Pictorial Lounge Review: AMS British Airways Lounge
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Towards the middle of March I hopped across the North Sea to The Netherlands for business. Before my flight back to the UK, I had the opportunity of visiting the BA lounge at AMS for the first time since its refurbishment to the latest concept towards the end of 2014.
Before I went airside, I checked out the pleasant outdoor observation deck, which features an ex-KLM Fokker aircraft for passengers to explore, and great views across several of the piers and gate areas to one of the runways.
The lounge is most easily accessed via the next door check-in zone from BA’s check-in area (not the same area as the BA desks). The lounge is located two floors above gate level, with a narrow entrance immediately to the left of the lift and stairs. Washrooms are located in this lobby area, and are part of the main terminal infrastructure (ie. not exclusive to BA).
The lounge is essentially one long thin rectangle. Turning right from reception (adjacent to a rather strange porthole in the dividing wall), the lounge opens up first into the dining area. Here, there are plenty of tables, mostly individual although there is one of the long communal white tables with feature lighting above that BA seem to be fond of in their latest Club lounges. I found it slightly odd that under the central bank of individual tables was carpet rather than the wooden floors surrounding them; one would assume the wood would’ve been more practical in this space. The dining options were sadly fairly limited when I visited in the afternoon; soup, bread rolls, yogurt and some unappetising processed cold meat and cheese was all there was, alongside some packaged crackers, biscuits and crisps. I did notice as I was leaving the lounge that some small bowls of salad had been put out, but this came too late for me to try.
Beyond the dining area to the right is a small Study area, with the main lounge seating area straight ahead and to the left. Ample power and USB sockets are built into the tables between armchairs, at the Study desk, and under the white table in the dining area.
The standout feature of this lounge is clearly the fantastic view (similar to that from the observation deck which is just next door, albeit inaccessible from the lounge). I was impressed with what BA have done with a relatively small space, particularly given the poky lounge they maintained for many years. The comfortable variety of seating, understated but sophisticated design, and focus on maximising natural light makes for a pleasant space in which to pass an hour or two before a flight.
