kai.lileboo

Correct. But some non-Sch flight depart from T4S al well. You pass Passport control at T4S and off you go. The lounge access is for departing passengers only.
Cheers

anabolism

The Velázquez lounge attendant has slips with codes for one hour of free WiFi, and will gladly give you multiple slips. As noted elsewhere, the wired ports now have their own cables (and just provide access, no need to enter a code or even go to an intercept page and accept the T&C).

I've only been in the Velázquez lounge, but there access codes are handed out.

I've gone into this restaurant on two recent visits, but couldn't stay because it was very smokey. I didn't see anyone smoking, so I don't know if it was a patron or employee, but it was pretty bad.

Weird that IB flights from MAD to LHR use T4, so the poorer lounge, but BA flights use T4S. Obviously, UK is not a Schengen country regardless of which carrier operates the flight. I know there are comments that say you can't use the T4S lounge when flying from T4 because of a need to pass border control, but that doesn't match my recent experiences in using the shuttle, and seems confusing that flights to the U.K. use both terminals, so why would there be different processes depending on the terminal?

ESpen36

It actually is construed as a BENEFIT, and in some senses it is. The IB-operated flights to/from LHR are an exception to the rule about T4 being for Schengen flights only. When you fly IB to/from LHR, you arrive at T4 and there is a small separate section at the far end of T4 with an EU passport control station immediately adjacent to the gate area. Upon passing through that checkpoint, you are AIRSIDE in T4. So, you can head right to your connecting gate with no further security screening. The airport authority allows it because all passengers have been screened in the UK to EU standards already, so there is no need to screen again. BIG benefit....I once was connecting to AGP and the only way I made my flight was that I was able to go straight to the gate after passport control. I made it only a few moments before boarding began.

By contrast, the BA-operated flights to MAD arrive at T4S. All passengers arriving at T4S who are connecting onward MUST pass through hand baggage security x-ray and WTMD because they could have mingled with passengers arriving from outside UK/EU/EEA who might not have been screened to European standards.

That's how best I understand it.

The drawback, of course, is that UK-bound IB passengers are not eligible to use the far superior Velásquez lounge.

I guess one way to approach it would be to fly IB metal when flying LHR-MAD, but then fly BA metal when flying MAD-LHR!

anabolism

Having done multiple connections at MAD over the past two weeks, I think I now understand the layout slightly better than I did before. They have segregated T4 and T4s into zones for airside/groundside and Schengen/non-Schengen, with isolated pathways (train) between T4 and T4s.

E.g., BA LHR-MAD connecting to IB MAD-TLV, they bring a bus to the plane to take us to T4S without needing to reclear security or go through passport control to enter the Schengen zone and then again to exit immediately. IB xxx-MAD, MAD-LHR, we should have stayed in T4, but tried to visit the Velásquez lounge in T4S, which doesn't work, and forced us to reclear security when we returned to T4.

Taking the train from T4 to T4S you stay airside and initially in the Schengen zone, but need to go through Passport control to exit to access gates or the Velásquez lounge. Taking the train from T4S to T4 you become groundside.

TLVflyer

Hi,

Can I buy a day pass to the Velasquez lounge or another lounge when I connect in Madrid from TLV to BOS?

Can I get this reimbursed with SkyGuide?

Thanks!!

David-A

You can't buy your way into an Iberia lounge - other than buying a ticket that qualifies you!

There are a couple of AENA (airport operator) independent lounges at T4.
LA REVOLTOSA in the Main T4, which is schengen cleared, and
AMNIOS in the upstairs non-schengen cleared half of the sattelite T4S

Both of which you should be able to get into using a PriorityPass or payment - either using LoungePass (etc) or probably direct cash payment on the day.

No idea what they are like as I have not used either of them, but note these are not the Iberia lounges discussed here.

What is 'SkyGuide'?

TLVflyer

Thanks for the info. This is SkyGuide: http://www.skyguideclub.com/

David-A

Thanks, never heard of it before, as it seems to be USA only (for membership).

Quite an odd offering on first glance, 200 USD fee - but will refund 12 x (up to) 50 USD a year?

Is that the primary feature of the scheme?

Anyway, their website lists only a servisair lounge at Madrid, and it is in another terminal, you won't have acess to that one. No idea if their website lounge list is uptodate. [Assuming you are flying through T4.]

David-A

Just rereading my own post, where I said about the lounges "both of which you should be able to get into" that 'you' was a generic one talking about people being able to get into them using cash. It was not talking about your specific journey.

