Review: American Airlines Flagship Lounge – Heathrow T3

October 20, 2015

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The Finnair Airbus A350XWB Trip Report

Introduction
Review: American Airlines Flagship Lounge Heathrow T3
Review: Finnair Economy Class A320 (LHR-HEL)
Review: Finnair Premium Lounge Helsinki
Review: Finnair Business Class A350XWB (HEL – LHR)

American Airlines has two lounges at Heathrow’s Terminal 3 – An Admiral’s Club (Business Class Lounge) and a Flagship Lounge (First Class Lounge). Both are accessed trough the same set of glass doors (above) and both are unspectacular.

The Flagship Lounge is open to all OneWorld Emerald card holders (American Airlines Executive Platinum, British Airways Gold etc…) and anyone with a First Class ticket for travel on the day of entry.

Normally I use the British Airways Galleries First lounge when I’m flying out of Heathrow T3 (reviewed here) but, on this occasion, I thought I’d take a look at what American Airlines offers.

After you pass though the fist set of glass double-doors you’re checked-in by one of the agents sitting behind a long desk. If you have Flagship Lounge access they’ll “buzz” you though another set of glass doors (on the right) which lead to the lounge.

I was there for a 7:30am flight and, as the lounge only opens at 6:00am, I was the first through the doors – the customer services station wasn’t yet staffed:

Almost as soon as you walk through the doors the lounge opens up into a large space that includes a seating area:

Flagship Lounge seating area – image taken looking back at the entrance

And a dining area:

Flagship Lounge dining area – image taken looking back at the entrance

To the right of the entrance is a further seating area and two small semi-closed-off alcoves which act as TV areas:

As you walk into the lounge and pass through/by the dining area there’s a slightly raised level which has more seating (of various kinds):

The power ports by the seats take both UK and US plugs so most passengers using this lounge shouldn’t need an adapter.

The recliners in this part of the lounge are probably the most comfortable of the seating choices but you’re unlikely to get one at peak times.

It’s up on this level that American Airlines has placed the “business centre” with four PCs…..

…..and a printer/fax:

Back down by the dining area is where you’ll find the food and drinks that are on offer. This was early morning so breakfast was being served:

Breakfast is served buffet-style just like in the Galleries First lounge but, unlike Galleries First, there didn’t appear to be an additional waiter-service menu.

i wasn’t particularly hungry haven eaten before I left home but the food looked edible enough…if not exactly healthy!

For those not looking to induce a heart-attack there was cereal on offer…..

And an assortment of pastries, jams/jellies, mini-fruit salads, small glasses of orange juice/smoothies and some muesli rounded off the choices:

Opposite the food is where all the drinks are to be found, together with a few snacks:

The coffee from the coffee machine was just about drinkable but nowhere near as good as it should be.

The big refrigerator near the coffee machine holds a variety of soft drinks and a few beers:

Right next to the refrigerator was a cooler with wine and something claiming to be Champagne….

…and next to that were a few snacks:

Lastly, a little further down the drinks counter, were the self-pour spirits:

Thoughts

The hot food looked OK and didn’t appear to be any better/worse than what you get in the British Airways Galleries First lounge. It’s the feel of the lounge that lets it down together with the very poor drinks selection.

Galleries First is lighter and feels more upscale than the Flagship lounge. The alcoholic drinks on offer in Galleries First are vastly superior to what’s on offer in the Flagship lounge as are the tea/coffee facilities and the snacks. Add to that the fact that you can order food on demand in Galleries First and you start to wonder why anyone would actively choose this lounge in its place.

I can’t think of anyone who would have access to the Flagship Lounge that wouldn’t also have access to the British Airways Galleries First lounge so why is this lounge quite busy quite a lot of the time? I can only assume passengers come here because they don’t know they have access to Galleries First…..there can’t be any other reason.

Still, I’m not about to complain. The more people who frequent the American Airlines Flagship Lounge the less crowed the Galleries First Lounge will be when I visit 🙂

For a Business Class Lounge the Flagship Lounge would be fine, but for a First Class lounge it falls way short of the mark.