Geneva British Airways Lounge
 

Right on cue it does indeed seem to be open today (from Twitter):

Looks very nice. However the real test will come in the new year when all the skiiers head for the alps and Sunday evenings at GVA are absolutely heaving.

Saturdays and Sundays in ski season are always going to be hard to manage, more flights and crucially transfers that drop people off very earlier to avoid any liability for weather delays on the way to GVA. That said the seating in the new lounge does look denser so I would hope the lounge can accommodate more travellers now.

Here is the Business Traveller's story on the new lounge, largely taken the BA press release and with some nice photos. One interesting new feature is a Brewdog counter, something also present in JFK.

https://www.businesstraveller.com/bu...refurbishment/

Somewhat confusingly, the nice photo at the top of the article looks to be the LGW South Business lounge, rather than anything in Geneva.

I was able to visit the lounge this morning, despite four flights (3x BA + 1x IB) it was empty and quiet.

The lounge looks really very good - a clear improvement!

The selection of food and drinks is much better than before.

There is a whole new team, both at the welcome desk and at the service, which still has to be enrolled.

With the opening of the lounge there is unfortunately a bad BA rule change in Geneva for using Fast Track. Only passengers booked in business class will now have access to the Fast Track. I am Emerald (IB Platino) and had a BA Premium Economy - access not allowed... I asked then at the gate: Even in the highest economy booking class (Y) there is no fast track for oneworld status holders. I don't get it - Is Fast Track not a privilege of oneworld Emerald status (regardless of the operating airline)...?

Best regards from T5

This "enhancement" will be a real pain for the ski season in particular. Any reason they stopped using the fast track sticker for non club europe BP?

BA gives with one hand and takes with the other. Jokes aside Switzerland is an expensive country, presumably including what the airport charges the airlines for fast track. The bean counters clearly saw an opportunity to save a penny. All the alliance privileges have various carve outs. Who knows, perhaps part of the theoretical future saving helped justify the lounge refit...

Fast Track is not available at CDG and BRU which I use extensively. Extremely disappointing.

To my knowledge it's not a new thing. I have been on the wrong end of the policy many times during ski season. Long, long, long snake queues for security. Nothing to be done about it but turn up with enough time and wait.

Had the same at Faro airport last week, travelling in economy but BAEC Silver...... Walked up to fast track where no one was waiting, and after scanning BP told to join the normal queue.....

In my experience the only thing Gva has historically been different on has been not allowing guests; I’ve never had an issue with fast track access (ba gold) nor has my wife (silver) and the stickers stopped a year ago, the boarding pass was used from then on. If there is a policy change, then for the busy ski weekends there is the option to pay about Chf10 each time for fast track access.

I wonder if the BA lounge will yet be as good as the priority pass one!

No evidence of any rule change for me - Fast track worked as it always has today at Geneva. I was travelling economy (Avios one way, so no connections) and BA Gold.

The boarding pass on my app showed “fast track” and the paper one I was issued at check in worked for the premium security channel.

New lounge is nice, but the seating feels less dense than before so I worry that it’ll be worse than last year in peak ski season.

I had the pleasure of passing through the new GVA lounge. BA have done an excellent job for this outstation - and a very important one for premium frequent fliers for sure.

Though, it feels smaller than before - and I would agree with the poster above - that it seems there seems to be no net additional seating as the seats added are bigger. I would guess the total seat capacity is around 75, which is really not a lot for peak season, even if BA did extend the lounge fractionally. It really needs much more space!

Fasttrack worked as normal too!

Well ideally you'll be in Chamonix until the lifts close and by the time you get to GVA you do not have time for the lounge = )

BrewDog bar looks cool. Wonder is that draught Punk IPA?

I wasn't aware of this but my ET boarding pass worked at the fast track barriers on 1st December

Same. Went through yesterday (16 Dec) in ET with 'Fasttrack' printed on boarding pass and the fast track automated barriers worked fine.

Agree that lounge is good and the Brewdog bar a nice touch. A shame I was driving when I returned to LHR so couldn't take full advantage.

Visited the new GVA lounge last Friday. What an upgrade it is. While a bit dark, it looks modern, has lots of power points / USB chargers, had a good food and drink selection, etc. The seats around the perimeter are wide enough that you don't feel right next to your neighbour, which is nice if it's full, though I found the cushions quite hard.