For a TLV-BOS connection, with through checked luggage, you will probably not need to enter the schengen area at all while in transit, so you will stay in the upstairs part of T4S, so it would be the AMNIOS lounge you yourself would be physically able to reach on your journey.


All of this also assumes you are flying Iberia and/or another airlines that use T4 at MAD!

susiesan

My husband and I will be on IB3107 LIS-MAD connecting to AA 37 MAD-DFW. I am in business, he is in coach. We will bee on the ground at MAD from 10:15am-1:00pm. I'm assuming I will not be able to bring my husband into the IB lounge as a guest, that I can use from my J ticket. I did get a free membership to the Lounge Club with a Chase Ink CC. Is this Lounge Club location at MAD worth visiting? Where is it located in relation to deparure gates for AA flights? Or should I try asking nicely at the IB lounge desk if my husband can sit with me while we wait for our flight?

David-A

Unless you have oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status (your profile shows AA Gold which is sadly only oneworld Ruby) then you will not be able to bring a guest into the IB lounge.
[Passengers in F, or with Emerald or Sapphire status can bring guests.]

Unless they are busy, it would not hurt to ask at the IB lounge in T4S (upstairs) "Velaquez", but the answer really should be no.

Your AA flight will leave from the upstairs level of T4S (the sattelite building to T4).

As such, the lounge before the gate that your LoungeClub card should be able to get you into would be the AMNIOS lounge discussed above. Have not been in it.

Now, as you are connecting from LIS, you will probably be deposited first into the main part of T4, this has LA REVOLTOSA lounge in it which you would probably also be able to access with your Lounge Club card.

However, they might try to move you through to T4S and not let you in there, personally I would not contemplate trying LA REVOLTOSA and go straight over to T4S, exit Schengen / go upstairs and wait there - using AMNIOS if you choose.

Both these lounges are operared as indepentend (non-airilne alligned) lounges for AENA the spanish state airport operator, you probably would also be able to pay your way in with cash, and or bought in advance using LoungePass etc many different site.

I think different people can be on different 'LoungeClub' tarrifs, getting different things free - so do check what it will cost you. Also check that cost vs. other ways to pay for entry, etc.

Land 10:15, take off: 13:00.
Assume off aifcraft by 10:30
Assume boarding by 12:30 at latest.
It is going to take a little bit of time to get over from T4 to T4S via the transit train, you should easily have WELL over an hour in the lounge as a minimum, if not more. But no more than 2 hours at best.


Can't tell you if it is worth it.

susiesan

David-A; the first 2 times I use the Lounge Club pass there is no charge. If I had to pay I probably wouldn't bother. These lounges don't look like they are worth the money at MAD. I'm trying to get my husband into J with me so he could also use the IB lounge, but no luck on AA releasing another award seat in a mostly unsold empty J cabin. We fly on Nov. 7 so there is time to keep checking.

The flight LIS-MAD has me in F. Would that allow me to bring my husband into the IB lounge as a guest? AA 37 does not have F.

David-A

In short, no.

Just to check we are talking about the same thing, LIS as in Lisbon Airport in Portugal?

LIS-MAD is a very short flight, nobody would have an aircraft with a First Class cabin on the route - unless it was an add-on hop for a long haul aircraft from somewhere else.

And assuming we are talking about an Ibeira operated flight, they don't have First at all, not even on longhaul. Just Business.

You will get a shorthaul european business class product on this route - which is essentially standard seating, a bit more leg room, and the middle seat not in use. Mini cabin at the front of the aircraft with curtain separator, and free drinks and mini snack/bite sized meal.

Personally, I would never pay extra (points or money) for such a short flight (unless needing the status credit), so I assume you are getting your short hop in business without anything extra on the cost.

Anyway, despite what your fare code may be, you will be an inbound business class passenger, not an inbound first class passenger. If AA have you booked into something they are calling F, just ignore it - it won't change a thing.

Further more, the inbound bit should really only help (under oneworld rules) for lounge access with longhaul to shorthaul connections.

David-A

Do you both have Lounge Club? Or would he have to be a guest etc? With charge?

That is where I would keep my attention then. I doubt you would get him into the IB lounge without it, although if you did it would be on the basis of them letting you take in a guest as a business class passenger outbound, not on anything else, and the answer under the rules would be no.

susiesan

I have one Lounge Club membership. The first two uses of the pass are free. So we will each use one pass. He just got an Case Ink CC so I'll sign him up for his free Lounge Club membership. If we happen to need the passes sometime next year during a trip we'll have them.