British Airways Dubai Lounge
The British Airways Dubai Lounge is a small lounge, a small buffet bar, and some very comfortable modern seating in the airline's new style.
The food is top notch, with several Arabic items, and the wine list is a tad above other lounges too.
There is a small inner bar area for those flying in First. However, there is no outside view.
Dubai British Airways Galleries lounge review
The British Airways Dubai Lounge is lovely, swish, new, and rather exclusive. No ordinary lounge, it is restricted to those with a First Class ticket, or the most elite of frequent flyer cards. Simple Business level doesn't cut it. And no wonder - the lounge is really small, and at times can get really packed just with Gold level passengers.
First though you have to find the lounge. It is a little hidden away, on the upper level of Terminal 1 concourse D, after security. Just follow the signs to MacDonalds, and turn left at the top of the escalator. The lounge door is on the left, however there is a sign warning that if you are just in Business Class, you need to use the lounge opposite, a third party lounge.
Gold Executive Club, oneworld Sapphires, and First Class ticket holders can enter - don't be surprised if you have to leave you boarding card at the podium as it will be carefully scrutinised, and your elite status checked, to ensure you are one of the few permitted entry.
Once inside there are two main parts to the lounge - the Concorde Bar for those flying in First, and the main loungy lounge for everyone else, This in turn is split into two, with a seating side having lovely comfy armchairs on the left, separated by the buffet bar, from the main dining and working side on the right.
However, both sides suffer from a severe lack of windows. There is nowhere to see out - Alas most of the areas in the new Terminal D with windows are used as shops, which blanked out the windows, so it is a little odd that this lounge was placed where it is, opposite the escalators and overlooking them.
In the main seating area of the lounge, the rule is, a rule of three. There are three recliners, for example, three high back armchairs, three seats with tables between them, three seats with poofs. Looking very pretty, but clearly designed for single passengers on the look out for somewhere to perch. There is just one main group sitting area.
Inland is the main buffet, with high spindly tables again with three chairs around them, and then at the back of the lounge there is a long white bench, and right at the back bench seats with half a dozen tables. Beside this is the another seating area, separated by a half height room divider. Every single seat has a power socket beside it, and some USB sockets too.
BA says the British Airways Dubai Lounge has been designed to maximise space using architectural elements such as illuminated glass screens. And there are plenty of them,, and some nice works of art too - the canary yellow one by the kitchen is worthy of note. The lounge has a large framed wall mirror that reflects the feature lighting too, and seems to make it seem larger than it is.
Materials used for the lounge include black Nero marble surfaces and European oak flooring.
The new lounge features artwork from established Iraqi-born artist, Dia Al Azzawi, as well as Gulf heritage images from the British Airways archive.
The airline's new lounge features a Concorde Bar for those flying in First, and if you have a first class ticket (redemption or revenue) it is well worth while asking at reception for the special swipe card to get in here - although you have to leave your boarding pass behind to ensure you don't swipe the card!
It is very similar to the one which opened late last year in Singapore.
Inside the Dubai Concorde Bar there is certainly a bar, but also a nice dining area and a grand total of two four seater booths. Three large wingback chairs face the lounge, and three face the non existent frosted windows, which is a bit of a shame. There is also a central table with three seats on the left, and three on the right; inset into this table is the wine trough, with some quite decent drops. A waiter hovers around the lounge, and will get wine for you - but you might as well pour it yourself.
Food
Food in the Dubai British Airways Galleries lounge is pretty much the same in the Concorde Bar, or in the main part of the lounge, and all of it is ordered via QR code, stuck on the tables. IF you connect to BA's wifi, and scan the code, up pops a menu. The menu is quite decent, with Arabic Meze, burgers, salads and the like.The real hassle is, you can't just got up and select it yourself. Instead you have to order, and wait by your seat. And there can be some wait, with hot items like burgers taking ages to appear. However, if you leave your seat, the food won't appear, and equally the second you leave your seat, food you order is cleared.
Bar
None. The British Airways Dubai Lounge is one of the few lounges without a bar. Instead, in the main part of the lounge you must order alcohol from the QR code, and it is brought to you.On the online menu there are three whites, three reds, and a sparkling wine, plus BA's own ale.
However, it's a completely different matter in the Concorde bar, where you can pour yourself. There are also a large number of bottles of spirits.
Business Facilities
Free wifi, but that's about it. No magazines, PCs, or printers.Bathrooms
Neither of the lounges have toilets or showers. Instead you have to use the communal facilities out in the corridor.Access
First Class British Airways, Gold members of Executive Club oneworld Emerald frequent flyers
Business Class passengers, and those with a Silver card, are sent to the decidedly downmarket Marhaba Lounge over the corridor.
Video: British Airways Galleries Lounge
Dedicated First Class bar
Quite small
No outside view