Cathay Pacific's new London Heathrow airport lounges open Monday

By David Flynn, November 25 2016
Cathay Pacific's new London Heathrow airport lounges open Monday

Cathay Pacific's new but much-delayed  first class and business class lounges at London's Heathrow Terminal 3 will open their doors to travellers on Monday November 28.

Photo gallery: see the first photos of Cathay Pacific's new London lounges

The revised date marks a full year since the facilities were closed in November 2015 for the make-over, with the target opening date of August slipping month by month.

“With any construction projects of this nature and high design specifications, there will always be a chance of delays," a spokesperson for the airline offered in a prepared statement.

Monday's 'soft opening' will be followed by an official ribbon-cutting on December 7.

The Cathay Pacific London Business Lounge will be available to all Cathay Pacific business class travellers along with Marco Polo Club Gold members and their Oneworld equivalents (including Qantas Gold and British Airways Silver), plus business class passengers of other Oneworld airlines departing from Heathrow Terminal 3 (including Qantas and BA).

The Cathay Pacific London First Lounge lays down the welcome mat to first class travellers with Cathay Pacific and other Oneworld airlines from T3 (including Qantas and BA), Marco Polo Club Diamond members and their Oneworld equivalents (including Qantas Platinum and British Airways Gold).

PREVIOUS | Cathay Pacific will open all-new first class and business class ‘flagship’ lounges at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3 in September, reflecting London’s position as Cathay’s most popular international destination.

The combined footprint of both lounges has been increased by 30% from the previous facilities by expanding into space previously occupied by Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris lounge, which last year shifted into Terminal 2 (along with almost all other Star Alliance airlines).

And of course, the new spaces will take their design cues from the warm residential vibe created by CX lounge designer Ilse Crawford.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Product Leslie Lu hints that the first class lounge will be a scaled-back version of The Pier First Class Lounge at Hong Kong (below), and should include a small dining room and bar.

The business class lounge will borrow cornerstone elements from The Pier Business Class Lounge as well as the newest ‘outport’ lounges such as at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, Manila, Bangkok and Taipei.

First photos: Cathay Pacific's new The Pier Business Class Lounge

These will include a tended bar, the signature Noodle Bar (below) dining room, a 'Food Hall' servery and Bureau workspace.

“It’s not a small lounge but it’s not generous either, so we have a lot more limitations to balancing seating capacity and facilities like showers” Lu told Australian Business Traveller at a preview of The Pier Business Class Lounge, which will re-open in early June after extensive renovations.

A taste of London

The London lounges will also introduce some local elements into the established Cathay Pacific mix.

“The Noodle Bar is a signature element of our business lounges, but for each location we will try to bring a local flavour as well, so we will look at what are popular items in the London market,” explains Sabrina Klick, the airline’s Product Manager for Worldwide Lounges.

“There could be some sort of curry dish and of course fish & chips will be on the menu, and burgers as well.” 

“At The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong we’ve introduced a craft beer selection with a Hong Kong beer, so for London we could pick a local craft beer partner,” Klick adds.

Cathay Pacific's London Heathrow first class and business class lounges will be located adjacent to the new Qantas London Lounge (below), slated to open in March 2017.

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David

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.

Fantastic!

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

31 Aug 2012

Total posts 211

CX would do well to inform it's F travellers departing T3 LHR of the lounge options available. Currently you get an invite to the No. 1 Traveller Lounge which can also be accessed by anyone with GBP35 to spare. The F section is 'Reserved' and no bigger than the average livingroom. Also after the first comp drink and snack, it appears everything comes at a (hefty) price! Other option is the BA F lounge, and while being 100% eligible for entry you are not especially welcome and may need to acquaint the door dragon with OW rules. The final option is the AA Flagship lounge. CX could do a much better job in making sure their F pax are instantly welcomed at each of those lounges to avoid unneccessary confrontations!

07 Feb 2013

Total posts 13

Hi David, 

Do you have any further details on when Cathay expect to reopen the J & F lounges at Heathrow T3? Flying back on June 2nd & getting nervous! 

Qantas - P1 Qantas Frequent Flyer

10 Apr 2013

Total posts 45

The lounge sounds great and it looks like it will be up to the same standard as the excellent lounges in Hong Kong. The article does mention that the lounge is not huge. Does this mean that there will be restrictions on OW emeralds entering the First lounge if they are not flying with Cathay? I'm asking this from a slightly selfish point of view. I'm QF Plat and am flying on QF10 in September. I know that Emeralds may have the right to enter - but the lounge can also decline.

24 Oct 2010

Total posts 2560

I think you have answered your own question there, mem2001. All Oneworld airlines have the right to limit lounge access to their own travellers should the lounge become over-crowded, so while eligible Oneworld flyers (including Qantas Gold and Platinums on QF2 and QF10) will have access to Cathay's new London lounges just as they would to other CX lounges, the airline could decline entry in the lead-up to busy periods.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

06 May 2012

Total posts 178

Super, Will be Flying Qantas F to LHR return over Christmas so look forward to checking this out.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

21 Aug 2014

Total posts 501

Let's see who wins the LHR lounge battle out of QF and CX!

02 Aug 2016

Total posts 11

is there any update on the grand opening as yet ?

not too fussed if there is a delay as we don't travel until October.

24 Apr 2012

Total posts 2432

Hi Dave, this article was updated and republished only on Thursday last week, so no, there have been no updates since then.

When there is an update and an opening, we'll cover it here on AusBT. :)

02 Aug 2016

Total posts 11

thanks for the prompt response . i love this site

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge

01 Sep 2011

Total posts 416

Which is it, August or September? At teh bottom of the AA arrivals lounge story it says CX lounge opens in September, the article above says August.

24 Oct 2010

Total posts 2560

It's now been pushed back to September.

07 Sep 2016

Total posts 1

Can anyone advise if the Cathy Business lounge in Heathrow is open yet, we're due to fly with them this weekend ?

02 Aug 2016

Total posts 11

this is the reply I got from Cathay UK today:

Thank you for your email, please note that we have not been yet notified of the opening date for our lounge at Heathrow.

May we suggest that you check either on our website or contact us nearer the time.

Kind regards 

Afaf

The Customer Sales Team

Cathay Pacific Airways

02 Aug 2016

Total posts 11

well it wasn't September and this was the poor response I received this morning :

Dear Mr Adams,

Thank you for your email,

We do not have an opening date for our
New London Heathrow Lounge.

Sorry I could not assist you further.

Kind Regards

Michaela

Cathay Pacific Airways

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

06 May 2012

Total posts 178

Flying to Europe Qantas F over Christmas. I am hoping that this lounge is open for the return leg as the BA F in Terminal 3 is nothing to write home about.


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