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You are privileged to be pampered and indulged. For a different experience, come to Kota Kinabalu and smell our toilets courtesy of Malaysia Airports where airport taxes are high even for LCC but free DIY face wash at the washbasin and prayer rooms.

I couldn't agree with you more, London Heathrow of BAA is s**t. People are herded like sheep and space is a premium. Forget about your shower or coffee, you would be lucky to find a space to sit. God helps you if you are stranded. You'll be told to move on (personal experience), due to security problems. The rate of the hotels near the airport is £180 per night.
What is in ample supply is the different types of condoms on sale in the toilets. Fancy a banana flavoured or ribbed ;) So, you conjecture may be correct. BAA sux !!

Hi Jeff
Air Canada is already ahead of the game. At London Heathrow, Air Canada has a lounge for arriving passengers. Once you clear Immigration and Customs, you exit and there is the Air Canada lounge. You can shower, grab breakfast before heading to the city for your business. I believe you can even get your suit pressed (i may be wrong here. It's been a while that I fly that route.

Are you sure ? I remember I took a shower at Heathrow before, but that's many years ago, it's chargeable but I don't mind getting freshened up before a flight. Things might have changed.

I will be heading to Heathrow this weekend for the first time. Let's see how does it stack up with the likes of Changi, Schipol and KLIA (my top three airport experience so far)

In fact, in-flight shower is not economincal, because weight will increase the plane fuel consumption.

Most government threat airport as transition point than business center or leisure mall. Frankfurt airport is a good example of how airport should run. Don't be surprise when someone tell you they spend a good weekend there.

If you are a member of a frequent flyer club, you should be generally able to get shower facilities in the home country of that club e.g. BA in Heathrow, CX in Chek Lap Kok, and SQ in Changi. In addition, if you travel within certain airline alliances, you should be able to use the main lounge of the "home" airline. I've flown Cathay to London, and have always been able to use the shower facilities of BA since they are part of One World.

For those who have no frequent flyer memberships, lounge facilities are generally limited, although most airports now have "pay-as-you-use" lounges operated by private operators. I'm not sure if Heathrow has a privately-operated lounge offering shower facilities.

Jeff, are you referring to the airport lounges provided FOC by airlines privvy only to their top tier frequent flyers, business class and first class passengers? Or are you referring to public lounges which one has to pay to access? Well if it is the latter, I gotta say that you are one lucky sod ;)

Let's not just look at lounges per se. Let's talk a little about airport facilities. I for one, can't fathom as to how KLIA can possibly win awards for best airport, blah, blah, blah. Try being in the airport waiting for your 1.30am flight. Everything is closed short of a pub or two. So where do the passengers who travel cattle class get their coffee and something to munch on? Or is Burgerking opened 24 hours? TV? Well, since ONLY TV3 is aired in KLIA (and it is an INTERNATIONAL airport, I must add) there's nothing to watch since the station has already ended its transmission.

WiFi is available in KLIA but it connects at a relatively snail's pace of 11Mbps. Well, I guess beggars can't be choosers, hor? For those people who doesn't have a laptop or access to lounges, they would have turned bald from their hair-tearing antics as they try to while away their boredom. Yun Nam would do well setting up a booth in KLIA.

And if you are lucky enough to be on a non-MAS flight, you would have thanked your lucky stars as the plane takes off to your destination. Otherwise, be prepared to stay in this desolate, award-winning airport for another 2 hours till 3.30am, as I found out to my chagrin, when MAS delayed its flight to Shanghai.

Inevitably we are compared to our neighhbouring Changi Airport. In contrast, the airport is still a hive of activity during the wee hours of the morning. The majority of shops and food outlets are opened. Yep... bookshops, boutiques, liquor stores, Starbucks... they are all still open for business. Changi has plenty of work stations where you have access to broad band via LAN connected at a decent speed of 100Mbps whereas Wifi is payable. All this plus the free ubiquitous internet terminals which dot the waiting areas. Not only do they have special areas for viewing sports and news, there's also a cinema, I believe. Shower facilities? Available too, plus treadmills to boot for those who needs to sweat it out.

Which airline would wanna transit in KLIA when they can goto Changi which offers much better facilities to their weary travellers? Just look at the dearth of airlines flying into KLIA. KLIA is a major gateway to our country. MAB needs to be able to attract airlines to fly into KLIA. First, it generates more arrivals and secondly, Malaysians will also have a myriad of decent airlines to fly with. All in all, good for the economy and the people. When Thailand opens its new airport later this year, competition would even be stiffer in this region. Yes, whilst it is true that we are better than most aiports in this region, but why compare ourselves with the bad? This is merely scant consolation.

Instead of buying paintings worth 1.5million, spend 1.5M on facilities that make people enjoy transiting KLIAPG by using MAS. Singapore has relaxing gardens, ponds, free trip to city, sentosa; Cinemax, LAN broadband, internet kiosk and now free OSIM leg massager at various area for your tired or cramped feet. Only wish Wi-fi is also free too. And with our 'duty free' (non-tax) cigarettes increasing price each time sin tax are increased, it is same price to buy there versus Malaysia and perception is it is also of higher grade due to control.