Access to QF LHR Lounge T3

Thank you to all contributors to the forum.

I would appreciate some advice re flight connection at LHR and trying to access the QF lounge in T3.

We will be travelling to and from London in Business in July 2019, using QF. We are having a separate side trip to Iceland using IcelandAir. On our return from KEF to LHR we arrive at LHR T2 at 11:45am on FI450. This flight is fixed and not easy to change.

The QF2 check in at T3 does not open until 5:15pm. Therefore, we cannot access the airside QF lounge even though it is open from 08:00am. So what to do?

I have spoken to Qantas and they seem not to have any desk where we could check in even as Business class passengers.

If we have luggage we need to go through customs and “enter” the UK only to find we can’t check-in for 5 hours or so. Not looking forward to sitting in T3 departure hall waiting for the desk to open. (We had this happen in LAX as well on a trip from Panama)

If we just had carryon luggage can we stay airside and get a flight connection from T2 to T3?

I understand we may need a boarding pass.

We can do online check-in but will we get a boarding pass acceptable to Flight Connections?

Would Flight Connections in LHR be able to issue a boarding pass.?

I’d greatly appreciate any suggestions or advice from contributors.

If you’re lucky FI might check your baggage all the way through and check you in for your next flight (Check with FI if they can do this. A quick check of FI website does not have Qantas as an interline)

There is a walkway between terminal 2 to 3 airside which I have used but the issue is your bags if you can’t check them through. If you have only hand baggage then it is fine.

If you have a Priority Pass membership, you can visit the Plaza Premium Arrivals Lounges at LHR T2 and T4 on the basis of your incoming flight (hold onto that Icelandair boarding pass), which are in the 'public' areas of the terminal after collecting your bags and clearing Customs.

They're not overly lavish lounges but both have a la carte dining where you can order one starter, one main and one dessert from a menu, and most beverages are free except for the premium ones. They also have what you'd expect: access to power points, showers, restrooms, coffee and so on.

Priority Pass normally gets a maximum three-hour stay, so if you're stuck at the airport for longer than that, you could always get the free train from T2 over to T4 to use the other lounge for the next three hours, and by that stage, it'll be close to check-in time. (It doesn't matter which terminal your flight arrives into, only that you've arrived at Heathrow.)

Alternatively, why not find a place to store your bags for the day, and head into town for a while? Even giving ample time for the airport formalities and being back in time for the onward flight, there'd be plenty of time to head into the city: you'll get there fastest on the Heathrow Express, or least-expensively on the Tube or TfL Rail, and depending on what you have (or haven't) seen in London on previous trips - if you've visited before, of course - many of London's sights are near each other, often only a stop or two apart on the Tube, so you won't spend all day getting around the city.

A few suggestions:

On the Piccadilly line (which runs to/from Heathrow), alight at Knightsbridge for Harrods, Covent Garden for a nice walk around (there's the opera house - not that you'll really have time for a show - but plenty of markets and shops, and the district feels rather historic), or change to the District/Circle lines to Westminster (for Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament), Monument (for London Bridge, which you can walk across), and plenty more.

Another option, following on from Chris’s good ideas above would be to head West and maybe grab a cab to Windsor, especially if it’s a nice day it can be a good way to spend a few hours.

Depends what you've done before in London of course but you can get to Kew Gardens in an Uber in 15-20 minutes at that time of day. Will cost approx 20 GBP. Fresh air beats an airport lounge any day, especially before spending the better part of a whole day in the airport/onboard. If you don't want to get the uber, you can take the tube to South Ealing, walk across the road and get the 65 bus to Kingston which will drop you off outside the front gate of Kew Gardens. Hope you can work something out.

I agree, Windsor Castle is good value place to visit. Any of the options mentioned going into city are worth while.

I would get a day ticket on the Heathrow express (cheaper if booked in advance) and leave luggage @ Paddington (https://www.left-baggage.co.uk/en/locations). Have a mini-day trip in London!

Agree, hire a car and go drive for lunch and a pint and kill 4 hours.

We truly are a lucky batch of people... put a request on here and the are always a batch of suggestions..and the ones on here after this request are first class... mine would be to go to Kings Cross.. then a short walk to the Library.. a copy of the Magna Cartra is there etc..

Nevertheless.. get out of Heathrow and enjoy.

All great suggestions. Another nearby place to “tourist” is Hampton Court Palace. It’s about 25 minutes by car from Heathrow and has parking and a cloak room. They often have special events on.

London was my old home town and remains a regular destination. Car hire and head to Windsor. Great place to visit and lunch. Avoid the purgatory that can often be the underground. If London is irresistible then the Heathrow Express, leave bags at the luggage store place behind platform 10 I think. London Zoo is an interesting alternative to the West End or Westminster. If the latter then St. James Park is great and why not try the War Rooms close by and swing by into Parliament and the Abbey.

If you head into London. And especially if it’s not weekend or school holiday, then both the Science Museum and Natural History Museum are great places to visit. And are free!!! Plus no shortage of good eateries round them as well.

Many thanks for the suggestions.

I actually wanted to get to lounge as we'll have an early start from KEF.

Been to London a fair bit so not as attractive as before perhaps. However as Samuel Johnston said "If a man has tired of London he is tired of life". Should be something of interest there.

Windsor looks like a good option.

If it is the lounge I want:

Seems like I might be able to do a connection T3-T2 assuming I can get a boarding pass on line from QF and have carryon.

I'm checking with Iceland Air if they can do an interline baggage check thru FI to QF if I have checked in baggage. Not hopeful but have yet to receive a response.

I've also noticed that most of QF's competitors have automated checkin and baggage drop at LHR and wonder why QF has not moved into the modern age.

Thank you again to contributors