Barcelona airport question

[LittleMissS]

This is probably a dumb question, but after the plane lands and the passengers are exiting...do we actually have one of those ramps directly into the airport, or do we land on the tarmac and have to exit down steps? (I'm asking b/c of my carryon...trying to decide if I want something that has wheels or a backpack) Thanks!

[financialgrl]

Buy a wheeled backpack, then it won't matter. I bought one this past summer for my nephew (think it was a Sierra). Back to your question - when we landed in Barcelona, we pulled up to the gate and walked down the ramp directly to the AP.

 

You need to be ready for anything. This past May our plans were rearranged many times due to volcanic ash and airline strikes. We flew from Dulles AP, Wash DC direct to London Heathrow and spent the night in a hotel. Next day we were supposed to fly direct to Barcelona but then British Airways strike was upheld so we were put on Iberia Airlines that now had us making a connection in Madrid. In Madrid, it was the walk down the long steps onto the tarmac. Again, be ready for anything. Met a lovely couple from France who said they were redirected due to last minute air traffic controller strikes. Never know when a storm or something will mean a lack of gates in which case you either wait or probably walk down that long set of stairs.

[LittleMissS]

Thanks but I'm not going to buy another piece of luggage when I already have some. It was easy to use a rolling bag and backpack this summer, but I'm really worried about losing my luggage again. I can fit more clothes in my carryon luggage than my backpack...but was concerned about having to drag my rolling carryon up steps. But hey...if it happens, it happens. Thanks for your response.

[cruiseluv]

Typically they'll connect the plane to a ramp, but anything can happen. The last time I flew into Barcelona the bagagge handlers called a wildcat strike and did not allow the plane to connect. We had to go down the stairs into the tarmac .

 

When I flew out of Barcelona to the US a couple of years ago we walked to the plane via the ramp, but that same year in Madrid we had to go down the stairs , to the tarmac and then unto a bus to the plane.

 

The bottom line is that there are no assurances of what you will find.

[riffatsea]

It is a modern airport so usually you walk through a jetway to get onto the plane like in most USA airports.

I don't think it matters if you have wheels or not because sometimes even with wheeled luggage you pick it up and carry it for a few feet to get down the aisle of a plane or on an escalator.

The most important thing is that you are able to handle it yourself !

[baggal]

If you are flying a "jumbo" non-stop from the U.S. then you will probably have a ramp directly to the terminal. If you are flying to another city in Europe and then flying to Barcelona, you will probably be on a smaller plane that lands on the tarmac and then you are transferred to terminal. And, if the that's the case, you will probably have to walk up and down steps to get on and off the plane (in case steps are an issue).

[KirkNC]

We were on a New York to Barcelona non-stop flight and we were connected straight to the terminal.

 

Kirk

[Chloe Lifestyle]

Hey!

I flew a lot of time from Belgium or Italy to Barcelona, and every time we were connected straight to the terminal!

Have a wonderful time in Barcelona!

[Madason]

I just got back from barcelona on the 7th Dec, and we use a bus from the plane to the terminal for a British Airways flight to London

[GlendaleCruiser]

A lot of times it depends upon the equipment (aircraft) used. Some smaller planes (100 passengers) will use the buses to get to the plane so that the larger ones can utilize the moving ramps. I'm not familiar with BCN but am familiar with other airports and I worked for an aerospace company.