British Airways has released pictures of its recently-reopened first-class lounge at Heathrow’s T5, giving a glimpse into the “new normal” for air travel.
As the Galleries First, Galleries South Club and Arrivals lounges reopened their doors to the public on 4 June, entrants were greeted by masked hospitality staff, sanitisation stations and “safe distance markers”.
While these policies have also been adopted by those to reopen lounges already – such as Air New Zealand – others also being trialled set British Airways apart.
These include contactless lounge entry screens, which BA said allows passengers to “scan their own boarding pass when entering, thus minimising contact between customers and staff”.
Passengers will also be given a card to place on their seat upon leaving, allowing cleaning staff to “thoroughly sanitise the seating area after each use”.
While the exclusive Concorde Room remains shut, the Galleries First terrace area has been temporarily converted into a “Concorde Terrace”. The Galleries First lounge is open to first-class ticket holders, business-class ticket holders, as well as silver and gold members.
Bathroom and shower facilities will be operating, as will food service – although customers will have to order through a new online platform.
“Once ordered, customers can sit back and relax, and their order will be brought directly to their seat,” said a spokesperson for the airline.
British Airways has reopened the first-class lounges ahead of an uptick in service planned for the months ahead. The airline added that it rebuilds its network, it expects more lounges to reopen across the months of July and August.
