Barcelona El Prat Airport Passenger Reviews and Barcelona Airport Traveller Reports   No Star Ranking Awarded         Add your Barcelona El Prat Airport Review   Barcelona El Prat Airport Ranking     Customer Review scoring : Barcelona El Prat Airport   6.5 out of 10 50 reviews

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  20 May 2013 by O Jones    (UK)
	Rating : 2/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Dreadful, poor information and having to travel by shuttle bus to different terminals was a nightmare, we had to rely on fellow travellers to help us, due to no info supplied by airport.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  13 March 2013 by Sahil Muliyil    (USA)
	Rating : 1/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	This airport is horrible. There are no power outlets anywhere, very little options for food, and people seem to not know where anything is or how anything works.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  28 December 2012 by J Knack    (USA)
	Rating : 10/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	We arrived in Barcelona from JFK in New York. The difference in the airport is stunning. JFK is dark, dirty, and unappealing. Barcelona is clean, bright, and an welcoming place to begin your time in the city. Customs and immigration very smooth. Many US airports could take a lesson.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  10 December 2012 by A Lane    (USA)
	Rating : 1/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	I concur with the other reviews of Terminal 2 that say it is a horrible terminal, it surely is. The walk is quite long to get to the baggage arrivals area. Worse are the security staff who acted in an unprofessional manner checking us whilst laughing. Nothing at all is funny about security checks so these clowns should be sacked. The immigration official on duty was disinterested and frankly acted very inconvenienced that passengers had actually disturbed her from reading her novel. Terminal 2 is a disaster. It had many closed shops and restaurants. There was but one place to buy a few items like water and reading material. The dining choices were so poor we had to settle for an overpriced meal at the one establishment that passed for an okay type of cafe but had very little menu offerings.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  7 December 2012 by T Hess    (USA)
	Rating : 10/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Terminal 1 is possibly the cleanest and most relaxing international airport I have ever had the pleasure to fly through. The Terminal is open and clean. Announcements are kept to a minimum in the Terminal which contributes to a nice relaxing experience. From deplaning, it is a pleasant walk through some nice shopping areas to baggage claim and onward. Speaking of baggage claim, the area is large and open, which prevents much of the clustering and crowding you will find at other airports. Signage is adequate and there are numerous Information Kiosks should you have a question. Note, airport hotels are not marked as well, but a simple stop by the Information Kiosk will reveal easy to follow directions. Note: all of my arrivals were from Schegen Countries, so I cannot attest to incoming the Customs experience. The range of food selection isn't spectacular, but you should be able to find something. Locating the Terminal connection bus was not difficult. Locating the Train station was easy. Be aware that Terminal 2 is like an airport in a third world country and takes about 10 or so minutes to reach by shuttle bus. Departing from Terminal 1 is easy, although I do not prefer the separation of Terminal areas because you are then limited to food/shopping choices once you pass through Customs. This is, however, fairly common, so it shouldn't come as a surprise. Finding your check in gate is simple enough (check monitors) and the security screening was a moderate wait. It was a pleasure passing through this airport on a few occasions recently.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  12 November 2012 by Cesar Alonso    (Spain)
	Rating : 10/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	I use Barcelona airport quite often, and the new T1, I think is a very good concept. Easy to reach everywhere, very good shopping areas and restaurants, no long distances to/from boarding gates and parkings-taxis etc.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  5 November 2012 by Dmitry Kuzin    (Russia)
	Rating : 8/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	BCN Terminal 1 is comfortable and looks modern. Everything is organised, the signs are easy to notice. The line for immigration was so short and quick, the security were efficient. Baggage claim took minutes upon arrival and the check-in was real quick before departure. I liked spacious waiting areas and plenty of shops with reasonable prices. I can recommend El Prat for trips to Barcelona and as a transit airport to go somewhere else.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  30 October 2012 by I Correll    (USA)
	Rating : 0/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	BCN. Notified of the departure gate 15 minutes before the scheduled flight departure, and with no planes at the terminal, all passengers were forced to scurry down a two story circular staircase, with carry on luggage in hand. We were then crammed onto a bus that took us out to the plane where we had to climb the ladder up to the plane door. The overall service is pathetic. BCN is functioning in the past as far as service is concerned. You would do well to avoid this airport if at all possible.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  8 September 2012 by E Crookston    (UK)
	Rating : 1/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	T2 at Barcelona airport is one of the worst terminals I have ever flown from , it is badly sign posted, the security staff were rude, most of the shops have closed down , we were charged 60 euros for a meal that was pretty much inedible and to top it off my flight was delayed for 4 hours so endured a 6 hour stay in this awful terminal.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  8 September 2012 by Gerry McGrath    (Ireland)
