British Airways “Revamps” Concorde Room At Heathrow T5

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British Airways has announced that it had given its Concorde Room at Heathrow Terminal 5 a make over. It’s not a complete make over like we’ve seen with the Cathay Pacific lounges in Terminal 3…it’s more of a renovation of the existing furniture and small changes to the existing areas.

I’ve actually never been inside the British Airways Concorde Room at Heathrow T5 but from everything I’ve heard about it I’ve never really felt like I’m missing out.

I thought I’d finally get to see inside BA’s most exclusive lounge when I flew British Airways First Class to Las Vegas last year….but that flight departed from Heathrow T3 and I was stuck with the rather average First Class lounge the airline offers there.

Still, like I said, I’ve never felt like I missed out on much as the reports I’ve had from people who know about these things have all been pretty negative.

“Unimpressive”, “average food”, “no self-service food” and ‘very bland and basic washroom facilities” have all been phrases I’ve heard used to describe the Concorde Room…and those are hardly great recommendations for a lounge that’s not easy to get into (you have to either have a Concorde Room card or be booked to fly in First Class – oneworld status won’t get you in).

Now British Airways has announced that it has revamped the Concorde Room at Heathrow T5 and it has published some images to show what’s been done.

Some images look nice – this one looks like it could be a nice place for a group to relax….

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

…but others show furniture that I wouldn’t exactly consider luxurious:

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

The furniture in the image above looks like what I’d expect to find in a reasonable Business Class lounge and not somewhere where you have to have a First Class ticket to get in.

In one image BA has provided it looks as if garden furniture has been brought inside for the winter….

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

….and this image just reminds me of a furniture department in a department store:

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

This armchair and ottoman look comfortable….

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

…but I’m not sure what to think of the table lamps that look like a wading bird lost a fight with a lamp shade:

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

Anyway…

Here’s what British Airways has had to say about the work done:

The refurbishment to the airline’s exclusive lounge included re-upholstering iconic pieces of furniture, and adding new feature pieces to the room, all of which are illuminated by hand-blown glass lighting with bone linen shades and ochre silk linings.

The terrace, which is so popular with travellers thanks to its position overlooking the runway, features luxurious sofas and new elegant loungers.

Mobile phone chargers are also on hand for travellers to ensure their devices are fully charged before they fly.

The re-upholstered “iconic pieces of furniture” appear to include this sofa….

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

….which, to be charitable, is a bold choice of fabric….but it doesn’t appear to be in keeping with the rest of the lounge decor.

And the “elegant loungers” mentioned in the press release appear to be referring to the garden furniture I mentioned earlier.

The entrance to the lounge looks grand enough in a subtle way….

British Airways Concorde Room T5 – Image Courtesy of British Airways

…but, while I know being understated is a very British trait (one that I really, really like), some of the images I’ve seen of the Concorde Room don’t so much show understatement as underinvestment.

If I’m paying out serious cash for a First Class ticket I want to start my trip in somewhere that actually feels special…like the Pier in Hong Kong for example:

The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong

The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong

As soon as you walk into the Pier you’re aware that you’re somewhere where details have really been thought through and where your surroundings are understated but elegant….I’m just not getting the same feel from these images of the Concorde Room.

In case you think I’m being overly harsh in my criticism you should check out this image FlyerTalker Corporate Wage Slave (credit CWS & FlyerTalk):

This shows some of the other furniture that has been installed in the Concorde room. Wow.

Unsurprisingly BA didn’t include this in its press release as it looks like something salvaged from an old folks home yard sale.

I should add, for the sake of balance, that CWS tells me that the furniture probably looks worse in the picture than it does in real life and that those who have seen this suite of furniture in real life don’t think it’s all that bad.

Still…

On Monday, at the World Trade Mart in London, BA’s CEO Alex Cruz said that he felt that the premium products from the Middle East Carriers were a serious threat to British Airways……and yet the airline goes ahead and refurbishes its most exclusive lounge like this!

The Gulf carriers must be rolling around on the floor laughing.

Let’s not forget that the only things that have really changed in the Concorde Room are a few bits of furniture and upholstery – the tired, basic washrooms and restrictive food options are all still very much there.

Here are the remaining images on the Concorde Room revamp that British Airways has provided:

Bottom Line

We’re often told that if something is worth doing it’s worth doing right but clearly BA has chosen to ignore that advice. From everything I’ve heard about the Concorde Room it has needed a head-to-toe renovation for quite some time but what BA has done here is put lipstick on a pig….and not very good lipstick either.

If BA really wants to compete at the top table of airlines (and I’m not actually sure that it does despite what its CEO says) it needs to start doing things properly. That means not installing underwhelming seats as the next Club World product, a proper renovation of the Concorde Room, a First Class cabin that doesn’t look like a slightly better version of an American Airlines Business Class cabin and the elimination of “First Class” lounges that look like the abomination in San Francisco.

Will BA do any of this? Probably not…but if it doesn’t its chances of being a true premium airline will die along with the hopes of its premium class passengers.