Lhr T3

[uffington sb]

Went out through LHR on Qatar Airways flight to MLE via DOH a couple of weeks ago. Having read about the re-development of T3 in pprune, I decided to pay £31 for access to the servisair lounge for me and Mrs Uffers.
Seems like seating in T3 has been sacrificed in the name of 'merchantising opportunities' i.e. more shops!!
Went up to the lounge, turned out it's the new 'quiet seating area' ( the Servisair lounge had moved) it had about 6 people in it compared to about 6,000 downstairs. So top tip peeps, if you're going through T3, make your way upstairs to the 'quiet seating area' and save yourselves over £15 each. Bargain. ;)

[Globaliser]

Sounds good. How do you get to it?

[Lost_luggage34]

uff,
Nice advice.

Too true about the shops, no decent seating or 'quiet areas'. To think that the BAA claim to be hard up with all the extortionate rents they charge all those shops !!

[uffington sb]

When you go through the security into the depature lounge/shopping arcade, go to the right and head towards the transfer desks, you'll see a sign saying 'Quiet Seating Area' or something similar. Go past the toilets and then up the stairs.

[craigm]

uffington sb,

Great tip, I will check this out on Saturday week, thanks. I'll let you know the results

craig.

[Globaliser]

Many thanks, u sb. I'm passing this on to a friend who's on SQ on Saturday evening - immediate benefits!

[PAXboy]

It was several years ago that I read the news that BAA plc had become the country's largest retailer and made more money from shopping than for providing roosts for aeroplanes.

At that point, I knew that we would never get the right treatment as their focus would always be in the wrong direction. They have also managed to infect the rest of the world with their ideas and most airports and railways stations are now subject to reduced width walkways, so that another row of boutiques and junk can be oferred at 'special' prices.

At Euston mainline station in London, one complete passenger walkway was closed and shops built on it. When the time comes for an emergency evacuation of the four surburban train platforms (Nos 8~11) I only hope that I am nowhere near the place. :rolleyes:

[uffington sb]

It wouldn't be so bad if the shops sold useful things, apart from the book/paper shop, I have no need for Scottish smoked salmon, expensive 'country' wear, Scotch, chocolates, designer luggage (hopefully it should be on the plane!) etc etc.
You'reright PAXboy, BAA do make more out of retailing than aircraft!

[Boss Raptor]

I commented on a previous thread on this exact situation some months back whilst the redevelopment was happening...it was a fiasco then with no seating etc. - as suspected BAA for go passenger comfort for yet more shops...

However worthwhile to know about the 'quiet seating area' if we have to travel thru' this sh!t hole of a terminal which has nothing good about it either on departure or arrival!

With a few exceptions every 6-12 months or so at both LGW and LHR the retail tenants seem to change (not referring to the big Duty Free outlets and Dixons, Sock Shop etc.)...is this a sign that the BAA rents are too high to support the outlets...unless the retailer is prepared to run as a prestigious loss leader...you only have to watch the lack of sales over a two hour period at these places selling £500 handbags etc.

[uffington sb]

BR
Yes I read it. That's why I decided to pay £30 or so to be able to use the Servisair lounge. I only found the 'quiet seating area' because I had used the Servisair lounge about 3 years ago, and hadn't read the directions on my 'invitation' properly. The quiet area is where the old Servisair lounge was, the new being located on one of the piers.
What you don't get there obviously is the 'free' newspapers/nibbles or drinks (you can only drink so much anyway!).

[Lost_luggage34]

And now the BAA are saying they can't afford the cost of T5 build ??? !!!

They've already twisted the arm of CAA wrt landing fees. How much more is this greedy organisation going to bleed a struggling industry to keep the shareholders happy ?

[BahrainLad]

Having recently travelled through T3 I have to say it's the biggest sh!t hole excuse for an airport terminal.........and I think that's being quite charitable.

What the hell were they thinking with the layout of check-in? security? shopping? On a Friday night it is a nightmare. Took me 30 mins to get through security.

T4 should be the model for terminals in the UK...........but even that's descending into chaos as more and more shops get crammed in!

[The_Banking_Scot]

Hi,

I think the only good things (two) about LHR T3 are the Virgin Atlantic Lounge and the Revivals Lounge :D

The newspaper shop( which is a about the only place airside )in T3 for water/soft drinks in small bottles to take onboard always has very large queues.

The walkway from security almost always takes you into... the duty free store.


On the other hand never had to wait too long to clear security.



Regards

TBS

[PAXboy]

Hi T_B_S,

Agree with you there! When I get back to the UK on 23rd, I plan to spend my max time in the Revivals Lounge. If the weather looks too bad, I'll hang around until the evening flight back to South Africa!

Temp today in Cape Town was 40 C :cool: but the weather changing a bit now. Please don't ask about the cricket - as my friends were glued to the set all day yesterday and I had to retreat from the room! :yuk: What is all the fuss about? (OK, move it to JetBlast!)

[knobbygb]

I just had the dubious good fortune of using three different terminals at Heathrow in the space of a few hours (arrival at 3, over to 4 for the arrivals lounge, and departure from 1).

I have to say that apart from the obvious exceptions, such as private lounges, the entire airport is without exception a complete disgrace. It makes me cringe to think of the first impression of the UK given to arriving visitors from around the world.

My general plan is to check-in either on-line or at Paddington, spend any time I have at LHR on the spectators terrace (even in the rain if necessary!) and only enter the terminals at the last possible minute.

Perhaps the demolition workers currently at Wembly should turn their hands to Heathrow when they've finished up there.

Will T5 be any better? Not holding my breath.