Lounge Review: British Airways Galleries Business Lounge – South – London Heathrow Terminal 5 – LHR

Arriving from my flight from Seattle and the forgone visit of the British Airways Terraces Lounge in Seattle, I made my way to Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport to catch my connecting flight to Germany. Compare to last year it was a breeze to get through security and to Terminal 5. Last year, about the same time, they had a fire which downed a lot of planes including mine. Back then I was also not elite with Oneworld and chose United Global First Lounge in Terminal 2, which required some traveling within the airport.

Thanks to my status with Oneworld I was able to use the Fast Track lanes through security. Once in Terminal 5, you have to follow the signs for the British Airways lounges. I went to the lounge at the south end. There is another one on the north side of the terminal. It is up to you which one you choose.

However before you check in to the lounge I recommend you to locate your departure gate and time the way to the lounge. Terminal 5 is quite big and it takes a little bit to get to the Satellite Buildings housing the B and C gates. Inside the lounge you will find multiple monitors displaying departure information. Make sure you check frequently for changes. There are no announcements made within the lounge.

Escalator up to the lounges from the gate level

The Concorde Room, for First Class Passengers, is located at the south end of the terminal as well. Next to it is the Elemis Travel Spa and BA’s Galleries First Lounge. Depending on your Oneworld status and ticket you can enter either one of the lounges. For the Concorde Room however you have to buy first-class tickets (no award tickets). I was flying Economy Class and only my Sapphire status with Oneworld allowed me to access the Galleries Lounge, which is also for Business Class Customers. The Business Class Lounge is all the way at the top level and outside of the main entrance you can find a model of a British Airways A380 and a horse with a lampshade hat – “this must be a British thing”.

Thanks to multiple entrances and check-in counters at each entrance, getting in the lounge was easy and quick. This was my first time in the lounge and I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the lounge itself. That’s why I started touring the facilities and made myself familiar with the amenities and locations of food and drinks.

On one side the lounge overlooks the tarmac and the perch on the other end overlooks the inside of the terminal including the security checkpoint.

Divided into several zones you will find the hot buffet area, including a salad bar, in the middle of the lounge with drinks and coffee to grab on each side. Throughout the lounge, you have several fridges and stations with coffee machines to grab a cold drink, beer or hot coffee. This makes it easier and you don’t have to walk back and forward. Conveniently located next to the hot buffet area in the center are big tables to actually really enjoy your meal without any hassle.

There are two business centers in the lounge. One big one next to the dining area and a smaller one at the very south end in the corner overlooking the tarmac. Both are equipped with workstations, headsets, and printer/fax combo.

There is also a 20 seat cinema inside the lounge, located on the north side. During my visit, there was a soccer game showing on the big screen and people rather used it to lay down and sleep instead of following the game.

Even that the lounge is very big it was very crowded as well during my visit on an early Monday afternoon. There are a lot of seating possibilities to sit down and relax, but depending on the time of your visit they can run low quickly.

There are local newspapers and magazines throughout the lounge. If you have any questions about your trip or flight, consult a customer service agent at the service desk inside the lounge.

The service staff was quite fast in replenishing the food and beverages and cleaning the tables. If the lounge is frequented by a lot of people, there can be some spots that go uncleaned for a while. If you found a place to sit down and it’s dirty, just ask one of the staff members friendly and they are very helpful in getting the place cleaned up for you.

If you feel like taking a shower, feel free to make an appointment. The shower suites are located downstairs next to the Galleries First Lounge.

British Airways first class and business class guests plus Executive Club Gold members traveling in economy or premium economy on a long haul flight can enjoy a complimentary 15-minute treatment at the Elemis Travel Spa downstairs.