Review Concorde room British Airways' most exclusive BA lounge

Concorde stopped flying 18 years ago, but in the collective imagination it remains one of the most exclusive experiences in the world of travel, comparable perhaps only to the new fashion for space flight. That's why this lounge is named after the plane whose BA001 route connected London to New York at supersonic speed.

A tribute to an aircraft that made aviation history, which here also sees displayed the nose tip of the Concorde G-BOAF that first took off in 1979.

Location and access

The lounge is part of the lounge complex in the South area of Terminal 5, here there are la Galleries South which has a twin in the north terminal area and is open to all passengers flying business class.

First, contrary to what you might think, is not reserved for first class passengers, but to all owners of the level Gold in BA's loyalty program and counterpart in the OneWorld alliance.

The last of this triptych is precisely. the Concorde Room dedicated exclusively to first class passengers and to the holders of the exclusive Concorde Key, or the highest level in the British carrier's loyalty program.

The hall

It is not very big, but then again, not many passengers fly in first, especially these days. I must admit, however, that there were several guests present during my visit.

The room is very elegant, the bar counter in the center is very nice.

So are the sofas with (fake) fireplaces scattered throughout the area.

Then there is the famous Concorde Terrace, the one that houses as mentioned the nose tip of the world's most famous airplane.

A real terrace, inside the terminal, where there are structures that are so reminiscent of restaurant patios with comfortable sofas and chairs where you can observe what is happening on the runway, and on the rest of the terminal.

The lounge has a table service restaurant, the Concorde dining room, here you can sit as you would in any other restaurant and order from the a la carte menu what you want.

In front of the restaurant and across from the bar, there are also high tables for those who want to dine in a less formal setting, but table service is available anywhere in the lounge if desired.

Of course, they could not miss the famous sleeping pods which BA offers in all its lounges, a place to relax and wait for your flight without being disturbed by anyone.

Of course, it is very traditional and offers nothing extraordinary, by the way since the SPA has been closed. there is no longer even this service that other companies such as Air France continue to offer instead. Now all that remains is to wait and see what the space once occupied by the beauty center will be filled with.

Food & Beverage

British Airways First Class Is a solid product, definitely though Is inferior to the competition both European and especially of carriers such as Emirates and Singapore. BA has a very different policy on first class, so much so that often the difference between a business class and a first class is a few hundred euros, which is never the case with other carriers.

As a result, the service is also different. There is no chauffeur picking you up at home as with Emirates or taking you under the plane's ladder as with Air France. There is no caviar or a la carte menu on board with the option to order what you want as with Singapore. Instead, there is an elegant product and attentive service, but without the exclusivity one expects when traveling on First.

This results in a menu at the restaurant that could certainly turn the noses of discerning diners; of course this is where the pandemic also comes in, but a (good) hamburger with fries does not exactly compare to the caviar and oysters that the competition offers.

On one thing, however, BA does not skimp, and that is the wine list starting with the champagne offered to its guests in the "all you can drink" mode. We are talking about Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle and many gourmet spirits.

In conclusion

British Airways is one of three European carriers to offer first class, is definitely the one that provides the most seats since the first cabin is present on most of the long-haul fleet, which is not the case with Lufthansa and Air France.

Both LH and AF have a dedicated terminal for First passengers and the service is much better, just think of the limousine that takes you under the plane. Whereas in BA, perhaps because of the higher number of users, there is a feeling that First is something like a premium Business, a step down from what the competition offers.

This is an obligatory consideration given that when traveling in First you expect the best in every respect. It is only fair to mention, however, that very often the cost of first class with BA is only slightly higher than business class, which obviously results in service that is not on par with all the other carriers that charge a lot for the most exclusive seats instead.

• first class

The verdict

This lounge does not hold a candle to First's lounges on other European airlines and beyond. When compared to the nearby First Galleries the feeling is that the only real difference is the upgrade in the wine list and menu. Although then you have to figure out whether eating a hamburger, good, but certainly not gourmet much less star-studded is a first-class offering.

6.5

Rated Location

8

F&B

6.5

Services

6

Pro

• The presence of a real restaurant
• The tip of Concorde's nose
• Champagne

Against

• Offers nothing special
• It does not coddle the passenger
• The restaurant menu