I was glad that my flight from SFO arrived earlier so that I can take advantage of the extra time to visit some *A lounges. In the end I had enough time to cover the UA and SQ ones. I exited the plane and followed the purple Connecting Flight signs. There was a security check and I had a bottle of water confiscated. At least the agent was nice and asked me if I wanted to quick sip before I dispose it. The lady at the checkpoint telling passengers to proceed was a bit snappy. She asked if I had any luggage that went through the x-ray and when I said yes she pointed to the conveyor and said Sir, then go ahead and pick up the bags. I guess she woke up on the wrong side that morning.
Once I was back at the terminal in T2A, I checked at the *A transfer desk and was issued a generic boarding pass with TAP printed on it. I remember seeing a distinctive one from TP with the name in watermark but not here at LHR. It took me about 10 min. to reach T2B where the AC, UA and SQ lounges are located. The walkway had moving walkways going from T2A->T2B, but not the other way, so it might take a bit longer if you need to get back to T2A.
UA Club
The club is located across gate B46 and upon entering I immediately headed to the showers. The receptionist took down my name and in 2 min. I was shown to one that was just cleaned. The shower room looked stylish and spacious with individually packed toiletries. Most importantly, the shower had good pressure and temperature did not fluctuate drastically. However, it appeared that my shower was hastily cleaned because upon flipping the toilet lid I found a brown stain in the toilet and there were one or two hairs on the floor. Perhaps turnover speed was an issue but a thorough cleaning should not be compromised.
Entrance.
Showers.
Interior.
Both the UA Club and the UA Global First Lounge boast a combined 22,000 square feet or 2,043 square meters of space and were the showpiece of UA's new club concept with modern decor, floor to ceiling windows offering great views of the tarmac and vintage artwork depicting UA's history.
Very impressive long bar.
Buffet.
I decided to have afternoon tea but there were other choices available.
My tea selections.
After I finished my light meal it was time for one more lounge visit. This time I chose the new SQ one.
SQ lounge.
I showed my Copa ConnectMiles printed card at the entrance and the receptionist seemed a bit puzzled about CM. I don't really blame her since CM is not very well known outside of the Americas. I guess for the rest of the world CM is an obscure little airline. ConnectMiles is a newly created program and its advantages remain to be seen. So far I think that their customer service over the phone has been excellent with professional agents that seem to be able to resolve issues on the spot, if not at least give you an answer. I have to see how effective they are in redeeming awards and their availability with partner carriers. The thought of flying them long haul to deep South America in narrowbody airplanes is a big turn off for me.
Upon entering I felt at home in the comfortable surroundings. The individual cubicles are very sought after spaces from what I have read and luckily when I visited the lounge was fairly empty. There is a selection of Asian and Western dishes, but after eating at the UA Club, I did not try anything here.
Entrance.
Interior.
The lounge plays with the residential concept and its interior design was developed by the firm ONG&ONG. Its location is by gate B36 in the same area as AC's Maple Leaf lounge. There is a dedicated area for F passengers that provides a more intimate and personal service.
Walking towards the J lounge right after reception.
Buffet area.
Bar.
Lounge.
Then I found this small room in the other direction from the J side through the hall after reception. I'm not sure if this is part of F.
Then it was time to head back to T2A and walk all the way. The flight was delayed for about 10-15 min. and the gate was not posted yet, so I stayed put.
Finally after a while the gate was posted and it was right across from me, so I did not have to go too far. A few people were lining up and families traveling with children were brought to a special seating area in front of the gate. Soon it was boarding time and priorities were followed.
Boarding.
Cabin.
Luckily the flight was not full and I had an empty seat next to me. My neighbor on the aisle seat pulled up an aviation magazine so he must have been an aviation geek.
Once we sat down, there was a further delay holding us at the gate. Thankfully this did not last long.
Some airplane spotting.
Bye LHR.
Service was efficient and FA's distributed a package containing a chicken sandwich with a peach smoothie followed by beverage from the cart.
The sandwich was a bit dry but still free which is a plus.
We then landed in LIS and parked in the tarmac so we had to use the stairs and bus to get to the terminal.
We arrived late at 1957 instead of 1836. Upon exiting Immigration and Customs I took the metro which was really convenient and took me almost in front of my hotel.
See more
Verdict
TAP Air Portugal
7.3/10
Cabin8.0
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi6.0
Meal/catering7.0
United Club - 2
9.0/10
Comfort9.0
Meal/catering9.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Services9.0
London - LHR
8.0/10
Efficiency8.0
Access8.0
Services7.5
Cleanliness8.5
Lisbon - LIS
8.8/10
Efficiency8.0
Access9.0
Services9.0
Cleanliness9.0
Conclusion
It was a nice experience to try TAP and their catering in Y is decent considering that they give you a smoothie and sandwich. Staff were cordial and professional.
