Lounge Review: LIN British Airways Galleries Lounge
Lounge Review: LIN British Airways Galleries Lounge
Index to Genius1 Trip Reports The British Airways Galleries lounge at Milan Linate was one of the first to receive the full Galleries concept around ten years ago. The photos that follow were taken over two visits to the lounge a few days apart in November 2018. It might seem odd that BA should have such a comparatively large and well-specified lounge at a non-capital city outstation in an era where BA have closed many of their European outstation lounges, but when you realise that BA operates multiple rotations to Heathrow, London City and Stansted airports, the space seems entirely justified. The lounge is located airside within the small terminal building at gate level, a few steps below the main shopping area. The terminal itself is pretty drab and dated, although there is evidence of refurbishment activity taking place; the whole airport is closing for three months in the summer to have its runway resurfaced, at which point I would expect further terminal refurbishment work to take place. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7853/...e3a9bd14_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7824/...c1d5faae_c.jpg The entrance to the BA lounge doesn’t immediately scream luxury, but once through the sliding door and past the reception desk, the open plan rectangular space is nicely laid out, although the absence of any windows and thus any natural light or view really detracts from the otherwise pleasant space. Split into two halves by a bar and high-top table seating, the left-hand portion majors on zoned areas whilst the right-hand portion focuses on seating. Immediately to the right of the reception area is a luggage storage space and news stand, whilst ahead and to the left is the Coffee House and buffet. For an outstation lounge, the food offering is perfectly adequate, with sandwiches, small salad pots, pizza slices, filled croissants, cakes and yogurt all available when I visited in the afternoon; fresh fruit, crisps and nuts were also available at the bar in the centre of the lounge. There were no hot food items available; this is an area where the lounge could improve. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7907/...b7daa235_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7808/...04f335ca_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7825/...30fd3b8f_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4873/...8bfbc1e1_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7828/...fa082a7f_c.jpg Immediately in front of the buffet are a couple of communal dining tables, quite harshly lit by overhead lights in contrast to the rest of the rather dull lounge (partly due to many of the lamps not being on). https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7900/...5a680558_c.jpg Several armchairs and sofas surround the tables, with individual dining tables available at the rear of the lounge adjacent to the Work and Entertainment Zone. I never understand why lounge designers opt for carpet below dining tables; it’s completely impractical, and this carpet is really showing its age, now beyond the point of simply cleaning. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4905/...3c2fe3f8_c.jpg TVs are available in both the Work and Entertainment Zone, and in a seating cluster near the entrance to the kitchen. Swinging around to the other half of the lounge, banks of armchairs flank the entirety of the boundary wall, separated at intervals with patterned glass screens; these are a really effective design feature that maintain the feeling of light and space whilst introducing a parcel of privacy. It’s sad to see the overhead lights above the screens no longer functioning (or simply turned off); they would look better lit as originally intended. Incidentally, the similar screens in the lounges at Heathrow are lit internally. Most seating areas feature tables with integrated power and USB sockets, although not all that I tried worked. Wifi throughout the lounge was reasonably quick. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4864/...ed0fa921_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7889/...44092377_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4831/...eb256643_c.jpg https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7858/...0f55b7f7_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4849/...370d571c_c.jpg In contrast to many other BA lounges, the Linate lounge’s bar is a back bar rather than island bar, despite being located in the middle of the lounge. There appeared to be a shortage of real glasses when I visited, as on both occasions plastic receptacles were piled high on the bar in addition to the few red and blue glasses. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7883/...1d9f88aa_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4807/...f1a1e5bd_c.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4907/...fc802c08_c.jpg Both the waiting and reception staff were friendly, with empties being cleared between each flight departure. Adjacent to the bar are a number of low sofas; as with many of the other furniture items in the lounge, these are bespoke to the Linate lounge and don’t feature in other Galleries lounges. A number of the fabric-upholstered armchairs are clearly showing their ten years of use; BA have recently informed me that some of the furniture in the lounge has been replaced. I haven’t seen it yet but suspect these are pieces from the recently closed Munich lounge. There are no toilets within the lounge, with the nearest airport-operated facilities being just outside the entrance and to the left. I hope BA take the opportunity of the three-month closure of the airport in the summer to replace the carpet, improve the lighting and undertake a targeted upgrade of the furniture in the Linate lounge, ideally with Galleries Evolution pieces. These niggles aside, BA’s Linate lounge is a pleasant enough space to pass an hour or two before a flight, and a nice example of how well the original Galleries concept has stood the test of time. |
I have to say what I find rather annoying about this lounge is its location. Not only, as you acknowledge, there is a lack of natural light, but I also dislike the fact that being in the Schengen area means you still have to go through passport control after leaving the lounge for the gate and that can get busy as everyone rushes out when boarding is called. |
Thanks for sharing — great to have a facility like this in what’s otherwise a pretty drab terminal. With competitive ex-Milan fares and good back to back opportunities off the LCY afternoon turn (4 hours-ish on the ground), this lounge can be particularly useful for TP runs too. But I ballsed up my last trip by heading through passport control immediately on my back to back and spending 3 hours in the tiny, quite crowded holding area sharing a laptop power port. Watch out folks! 😂 |
I like the lounge, but in my opinion there is a hygiene issue there with the staff. On two separate occasions I have had words with them as they restock the sandwiches with their bare hands. Two different staff members.
