Anyone used BA First Lounge at Toronto (YYZ) travelling AA to US (ORD) ???

[Kefci2000]

Hi,
Has anyone traveling AA out of YYZ used the BA First lounge?

I assume as WP (OWE) I have access from reading OW website?

I also assume it is heaps better than AA AC ie you get served food and decent beer "free"??

This was the answer on the OW website:

Access to First Class lounges is restricted to passengers flying in the lounge operator’s First Class cabin or to cardholders with oneworld Emerald status, regardless of which oneworld airline or cabin they are flying.

Thanks
Also do I clear customs at YYZ or ORD??

 

[rockyroad]

Hi,
Has anyone traveling AA out of YYZ used the BA First lounge?

I assume as WP (OWE) I have access from reading OW website?

I also assume it is heaps better than AA AC ie you get served food and decent beer "free"??

This was the answer on the OW website:

Access to First Class lounges is restricted to passengers flying in the lounge operator’s First Class cabin or to cardholders with oneworld Emerald status, regardless of which oneworld airline or cabin they are flying.

Thanks
Also do I clear customs at YYZ or ORD??

Good luck with that.
BA FLounge dragons have a reputation for ignoring what OW rules say, especially once they see you have a AA BP.
Have done that flight twice. Seem to remember clearing US customs in YYZ.

 

[Kefci2000]

Good luck with that.
BA FLounge dragons have a reputation for ignoring what OW rules say, especially once they see you have a AA BP.
Have done that flight twice. Seem to remember clearing US customs in YYZ.

Thanks, maybe I take a hard copy of the rules......

It is around lunch time so will be looking forward to some decent food (which is not AC)!

 

[NM]

With many flights from Canada to USA, passengers "pre-clear" US immigration and customs at the Canadian airport and are then restricted to the secure area for such pre-cleared passengers. Once pre-cleared for US immigration/customs you won't be able to access the BA lounge as its not in the secure area for US pre-clearance.

So that then begs the question about being able to use the BA lounge between check-in and pre-clearance. I am not sure about the logistics of doing this at Toronto, but expect there could well be different security screening points for US pre-clearance and other international departures. Even if you can get to the BA lounge, you would need to be heading to US immigration/customs pre-clearance quite some time before scheduled departure.

 

[dfcatch]

1/ Immediately after checking in with AA at YYZ you will IMMEDIATELY enter the US Pre-Clearance zone.

The only thing you will have access to prior to pre-clearance is the duty free store.

2/ Next is Pre-Clearance followed immediately by security (unless you get to detour via secondary screening ).

3/ Directly after security you will find yourself in the "screened zone" for trans-border flights and will have no access to any other part of the terminal.

4/ On your right you will see the hidden entrance to the Admirals Club, otherwise there are some cafe shops and maybe even a Starbucks IIRC.

The AC is small but comfortable and beats sitting in the terminal.

Eat before you go to the airport.

 

[Kefci2000]

1/ Immediately after checking in with AA at YYZ you will IMMEDIATELY enter the US Pre-Clearance zone.

The only thing you will have access to prior to pre-clearance is the duty free store.

2/ Next is Pre-Clearance followed immediately by security (unless you get to detour via secondary screening ).

3/ Directly after security you will find yourself in the "screened zone" for trans-border flights and will have no access to any other part of the terminal.

4/ On your right you will see the hidden entrance to the Admirals Club, otherwise there are some cafe shops and maybe even a Starbucks IIRC.

The AC is small but comfortable and beats sitting in the terminal.

Eat before you go to the airport.

Thanks for that, so coughpy snacks and beer in AC and a really rushed pitstop at ORD Flagship for some real food (at least no customs clearance to hold me up!!)

 

[davidjbell]

Hi,
Has anyone traveling AA out of YYZ used the BA First lounge?

I assume as WP (OWE) I have access from reading OW website?

I also assume it is heaps better than AA AC ie you get served food and decent beer "free"??

This was the answer on the OW website:

Access to First Class lounges is restricted to passengers flying in the lounge operator’s First Class cabin or to cardholders with oneworld Emerald status, regardless of which oneworld airline or cabin they are flying.

Thanks
Also do I clear customs at YYZ or ORD??

You clear customs and immigration at YYZ, so technically you're on American soil (it becomes a domestic US flight). You're unlikely to be able to use the BA lounge, as that'll be in the international section of the airport. Also, the BA lounge will only be open for when BA flights are leaving, so if your departure is different, the lounge won't be open.