Southampton Airport Spitfire / Priority Lounge
The Southampton Airport Spitfire lounge is now the only lounge at Southampton airport, a pay in lounge for Flybe customers, and for the other airlines like KLM which operate services out of Southampton.
It is small, but much better than you might expect, and very comfortable with a great selection of hot food and salads, including pizza and curry. The cheese and chutney carts are worthy of note, as is the custom gin bar, with lots of Hampshire gins. It is also just a one minute walk from the gates.
To find the Southampton priority lounge head through security, then upstairs in the departure lounge, wiggle along the stairs past The Olive Tree bar and cafe. Head down the corridor to the cafe toilets. At the first fire escape wiggle right then left again, and follow the signs for the business lounge. You can't miss it - Southampton is a very small place.
At the lounge there is a small reception desk. It is now directly ahead of you, will happily take twenty five quid off you to use the lounge, or check your Priority Pass card.
And then, the Southampton Airport Priority Lounge itself. It comes with a large, and small quiet room, as befits the small offices it was originally before conversion.
The main room has the buffet in one corner, a work desk on the right, and the central gin display, with circular armchairs around the walls, rather like a dentists waiting room. It's pleasant enough, but doesn't have the most enticing atmosphere. Still, it is light bright and has large windows on the left. These theoretically overlook the gates, but with mucky sloping glass it's hard to see any planes at all. There is a much better viewing area in the Olive Tree.
The second room is always seen as the 'quiet' room, although there aren't any signs saying it is, as such. However, there is a lovely fireplace, and not so many people venture in here, and there always seems to be a more convivial atmosphere, and also three high tables at the window, where the view is better.
In total there are 40 seats in the main seating area and 25 more in the extension by the fire. However, few seats have a power socket near to them.
The Southampton Airport Priority Lounge is now the only airport lounge at Southampton Airport, following the closure of the BA cupboard and the Flybe hovel.
Food
There is now hot food in the Southampton Priority lounge. On the counter in the mornings are bacon sandwiches plus the makings of a full cooked English with bacon, sausages, eggs and beans (in little mini metal sauce pans), omelettes and hash browns.There are also cereal and rolls, bowls of yoghurt and fruit compote, muesli, and lots of various pastries and croissants. It's really rather good.
By lunchtime this turns into pasta or a curry, plus often a pizza, with is frequently decent as well.
Occasionally, during the week, you may be there on a 'sliders' day, when there are little mini burgers, which are great.
On the counter in the far corner are cheese and biscuits, plus cakes and pastries. They are really very good, and also some of the famous carrot and orange muffins. They are a staple of the Southampton airport lounge, but rarely seen elsewhere.
Food in the Southampton priority lounge also comes with nibbles like nuts, biscuits, and fruit. Plus endless packets of Jacobs cheesy cracker biscuits, and packets of shortbread.
At lunchtime there are sandwiches under the small plastic cover.
Bar
There is a large self-serve bar in the Southampton priority lounge.It has wine, with two reds on the worktop, and two whites in the fridge, plus the rare delight of a Rose.
There are also cans in the fridge, with Stella, Strongbow (it is Southampton, after all) and Guinness (ah, Dublin flights!). Beer is alas Coors Lite, in bottles.
Spirits are an unusual one - on the refectory shelf there are four decanters marked G, V etc... yep, G is the standard house Gin, along with Vodka, Whisky, Brandy and Port.
Alternatively, turn around and try the free pour bottles on the display stand.
However the new delight is the gin bar, behind reception. You can buy speciality gins, including many made in Hampshire, for £3 to £5 (£1.75 if ordered in advance on the Southampton Airport website). On the menu are Hampshire Gin, Winchester Gin, and Isle of Wight Gin, among many others including Dorset Conker Gin and Monkey 47.
A glass of Prosecco comes in at £2.50 in advance, or you can buy a bottle of the stuff for £15.
There is also a very good coffee machine.
Bathrooms
Go outside the lounge, up the way you came in, and there is a small toilet cubical next to the Olive Tree.Business Facilities
There is now a new large worktable in the first room, with four seats where you can sit with a laptop or tablet.
There is free wifi and a plug socket (UK square pin) to charge a laptop.
Access
The Southampton Airport Spitfire lounge costs 25 pounds and is also available for use by Airport Angel, Diners Club, Lounge Club, Lounge Key and Lounge Pass card holders.
Of course there is access with Priority Pass, but the lounge has no connection with the membership scheme of the same name.
You can buy tickets online, but you can also buy access before Security at the "weigh ahead" machine next to check-in. This will also give you access to priority security if you pay an extra £4, but be warned it doesn't bypass the Flybe guards who stand by the security queue and measure every case, and charge you £40 if you slightly over the limit.
Also beware the lounge access ticket machine sometimes - quite frequently - doesn't print out your ticket, so you have to ask at the counter anyway.
Video: Spitfire Lounge