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Originally Posted by theultimateflyer
(Post 30582472)
I have to say what I find rather annoying about this lounge is its location. Not only, as you acknowledge, there is a lack of natural light, but I also dislike the fact that being in the Schengen area means you still have to go through passport control after leaving the lounge for the gate and that can get busy as everyone rushes out when boarding is called. |
The worst ones are where the lounge is landside (there are certainly a few in Italy like that), but you forget until you are past security and it is too late!
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One small point that I appreciated is there are North American standard 120V power outlets available. It was useful for me to charge my phone without needing an adapter.
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Originally Posted by KARFA
(Post 30585014)
The worst ones are where the lounge is landside (there are certainly a few in Italy like that), but you forget until you are past security and it is too late!
As the OP mentioned (and others), I also have a pet hate with lounges that have no natural light. LIN seems particularly dull and gloomy in this respect. |
Originally Posted by Genius1
(Post 30584871)
That is indeed annoying, and currently it seems as though some of the passport control desks are closed due to refurbishment. When I departed once there was quite a queue as the officers appeared to be on an intentional go-slow.
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Originally Posted by theultimateflyer
(Post 30587542)
I was just through and seems that the refurbishments were to install e-gates which made the process relatively faster today (for EU citizens). |
Originally Posted by BOH
(Post 30587215)
Yes!! At GOA this is the case although now much better as there is a priority security lane direct from the landside lounge.
As the OP mentioned (and others), I also have a pet hate with lounges that have no natural light. LIN seems particularly dull and gloomy in this respect. I assume the priority security lane is quick, but I assume there is a passport check without priority, at some point before the gate too? Thanks |
Originally Posted by lcylocal
(Post 30589353)
but I assume there is a passport check without priority, at some point before the gate too? Yes, divided into EU and non-EU passport holder lanes. |
Originally Posted by lcylocal
(Post 30589353)
I have been wondering about this as I’m flying front GOA in a few months. How soon should you leave the lounge before the BA flight? Are flights called or is it up to you? I assume the priority security lane is quick, but I assume there is a passport check without priority, at some point before the gate too? Thanks So if no flight either side of the BA one I leave the lounge about 40 minutes before departure, on days with a closely timed other flight from Gates 7/8 I leave 50-60 minutes before departure. Be aware at GOA they really board promptly, starting about T-45 mins before departure and often complete at T-20 with "last call" of missing pax by names at this point. In the lounge there are no announcements, just a few large monitors with flight status. |
Originally Posted by Jagboi
(Post 30589514)
Yes, divided into EU and non-EU passport holder lanes.
On arrival there are separate EU and non-EU lanes, but not on departure. |
Originally Posted by theultimateflyer
(Post 30587542)
I was just through and seems that the refurbishments were to install e-gates which made the process relatively faster today (for EU citizens). |
for the size of LIN, i was surprised at how big the lounge was the first time i used it.
