.
Did Maho beach @ SXM yesterday. Absolutely brilliant for an av geek like me.
WINAIR tomorrow to ANU !!
That’s sounds like quite the trip. Some people slag off the Flagship lounges but I actually like them.
Way to go…. Good take down.. lol
Ahh you have edited your comment Now Michele. From not seeing my other comments to seeing them pending.
I did not say pending I said approved. At no point did I say that I couldn’t see them. I said I had only deleted one comment which was not yours and I could not see which of your comments you referred to. I went back specifically to see your comments to see if I could figure out what the issue was.
Re my comments- Well it’s your website, Obviously you can do what you want, so we will have to agree to disagree! Or this will just drag on!
We had 14 rows of Club Europe to Venice last week. I felt really bad for those at the back of the cabin who waited well over an hour to get their meal.
Used the B lounge on Saturday 16 September and it was full. It appears to be under going refurbishment, the Whispering Angel area was boarded off despite being pictured in BA marketing. When we left the queues were down the escalator/stairs.
I think more people are travelling Club, every flight I’ve taken has a large Club Europe cabin and Club World’s also full. I’ve also flown AA a couple of times to the US recently and Business class has also been full. Flying AA I use the CX lounge which, so far, has been a bastion of peace and quiet.
I think the BA Holidays double points will have some impact. Plus people want more space post Covid and for longer short haul routes some sort of service (more than water and a snack). A C gate lounge would help, not sure where they’d put it though.
The terminals also feel very busy. There will be more than one single factor but BA does need to address the issue proactively and effectively.
Double tier points and reduced tier thresholds in 2021/22 = full BA lounges in 2023
The Cathay Pacific lounge in T.3 is the best whilst the satellite BA lounge in T.5 is also delightful.
I was in BA T.5 south lounge last Sunday around lunchtime and although very busy it was OK., especially with a couple of glasses of Heidsieck Monopole silver top champers, although no more pretzels, inferior olives, & with no chilli crackers either??
On the flight to Faro they did not have the same champagne, but the rather inferior Castelnau!!!!!!! WHY??
Sadly the champagne is all down to what they can source in sufficient quantities for the price they are willing to pay.
Interesting BA values their own lounges so low. If ever they were to sell access something tells me it would be a lot more than £30.
Although to be fair, I’d take it over an overcrowded canteen
My elderly parents flew to TFS last Friday on the 414 and walked to both the North first and then the South Galleries to only be told at the South that both A lounges were full but the flight was departing from B Gates and to go the the B gate lounge! Why weren’t BA organised and told this at check-in where they could have saved significant unnecessary walking, congestion and enjoyed more time in a less busy lounge!?
They do actually display how busy the lounges are but I’m surprised they weren’t told to go the B gates beforehand. Although often if you arrive more than 2 hours before they don’t definitely know which gate it is.
A BAH US return trip in club from the regions will currently net 720 TPS with four completed flights making instant silver with one journey…and there the overcrowded lounge issues lie.
Either increase the status threshold or remove the double TP nonsense.
On the railway we have a seat guarantee in First Class. If you pay for a First Class ticket, you can expect a seat. If First Class is full, you can claim back the difference between a Standard Class ticket and what you paid for your First Class ticket. I think that’s fair, and I think BA should consider doing the same. If you have lounge access, you should be able to access the lounge. If you can’t, you should be compensated. It sounds as if you are or potentially can be with those £30 vouchers, but BA could perhaps be more proactive and advertise it better. Customer loyalty is not something to be taken for granted. People are often more than happy to go to the competition if it will get them a better deal or better treatment. BA could create a sort of Delay Repay-equivalent claim form on their website for customers to fill out with booking reference and all other relevant information. That way they could receive their compensation the same way they would for delays on the railway, and BA would be able to see that the customer was indeed not registered as having entered the lounge, and that the lounge was in fact full at the time.
I guess they don’t want to do things like that unless they are forced to. But it is very poor unless I’m exceptional circumstances not to be able to use the lounge.
Maybe time has come to have a lounge for revenue passengers (north?) and a lounge for BAEC passengers (south) – this may make a difference?
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