BA experience out of Southampton
May 12, 2022, 2:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Kazakhstan
Programs: BA Gold, AirAstana Silver (much use as chocolate teapot)
Posts: 867
BA experience out of Southampton
Being far closer than any of the Londons, was considering using BA out of Southampton in the near future for a trip. Anyone had any recent experience good or bad?
May 12, 2022, 3:06 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,595
Really good experience last summer. Nice small sirport, check in was a breeze, The Spitfire Lounge was comfortable with plenty of hot food and seating options. On the return the airport was just as easy to navigate, passport control was 1 desk with a manual passport check but we were the only international arrival so it wasn't too bad. Also parking is reasonable and walkable from the terminal. On board the Cityflyer aircraft its a 2-2 config throughout and complimentary bar and catering in Traveller.... so its hard to justify the need for Club when Traveller is as good as it is. I'm booked to travel next month on BA ex SOU so hoping for more of the same.
May 12, 2022, 3:09 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,376
No first Hand experience but given the size of the airport I’d have thought departure experience including security to be pretty efficient as well as arrival baggage reclaim and arrivals. It always used to be.
Given the extra legroom on an E190 and complimentary refreshmenTs in Economy as Well as Club Europe I’d say it will be far superior that a BA mainline or Euroflyer Experience from LHR or LGW.
Given the extra legroom on an E190 and complimentary refreshmenTs in Economy as Well as Club Europe I’d say it will be far superior that a BA mainline or Euroflyer Experience from LHR or LGW.
May 12, 2022, 3:20 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LCY
Programs: Mucci des Ancients Matelots
Posts: 769
Really good experience last summer. Nice small sirport, check in was a breeze, The Spitfire Lounge was comfortable with plenty of hot food and seating options. On the return the airport was just as easy to navigate, passport control was 1 desk with a manual passport check but we were the only international arrival so it wasn't too bad. Also parking is reasonable and walkable from the terminal. On board the Cityflyer aircraft its a 2-2 config throughout and complimentary bar and catering in Traveller.... so its hard to justify the need for Club when Traveller is as good as it is. I'm booked to travel next month on BA ex SOU so hoping for more of the same.
May 12, 2022, 3:27 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,734
I haven’t flown BA from SOU but have with FlyBe/KLM/Eastern/Loganair. It’s a very simple and easy airport to navigate, low stress and rarely busy. It won’t win any awards for luxury lounges, but I don’t use SOU for that.
May 12, 2022, 3:51 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Kazakhstan
Programs: BA Gold, AirAstana Silver (much use as chocolate teapot)
Posts: 867
May 12, 2022, 5:01 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South East, UK
Programs: BA Gold / GfL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,432
Is the SOU lounge also available if you book a BA code on a Loganair flight? e.g. SOU-GLA operated by Loganair, but available to book on BA.com with a BA code
This would be travelling as a BA Gold (no club/business cabin on these flights)
This would be travelling as a BA Gold (no club/business cabin on these flights)
May 12, 2022, 6:13 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,734
May 12, 2022, 8:58 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Just to add, getting to the airport by train is easy - train stops right outside the terminal, easier than driving IMHO.
May 12, 2022, 10:44 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: BA Gold, Mucci
Posts: 2,068
Looking forward to checking out the airport and lounge now!
May 12, 2022, 11:11 am
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,787
Yes, it's even better than Southend for proximity. And overall it's just a stress-free airport so long as you don't turn up too early. It is indeed a metal and concrete shed, which has had low cost sparkle and cladding to slightly hide it's nylon-static BAA heritage. The facilities are limited to basic, but essentally there. The access into Waterloo means that it probably has a stronger claim to being a London airport than Stansted. I've not seen any reports of delays getting through security, and when I used it last, a few weeks back, I was the only one going through it. There are some wacky interchanges that can theoretically be made on BA.com at SOU, thanks to all the Loganair codeshares that run through it, but unfortunately most/all are inefficient price-wise. Pity about the short runway, but there again that prevents it turning into bucket and spade hell
May 12, 2022, 1:10 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 431
Absolutely love flying out of Southampton. It’s my favourite airport by far mostly because we are so close to it but I’ve never waited long in security etc. Boarding is always great and it’s so small and sleepy compared to Heathrow and Gatwick. We flew BA to Mykonos last September and it was superb. The 2-2 config was amazing and service was great onboard too. Being a small airport of course you don’t have the dining/shopping options of the London airports but I would choose Southampton everytime given the choice.