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A Modelling Day Out – Back to Barcelona El Prat and the Salon Miro Lounge

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Back to El Prat and the Salon VIP Miro
A Modelling Day Out

a woman sitting on a dock looking at her phone

In this madcap day out

Back to Barcelona El Prat

With us both off the bus, my friend wasn’t feeling great. Rather than make her walk to and from the safe luggage store – I headed down myself and picked it up.

a store front with a storefront
Passing by a branch of. Well. Read it your self and try not to giggle like a child. I can’t.

It would give her time to evaluate our next steps.

With €10 paid for the privilege of storing a bag, I headed back the departures level and my friend – who was struggling to walk.

This was not good at all.

a large airport terminal with people waiting for their flight
Terminal 1 departures.

We made the decision there and then to get wheelchair support for the flight and arrivals process – and hoped we could get some support for my friend.

We both headed to the check-in desks and made the request. There were a few questions, but eventually, the wheelchair request was granted.

There was a 20-minute wait – but eventually, a wheelchair assist came along. Considering this was put together at the last minute – neither of us was too concerned, providing we made the gate in time for the flight.

With that – my friend made her way off with the wheelchair assist to the gate. I would join her later  – as I had a lounge to check out for all of 15 minutes for the purposes of review (and yes – I checked she was fine with me going off to do #avgeek work).

I headed to the priority security and was cleared straight away with no queues (a welcome thing).

a sign in a hallway

a sign in an airport

That done, it was time to head to the Non-Schengen section of the terminal. These are in the upper sections of Barcelona El Prat – the D and E gates.

a large building with many shops
Past security and immigration.

The D Gates also consider the well-hidden lounge at Barcelona El Pratt for Non-Schengen Passengers.

a group of people walking in an airport
Welcome to hell.

(Hint: Exit Duty-Free and then go downstairs)

SALA VIP MIRO

I remember this lounge from my trip where I went to Hong Kong and got a lot of Avios for the weekend some years ago. Even then, my memories of the lounge weren’t exactly what I would call “great”.

It seems that my memories are accurate.

a glass door with a sign in front of it
Lounge entrance

a room with glass walls and chairs
Seating 

a room with chairs and tables
Children’s area

a man sitting at a desk in an office
Pod.

a white chair next to a black table
Dull seating

The lounge itself is a large area, split into different zones to work or relax

Whilst I remember packaged pasta and other foodstuffs, the catering offering in it has been… simplified.

a group of bottles in a cooler
Soft drinks

a tray of brownies on a table
Cakes

a buffet with different types of meats and cheese
Meats 

a group of bowls of food
Snacks

a basket of pastries and a basket of bread
Pastries and bread

a two large glass containers with lemons on a black counter
Flavoured water

a glass case with food on it
Biscuits and cakes.

We’re down to the basics here – so we have bread, cheeses, meats and not enough lemon Fanta to save a planet.

a bottle of soda next to a camera

And in a lounge, Lemon Fanta is a thing. Ask Pam Ann.

There are also some cake options too – but not great for a lounge that is not only used by British Airways, but by other long haul carriers as their premium lounge.

At least there’s plenty of seating, with power outlets and cables you can trip over. It seems that trip hazards are a thing in the lounge.

Whilst the lounge has changed a fair bit from when I was here last and it tries to feel modern and funky, it comes out a bit soulless.

With limited time to grab a Fanta and a couple of self-made chorizo sandwiches, it was time to head to the gate.

D10 is a bit of a hike from the lounge – but can be done in under five minutes if you put your mind into it.

a group of people in a large room
The LEVEL Boston flight looked busy

an airplane at an airport
A whole another LEVEL.

a group of people walking in a large hall
Hike!

a long walkway in a building
Automated Hiking

a group of people in a large hall

Arriving at the gate, Groups 4 and 5 were loading up on the aircraft – either I had left boarding late, or we were going back to London rather lightly loaded.

a blue box with white text on it next to silver poles
Is your bag masquerading as a box?

Either way, I presented my boarding pass and was zapped through to board the waiting Airbus A320 back to London Heathrow.

a person on an escalator
Down we go.

Next: British Airways BA481 Barcelona El Prat to London Heathrow

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Comments

  1. John says

    I think from visiting a lounge in ES vor just 15 min you cannot conclude the F&B offering has been ‘simplified’. Many ES lounges vary their offer based on time of day (e.g., warm lunch items from 1pm -3pm etc.)