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British Airways reopening 2 Heathrow lounges on Saturday

July 03, 2020
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3 min read
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British Airways reopening 2 Heathrow lounges on Saturday
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As flights begin to resume, so, too, will the airport experience. Around the world, the airport experience is gradually returning to normal — including with British Airways at London Heathrow.

Beginning July 4, British Airways will reopen its First and Arrivals lounges at London Heathrow Terminal 5. The airline said in a statement that its other lounges will continue to reopen across its network throughout July and early August as flights gradually increase.

Until all of BA's lounges are open, any customer who is eligible for lounge access will be able to use the First lounge on departure in T5. This applies to those traveling in Club World, as well as those with status.

Notably, First passengers will have their own area of the lounge. The terrace area in the First lounge will be converted to a "Concorde Terrace", available only to First passengers and those with a Concorde Room Card.

Related: How can you access British Airways lounges?

When the lounges reopen, BA will begin trialling a new, reduced contact entry method. The airline will use automatic contactless lounge entry screens, which will enable eligible passengers to scan their own boarding pass when entering the lounge. The move will decrease any unnecessary contact with lounge attendants.

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"Upon entry, customers will be provided with a card to place on their seat when the[y] leave, allowing cleaners to thoroughly sanitize the seating area after each use", British Airways said in a statement. "Throughout the lounge customers will also find a number of sanitization stations and safe distance markers".

The airline said that the bathroom and shower facilities will be cleaned after each use.

Food service will change as well. Rather than a traditional buffet-style food selection, passengers will be able to order their food and drink selection online. Once ordered, their selection will be brought directly to them at their seat.

Since the peak of the pandemic, British Airways has consolidated all of its London operations to Heathrow Airport. Furthermore, all of its Heathrow operations have been consolidated from Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 to just Terminal 5.

Related: Heathrow consolidation: The airlines still flying here and from which terminal

Once passengers board, BA passengers can expect a significantly reduced onboard experience in all cabins, with food being served to passengers in snack-boxes, including those in First.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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