	Rating : 1/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Terminal 2 is an absolute dump - a depressing way to leave Spain. Very little seating so no consideration shown for elderly, disabled, pregnant women, families with small children or worn-out travellers of any age or condition. We were a family travelling with elderly grandparents, and while the special assistance staff were prompt and helpful, everything else about the experience was tiresome and miserable. They have acres of space and just a handful of seats/benches. The coffee bar we used was a rip-off and overpriced coffee served in cardboard. Tables and chairs packed so tight there was no room to manoeuvre baggage. Outside temperatures were around 34C that day but AirCon was barely functioning. I can't speak about Terminal 1 as I haven't passed through it for at least 5 or 6 years, but I doubt that the service standards are much higher. It pains me to say that while I love Spain and its clever, charming people, generally speaking they don't do customer service well compared to other nations. Travelling as we do every year through Barcelona 2 however we have met some of the rudest, snarling staff.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  15 August 2012 by E Mullen    (Ireland)
	Rating : 5/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Arrived into and departed from Terminal 2. Arrival was relatively OK, although trying to locate car hire desk when you arrive in through Section A wasn't easy as they're located in Section C and signage is non existent. Departure through Terminal 2 is awful. Over 100 check in desks to service 50 departing flights, but only 42 were in operation. Many of the shops both landside and airside were closed up. I first used BCN when there was only one terminal - this one. I feel that this terminal has suffered since Iberia relocated to new terminal.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  14 July 2012 by A Cheung    (China)
	Rating : 2/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	As mentioned by others (which unfortunately I did not read earlier), departure from Terminal 1 gates D and E puts you on an upper floor with a lot of empty space and hardly any facilities, and there was no warning except a sign at passport control that says something like "point of no return". So if you want a bite to eat or do some last minute shopping before boarding, follow the signs to Gates A, B and C after security check instead, before passing passport control to go to gates D or E. By the way, passport control is manned by the rudest people who badly need some basic training in manners. It was as if they were there to ensure visitors leave Spain with a bad impression and not to return for future visits. Seriously, they ought to travel around the world a bit and maybe they will learn something. Otherwise, BCN Airport is like many airports of big cities. It is clean, modern but a very boring place. If you want free wifi, you can get 15 min use if you sign up for the service, but it is not worth the trouble.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  4 July 2012 by C Ong    (Singapore)
	Rating : 10/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Beautiful and clean. Amazing architecture and so pleasant to be in after a long flight.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  28 May 2012 by D Daley    (UK)
	Rating : 3/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	I arrived through Terminal 1 at Barcelona and it was a pleasant experience but departing through Terminal 2 was a complete nightmare. For starters, airport cleaners were on strike so there was rubbish and rotting food on almost every surface, and the toilets clearly had not been cleaned in days (wash hand basins full of plastic sacks with nappies in etc). Security was good but when I finally got airside I realised that as many airlines had moved to the new terminal 1 most of the shops and restaurants had closed down airside. In fact my walk to the M5 non Schengen boarding area which used to involve a pleasant walk down a shop and cafe lined street now involved walking down a dingy alley of boarded up shops. I used to enjoy using this airport but now it is a very unpleasant and depressing experience.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  1 May 2012 by Y Ren    (Australia)
	Rating : 9/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Arrived at BCN new terminal from SVO. Very new and modern building, very easy to go through immigration. Luggage arrived a little bit late after we landed. Skybus is the best way to get into city centre for a reasonable price. Departure is also very easy. Check-in was smooth, security check was pretty easy, staff friendly and helpful. All in all a great experience to go through BCN.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  30 April 2012 by Adrian Williams    (Switzerland)
	Rating : 2/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Just plain awful. I wish I'd found this website sooner. Drive, take a train, travel by boat, do anything except depart from Barcelona T1 gates D or E. Once through passport control you cannot access any of the shops restaurants or any other facilities available to people flying from gates A B or C. There is nothing to warn you of this (April 2012) and there is no way back. Staff unhelpful, police aggressive. Nothing at gates D and E except a McDonalds, the usual duty free, a newsagent and a cafe serving awful sandwiches. Avoid.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  13 January 2012 by Paul Van Alsten    (France)
	Rating : 8/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Arrived and departed intra-Schengen from terminal T1. Bright and modern airport with good bus connections to downtown Barcelona - one-way ticket costs €5.30, buses run frequently. Note that the train station is across terminal T2, thus requiring a shuttle ride between T1 and T2. Upon departure check-in was hassle-free - using self-service machines. Main security checkpoint in the centre of the terminal is often overcrowded. It is more pleasant to use the secondary checkpoint leading to boarding area C, which is usually empty (Just follow the "Regional flights" sign). Extensive seating areas at the boarding gates. Lavatories spotlessly clean. Major downside is the quite long walking distance from piers A and C to the main building.

