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Last month I decided to book some flights out of London Heathrow Terminal 3. The mission? Get to visit the new Cathay Pacific First Class lounge.

Originally I was going to go to Gibraltar, but it was coming out far too expensive for me so I was deciding on what to do. Eventually the penny dropped and I realised the only reason I was going anywhere was mainly to visit the CX lounge.

Checking all the destinations on oneworld, I eventually settled on Lyon with British Airways. The fare was good, the overnight hotel was cheap and it would mean plenty of time in the lounge.

At the end of March the day came and I got to visit the lounge. I was there in the morning and after the Cathay Pacific and a Qantas flight had left, there was no-one left in the lounge except me. Check out how nice the lounge is!



Anyway, the video tour showing you around the lounge is located here.

The lounge bases its whole design on The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong, so it really is like a mini version of that lounge. Similar colours, same style of signage, even the furniture is the same. For example, the tables that are made of tree are virtually identical. Also, the dining room furniture in the First Class Dining Room is exactly the same as in Hong Kong. The only thing with the London Lounge is the fact it is much much smaller and it has no serviced bar.

It's a great lounge to wile away some time in and it has excellent views of the Heathrow traffic. If you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

It's a very elegant space. I was there in late December and really enjoyed it....my only gripe being common to CX lounges, they could have had better champagne

Thanks for the tour. Always nice to see some tails that I would normally never see.

fbgdavidson wrote:

It's a very elegant space. I was there in late December and really enjoyed it....my only gripe being common to CX lounges, they could have had better champagne

Oh, I didn't mind. I had the Moet first, then stuck to the Barons de Rothschild which I preferred. I do like the design of the lounge quite a lot - though this one is just a shadow of The Pier in Hong Kong which is pretty epic though no view. You win some, you lose some!

11725Flyer wrote:

Thanks for the tour. Always nice to see some tails that I would normally never see.

I do like that myself when I am at new airports. You see a lot of aircraft that you don't usually see! Thanks for the comment!

Thanks for the tour! Just to be clear: this is in the same space as the old CX FC lounge, correct? The new dining area seems to have been carved off from the Business Class lounge, am I correct? It seems to be behind where the old noodle station was. I have not been in the CX lounge in LHR for a couple of years, so my memory may be sketchy.

I am looking forward to seeing the new Qantas lounge in T3. I believe it is in the space that was formerly the SAS lounge. You'd have to think Qantas opening up their own lounge is going to significantly impact the number of people in the BA lounges.

vhtje wrote:

Thanks for the tour! Just to be clear: this is in the same space as the old CX FC lounge, correct? The new dining area seems to have been carved off from the Business Class lounge, am I correct? It seems to be behind where the old noodle station was. I have not been in the CX lounge in LHR for a couple of years, so my memory may be sketchy.

I am looking forward to seeing the new Qantas lounge in T3. I believe it is in the space that was formerly the SAS lounge. You'd have to think Qantas opening up their own lounge is going to significantly impact the number of people in the BA lounges.

Your memory is probably better than mine, since you have an actual memory of it. I had never visited the previous Cathay Pacific lounge in T3. I tried to go there once when it was under renovation so I know it is in exactly the same place as it was last time. I am not sure about what you say, but you're probably correct. When I was in the Business Class side, I ordered my noodles just from the bar, so maybe the thing has changed.

Oh yes, the Qantas lounge in T3 looks like it's going to be an amazing space, judging by the computer mock ups that have been presented. I think it will be excellent! I wouldn't think that Qantas opening their own lounge would affect the BA lounges too much. When I was in the CX lounge, they said on arrival that once the Qantas flight boarded (which it did not long after I arrived) that the lounge would empty out - and it did. I'd say the savvy Aussie's have already deserted the BA lounges in T3!

Nice review! I had the chance to use this lounge last month. It's an oasis.
Lounges at T3 are really putting BA lounges to shame, don't you think?
The American Airlines arrivals lounge is also pretty damm good!

geoshina wrote:

Nice review! I had the chance to use this lounge last month. It's an oasis.
Lounges at T3 are really putting BA lounges to shame, don't you think?
The American Airlines arrivals lounge is also pretty damm good!

It really is an absolute oasis, so calm, so relaxed and so wonderfully designed.

The lounges at T3 really are putting BA to shame. Once QF open their lounge later this year, I'd say no-one who knows anything about the oneworld airlines will use the BA lounges. The other two will be far superior!

You know, I've never ever used an arrivals lounge! I am going to have to get to that someday haha