BA's worst airport?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,114
BA's worst airport?
Prompted to start this as I am currently experiencing the 'delights' of FCO. Would emphasise that focus is on airport, not BA staff there (check-in were friendly and very on the ball, started to ask me which bag I wanted to have a yellow tag for and then they noticed the exit seat)
My 3 reasons are:
- massive security queue, stretching maybe 200m from entrance to security back through terminal (truly epic)
- very long queues to go through Italian exit controls (people leaving EU queue in hope 'all passports' queue was quicker); even with 3 e-gates in operation it was almost 15 minutes for me to get through that route
- lounge has a woeful absence of convenient power points - various random plugs at walls nowhere near seats now occupied with phones etc (I luckily snagged a seat where my phone is charging maybe 1.5 metres away from me)
If I was a non-status holder and I arrived an hour before my flight I'd be a goner
(I should give an honourable mention to TXL, and AMS gets also ran status due to lounge location relative to gate)
Any other nominations? (rhetorical question)
My 3 reasons are:
- massive security queue, stretching maybe 200m from entrance to security back through terminal (truly epic)
- very long queues to go through Italian exit controls (people leaving EU queue in hope 'all passports' queue was quicker); even with 3 e-gates in operation it was almost 15 minutes for me to get through that route
- lounge has a woeful absence of convenient power points - various random plugs at walls nowhere near seats now occupied with phones etc (I luckily snagged a seat where my phone is charging maybe 1.5 metres away from me)
If I was a non-status holder and I arrived an hour before my flight I'd be a goner
(I should give an honourable mention to TXL, and AMS gets also ran status due to lounge location relative to gate)
Any other nominations? (rhetorical question)
#4
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
Geneva...
Car rental drop off really inconvenient, too small for the volume of people, sardine can shuttle bus to the main terminal.
Massive queue, club priority queue as long or longer than economy. Really slow check in staff.
Priority security controlled by a gate they are supposed to a sticker on to give you access to if you're gold but frequently don't.
Not enough physical space to queue for security, no personal space while queuing.
One good restaurant landslide only. No food airside.
Lounge not enough seats at peak time.
Priority boarding for families, before club and gold. Which is frequently more than half the plane.
Generally ugly and unattractive airport.
Angry irritated people from dealing with all of the above.
Car rental drop off really inconvenient, too small for the volume of people, sardine can shuttle bus to the main terminal.
Massive queue, club priority queue as long or longer than economy. Really slow check in staff.
Priority security controlled by a gate they are supposed to a sticker on to give you access to if you're gold but frequently don't.
Not enough physical space to queue for security, no personal space while queuing.
One good restaurant landslide only. No food airside.
Lounge not enough seats at peak time.
Priority boarding for families, before club and gold. Which is frequently more than half the plane.
Generally ugly and unattractive airport.
Angry irritated people from dealing with all of the above.
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: scotland/EDI
Programs: BAEC , M&M , VIRGIN FC , FLYING BLUE
Posts: 1,438
Prompted to start this as I am currently experiencing the 'delights' of FCO. Would emphasise that focus is on airport, not BA staff there (check-in were friendly and very on the ball, started to ask me which bag I wanted to have a yellow tag for and then they noticed the exit seat)
My 3 reasons are:
- massive security queue, stretching maybe 200m from entrance to security back through terminal (truly epic)
- very long queues to go through Italian exit controls (people leaving EU queue in hope 'all passports' queue was quicker); even with 3 e-gates in operation it was almost 15 minutes for me to get through that route
- lounge has a woeful absence of convenient power points - various random plugs at walls nowhere near seats now occupied with phones etc (I luckily snagged a seat where my phone is charging maybe 1.5 metres away from me)
If I was a non-status holder and I arrived an hour before my flight I'd be a goner
(I should give an honourable mention to TXL, and AMS gets also ran status due to lounge location relative to gate)
Any other nominations? (rhetorical question)
My 3 reasons are:
- massive security queue, stretching maybe 200m from entrance to security back through terminal (truly epic)
- very long queues to go through Italian exit controls (people leaving EU queue in hope 'all passports' queue was quicker); even with 3 e-gates in operation it was almost 15 minutes for me to get through that route
- lounge has a woeful absence of convenient power points - various random plugs at walls nowhere near seats now occupied with phones etc (I luckily snagged a seat where my phone is charging maybe 1.5 metres away from me)
If I was a non-status holder and I arrived an hour before my flight I'd be a goner
(I should give an honourable mention to TXL, and AMS gets also ran status due to lounge location relative to gate)
Any other nominations? (rhetorical question)
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,114
#10
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: scotland/EDI
Programs: BAEC , M&M , VIRGIN FC , FLYING BLUE
Posts: 1,438
BA do not have direct control over many of the issues you have raised
#11
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Chelsea
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,226
CDG 2A/C is fine. The security and immigration has always been quick. Airport staff professional. BA staff ok. CX lounge excellent. RER tolerable. TGV connection handy for those connecting to further afield.
Is it really so awful?
#12
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
#14
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,644
I once waited an hour for my bags to come off the plane in FCO. Awful ground handling.
If BA includes Comair, then Livingstone (Zambia) would be my choice. Over an hour to check in (one massive line for all pax and all flights), tiny box of a lounge with no food/drinks. No priority boarding. I think a new airport is being built though.
For BA mainline, i'd say HAJ/Hannover. I was delayed 3 hours there...it's not the place you want to be delayed 3 hours.
If BA includes Comair, then Livingstone (Zambia) would be my choice. Over an hour to check in (one massive line for all pax and all flights), tiny box of a lounge with no food/drinks. No priority boarding. I think a new airport is being built though.
For BA mainline, i'd say HAJ/Hannover. I was delayed 3 hours there...it's not the place you want to be delayed 3 hours.
#15
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ PPS/*A Gold, Marriott Platinum, Fairmont Presidents Club, others nothing useful
Posts: 139
Based on two visits in 3 weeks, FRA.
- All four flights were bussed at FRA
- No BA lounge - JAL one is very poor, even the Flounge (feels like an important enough place to deserve its own still)
- BA use T2 which is a painfully long bus or transit/walk from T1 where the trains are
- All four flights were bussed at FRA
- No BA lounge - JAL one is very poor, even the Flounge (feels like an important enough place to deserve its own still)
- BA use T2 which is a painfully long bus or transit/walk from T1 where the trains are