I had no problem with Fast Track as a BAEC Silver in economy.

Interestingly, my BA post-travel survey asked me specifically about my lounge experience.

Over the coming years numerous derrieres will address that cushion softness factor concern.

Myself, I'm still working out how to reverse that process.

Likewise for me today - except that fasttrack (and most of the security actually) was closed, which turned my delight about managing a same day change to the earlier flight into a slight stress as there was a fair queue. Interestingly, it moved quickly, and I think it was because they were trying out new security scanners. No need to remove laptops or liquids, and in my rush I forgot I had a 500ml water bottle, full in my bag. I still have the 500ml of French water with me so maybe some positive change is coming in the security arrangements...

Using the Marhaba Lounge in C wing
 

It seems like more and more GVA-LHR flights are going in and out of the more modern C gates; all yesterday’s flights did but there’s at least one going today from the B satellite gates.

C gates are more modern and it’s generally nicer experience waiting to board and going through immigration here (although last weekend the queue for UK passport holders looked much like LHR T5 on a bad day!

Anyway, C gate departures make using the normal lounge a bit tricky as it’s a longish walk and last few times I ended up getting to there gate was too early. However, it seems that we can now use the Marhaba lounge in the C concourse, at least according to the One World website. Last time I took the first flight out on a Saturday it wasn’t open yet so wasn’t able to test it. It’s supposed to be open at 6 so will try again this weekend. I’ll report back with any findings.

Amsterdam also lets you keep liquids in the bag. Ironically it seems to have slowed things, because as people take them out of their bags, security staff insist on them putting them back in the bag, which slows things down.

Update: last few trips have been on the 7am GVA-LHR on Sunday mornings. Gave myself a long lie today and waiting for the 11:50. Did a quick stop in the BA lounge in the main terminal, and once C gate departure was confirmed, I went through immigration (if you’re travelling on a U.K. passport then plan on a long ... wait here!)
Was rather disappointed to discover that the Marhaba Lou he was again closed. Guy at the Aspire lounge felt bad and kind of rolled his eyes when I asked if it was ever open. Said “it depends on flights”. In other words, the OneWorld website claim that it’s open from 6:00-21:00 is nonsense. C concourse is fine with nice runway and Jura views, but when the place is busy it’s nonstop announcements in like 9 different languages.

Stopped in on 6/24. Annoyingly the lounge doesn't open until 0600. With the first flight of the day at 0710 this seems a little silly. I had to wait 10 minutes for it to open.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2794-XL.jpg

The lounge is a fairly long walk from the Fast Track security line and located upstairs in a dingy corridor just down the hall from the LX Senator Lounge

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2796-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2797-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2798-XL.jpg

I like that there are a variety of seating areas and a lot of them have power outlets

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2799-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2800-XL.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2801-XL.jpg

Food was fairly limited with no hot options.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Eu...MG_2802-XL.jpg

Liquor selection disappointing but at least it was too early for me to need any.

Flew out of GVA last week, lounge is nice but there wasn't a lot of food on offer. They still have the QR code on tables to scan, but there was nothing available to order, it just explained to use self-serve.

Also re: Fast Track security, I was surprised to get denied as Emerald travelling in ET and scanned a few times before an attendant told me it was for business class only. However when I went back through normal security there was no queue and I was able to go straight through. Moves quickly when you don't have to take anything out of your bag, and a full bottle of water isn't a problem.

Hmmm...that's odd. I go in and out of Geneva all the time. About half the time in CE and half the time in ET. Never had a problem getting through fast track as BA Gold. Maybe somehow it doesn't recognise QF Plat correctly? Does the BP say "Fast Track"?Regular security is often just as quick and I've even just gone through it when fast track is busy. Getting through the new scanners is great but they are not always open and even when they are, you might get directed to the old scanners and have to take out lap tops and liquids.

Interesting, mine has Group 1 but does not say 'fast track' above the QR code.