since then, i really appreciate this lounge on the 5-6 LIN trips i take per year now because it is never crowded, and i've never had to spend much time in it because its not like LIN is so big you need THAT much time at the airport. as for passport control, i learned a while ago to wait about ten mins after they call the flight to leave...because by then, at least in my experience, i've never had to wait in a queue more than 6 people or so (non-EU line). yeah, its a bit worn in the tooth, but good enough for now! |
Just a heads up for anyone off to LIN that the new lounge has opened and looks to be quite a nice place( see video). This from the BA PR Team not personal experience but hopefully it'll be a good improvement. I won't bother going through everything as it's covered in the release
https://mediacentre.britishairways.c...11734?ref=Home Obviously anyone passing through who actually experiences the place and can give feedback would be great ( I was far from impressed with the new Rome lounge when it 1st opened so how it looks isn't always in line with how good a place actually is) |
There’s a short clip on Instagram for any BA followers
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Milan Linate lounge refresh
Looks like during the summer months while the airport was closed, BA had work done to the lounge. From BA's media site:
As Linate airport in Milan re-opens, British Airways has unveiled its new, refreshed lounge look. http://prospelicious.com/wp-content/...1657815037.jpgThe Linate lounge, which is open to eligible customers travelling from today, includes a new look reception where customers will receive a warm welcome. A brighter environment, new seating and powered hub tables in the new office layout provide the perfect working conditions, while those who want to make the most of their downtime can enjoy enhanced dining options including the introduction of hot dishes in the refurbished dining area. Brand new British-made Boss armchairs, specifically designed for British Airways, are complemented by relaxing, decorative lighting by UK based Tyson lighting. Adapting the lounge design to the location, high quality Italian finishes are used, including terrazzo stone flooring and Carrara marble. http://prospelicious.com/wp-content/...7099679502.jpg http://prospelicious.com/wp-content/...7099679501.jpg http://prospelicious.com/wp-content/...1463353241.jpg http://prospelicious.com/wp-content/...1285993405.jpg http://prospelicious.com/wp-content/...6909336551.jpg Images: British Airways |
From the photos it looks somewhat different to the style deployed in FCO and ABZ's recent lounge updates. In a good way too, but I've not yet seen it for myself. The lack of natural light in that lounge makes it a tricky one to get right.
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hahaha we all decided to post about this literally within minutes. I updated the lounge thread with the press release for it. It does look quite nice although personal experience is obviously key. FCO was shambolic( imho) when it 1st opened with rolling power outages, hardly any power points etc etc.
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It looks like it's mainly better lighting. Probably with the same catering staff that rearrange all the sandwiches with their bare hands.
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Originally Posted by TWCLAM
(Post 31670491)
hahaha we all decided to post about this literally within minutes. I updated the lounge thread with the press release for it. It does look quite nice although personal experience is obviously key. FCO was shambolic( imho) when it 1st opened with rolling power outages, hardly any power points etc etc.
Yes, you pipped me to the post. I've merged the thread I started into this one as its unlikely this topic will ever suffer from megathreaditis. :) |
Lovely pictures. ^
All the bottles of spirits look untouched....a rare sight indeed. |
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
(Post 31670476)
From the photos it looks somewhat different to the style deployed in FCO and ABZ's recent lounge updates. In a good way too, but I've not yet seen it for myself. The lack of natural light in that lounge makes it a tricky one to get right.
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Where are the restrooms located now? Inside or outside?
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I'll be there Sunday and answer any questions (the restrooms were outside, and unless there was some radical surgery, are still likely to be outside).
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Originally Posted by Lefly
(Post 31673918)
Where are the restrooms located now? Inside or outside?
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Originally Posted by 81romeo
(Post 31673948)
Really hope they're still inside and have been refurbished too
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Pity. I really don't like outside lounge restrooms. It's very inconvenient to have to leave the lounge, and there is almost always a queue... :td:
Surely that's no premium experience. |
It's too bad they couldn't have added some windows or a skylight to let in some natural light.
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Originally Posted by Jagboi
(Post 31675299)
It's too bad they couldn't have added some windows or a skylight to let in some natural light.
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Originally Posted by Genius1
(Post 31674805)
The washrooms were outside of the lounge and were airport-operated, not part of the lounge. I suspect this is still the case as there’s little space to add them and it’s quite significant work to do so.
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So I was there Sunday and it seemed virtually identical with two changes I noted during my quick visit: there used to be newspaper tables as you came in, in a fairly poorly lit area. It is now lighter with many little tables and chairs instead (like those in the fourth photo above). And there was indeed some hot food, perhaps the same batch of eggs in the penultimate photo has been topped up from time to time.
The BA counter as you come in has not been changed and there is little evidence of much change in the terminal (beyond perhaps a new escalator when you descend to the level of the BA gates where there used to be only stairs). But there are signs around the airport indicating that there are another five months to go until things will be finished inside. The experience of the bus to the plane and climbing the stairs in the rain was unchanged. |
Adding my experience after my flight back home from the hols yesterday.
Loved the new furniture as the previous one was most outdated, although the lounge design and colour palette itself did not project the feeling you would expect from a "owned" airline lounge. In other words, it did not feel like BA. It is indeed new and fresh, but it lacks character IMO. I appreciate little can be done to catering etc. being an outstation, but decor and design are 100% within the control of BA and it seems to me they are not making an effort to stand out. Bit odd. |
Originally Posted by Jagboi
(Post 30587109)
One small point that I appreciated is there are North American standard 120V power outlets available. It was useful for me to charge my phone without needing an adapter.
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Originally Posted by SKRan
(Post 31914254)
Maybe I’m wrong but aren’t most usb chargers 100-240V?
i.e. it was the form factor that was important and allowed them to plug their charger in directly, not the actual voltage per se. |
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