In London Heathrow's worst terminal, even Plaza Premium can't work wonders
London Heathrow Terminal 4 is, without fear of contradiction, the worst in the busiest airport on the old continent. It seems [...]
LHR
United Kingdom
Terminal 4 of London Heathrow is, without fear of contradiction, the worst of the busiest airport in the old continent. It seems like a no-man's land, despite the fact that major carriers such as Etihad, Saudia and Air France-KLM operate there.
In this article:
Of course, there is The View, the free viewing terrace where you can observe the movements on the track, but for everything else we seem to be standing still in the 1990s: while in all the other terminals we are (almost) at the top, a really sad atmosphere reigns here.
Location
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This Plaza Premium Lounge is located in front of gate 10. Turning right after the security checkpoint takes you through the connecting tunnel to the +22 gates and the shopping area.
Here, hidden behind the stores, is the lounge that doubles as a waiting room for Saudia passengers.
Access
There is a dual route: that of airline passengers who have a contract with this lounge and that of walk-ins, i.e., those who have an Amex Platinum or Priority Pass.
On a couple of occasions I was bounced and Sent into the (unfortunate) sister on the other side of the terminal, which competes in sadness with this PP.
The lounge
Aesthetically she is pretty, in the sense that it has the style of the latest lounges of this brand. The problem is that, because of the size of the terminal-which also houses many low-cost airlines flying to LHR - Is often crowded.
Fortunately have put seats in every usable inch: social distancing is a faded memory and it feels like being on the French Riviera, in one of the many restaurants in Nice or Cannes, where they move the table to seat you and you find yourself eating side by side with strangers.
On the plus side, there is definitely an outside view, which allows for natural light. It is much needed, as the ceilings are really low and make the room look gloomy, despite the warm colors of the furnishings and finishes.
I also like the fact that it is all curves and that there are no corners except in the choices of floor tiles.
There is also a kind of family lounge, which is nothing more than a smaller, slightly isolated room located on the opposite side of the buffet area.
Food & Beverage
There are two self-service islands. The main one houses the buffet, with varied offerings ranging from savory to sweet, hot to cold.
Here is also the hot drink area and the Pepsi fountain, which dispenses a dozen different drinks.
On the opposite side is the alcohol area. The offer, this is the UK, is more than good in terms of both wines and spirits, and there is no shortage of beer tap.
In conclusion
Probably, experienced off-peak, it gives different sensations; but ending up there at 5 p.m., with people fighting over a chair and fighting over a clean glass, is not the best.
Never more than in this case can it be said: rather than nothing, better rather, But the only magic is to make a place to sit appear.