Edit: Also with BA mobile boarding passes, they don't seem to show oneworld partner status - or at least not Qantas. I get a white background, and this sometimes causes lounge agents to reject me if in ET, assuming I've got no status (although "Group 1" should give it away?). I either have to convince them to scan it anyway (and then they seem surprised when the computer says yes), or if they can print a traditional boarding pass out that will show my Emerald status.

Is it even possible to visit this lounge with a 0650 flight? or would you have to go through security/immigration before hand to get to the gate on time since the lounge opens at 6? Im in CW and oneworld Emerald so hoping to have fast track. Not sure if there is a lounge on the other side I can visit these days once through immigration.

I can’t in good conscience recommend visiting the BA lounge in this case. Security with fast track should be fine. Immigration is where you might have an issue. Sometimes you go right through. Other times it’s a mess if you have a few UK and other non-Schengen flights. It will always be quicker with an EU/EEA passport.

Anyway, even in the best case, you’ll have 20 mins max in the lounge and you’ll be stressing because you can’t know beforehand what passport control looks like. After immigration, there is the Marhaba lounge which you’d have access to but I’ve never once seen it open at any time of the day. I asked the guy in the other lounge if it ever is and he rolled his eyes and said “it depends on the flights…”

Long story short, get there in time for your flight and no earlier. You’re not missing anything!

I concur. I find it really annoying this lounge opens at 0600 (as do the PriorityPass and LX Lounges too oddly) but the walk from the lounge was a good 15 minutes from what I remember and that doesn't include passport control. It's not worth it as you said.

To be honest I quite like the lounge in GVA. I find the staff to be incredibly friendly and the selection of food and drinks on offer to be good. As other posters have said, real issue is when you exit the lounge and go through passport control where you might wait from 0-30 minutes to be processed. Was there last week and waited 20 minutes- 1 desk only for non-EU passport holders and a flight to Doha at the same time as my flight to London. Last passenger to board but crew were really pleasant.

I was just refused entry to the BA GVA lounge. Flying C on IB GVA-MAD (BA OWS) and am currently in the Marhaba lounge (so yes, it does sometimes open it seems).

I was initially told that IB customers had to use the Marhaba. After pressing the point of OW access per the OW database, I was then told its a "winter time rule". When I asked how long this had been in place, was told "one month". Hmm.....Anyone else encountered this 'new' rule?

For those of you up-thread who are disappointed at having not been able to experience the Marhaba, don't be - other than the window view of the Jura, you're not missing much.

Lol that sounds like made up BS for no IB access! Although maybe the logic is to limit over crowding during ski season??

I can also see the logic of applying it during ski season, but if that is the case, then the OW database should be updated to reflect this.

Also, I can perhaps understand QR and AY pax being redirected, but rather disappointed that IAG can't manage to have consistent lounge access across its two main brands.

Yes. Totally agree. I was inititally surprsed that you got into the Marhaba lounge flying on IB...basically because I was thinking of the Marhaba lounge after passport control in C gates. But of course there is the other Marhaba lounge in the main terminal. Looking on the Oneworld website, the Marhaba lounge in C gates has now been removed. It still exists of course, but apparrently not for BA passengers, at least according to the Oneworld website. I'm through there tonight, so will have a look.

On a vaguely related note, I was trying to pull up details of the GVA lounge on the lounge directory thread, but Slovenia seemed to be the last European country that had an entry (the links to Switzerland and other countries after Slovenia didn't direct anywhere)...

Just to draw a line under the Marhaba lounge at C gates question. The lounge indeed still exists. However as mentioned it’s no longer on the Oneworld website. I just walked up the stairs to have a look and as expected, it was closed. And BA is no longer listed as a participating airline. I assume they didn’t renew the contract as the place was never flipping open!

Yes, I’ve also been told IB pax had to use Marhaba. I insisted on Oneworld rules and finally was admitted to the BA lounge. May be it helped that I am GGL.

The old me probably would have pushed the access question further, but there were others waiting to get in and I'm a little less bothered by this stuff these days. Sadly my post-Covid Silver status doesn't count for much anyway (though LTG is just around the corner).

I think it's odd from an IAG shareholder perspective that IB is paying a third-party for lounge access rather than paying another IAG brand and thus keeping the revenue/cost inside the group, but then airlines have never showed that much aptitude for running themselves profitably, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised.