apollo00

I have waited 30 minutes plus several times this year and more than an hour in February after MWC (OK, 100,000 people trying to leave the city will do that I guess).

Between that, a minor argument about fast track security (I needed to go and get either a printed boarding pass or an invite from the BA check in desk, I forget which but it annoyed me as the queue there was huge) and poor lounges I've been trying to avoid BCN recently. When I have to go I may well consider a routing on the return which counts as a Schengen departure to avoid the passport control disaster...

Upupintheair

Just departing from BCN, on a Schengen flight, but looking at the passport queu it didn't seem very bad, maybe 20-30 people waiting. Security was a breeze, no waiting at all.

techie

This suggests incompetence -- through lack of co-operation between airlines and airport management -- since the airport appears to lack the ability to cope with varying loads of demand. Either that or they "slopey shoulder" it and whatever happens happens.

streetmagix

That's not great to hear, were you on a CE ticket? I've booked a HBO return for July and I was hoping to wizz straight through passport/security with only my Silver Card and my BP on my phone. Still possible or should I go via the check in desks and get the special bit of paper?

wyvern

The issue isn't a paper BP in the carril rapido - iPhone BPs are fine. The issue is the need for the invitiation, when flying BA in Y with status.

It's strange that when flying BA with status in Y you have to get an invite for the carril rapido, but when flying *A (or at least flying SQ) you just need the BP with *G on it and no invite. This must be something coded into the BP barcode as flying SQ in Y, with *G the BP scanners in the carril rapido glow green, but flying BA in Y with BA G/OW Emerald they glow red, hence the need for an invite. IF SQ can facilitate this, why not BA? Presumably the cost to the airline is the same.

BA should be able to get its act together about something like that if SQ can.

NickP 1K

Similar a month ago for me long lines, got yelled about no invite for the fast track security. Next trip coming up to BCN in June will be meetings in MAD right after BCN, train to MAD, do meetings then fly out MAD. BCN is at the bursting at the seams compared to a few years ago not a good experience for outbound, flying in isn't so bad.

paul00

I wonder what the queues are like at Italian and Greek airports, as Italian (paper booklet version) and Greek ID cards are not machine-readable, so with the new EU Regulation introducing mandatory scanning of all EU passports/ID cards when entering or leaving Schengen, the border officer would be required to enter the holder's details manually into the computer system. (It is for this reason that at the UK Border in STN, Border Force has signs in Italian asking Italian citizens to present their passport (if they have it) instead of their ID card)

Athlete95

I once tried to use the carril rapido in BCN, was swiftly told to go away as it was just for passengers with babies or something.. I was in CE and BA Silver at the time. Therefore I haven't ever used it on my last few occasions at BCN. Must try again next time! I have otherwise found BCN to be a very efficient airport to go through (T1 more than T2 however) and upon arrival in particular I have never waited more than 5 minutes in the queue to get processed. Baggage delivery also always seems quick and priority tagged baggage has also come out first on my last few trips ^

Dan72

You need check-in to add a bar code to your boarding pass, otherwise the machines at the fast track lane will just reject it.

RockyRobin

Landed yesterday at BCN.

I've never seen an immigration queue so long. It was so long walking down the empty corridor under the EU banner felt like we must have made a mistake. Luckily we hadn't and the queu for the automatic gates was only four or five deep. Took a wee while as we had the usual set of people unable to follow simple instruction.

One chap said "these things never work" I was tempted to point out that that might be because he doesn't remove his glasses.

I'm a bit worried about our return, I want to use the lounge but am worried about missing our flight due to a queue. We are in Euro Traveller but I am Gold guesting my other half. Any advice?

On a side note, the baggage reclaim was poor, it was an hour after we landed that our bags appeared.

RockyRobin

I have just received a message from BA asking me to be at passport control 90 mins before departure.

Can you confirm that his is at the end of the process by the gate? I need to plan my arrival?

Sounds like it cancels out the use of the lounge :-(

Not looking forward to sitting in a glass case at the gate for up to 90 minutes.

EvilDoctorK

No the Lounge is after Passport Control which is right after security ... based on the feedback here it sounds as though it's pretty unlikely there will be much of a queue ( what day/time is your flight? ) , so if as is likely you turn up 90 mins before and take a few minutes to clear security and passport then you'll have an hour to enjoy the lounge ( which isn't bad at all , but does get quite busy and doesn't have enough power outlets!)

corporate-wage-slave

Indeed this is correct, but don't overlook the overflow area to the right of reception, which people don't seem to notice. There are power points hidden around there, though the seating quality is at the former ATH/MUC levels.

EvilDoctorK

Yes, though it seemed to be closed off when I was last there a few weeks ago [ and it didn't have any power sockets that I could find when I have used it before, but maybe I didn't look hard enough ]

The other tip is the old smoking area ( large glassed off section at the back of the lounge ) .. it tends to be less busy and there are a few power sockets beside the armchairs against the wall furthest from the door there.

GUWonder

The current quarter of 2017 is quite a different beast than what was going on in 2014, 2015 and 2016 in terms of checks to enter and exit the Schengen zone.

Given Spain was already using an APIS regime well before the current quarter, Spain's relative nose-dive in service as a Schengen port of entry/exit is all the more noteworthy about the state of governmental process engineering to which the traveling public is subjected.