This is part two of my British Airways Club Europe Trip Report to Munich. You can check out part one here.
Check in at Munich
I arrived at Munich airport with plenty of time before my flight. Rather unusually check-in was completely empty. There was not a single person there, so I checked in very quickly.
Security was also empty, I didn’t even need to use the fast track queue as I went straight to the machine. Passport control was another story, once again non-European’s all had to queue up. Admittedly part of the problem was the people at the front of the queue not being very observant.
Lounge experience
Eventually, I got to the lounge. Munich doesn’t have a dedicated BA or One World lounge, it is shared with other airlines and called “Airport Lounge World”. This turned out to be a very nice lounge, which was spread over two levels. As a general rule, if you find a lounge that has two levels, I often find the upper level is always quieter. For some reason people don’t explore lounges, they just walk in and sit in the first place they see.
This lounge had a good selection of drinks, plenty of food and light snack options. There were also a lot of different seating choices. There were single armchairs, small working booths, and a large open seating area with tables. For me, the best part was the views over the airfield, especially from the upper level.
There is also the usual range of facilities; showers, toilets, prayer rooms etc.
My flight was delayed getting in. I was watching it on Flight Radar, so I stayed in the lounge a little longer to relax.
The flight
When it came time to board I headed to what must be one of the strangest gates I’ve ever seen. It was essentially a gate bolted onto a corridor between two sections of the airport. The gate itself was just another corridor leading to the airbridge with a set of desks midway to check boarding passes. The seating for the gate was lined up along the corridor. With the flight being slightly delayed the whole plane’s worth of people ended up waiting in the corridor. This was causing quite a blockage for people trying to reach the other gates.
Anyway, we boarded eventually and I took my seat. This time a slightly older A320. This aircraft still had the nice little trays between seats and a curtain to separate Business Class. The service on the way home was very nice. They served a very nice afternoon tea and again plenty of drinks.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a big comfy seat, lot’s leg room or a guaranteed hot meal, Club Europe on BA is going to disappoint!
However, if you don’t have airline status, Club Europe comes with dedicated check in, fast-track security, priority boarding, some space next to you and a light meal and plenty of drinks. And of course, you’ll be one of the first off the plane when you arrive.
As an airline status holder, upgrading to Club Europe doesn’t make a lot of difference as I get most of these perks anyway, but it does help with the tier points. If you can buy a cheap economy ticket and upgrade using Avios, it’s a pretty good deal usually.