	BARCELONA EL PRAT AIRPORT customer review :  28 November 2011 by Paul Kazan    (UK)
	Rating : 6/10 Queuing Cleanliness Facilities Recommended	Can only echo what other reviewers are saying. You check-in your bags, go through passport control - as in all other airports around the world - and find that Duty Free/Restaurants and 99% of facilities are blocked off as they are downstairs but before passport control. Don't expect anything but rudeness from airport staff although they must be sick of the system themselves.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  25 July 2011 by Gerome Mortelecque   (Brazil)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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For the first time I arrived and left from Barcelona for an intercontinental flight, and I was impressed by T1 in BCN. At customs a couple (French + Brazilian passports) went through rapidly without having to line up. Baggage started to be delivered when we arrived to the carrousel, and our flight arrived 30 min earlier. On our return flight checking in was without problem and fast. Customs and security were all open and facilitating a fast process. Enough seats at the waiting areas, a lot of shops and coffee shop/restaurants. I don't know if it is like this every day, but if so, congratulations.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  28 June 2011 by A Bernard   (UK)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Terminal 1 is large, bright and airy with plenty of staff. However, the really crazy arrangements of Gates D and E mean that once through passport control you cannot take advantage of the excellent range of shops - only a duty free and newsagent! There is a sign inviting you to take advantage of shopping, but it does not point out the significance.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  11 June 2011 by J Watkins   (UK)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Barcelona Airport was one of my favourite airports in Europe, what is now terminal 2 had some of the best shops, cafe's, bars, duty free. In fact it had the lot in a very large area and was clean and very efficient. Now most of the shops are closed, areas are blocked off, some staff are clearly unhappy, especially in the over priced coffee shops and are quite rude to customers. There is a sign that tells you that you cannot go back through passport control in one area but it tells you when you are already through, There were crowds of people trying to get in so the duty fee closed before they could get to them, do not travel from terminal 2.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  5 June 2011 by L Frederic   (Germany)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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Terminal 1 is wonderful. Very bright, a lot of glass and a huge sensation of space everywhere. You could eat from the floor as it's very clean. Great selection of food outlets and shops. Transiting is very easy, as you would not need to clear security unless you travel from a non Schengen flight. Good public transportation options to downtown. Free Shuttle to Terminal . Definitely my preferred airport in Spain.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  4 May 2011 by Nick Nasev   (UK)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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Went through Terminal 1 a month ago and glad to report that the airport has staff waiting before you enter passport control for Section D to warn you that there is no going back to the rest of the airport and that there is only a McDonalds airside.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  1 March 2011 by S Osborne   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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Beautiful, modern, clean, light. Long Hangar style, which results in easy navigation. However, be careful with Gate D! We went through, then couldn't visit the wonderful shops.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  28 February 2011 by Albert Chan   (Hong Kong)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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I had the same problem as many other travelers while departing. I was flying to Singapore and the boarding pass said Gate D. I found out that once you enter gate D you can't go to the shopping area one floor bellow, and you are stuck on the floor with nothing but a McDonalds. But otherwise, it is a good airport.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  31 October 2010 by R Handelman   (New Zealand)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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The new T1 is immaculate and clean. Plenty of shops in the Schengen area and no shortage of seats on this early morning flight. Security and Check-in was very quick as well.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  26 September 2010 by F Bounajm   (Canada)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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If you're travelling outside the euro area, make sure not to go through passport control area until you have purchased everything you're going to need for the trip. Otherwise, you'll just end up watching all the shops from upstairs while having access to nothing other than a Mcdonald's and a duty free shop. We just wanted to buy a book or magazine for our 8-hour flight, but no we couldn't do it because 95% of the shops weren't accessible. We tried to go back, but they kep telling us it's "impossible". We tried to complain to info desk and security but they were completely unhelpful and dismissive.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  22 September 2010 by A Williams   (Spain)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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I reviewed Barcelona airport back in December 2009 and commented then that there was a stark difference between terminals 1 and 2 in terms of facilities and shops etc. Almost a year later and some things have changed, but not so much as you may think. Terminal 1 remains the main terminal for major airlines and medium to long haul flights. While the overall facilities have not changed, those flying from sections D and E of this terminal will thankfully notice that catering facilities are now available. These two sections were previously cordoned off from the remainder of the terminal and once in you cannot leave. Incredibly both sections offered nothing in the way if refreshments or shopping until very recently. It's in terminal T2 however where most has changed. In an attempt to fill this white elephant with passengers the airport has sought to attract several new airlines with extremely low fees. There is no better example than the recent arrival of Ryanair; a quick look at their fees would indicate that they are operating from the airport free of charge! The result then is that T2 is now teeming with activity. On passing through today almost all checkin desks were open and the place was almost full to capacity. Unfortunately however the decline in passenger numbers in 2009 has had a drastic effect on retail outlets operating from mthis terminal. Of the around 100 or so retail and catering outlets I would guess that 80 are now in a permanent state of closure. It is quite depressing passing through the hoards at security to be greeted by row after row of boarded up shops and cafeterias. With the exception of one or two specialist outlets, a couple of coffee shops, and one restaurant there is literally nothing else to occupy the time. Another unusual aspect is that arrivals and checkin at terminal T2A are also now closed; all entry and exit is now via T2B. Ultimately then while it's good to see the airport attempting to increase it's passenger numbers but maybe it's a case of too little too late. If you are flying through T1 you are still going to experience a pleasant enough journey, T2 on the other hand remains soulless and boring.

