Gourmet food, jamon souvenirs, but cramped gates
Airport
Barcelona El-Prat Airport
Flight
British Airways flight BA473 departs from Barcelona to London at 10.05 in the morning.
arrival
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During peak hours, the taxi ride takes about 30 minutes from my hotel and I arrive around 7.55am, 2.5 hours before my flight. I usually like to have more time to myself, but I was relieved to see that the driver had his foot forward and traffic was moving well. Some airlines, such as Easyjet and Ryanair (gasp), depart from Terminal 2.
Appearance
It’s no Gaudi, but Terminal 1 looks inviting on this blue-sky morning, with sunlight reflecting off its glass façade and curved roof. Inside the main check-in lounge, central skylights cross the spine of the ceiling, flooding the space with natural light.
News of the €3.2 billion expansion, scheduled to start in 2030, was not well received by already disgruntled locals when it was announced this year; Protesters gathered in central Barcelona to voice concerns about overtourism and its potential impact on the climate. The aircraft, which includes the extension of one of its runways, aims to increase capacity from 55 million passengers per year to 70 million by 2033.
Entrance
British Airways is a partner airline of Qantas through the Oneworld alliance and as a Qantas gold member traveling in economy I have priority check-in in the Club Lounge queue and can pre-select my seat online using the Qantas app. For everyone else, British Airways has a strange system; so much so that you can choose a free seat, but not until 24 hours before check-in; This seems pretty worrying for this chronic aisle seater. Soon I have my boarding pass in hand and I’m on my way.
Security
Some of the belts are already in siesta. Of the 10 security checkpoints I could see, only six are operational and there is a 20-minute wait for passengers to pass. Large TV screens explain what needs to go out of the bags, including laptops. I boarded the plane from Gate D, but when I scanned the entire hall and couldn’t get any results, two staff members came to my aid. Oddly enough, it’s located on the top floor of a rickety corner escalator that I’m surprised anyone could find. Passport control is waiting at the top and there is a big deal being made that while US passports go through e-gates, my Australian passport has to go through staffed manual immigration counters.
food + drink
I’m in the land of Jamon, after all, so the airport shines in the food department. Duty-free shops have a section dedicated to Iberico cured meats, as well as casual places like La Donatella where you can get takeaway bocadillos (sandwiches). Check out La Tromoia and Enrique Tomas to sample Spanish or Catalan wine and tapas like bomba (meat-filled croquettes).
retail therapy
One word: jamon. You can also buy premium anchovy-stuffed olives and all kinds of vacuum-packed cheeses, including manchego. I’ve also been spying cosmetics from cult British make-up brand Charlotte Tilbury at Barcelona Duty Free.
elapsed time
When I fly in mid-September, there is a huge crowd at the airport and lots of people crowding the gates. Since seating in the general lounge was limited, I was relieved to have free access to the VIP Sala Lounge at Gate D. This is the unofficial lounge of British Airways, but anyone who wants can pay 40 euros ($68) for an entrance permit. It has one of the best food offerings of any lounge I’ve seen, with a selection of cheese, ham, snacks, wine and beer.
Decision
Great food and gourmet souvenirs, but beyond check-in this airport feels cramped. For a more comfortable experience, spend some money and pay for lounge access.
Our rating out of five
★★★½
The author traveled with the assistance of Seabourn Cruises. To see seabourn.com
Jenny Hewett is a Sydney-based freelance travel writer who has lived in Southeast Asia and the Middle East and loves nothing more than being surrounded by nature and wildlife.
