Review: the British Airways Terraces Lounge at Berlin Tegel Airport

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• xcalx says:

  11 Jan11 January 09:02

  Rob. Voice adds are back on HfP Gaviscon, Dettol and scholl

  • Rob says:

    11 Jan11 January 14:11

    Thanks. When I get these, though, there is no sound (and my speakers are on). Same at home and the office. Is there some setting on your PC which is set incorrectly?

    • xcalx says:

      12 Jan12 January 08:30

      Sorry Rob , I wouldn’t know where to look. Will get mrs xcalx took check next time she clears my cookies. lol

• AndyR says:

  11 Jan11 January 09:11

  Thanks for the review. Any plans to review the new LGW lounge, it’s meant to be opening in a couple of weeks right?

• MarkM says:

  11 Jan11 January 09:12

  The BA Lounge is often very full too, in my experience, in contrast to the photos. But then Tegel has a bit of a shortage of seating space overall. Having commuted through it most weeks for a year though, I do appreciate the security and reclaim at individual gates, it made getting through very quick. Short and cheap taxi ride into Berlin itself too, I will miss that when Berlin-Brandenburg opens.

• Brian says:

  11 Jan11 January 10:01

  Berlin Tegel is one of my favourite airports in Europe – not because of the experience you get there in terms of shopping and lounges, but because, as others have pointed out, it’s so quick and easy for the most important things in an airport, which are getting there from the city and getting through security to your gate (I speak as a BA user).

  The TXL bus takes you to Alexanderplatz via Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden in about 20 minutes and costs less than 3 euros. Then there is the 109 and X9 buses for the western part (Kurfurstendamm etc), also very quick and the same price. And you know you can arrive at the airport less than an hour before your flight because there is no issue with security – since it is at the gate, there is no chance of your missing your flight or having to run because of a long security queue.

  The BA lounge is as described – nothing special. I once went with a friend who was using an Air Berlin flight on the same day and the lady in the lounge was insistent that my BA Silver card would only get him in if he was on the same BA flight as me. She ‘graciously’ agreed to ‘waive’ this rule as a one-off, so I didn’t need to get online and show her the rules….

  But it’s better to spend longer in Berlin and get to the airport on time, rather than arriving early for the lounge, as Anika says.

  • YL says:

    11 Jan11 January 13:42

    +1 I am also a fan of the TXL. The transportation could not be more easier. When I am in TXL, I am simply in an automated mode> off the bus straight to Gate 5, then to the lounge! If I remember correctly BA usually at 5 or 4.

    The airport has been over capacity for years, it used to be very easy navigating through the airport when it was less crowded and the security queue was not that long. My last visit was end of December last year, and it was packed! I could understand why Anika found it a bit confusing..

    The BA lounge is as mentioned a bit out of date, food weren’t that exciting, and I have not even seen those bags of crisps for a long time! Few years ago, I actually got told off of taking pictures of the lounge! At least, I thought the coffee machine makes good coffee:)) But then again, I have very low expectation with BA lounges..

    I use to use my CX Gold to get in when flying BA, and once also had a problem with a ‘senior’ staff to get in… the funny thing was that she did not have any issue of me using the lounge on my previous visit with was just a month before….it sounds like the entry issue was due to poor training…

    TXL is obviously not a modern airport, but the ease of getting in and out of the city with minimum fuss and cost makes it a very special airport. I would certainly miss it when BER finally opens.

• Karen says:

  11 Jan11 January 10:13

  Tegel is a wonderful airport (I’m there right now). Easiest in and out system ever, and I will miss it. The lounge is a bit rubbish, agreed.

  • Save East Coast Rewards says:

    11 Jan11 January 10:27

    I do get a bit defensive over Tegel at times! It’s a brilliant airport, don’t want some massive out of town thing (like MUC) that is a hassle to get to.

    To get to TXL it’s a cheap taxi ride from the centre. The taxi driver can then look up on a big information screen on the approach where to drop you off. You’re then right outside your check in desks.

    Like LCY there’s really no need to be there early, the drop off process is so quick and if you’ve not checked in any bags I’d say the aircraft door to taxi times are even quicker than LCY.

    Bad points – waiting for luggage, I’ve used hand baggage only the last few times because waiting for bags took so long, the lack of investment has shown, but I’d rather they decided to keep TXL and invest in it.

• Aspirational Flyer says:

  11 Jan11 January 10:25

  I’ve used this lounge several times: most recently in July. On the day I visited there was plenty of decent beer and wine and the sun was streaming through the windows. It was a good experience. That said, I don’t think I’d anticipated how slow passport control would be – give yourself plenty of time to get to the gate!

• HAM76 says:

  11 Jan11 January 10:46

  15 minutes isn’t bad for the first time. It took me 30 minutes with a detour to the exclusive waiting area of airberlin which is behind security.

• NFH says:

  11 Jan11 January 10:49

  I had the misfortune of using this lounge in mid-October 2016. It was very cold compared to the rest of the terminal. There was no gin available; it had run out according to the lounge receptionist and the lounge had neglected to replace it. In view of the location, the choice of German beer was disappointing. There was hardly any food available in the lounge. The furniture in the lounge was very tired and below the standard of other BA lounges, and the lounge had no lavatories. It’s the worst BA lounge I’ve ever used.

  • Robert Southern says:

    11 Jan11 January 20:12

    You are lucky – there are worse around.

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