The UA Club was a nice spot to spend an afternoon and the staff was helpful and cordial. The WC's need to be better maintained in my experience. Perhaps it was a one time off type of thing.
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Very nice UA lounge in LHR. shower rooms are very nice. The main room reminds me BA Lounge.
Food looks nice and definitely not like a US Lounge. How were the scones? What a nice afternoon tea. Too bad Lady Grantham wasn't here to share the tea with you.
The SQ Lounge is up to the new standards of the airline.
I like TAP on European flights. They give the exact same thing (sandwich, smoothie + beverage) on flights between Lisbon and Madrid that are not even 1h long. Too bad they are not well located in Europe for connections. I see a Madrid - London in J with IB on the list, did you catch the daily A340/A330 ? Thanks for the report!
Thanks for your report. I was impressed by the lounge and had to check twice to be sure in was in LIS ! Like Momolemomo , I think TP does a good job on european flights with free sandwiches and drinks and usually good crews.
The UA lounge is very nice : the food offer is rather good but what about the beverage offer ? - So you approve. :P Sorry about the lack of information about the beverages, especially the type of champagne and wines for our wine audience. The beverage section was full so I did not bother taking pics of this area. From what I have read, the champagne served is Rodier Pere et Fils and a prosecco.
Great SQ lounge too : I would have eaten in this one rather than the UA's lounge - It is a logical choice, but I wanted to get the full experience of the UA Club by eating there. ;) Besides, you agreed that the food seemed rather good.
A free sandwich but better having a paid and a good one - Your food snobbery is showing. ;)
Thanks for sharing this report Adan, I must have missed it last weekend!
because upon flipping the toilet lid I found a brown stain in the toilet - It's almost as nice as finding a chocolate on your pillow at turn down service :) It's amazing the difference between the UA Club at LHR and NRT. The one in NRT has no food, but a ton of space. Despite the catering improvements in NRT, the actual seating areas do not even compare to the SQ lounge. The SQ lounge looks like a far more comfortable place to sit and relax.
In the cabin shots, what is that padding that is in between the seats above the armrest??? The cabin looks a little old and tired, they could do with some refurbishment.
The sandwich was a bit dry but still free which is a plus. - Decent catering on TP, which seems to be something they are known for. For a mealtime flight of close to 2h, maybe something more substantial would be appropriate, but maybe they expect you to eat dinner at a normal Spanish time, lol. Far better than what their Iberian rivals offer :)
1.5 hours late on a 2 hour flight, ouch. I guess that is on par for punctuality in that part of the world :)
It's almost as nice as finding a chocolate on your pillow at turn down service :) - What a striking analogy!
The SQ lounge looks like a far more comfortable place to sit and relax. - It feels more intimate and exclusive for sure.
In the cabin shots, what is that padding that is in between the seats above the armrest??? - That is part of the seat. The padding is at both sides wich makes it super cushioning. I think this is a very old seat model.
Far better than what their Iberian rivals offer :) - If you fly IB you would have to buy snacks.
I'm going to win the race to CPH ;) - You go Michael. Didn't the rabbit say that to the turtle? ;)
Seems like the transfer experience at the new T2 is smoother than the BA hub at T5, which has been rough in my experience. The new UA Club looks amazing--it's incredible how much better U.S. carrier's lounges are so much better outside the U.S. Why oh why can't they be like this in the homeland???
Always good to have an empty seat next to you when flying in Y. By European standards, that's practically Business class, lol. Service seems pretty good for Y. A sandwich on a less than 2 hour flight is pretty good IMO.
Seems like the transfer experience at the new T2 is smoother than the BA hub at T5, which has been rough in my experience. - Oh the difference was like day and night. BA is huge at LHR and the amount of connecting traffic can be overwhelming. I kissed BA goodbye. The connecting fiasco along with their program devaluation sealed the deal.
Why oh why can't they be like this in the homeland??? - Exclusivity mon ami. On a domestic location everyone and their mother and dog would have access to the feast.
A sandwich on a less than 2 hour flight is pretty good IMO. - Doesn't get better than that.
Exclusivity mon ami. On a domestic location everyone and their mother and dog would have access to the feast. - Well, yes and no...on domestic flights, Domestic First class pax (paying pax, not upgrades) and Elites don't have access to lounges, whereas in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere any Elite Pax or any Premium cabin pax has lounge access on any flight, domestic or international. Really, what makes U.S. lounges so crowded is paid memberships. I personally think it's a shame that status or paid premium cabin won't give you access on domestic flights in the U.S. but a credit card or day pass can.
