estrela

LIS is one of the worst airports in Europe.
The lines just for getting into the ANA lounge are often until the escalator. Once in you get mediocre cold food, the worst orange juice in the country and Nico white wine retailing at €1.49 the bottle. Of course no more newspapers and sometimes even no space to sit.

Still the second contract lounge (Blue lounge) remains closed despite record breaking passenger numbers.

Border control is a mess, there is not a single lounge nonschengen, reducing comfort. Especially nonschengen transit passengers have to clear messy Portuguese border control twice (read about SEF strikes and inefficient portuguese politics in general) if they are even allowed to enter the European union.

This is Terminal 1, Terminal 2 is an even bigger mess. ANA and the owners Vinci are doing a really poor job. So even if you avoid TAP which is probably the worst managed network carrier in Europe your experience in LIS will be mediocre at best.

mmogdan

As a data point, flying out today. The eGates are all closed and this is the line for exiting the EU. It took 32 minutes to clear.

the lounge is way before passport control so you would have no idea what you’re getting into if you went to the lounge.

It is oddly super variable, some days at the same time there’s no wait and some days at the same time there’s a long wait.

The only consistent is GroundForce (the BA handling company) will never wait or assist you.

PUCCI GALORE

i was last there a year ago and will be back in November. The Overcrowded Dump is a fair if harsh description of Lisbon Airport in general and that Lounge in particular as I recall.

When we’re you last there? Maybe it’s been changed again. It has changed at least 3 times in the last 10 years so why not again?

LCY8737

Well, it's not quite that bad... Pro LIS:

• Fast Track Security is consistently super-fast (think T5 First Wing)
• Inner city airport, short journeys
• Food/drink options outside the lounge are very decent
• Everytime I wallk past "O Mundo Fantástico da Sardinha Portuguesa" I have to smile.
• Most importantly - you get to go to Lisboa.

estrela

Last year was less crowded and much better. Right now overcrowded dump is an euphemism for both the lounge and the airport in Lisbon.

bafan

Well, that wasn’t our experience on our last visit, albeit that was last November. So, ok, the lounge was reasonably busy (especially considering it was still during the pandemic) and there was a line for service. But there was hot and cold food available and a full bar service. We were certainly reasonably happy.

estrela

Warm food? You went to the TAP but not ANA lounge then or even another airport.

The contract lounge by ANA did not have any warm food for the past years.

bafan

Oh. Maybe then. It was whatever lounge was available for BA CE/status holders. I didn’t realise there was a choice.

Flyertalker001342

I'll be spending several days in Lisbon in December, and flying back on Christmas Day. Although I'll be able to get into the lounge with my CE ticket and my GC, the idea of spending much time in this lounge, before security (and passport control, I'm assuming) isn't hugely appealing.

Let's say I or someone like me decided to pass on the free lounge and go straight through to the gates. What is available and likely to be open (Christmas) on that side, for a fee, that would be worth visiting and spending money on? Does the airport provide reliable internet?

LCY8737

In the non-Schengen area there is the "First Class Cafe" (the name over-promises and it can get very busy too) and a few shops. You can usually find a quiet corner by sitting in a gate area that is not in use though. No idea on wifi.

LIS overall (including the city) is extremely busy these days. Victim of it's own success, going down the path of Florence and Barcelona.

Flyertalker001342

I've been to Porto (like 30 years ago) but never to Lisbon. This trip (actually a side trip) is the result of other plans falling through, and having a need to fill 4 days with something more interesting than hanging out in Geneva for this period, and perhaps getting better weather, while using up some Avios that are lying around :-) I'm planning to spend 2 days in Lisbon and perhaps make a day trip by train to Sintra, another place I've never been.

Sounds like that on my day of departure I should take breakfast at my hotel and arrive at the airport early enough to be sure I'll make it onto my flight, while not spending too much time at the airport.

strowger

The telcos of Europe provide fast and reliable 4G and 5G almost everywhere. Are you able to switch/upgrade your plan for one with unlimited roaming data?

LCY8737

I wouldn't be overly concerned. The airport does get busy, but if you arrive an hour before departure you should make your flight. Anything above that is anti-anxiety comfort padding. If you are flying to Geneva there would also be no reason to go through immigration (both are in Schengen), in which case everything should take even less time and there are some decent food options in the departures area.

Enjoy Lisbon - great place.

Oxon Flyer

July, On a busy day. I have no recollection of the lounge being an "overcrowded dump", having found a nice seat (with bonus footstool) overlooking the runway. Sandwiches and snacks were lounge-typical, and certainly no worse than most of the BA-outstation European lounges.

Drinks included a splendid oversize G&T prepared by the bartender, and something grapey, cold and fizzy (I don't pretend to be a champagne faux-aficionado) from the self-pour selection.

Flyertalker001342

That's not an issue; at the least I'll have an international plan with my US provider, and likely also an ESIM for a French provider, if I have time to go to one of their stores during my brief stay in France beforehand. I was thinking in terms of being able to use my laptop, to pass the time. No big deal in any event. Thanks