Back to Barajas and the Iberia Lounges
Widebodies and Short Routes
- Let’s do a challenge
- Off to Heathrow
- Points to be Made vs Economy Class and Beyond – Two idiots race across Heathrow
- Heathrow Terminal 5 and The British Airways Galleries South Lounge
- IB3167 London Heathrow to Madrid (BUSINESS CLASS)
- Crowne Plaza Madrid Airport
- Exploring a bit of Madrid
- Back to Barajas and the Iberia Lounges
- BA461 Madrid to London Heathrow (BUSINESS CLASS/BA FIRST)
- To the trains!
- Two sides of the IAG coin
Back to Barajas
With me off the train, I had a couple of things to before I cleared security at Barajas- get my liquids and gels ready (thank you asthma inhalers) and get a boarding pass.
Welcome back to Barajas T4S
To the departures.
Classic design at Barajas.
Alas, I was way too early to the terminal – with the British Airways check-in closed, and no check-in machine to abuse.
I did something I’ve only done with LCC’s – rely on Apple Passbook entirely for the end to end process. Some you might laugh at that – but I always have a paper boarding pass fallback on – as I still don’t trust it for important things.
With my pass, I headed through the priority security zone. My boarding pass was accepted, and I was allowed to proceed through one of the two priority lanes (which are far away from the main security area).
This has the benefit of bypassing going via the shops – and dropping you practically outside the Schengen Lounge.
Iberia Schengen Lounge
I the term “here there be dragons”, then this is true of the Iberia lounge in the Schengen zone, with the lounge entry person “suggesting”I head over to the lounge in T4S – mainly as it would be near the BA gates later on.
I brought up the oneworld rules… and she relented but advised me to leave way before the flight.
The fact I was at the airport an in the secure zone a good 3 hours before the flight is beside the point.
I wandered around the lounge, getting my bearings of where food and drink were – and found Tim on the way who was editing an article away.
Random seating
Magazine Rack
Drinks station
Well, he wasn’t now.
After dropping off my stuff, I helped myself to a rather potent espresso shot and a cold beverage – mainly as it was the first coffee of the day.
Why yes, I do want a Fanta.
A wander over to the food found… meagre offerings. It seemed as fast as the food was being put out, it was being put out. None the less, I grabbed some Spanish salami sausages and a few sandwiches… and settled down.
The food area. Surprisngly, no one around…
Salad Bar
Cold items
Some rather sad looking sandwiches.
What would you like to spread?
Thankfully, a great thing to see at each seat was a European power outlet, each with USB Power outlet. Good to recharge the phone after a morning navigating Madrid… and playing Pokemon Go.
I caught up with Tim and what he had been up to, comparing notes about the hotel, the Madrid transport network (and the €3 surcharge to use the airports).
And also the dog that was next door with its owner. And that was no assistant dog. At least it was mostly quiet in the lounge – a welcome sign to see.
With a Fanta lemon and some caffeine inside me – we checked, and we still had to hours to boarding – time to head of the Schengen Zone and to the non-Schengen lounge.
Once again, we fought through the retail areas (something which has been perfected in this terminal) and headed downstairs to the inter-terminal shuttle – where there was a short wait for one
As our plane would be departing from the S Gates, this is where we would clear the Schengen area and head back into the non-Schengen zone
With a scan of our passports, we were cleared to proceed out of the zone for what likely for me will be the last time before the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.
Once again, we followed the signs – this time into the hell of the duty-free area – where the Iberia lounge is.
Well, I’m going to dock points here and now for that. Who sticks a lounge entrance right in the middle of duty-free?
Iberia Non-Schengen Lounge
Tim equally ponder why the Non-Schengen lounge is in the middle of a duty free shop.
We were both greeted to a sea of tranquillity. Which after one look at that duty-free shop, was a welcome thing.
Lounge reception
At this point I also asked for a boarding pass print – as I was still on my electronic boarding pass – this was denied, as the Iberia systems and British Airways systems don’t take to each other
Well show me something new on that front
Depature screens
We headed in – to spot a wider food and drink selection. However, the views of the apron were impeded thanks to a lot of metal posts in the way.
Annoying metal things getting in the way of this lovely A330….
None the less, it was good enough to watch planes out of the window as they taxied out to runway 14 for departure.
Food and drink remained a priority – so I headed back to the food area – which had a LOT more options than the Schengen lounge.
Fish.
Sauces and vegatables (and chicken just out of shot)
Spanish Omlette and other warm foods.
Salad Items
A Pizza in motion section
Fruit and Soup options
These food options were swapped over to simpler items as time passed.
There were a number of seating options in the area too, to allow you to work, or eat in quiet – which is a welcome thing to see.
That being said – it was good to sit back and watch the world go by at Barajas. And by the world, I mean planes.
Iberia Airbus A350-900
Iberia A350-900
Korean Air Boeing 787-9
Brussels Airlines Airbus A319
Iberia A319 Classic
Ryanair Boeing 737-800
With time moving onward and boarding seemingly to start, Tim and I headed out towards the S Gates where our plane would be waiting – to encounter a queue from hell. It seemed that flight to London would be going out very full this evening.
We queued up in the Zone 1/2/3 boarding area, listening in to the moans of how long it was taking to process the queues. Tim and I just grabbed pictures of our plane.
That ain’t no narrowbody Airbus…
We were both blipped aboard – with my seat of 2K holding.
My question was simple – with a four-class Boeing 777-300ER in front of me… 2K can only mean one seat type…
.. can it?
Next: British Airways 461 in Club Europe – Or is it BA FIRST?
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