You are right and it's really easy to get access into a lounge within the U.S. Gosh, UA Clubs hands out passes like candy through their partnership with Chase. Last Christmas I got a couple of passes that expired by just donating toys for charity.
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16 Comments
Food looks nice and definitely not like a US Lounge.
How were the scones?
What a nice afternoon tea. Too bad Lady Grantham wasn't here to share the tea with you.
The SQ Lounge is up to the new standards of the airline.
Thank you Adan.
Scones were big but not as light as they should be. They did the trick anyways.
Too bad they are not well located in Europe for connections.
I see a Madrid - London in J with IB on the list, did you catch the daily A340/A330 ?
Thanks for the report!
I was originally booked on the widebody but was changed to an earlier flight in order to spend more time in the lounges at LHR.
I was impressed by the lounge and had to check twice to be sure in was in LIS !
Like Momolemomo , I think TP does a good job on european flights with free sandwiches and drinks and usually good crews.
Thanks Christophe.
I wish United Clubs were like that in the US!
TP proves again it is a decent airline to fly with.
- We both know that this will never happen until pigs will fly. ;)
Thanks Etienne.
The UA lounge is very nice : the food offer is rather good but what about the beverage offer ?
Anyway it's a real enhancement
Great SQ lounge too : I would have eaten in this one rather than the UA's lounge
A free sandwich but better having a paid and a good one
See you soon for the next leg
- So you approve. :P Sorry about the lack of information about the beverages, especially the type of champagne and wines for our wine audience. The beverage section was full so I did not bother taking pics of this area. From what I have read, the champagne served is Rodier Pere et Fils and a prosecco.
Great SQ lounge too : I would have eaten in this one rather than the UA's lounge
- It is a logical choice, but I wanted to get the full experience of the UA Club by eating there. ;) Besides, you agreed that the food seemed rather good.
A free sandwich but better having a paid and a good one
- Your food snobbery is showing. ;)
There's much more to come. See you Gilbert.
because upon flipping the toilet lid I found a brown stain in the toilet
- It's almost as nice as finding a chocolate on your pillow at turn down service :) It's amazing the difference between the UA Club at LHR and NRT. The one in NRT has no food, but a ton of space. Despite the catering improvements in NRT, the actual seating areas do not even compare to the SQ lounge. The SQ lounge looks like a far more comfortable place to sit and relax.
In the cabin shots, what is that padding that is in between the seats above the armrest??? The cabin looks a little old and tired, they could do with some refurbishment.
The sandwich was a bit dry but still free which is a plus.
- Decent catering on TP, which seems to be something they are known for. For a mealtime flight of close to 2h, maybe something more substantial would be appropriate, but maybe they expect you to eat dinner at a normal Spanish time, lol. Far better than what their Iberian rivals offer :)
1.5 hours late on a 2 hour flight, ouch. I guess that is on par for punctuality in that part of the world :)
I'm going to win the race to CPH ;)
- What a striking analogy!
The SQ lounge looks like a far more comfortable place to sit and relax.
- It feels more intimate and exclusive for sure.
In the cabin shots, what is that padding that is in between the seats above the armrest???
- That is part of the seat. The padding is at both sides wich makes it super cushioning. I think this is a very old seat model.
Far better than what their Iberian rivals offer :)
- If you fly IB you would have to buy snacks.
I'm going to win the race to CPH ;)
- You go Michael. Didn't the rabbit say that to the turtle? ;)
Thanks as usual for your comments and visit.
Always good to have an empty seat next to you when flying in Y. By European standards, that's practically Business class, lol. Service seems pretty good for Y. A sandwich on a less than 2 hour flight is pretty good IMO.
Thanks for sharing!
- Oh the difference was like day and night. BA is huge at LHR and the amount of connecting traffic can be overwhelming. I kissed BA goodbye. The connecting fiasco along with their program devaluation sealed the deal.
Why oh why can't they be like this in the homeland???
- Exclusivity mon ami. On a domestic location everyone and their mother and dog would have access to the feast.
A sandwich on a less than 2 hour flight is pretty good IMO.
- Doesn't get better than that.
Thanks Kevin.
- Well, yes and no...on domestic flights, Domestic First class pax (paying pax, not upgrades) and Elites don't have access to lounges, whereas in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere any Elite Pax or any Premium cabin pax has lounge access on any flight, domestic or international. Really, what makes U.S. lounges so crowded is paid memberships. I personally think it's a shame that status or paid premium cabin won't give you access on domestic flights in the U.S. but a credit card or day pass can.
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