British Airways reopens flagship US lounge at JFK’s Terminal 7
London, UK, 2021-Aug-03 — /Travel PR News/ — British Airways’ flagship US lounge at JFK’s Terminal 7 will reopen its doors on Sunday 1 August, following a 16-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The news comes in time for the UK Government’s announcement that double vaccinated travellers from the US will be exempt from quarantine on arrival into the UK from 2nd August.
The opening of the Galleries Club lounge also marks the next step in the airline’s phased lounge reopening plan and will be available for customers travelling in First, Club World and eligible card holders, ahead of their flight to London Heathrow.
Those flying from JFK in First and Club World can enjoy an enhanced check-in experience at the exclusive Premium Zone. The First Wing and First check in are also open to ensure a smooth start to the journey.
British Airways’ customers will now also be able to use the airline’s innovative new digital app ‘Your Menu’ to order food directly from their mobile device to their seat after scanning a QR code. The app will be available throughout the lounge, meaning that customers can select from a wide range of complimentary food and beverages, to any seat.
At Heathrow on their return to the US, customers will have access to the Club and First lounges from Terminal 5, which also boasts a new sleep zone ‘Forty Winks’, allowing travellers to rest ahead of their flight.
Tom Stevens, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said: “After the news about the change in entry requirements for US customers in to the UK, we expect to host more customers who need to travel and so we have decided that it is the right time to open our flagship lounge in New York.
“We are looking forward to welcoming some of our American customers back to London from next week and bringing Britons who reside in the US home for much-needed family time.”
Elsewhere the airline recently reopened three domestic lounges in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Notes to editors
British Airways’ Galleries Club South and North lounges, as well as its First lounge are currently open to eligible customers at Heathrow Terminal 5
During the pandemic British Airways has further enhanced its customer experience and made changes to ensure that Covid safety remains front of mind, such as:
- Expanded and reduced cost Covid testing partners which includes Qured, the test customers can carry in their suitcase to enable pre-departure testing
- The launch of digital travel passes to facilitate seamless travel, including VeriFLY and IATA Travel Pass
- Asking customers to check-in online, downloading a boarding pass to a mobile device where possible for self-scanning at security and the departure gate
- Wearing facemasks and bringing enough to replace them every four hours for longer flights
- Asking customers to ensure they have everything they need from their hand luggage before departure, and where possible, storing their carry-on bag under the seat in front of them
- Cabin crew wearing PPE and an adapted food service, which reduces the number of interactions required with customers
The airline is cleaning all key surfaces including seats, screens, seat buckles and tray tables after every flight and each aircraft is completely cleaned from nose to tail every day. The air on all British Airways flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with over 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards.
Contact Details:
press.office@ba.com.
Source: British Airways
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