Barcelona El Prat Airport customer review :  30 May 2010 by Jonathan Beard   (Canada)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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This is an outstanding airport. Clean, efficient, excellent toilets, good climate control, with a large variety of stops and eating places. Be prepared however, for long walks to distant gates and somewhat confusing signage especially for first time arriving passengers.

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 11 May 2010 by Y Kahanovych

Customer Rating : 5/5

I used the new T1 on arrival and departure for both Schengen and non-Schengen flights. My overall impression is great. The new terminal is airy, bright, functional and looks beautiful. There are lots of places to sit down and relax, the air is always fresh, and signage is simple and clear. I was also happy to find spacious check-in area with no queues at all. Bus connection to Catalunya works perfectly, taxi ride was also simple with no hassle. Immigration took just seconds to pass through. This new terminal echoes Hong Kong architecturally and in terms of overall experience quality. The only minus was baggage delivery. It took 30 minutes. Not good.

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 28 March 2010 by R Mendoza

Customer Rating : 2/5

Terminal 2 is undergoing renovation so many shops and restaurants closed. There are a few, but they are limited. We found the security agents to be low class, bordering on unprofessional (e.g. snickering, not well-trained at all in handling international visitors). Passport control agents are dour like robots. What's the problem in giving a hint of humanity? The female passport control agent was more interested in reading her novel. We apparently disturbed her leisure. I suppose that was the reason for the dour/sour appearance to us. We flew Easyjet, and it seems like BCN awarded the budget airlines the parking spaces at the most removed part of the terminal. The long walk to baggage reclaim took about 20 minutes at moderate speed. There should be an escalator walkway to help, but there isn't. For the mobility impaired good luck. And toilets? None are apparent on this walkway. They are behind the shops or downstairs at baggage reclaim. I don't rate BCN high for these issues.

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 5 December 2009 by A Williams

Customer Rating : 4/5

Barcelona airport has had quite a few makeovers in the last few years - the last being the opening of what is now terminal 1 a few months ago. Given the fact that navigating the roads leading toward the airport is difficult and unintuitive actually getting to terminal 1 is fairly easy, however they now no longer allow you to drop off outside the terminal - you must park in the multi-storey (first few minutes are free). The new terminal is infinitely better that the old one - more spacious and easier to navigate, and with much better eating and shopping options. However the prices are not attractive so unless you have some spare euros to get rid of then I would stick to window shopping. One bonus is the ability to shop when you arrive as well as when you depart - though when I came through a few weeks ago at around 10pm everything was closed. The old terminal (previously terminals A, B and C) are now renamed Terminal 2 A, B , and C an though it is large it is now all but deserted, reserved almost exclusively for charter flights and budget airlines. Passing through there only this morning I noted that while Terminal 1 has around 20 flights an hour Terminal 2 has less than that a day! Of the 90 or so check-in desks we saw less than 5 open and it was clear that the shops and cafes are all running on minimum empty. Only a few weeks ago this place was still teaming with people. One good aspect of this is that parking is no longer an issue and queues are non existent. Unfortunately the biggest airline in terminal 2 - Easyjet - has relocated to terminal 2C which is itself a separate building a good 5 to 10 minute walk from terminal 2B. Our tickets still indicated terminal 2B so we joined several other passengers wandering aimlessly trying to find where Easyjet had moved to, and of course with the reduction in passengers in this terminal there were no information points - or even any staff available. Terminal 2 C then was the busiest but has no facilities other than 4 vending machines and a cafe which is now closed. All in all the the distinct differences between the 2 terminals are very evident. If you are in terminal 1 you should have a nice smooth, relaxing, if expensive time. In terminal 2 however you may as well be in a ghost town - remember to bring your own coffee!

