One of the great things we now have access to on some airlines is the arrivals lounge. It is generally restricted to business class and first class passengers and only some airlines have them.
After a long haul flight, the one thing that makes someone feel human again is the ability to have a shower. It is one of the most important things to have and some airlines recognise this and provide an arrivals lounge.
Aer Lingus Arrivals Lounge
Due to the fact I am almost always connecting between flights at major hubs such as London Heathrow, I have never used the arrivals lounges there. In fact, the only one I have used is the Aer Lingus one in Dublin which is called the Revival Lounge.
This lounge features a small selection of snacks and drinks and some really nice showers. In addition, you can have your clothes steam pressed while you shower which is a nice little perk.
Other Arrivals Lounges
At London Heathrow, British Airways have an arrivals lounge in Terminal 5 while American Airlines have one in Terminal 3. These are open to passengers arriving off a long haul flight in first class or business class.
Gold Frequent Flyers in the British Airways Executive Club are also permitted to use them when arriving off a long haul flight. For business people heading straight to the office these provide a chance to freshen up and change post flight.
How Useful Are They?
The most important thing in an arrivals lounge is the ability to have a shower. Many airline lounges have showers as standard so even when connecting you have the opportunity to have a wash, such as in the Qantas Auckland First Class lounge.
Everything else such as the food provided are just nice additions. Usually you would have received a meal not long before landing if you’re flying on a decent airline, so it’s not that big a deal to have a major spread available.
Overall Thoughts
For me, an arrivals lounge is nice to have but they’re not places I regularly visit. I have more use for the showers in the main lounge as I tend to connect more often than not.
Have you used an arrivals lounge before? Is it an important consideration when booking a long haul flight or is it a case of could take it or leave it? Thanks for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Featured image by Eddie Maloney from North Las Vegas via Wikimedia Commons.
I have used CX’s Arrival Lounge two or three times after arriving form a long-haul flight. It is small but does the deed. I think the most important one is the shower and the ability to get your clothe ironed.
I have also tried LH’s Arrival Lounge and it is an oasis of peace and tranquility.
But the best one is definitely AA Arrivals at T3. The renovated lounge is gorgeous and the shower and amenities are better than in their Admirals Club.
Yes, I think the clothes ironing service is really important, especially if you have business clothes you need to be in immediately. I’d love to try both the LH and the AA one – the AA one sounds pretty good from your description. I’ll have to make a point of visiting next time I’m flying long haul! Thanks for the comment and Happy New Year!