British Airways Rome Lounge
The large modern new Rome British Airways lounge is brand new, in the latest BA style, and vast improvement on the old lounge which burnt to the ground a few years back.At 460 square meters, the British Airways Rome lounge sounds big, but actually there is only space for 140 customers.
However it is now something of a curiosity - and a rarity. Now that BA have closed all their other lounges in Europe, it is one of the few remaining in existence.
The British Airways Rome Lounge is also used by Qantas for their summer flights to Perth, adding to the crush.
Rome British Airways lounge review - Fiumicino Galleries
Finding the British Airways Rome Lounge is quite easy: after the scrum of security in the basement, head along Terminal 3 walking through the duty free shops, then near the E gates, up to the top floor. The British Airways Rome Business Class Galleries lounge is at the far end, tucked away under the blue sign.
A British Airways lounge Rome review will always highlight the light bright open space, the simple modern design, lots of power sockets, and an the great bar design. Less impressive is the somewhat basic catering and the decidedly parsimonious wine selection.
The lounge features different zones, including a social area by the bar, a 'shelf' for those working on laptops, a large meeting room and table, designed as a business centre, and two seating areas, one more a rest area by the windows, and one a central space for, well, waiting. As you do at Rome airport.
The lounge also features high floor to ceiling windows that allows natural light to flow in and provides fantastic views across the runway. It can get hot in Rome, so the windows feature smart electronic blinds that are programmed with sensors to react to light and heat throughout the day, ensuring that the lounge is always a comfortable environment. At least, that's the plan, but the staff tend to override the sensors, and keep the blinds up.
The majority of the artwork in this lounge is by English artist Patrick Caulfield and includes a number of pieces from his series of 22 screen prints from 1973 titled "Some Poems of Jules Laforgue". They are actually quite good, but few passengers seem to notice.
Worthy of note are the vast number of mains power sockets (European round pin) and USB sockets close to most of the seats in the lounge.
The most comfortable place to sit in the lounge is of course the main seating area, but this is also the most crowded. As a result, many people tend to sit beside the shelf before their flights: it's not the most comfortable, and indeed the way the best view in the lounge is taken by the meeting table means the lounge could have been better designed.
Bar
The centre-piece of the lounge is a granite topped feature bar which you see as soon as you enter. There is bespoke lighting and low seating around the bar. Alas, if you sit here, people tend to lean around you to get to the drinks.During peak times the bar will be hosted by a mixologist so you can sit back and watch your cocktail being made to order. In quieter periods, the design of the bar allows customers to help themselves from the wide range of beverages on offer.
There is a decided lack of wine to drink in the lounge. There is Prosecco, of course, but the best wine is kept on a tiny shelf in the main viewing part of the lounge, closest to the windows, where there are three bottle of white wine in coolers.
There is a rack of spirits next to the main bar, with Martini, gin and whisky, plus Aperol. The perfect ingredients are therefore there, for making an Aperol Spriter (or Spritz Veneziano), a wine-based cocktail commonly served as an aperitif in Northeast Italy, with 40% Prosecco, 30% water, and 30% Aperol. It is very popular in the Rome BA lounge.
Food
Getting a decent bite to eat in the BA Rome Lounge is perhaps a little bit of a problem. There are snacks, but only full hot food at certain times.For the two early morning flights, it is a question of pastries or pastries for breakfast. Plus sausages, beans, and scrambled eggs. And a couple of types of cereals and cold cuts.
From mid-morning until closing time, there are hot options including a dish of the day, typically pasta under a hot lamp. There is a good salad bar too, with some cheeses, ham, and a bowl of hot soup.
Business Facilities
The business centre takes up a huge area of the lounge, and is in an area with the best views. It is dominated by the large communal work table, which is rarely used. However, there are plenty of power sockets here, including many USB ports.There is also a wireless printer in the business area.
There is free wifi in the lounge, and a good newspaper rack.
Bathrooms
Annoyingly, there are no bathrooms outside the lounge. Instead, you have to go outside the lounge (on the opposite wall past reception).Access
There is access to the British Airways Rome lounge to Club World (Business Class) passengers, plus Executive Club Silver and Gold, along with Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald (American Airlines Platinum, Qantas Platinum and Gold).There is no paid access.
LATAM flights also use this lounge, but the Cathay Pacific Rome Lounge has flights using a lounge at the D gates; however you can walk all the way here if you are determined. Qatar meanwhile use the Passenger Lounge (E Gates), which makes access much easier if you also want to use the BA lounge.
Video: British Airways Lounge
Decent bar
Poor outside view