LONDON, October 7, 2026 — British Airways has set out the first three projects in a plan to rebuild its London Heathrow (LHR) lounges: a new lounge at the Terminal 5 C gates, a full rebuild of the Terminal 5 Arrivals lounge, and a shared First check-in area with American Airlines in Terminal 3. Separately, weather-related air traffic restrictions cancelled 73 Heathrow flights on Tuesday.
The lounge and check-in plan
| Project | Where | Timing | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| First check-in area with American Airlines | Terminal 3 | Winter 2026; exact date TBA | For First passengers, BA Club Gold members and American’s equivalents. Check-in desks only, with no dedicated security lane, Head for Points reports. |
| Arrivals lounge rebuild | Terminal 5 | Work starts early 2027; due to finish end of 2027 | 59 shower rooms, down from 94 today. Adds a separate Concorde arrivals area with private cabanas. Whether the lounge stays open during the work: TBA. |
| New departures lounge | Terminal 5 C gates | Work under way; due to open end of 2028 | A 17-metre bar, dining, work areas and showers, plus a separate Concorde lounge for First. It will also stand in for the Concorde Room while that is renovated. |
BA says it intends to rebuild every lounge it has at Heathrow over the coming years. Head for Points puts the total at eight. Dates for the remaining lounges, including any closures of the existing Terminal 5 lounges, are TBA.
The airline also said lounge works are under way in Boston (BOS) and Newark (EWR), with Geneva (GVA) and San Francisco (SFO) to follow in 2027.
Tuesday’s weather disruption
- When: Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
- What: air traffic control restrictions for adverse weather at Heathrow and Gatwick.
- Heathrow: 73 cancellations and 227 delays as of 9 a.m. Eastern time, Open Jaw reported.
- British Airways: about 9% of its flights cancelled and about 20% delayed. BA described the changes as “some small adjustments to our schedule.”
- Gatwick (LGW): 184 delays and no cancellations.
- Further restrictions: none announced.
What it means for travelers
- Nothing changes at the lounge door today. The first new facility is the Terminal 3 First check-in this winter. The two Terminal 5 projects are 2027 and 2028.
- Terminal 3 First check-in is limited. It is for First cabin and top-tier status holders on BA and American. If you are flying First on a Terminal 3 departure, look for the new desks once they open, but expect to use normal security.
- Arrivals shower capacity will shrink. The rebuilt Terminal 5 Arrivals lounge will have 59 shower rooms instead of 94. If you rely on a shower after an overnight flight into Heathrow, plan for 2027 disruption while the work is done.
- Tuesday’s cancellations mean fuller BA flights for a day or two.
Passengers from 73 cancelled flights are being rebooked. Short-haul BA flights out of Heathrow may be fuller than usual midweek. - Heathrow weather restrictions hit BA hardest. BA operates about half of Heathrow’s traffic, so flow restrictions fall mainly on its short-haul schedule. On a poor-weather day, take the earliest departure you can.
Sources
- Head for Points — British Airways begins Heathrow lounge refurbishment
- The Bulkhead Seat — British Airways is Adding a Huge Lounge at London Heathrow Airport and Refreshing Others
- Business Traveller — British Airways May Finally Be Getting Its Mojo Back
- CAPA – Centre for Aviation — British Airways confirms new lounge for Terminal 5 C Gates at London Heathrow Airport
- Open Jaw — British Airways Bears Brunt of Heathrow Weather Disruption
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