IB Lounges
 

Hi everyone,

How are the IB lounges in Madrid & Lisbon ?

What is the food like ? Is it similar to Australian/European lounges where you get snack food or is it like American lounges where you get coffee (in a plastic cup if you're lucky...)

let me know



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But no matter how far, or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home !

I've been to the International IB lounge in Madrid a few years ago. I remember there were cans of soft drink and also coffee machines. Don't remember much about the food, but I think there were just cookies and biscuits.... But that was a while ago.. could have changed.

IB lounge in Madrid is a typical European lounge - all kinds of drinks available but only peanuts/olives/biscuits to eat. It has a nice view over the airfield as well as the gates/shopping area.

To the best of my knowledge there is not an Iberia lounge at Madrid.

There is an airport VIP lounge, which Iberia use (well actually there are two).

They are reasonably large lounges, which are stylish and the one upstairs has a reasonable panoramic view of the airport. The one downstairs is windowless, and in my view less pleasent - I think one may be Schengen and one non-Schengen.

The facilities are limited. But the food is OK will pre-packaged sandwiches in fridges and cakes, biscuits etc. There is a full bar with wine, spirits and soft drinks etc.

Overall much better than US lounges. Slightly better than say a Lufthansa Senator lounge.


The catering is identical to the 'Sala Cibeles' which BA use, but the VIP lounges are more spacious and less crowded. I tend to use the VIP lounge rather than the lounge BA use when travelling from Madrid. I am not aware of any other lounges which give access to OW elites.


Nick

The following lounges exist at Barajas

1. All international/non-Schengen flights, terminal A and B

+ Iberia F and C, and possibly other OW partners lounge. It is on the first floor, relatively pleasant, has drinks, snacks, and depending on the time of the day, pastries and sometimes sandwiches. One section is non smoking, which is generally observed. The non smoking section however has no view, the smoking section overlooks the airport.

+ Shared lounge, for everyone else. Bit smaller, again the smokers get the better view, catering is the same as in the IB Lounge.

2. Schengen/domestic flights by all airlines except Iberia, between terminal B and C

+ Spacious, has some rest areas similar to the LH Senator Lounge in Frankfurt, but more separated. Non smokers have more space than smokers, but both have great view. Catering identical in all lounges.

3. Iberia, domestic and Schengen,

+ Basement terminal D: Worst of all lounges, left over from decades. No view, can get very very crowded, no view at all. Can not remember catering, because if there was anything at all itwas eaten so rapidly that it was impossible to determine whether the absence of food was intentional or caused by excess demand. Unless you are in a hurry I suggest you trek to terminal E, which has better lounge for the same passengers

+ First Floor terminal E: New, maybe 6 months, within Terminal E that is maybe 2 years old. Good view, overlooks both sides of the terminal and the runway, as well as looks down on the Terminal area and all those passengers who can not get into the lounge. Catering again is small snacks, peanuts etc. Good separation between smokers and non smokers

There are no *A lounges as far as I know, even though Spanair, whose home airport Madrid is, is affiliated with LH and SK . Access to the shared lounges therefore depends on the airline issuing an invitation.


[This message has been edited by Zorro (edited 06-27-2001).]

Just a bit of additional information...


http://www.british-airways.com/airpo...tml#Conference

Nick

Thanks for that guys. I though it'd be like other european ones.

the american ones are really bad. i dont understand why people pay $US200 a year for that stuff.

the best ones are really QF domestic, you can get full meals there and really good quality food. Int'l is not as good, but the alcohol better than domestic.

anyone know if IB have a lounge in LIS ?




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But no matter how far, or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home !