London Heathrow 10th March 2006.
I originally had a 15 hour scheduled transit at LHR and intended to do some non Central London Exploring. I had posted some questions about what to do on FT and had received some good answers with some interesting options. However, arriving nearly 4½ hours late cut my realistic available time in two and I wanted to avail myself of the Arrivals lounge and also to fully experience the delights of the “Pavilion” lounges. This coupled with the rain dictated my decision to remain at LHR.
Shortly before descent, the FA’s had handed out UK immigration forms to those who needed them along with “Fastrack” invitations. Filling out my form I noted how brief and simple they are when compared to an OZ or NZ equivalent; basically all that was required is your DOB, Name, PP number and information about your UK address/reason for visiting, the latter being the only information not available directly from one’s passport. I simply wrote “In Transit”. Coming through immigration, the Fastrack really helped, my wait was about 20 seconds and I went straight through, no questions were asked.
I made my way to the arrivals hall, and proceeded to the right down to where the arrivals lounge entry is. While not exactly hidden, if you were not looking for it would be easy to miss. No worries for me as I had been there before. Entry was simple and being so late in the morning I was able to go straight through to have a shower. It had been several years since I used this facility and I was surprised to find it a little worn. While most things worked fine there were little issues like the false door latch not closing properly and scratch marks in the panelling. I had no complaints however, and I was very grateful for the facilities. Certainly the shower was terrific with enough spray jets to ensure one’s torso be completely scrubbed clean and my clothing was efficiently and properly pressed using the valet service. I have since found that BA will be moving from T4 when the new T5 opens and I guess that repairing aesthetic problems are not a high priority.
Feeling refreshed with clean wrinkle free clothes; I made my way upstairs to the breakfast area. Here they serve hot English breakfast food until 2pm, with eggs cooked to order. I was not super hungry as it had been only three hours since breakfast had been served on the aircraft. I treated myself to a light brunch with a cup of coffee from the espresso machine, followed by a few glasses of the excellent mineral water they had. This filled any spare corners I may have had. While doing this I considered what I could do until my Dubai flight commenced boarding that evening. All bodily functions thus revitalised I repaired to the deserted business centre where I noted the Spa was located. I checked the booking sheet and a slot was available; however not really being one for massages I went on and sat down at one of the two PC’s there and did some surfing. I also did some more on this trip report. It was very quiet there with the only people those moving through to have spas or heading to the relaxation room. Fifteen minutes before 2pm an announcement was made the Arrivals lounge was soon to close. I packed up and headed down the lift and out to the T4 throngs.
I had decided to gave T4 landside a good going over so I went from one end to the other and back. Up the escalators was a mezzanine level with a couple of restaurants. I went up there and it seemed a bit of a dead end, unless you were after some food. It is tucked up in the east corner of the main hall and gave me the impression of nothing so much that it was built there as an afterthought. My overall impression was of efficiency without beauty; while there was nothing striking about the place, it was getting its job done.
Having had enough of that, my next aim was to reconnoitre T1. I was scheduled to go do a T4 to T1 transit there in a couple of days with somewhat less time than I had then. I followed the signs and took the lift to the Heathrow Express station. As I arrived a train was just pulling out; the next one to take me to the T1/T2/T3 platforms was due in 10 minutes. Relaxing, I found a seat to the middle of the platform and waited. Just before the next train arrived an announcement was made “ … please stay behind the white line … Do not board this train until routine security checks have been completed …”. I had not noticed the white line, but there was one running the length of the platform some 2 metres from the edge. When the train pulled in, quite a few people alighted, many with suitcases and the like, large and small. These they lugged through to the centre tunnel where there were plenty of luggage carts awaiting. Meanwhile, officials scoured the train looking for anything that may have been left behind. This whole process took several minutes. Than came the announcement we could board, so I did. I found a seat near a luggage rack where I placed my bags and waited watching a Video screen promoting the Xpress service along with safety information.
The train pulled out and very shortly afterwards arrived at the other Airport station. I noted it took a long time to completely stop with a deliberately slow deceleration, can’t have peoples’ bags falling over I guess.
Off the train and through to the linking tunnel, noting the T1 signs showing a couple of hundred metres would need to be traversed. I found one of the plentiful luggage trolleys, placed my two bags on it and joined the cavalcade of people walking, pushing trolleys and otherwise proceeding down the long tunnel in the indicated direction of T1.
Getting to the end and up the lift I entered a world of airport shops, check in counters, automated check in machines and general frenetic activity. The hordes of people made T4 appear a virtual tranquil oasis. Pressing on I surveyed the area, noting BA’s premium check in area and the arrivals lounge were accessible from outside (it had stopped raining). These are at the far end of the departures floor from the lifts to the Heathrow Express where I had surfaced. My knowledge thus enriched I headed back down these lifts to the station and took a train back to T4.
Back at T4 I was straight through immigration. I took my time airside, having a close look at Duty/Tax free prices for a couple of items I was after. I would be heading back through LHR and was looking for the most cost effective place(s) to buy things.
I went to the BA pavilion and was directed down the stairs to the F lounge. This is quite a nice place and I made myself comfortable. After a while I went looking for some PC’s but could not see any. A quick ask at reception gave me both the location of these and the code to use to enter the room.
Upstairs to a room with about 20 workstations, occupied at the time be about 10 people. It also had a small self serve bar. I found a convenient spot and did some more of this report as well as catching up with some emails. I had a mini crisis as I was using a floppy disc for my TR document and these workstations did not appear to have any. In the end I typed into a document on the workstation and emailed it to myself.
Later on I went back down to the lounge. I was happy to find they have small menus where you simply ask one of the staff in the dining area for a menu item and they will bring it out to you. I had a light pasta washed down with a couple of ales and some bubbly. The lounge began to get quite crowded and at 9pm I headed off to gate 9. Boarding for my flight to Dubai was called just as I arrived, so with my passport and a boarding pass that had been printed some 41 hours earlier in Sydney in hand, off I went.
.
I have the notes, but not had the time yet to do it justice; Hopefully I can find a spare couple of hours and complete it before I head to the LOTFAP ...
... I want to do justice to my previous posts here, it's always in my mind to complete soon ... .:-|
