Airport Lounges

Sagz_2

I've used the lounges at Gatwick and Paphos and found them well worth the price - OH is a worrier so we always get to the airport at least 3 hours before our flight! We had enough snacks for lunch and plenty of drinks, used the internet and read the Sunday papers.

dmg24

Aquarius1980 wrote: »

I think it's worth it at breakfast - you'd easily spend £10 each in starbucks, and have to queue for ages too!

You won't at EMA - there isn't a Starbucks!

Norbertsmum wrote: »

I've used the lounges at Gatwick and Paphos and found them well worth the price - OH is a worrier so we always get to the airport at least 3 hours before our flight! We had enough snacks for lunch and plenty of drinks, used the internet and read the Sunday papers.

Whilst I do use them at larger airports, at EMA there is little point. There are plenty of quiet areas to sit, possibly even quieter than the lounge! There are not enough suitable snacks for breakfast (unless you like crisps!), and internet is chargeable. Also, if you can get a paper you'll be very lucky!

mcphail

Hi - does anyone know if you can pay to use the BA lounge in Gatwick. We've got 6 hours to fill in, so may be worth the money? Thanks

markandkate

If you go via Quidco you can get cashback on certain airport lounges around the world. I personally would not bother for a couple of hours but have just booked to use one in Qatar as we have a five hour lay over. Much depends on what the facilities are at the airport and whether you feel like treating yourself

it may be worth looking at what facilites the airport has before you decide

apt

You cannot pay for access to the BA lounge at Gatwick, but there are other lounges you can pay for. Usually when you buy access to an airport lounge there is a maximum stay of 3 hours.

malkie76

Technically you can buy access to BAs lounges by buying status with Qantas and entering under their Alliance agreement. However that's somewhat expensive, hence unfeasible for a single trip - besides the BA lounge at Gatwick isn't particularly nice.

The other (morally questionable) way to enter is to buy a fully flexible business class ticket with BA on the day of travel, use the lounge, then cancel your ticket and get a full refund.

Overall, I don't think pay to enter lounges are worth the money at all.

jaggyjim

If you have an RBS Royalties Gold account and use their travel service to book flights, you get complimentary access to the lounges.
There is an annual fee for that type of bank account, but there are numerous benefits inc annual holiday insurance, mobile phone cover, greenflag car breakdown assistance etc so maybe worth it.
I always price check the quotes from their travel service and they have come in cheapest by quite a bit for the last 2 holidays I have booked.
Otherwise, I personally dont think I would pay for access.

missile

IMHO it is not good value for 1 1/2 hour @ EMA, but if you get delayed e.g. due to spanish ATC strikes. Where are you flying to, have you considered the return leg?

nikkilou1984

Flying to Zante.

We are definitely not using the airport lounges now, as we've gota drive to the airport from our house now (instead of OH's parents who live in Nottingham) and we live over an hour away from EMA so if we get stuck in traffic or something then we may not even use the normal departure lounge lol

dmg24

If you do get there early and want somewhere really quiet, go down to the gates in the extension area. Unless there is a flight leaving from there, you could have an area the size of the lounge to yourself!