Our week in Tuscany went by too fast and it was time for us to start the long journey home. The first part of our journey was a ride from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to London Heathrow with British Airways. Before boarding, we headed over to the British Airways Lounge to check it out.
Location
The British Airways Lounge at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport is located past security in Terminal 3, in the E gates. After navigating your way through the duty free maze you’ll find yourself in a multi level atrium. Follow the escalator for the Upper Level (Airline Lounges, Eat & Drink, Smoking Area, etc.) marked by a large orange sign.
Once at the top of the escalator, make a U turn and head towards the rear of the second level. You will see the British Airways Lounge on the left and the Plaza Premium lounge on the right.
Hours of Operation
The lounge is currently open between 5:15a and 8:30p, covering all British Airways departures, and the vast majority of OneWorld departures from the airport.
Entry Requirements
The British Airways Lounge at Rome-Fiumicino can be accessed to those traveling on British Airways and OneWorld First and Business class tickets as well as Gold and Silver Executive Club members. In addition, the lounge can be accessed by OneWorld Emerald and Sapphire members flying on a same day OneWorld operated flight, regardless of cabin.
There were two agents at the entry podium when we arrived and after a quick scan of our boarding passes we were welcomed inside. I also inquired with the lounge staff about moving to an earlier flight but was informed that the two earlier flights were delayed and would be departing after our scheduled departure time, which should have been a sign of things to come.
Layout
The lounge was shaped like a rectangle and was broken up into 4 distinct spaces. Immediately upon entry was a British Airways sign with the lounge opening up to the left.
The first room housed the bar, a number of high top tables, and the buffet. The bar wasn’t staffed when we arrived but someone came within seconds each time we went to order a drink. Later in the day, a bartender was working full time.
Further back in the lounge you will find three distinct seating areas. The first consisted of a mixture of barstool seats, café tables, and traditional lounge tables and chairs.
In the rear of the lounge, there are two rooms, each with large floor to ceiling windows overlooking the ramp. The room to the left housed a large marble conference table surrounded by barstools.
The room on the right had a mix of lounge chairs as well as built-in, personal booths. There was also a secondary beverage station in the rear of the lounge.
The entire lounge was fairly empty when we arrived and we found the space to be light and bright. The tall ceilings and large windows made the lounge feel spacious even as the crowds got larger throughout the day. The windows were also great for plane spotting and I caught some interesting departures.
The only real downside to the lounge was the fact that there weren’t any restrooms located in the lounge and the fact that some of the seats were showing signs of wear.
Food and Beverage
Against the back wall of the first room, near the bar, was the lounge buffet. It had your standard European lounge faire and included cold cuts, a salad bar, fruit, pasta, finger sandwiches, and a selection of cheeses and meats.
The bar had a variety of mid shelf liquors as well as some beer and wine available.
As I was standing at the bar waiting to order, I had one of the more entertaining and confusing conversations I’ve ever had in an airport. An Australian gentleman was trying to ask the Italian bartender if the beers were cold. I had inadvertently ordered in Italian during an earlier visit to the bar (I can order cocktails in any language) and so she looked at me to translate. Somehow I managed to stumble through the facts that the beer was cool, but not cold and the Australian gentleman passed. It was the first time in my life that I’ve ever been mistaken for a European, let alone a translator.
Atmosphere
After scoping out the lounge, we took a couple of seats near the windows. We had great views of the airfield and we grabbed some snacks and cocktails to help us pass the time. Though the lounge was empty when we arrived, it began to fill quickly thanks to the other delayed British Airways flights to London.
Also, while the food selection wasn’t bad, we found ourselves needing a real meal so we headed out into the concourse and grabbed a pizza in the nearby food court. We also ran into some of our friends who were flying home on the direct FCO-DFW American Airlines flight.
Summary
The British Airways Lounge at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport is an above average business class lounge, especially for an outstation. The space is bright and airy and the massive floor to ceiling windows provide great views of the ramp. The food selection is ok but if you want something more substantial than a snack, heading out into the terminal may be a better bet. While it isn’t one of the best business class lounges in the world, it definitely ranks in the top half and it’s a nice space to relax before a flight.
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