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 14 October 2009 by Rick Crowley

Customer Rating : 4/5

On October 10th we had exactly the same problem. We saw that out tickets said go to D passport control, which we did. Then we were stuck! Below us were all the shops and nice looking restaurants, but on our level was a 3rd rate McDonalds, and a tea shop that sold cold potato sandwiches. I went back to passport control, and they would not let anyone back through. In the end there were about 10 of us all having two hours to waste, and Euros to spend. The escalators only come up. One couple tried to run down it, but were stopped. The lifts only go down if you have a security pass. Why is this, is it because we were flying to London HR, and we have such a bad reputation abroad? I hope not, but why were we treated in such a bad way?

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 29 September 2009 by A Wolff

Customer Rating : 1/5

I had the same problem as the last reviewer. If you depart from Gate D and E, do not pass through passport control until boarding is about to commence. Instead follow signs to gates A, B and C where you can enjoy the shops and eateries. Gates D and E trap you with only a McDonalds and a coffee shop and a surly teenager to serve you. We spent almost 2 hours in this cage looking at the lovely shops from the glass walls and sharing our grumbles with the other frustrated travellers. Absolutely ridiculous system and not something you'd expect from a major European airport.

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 24 September 2009 by Margaret Burford

Customer Rating : 3/5

Terminal 1 - after checking in we were given boarding passes for Gate D. We then proceeded through the security search and saw that gates A B and C were down the escalator and that gate D was to our left and gate E to the right. We could see passports were being checked at D so we proceeded forward. Wrong. Don't go through passport control until you are ready to board your plane. Once through the security check go straight down the escalator to the shops and restaurants. The big glass balcony that houses the security check area and Gates D and E give you the impression that once you have passed through passport control you can still proceed downstairs to the shops and restaurants - you can't. Once we realised our mistake I felt such a fool that I thought I would not be telling anyone until I realised that the balcony had loads of people wandering around wondering how they could now get down to the shopping area. Although the passport booth had a sign saying you cannot return back once having passed through, this just conveyed the message to most people that you could not leave the airport. We did not realise it meant you would no longer have access to the shopping/restaurant area! Note to the Barcelona airport authorities: Please get the signage at the check in desks and through security to read, "Don't go through passport control until you are ready to board your plane." You are losing revenue with all those people stuck up on the balcony with boarding passes for gates D and E!

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 24 September 2009 by Eddie Buckle

Customer Rating : 3/5

I find Barcelona airport somewhat confusing. Coming in from Berlin we followed the sign from the gate for Schengen arrivals, only to walk up to a locked door, so it was back the other way to wave passports at somewhat bemused passport officers. Then you discover there are signs to three possible baggage delivery areas in Terminal 2 and have to peer at small screens to discover where yours will end up. Driving back to the airport, we found ourselves going round in a circle after filling up the hire car - you get to a crossroads and have to guess, and we guessed wrong. Once inside, check-in was quick enough, though there seem to be only very small departure screens to work out which desks you have to go to. Food is extortionate in the departure lounge.

BARCELONA AIRPORT review : 15 September 2009 by J Mills

Customer Rating : 1/5

The access to the airport is good but the signage from the motorway is terrible. The check out through arrivals is tortuous and the baggage and passport control very, very slow. Coming back through to leave Spain the same problems with the motorway signs but the check in desk was quick. Don't bother with priority boarding as you all get on the same bus to the plane and its an absolute scramble for seats. The food in the departure lounge is extortionately priced and even a simple sandwich will cost you about £5. No simple food and we went hungry until we got back to the UK and bought some good old fish and chips. A burger at Barcelona Airport was £10. Half the shops were shut and the others so expensive we didn't use them.