ShareSaveCommentLifestyleTravelChef Dabiz Muñoz Debuts New Culinary Concept At Madrid-Barajas AirportByCheryl Tiu Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Cheryl Tiu is a Miami-based writer covering travel 11:03pm EDTShareSaveComment@font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Merriweather"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Euclid"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/euclidcircularb/euclidcircularb-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") 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.bg-base{background-color: #000000;} #article-stream-0 .quote-embed.font-accent #article-stream-0 .quote-embed .font-accent{font-family: Schnyder,"Noto Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Corbel,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} #article-stream-0 .quote-embed.font-size p #article-stream-0 .quote-embed .font-size p{font-size: 36px;} #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed.color-accent #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed .color-accent{color: #333333;} #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed.bg-accent #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed .bg-accent{background-color: #333333;} #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed.font-accent #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed .font-accent{font-family: Euclid,"Noto Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Corbel,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed.font-size #article-stream-0 .subhead-embed .font-size{font-size: 26px;} #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed.color-body #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed .color-body{color: #333333;} #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed.color-body-border{border-top-color: rgba(51,51,51 #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed .color-body-border{border-top-color: rgba(51,51,51 0.8);} .bg-body{background-color: #333333;} #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed.font-accent #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed .font-accent{font-family: Euclid,"Noto Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Corbel,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;}Madrid-born chef Dabiz Muñoz is best known for his theatrical DiverXO— the sole three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the Spanish capital— also currently No 4 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants— as well as his more casual StreetXO and RavioXO the latter of which also holds a Michelin star was created to “shatter the conventional notion of airport food.” located at the T4 Satellite Terminal of the Madrid-Barajas Airport is a joint venture between Muñoz’s UniverXO Group and international travel retailer Avolta an amalgamation of comfort and Asian-inspired plates—not without Muñoz’s signature whimsy— will shift throughout the day Diners can enjoy dishes like flat croissants The Hungry Club's flat croissant topped with marshmallows “We’ve been working on Hungry Club for a long time it’s been an amazing journey,” Muñoz says in a statement so I’m intimately familiar with the rhythm I travel across five continents every year and I’ve been studying how to create something truly new—an experience that’s hedonistic yet always maintains the quality we demand.” The Hungry Club's Korean-inspired bolognese pizza The Hungry Club will eventually be integrated into various duty-free shops operated by Avolta’s Spanish division at other airports in Madrid The Hungry Club is open Monday to Sunday from 8:00AM to 12:00MN It is located at the T4 Satellite Terminal (main walkthrough store) at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport It is ten o'clock at night on a Tuesday in March It's raining outside T4 and the thermometer reads 6C Or at least unpleasantly cold for sleeping outdoors in a corridor in the transit and check-in area spread a couple of blankets on the floor and unroll their sleeping bags It's time to get ready to spend another night- and they've already passed more than a thousand - under the roof of Barajas airport there are public toilets to wash up and you have the metro to go to Madrid but with 500 euros for my pension I can't afford it" The couple have been waiting for three years to be assigned a flat and since then they have been sleeping in the terminals of Barajas (now in T4 but they have passed through the other three) converted into an improvised home for "between 300 and 500 'homeless'" according to figures provided by Alternativa Sindical Aena/Enaire (ASAE) an independent union (the majority among the 1,100 Aena employees at Barajas) has denounced "the growing problem of homelessness" at the Madrid airport making headlines and opening Pandora's box by presenting a third-world image of Spain's leading airport and Europe's fifth busiest Fernando and Aurora are two of the 'homeless' stranded in T4 where alongside the glamour of travellers bound for Paris London or New York coexists the harsh reality of men and women who are not on any passenger list or waiting for any flight to depart who was ruined by a painful divorce and who for the last year has been living in T4 tied to a suitcase in which he keeps his meagre belongings and from which he does not part "because two mobile phones have already been stolen here" a 56-year-old from Madrid who looks 20 years older and who blames his current situation on drink they evicted me and here I am trying not to drink again he sums up a life that fits into two plastic bags from Mercadona two threadbare blankets stick out and in the bottom of the other he keeps a packet of crisps and a chocolate milkshake that he has just been offered by two 'real' and supportive travellers Among the indifference of the thousands of passengers coming and going through the corridors of T4 there are a handful who stop in front of a human landscape that we can imagine under a bridge but which breaks with the idyllic image of expensive perfumes and duty free at an international airport Although they are gestures counted on the fingers of one hand there are tourists who offer their help to people like Ángel a 67-year-old Peruvian who uses a crutch to help her because of osteoarthritis in her hip and who bursts into tears when she tells of the circumstances that have forced her to live "I was an intern and looked after an old man in Madrid What I had saved I spent on my mother's funeral in Lima And now I'm just waiting for my retirement pension to be recognised so I can get out of here Do you think that at my age I want to sleep rough in an airport Like many other homeless people who spend the night in T4 Nelly takes the metro every day to the Casa de Baños to take a shower and to the Cáritas soup kitchen to fill her stomach where dinner depends on an NGO that occasionally passes through T4 or a charitable traveller I tell them my situation and some of them understand me and invite me for a bite to eat" The day ends for Nelly on an aluminium bench near the check-in counters curls up in a ball and dreams of her longed-for retirement pension is looking for a comfortable position that will allow her to take a nap but there are many people there with mental health problems A lady from Colombia told me about the airport and between sleeping in the street dying of cold or in a hostel full of crazy people There is surveillance and it's warm," she explains sitting on another of those benches of 'hostile architecture' designed to torture whoever lies down 67-year-old Venezuelan Marta feeds her son Luis Alberto for whom she came to Spain in search of specialised care but I've been pushed around and I can't take it any more and until then mother and son are sheltering at the airfield "We put some cardboard on the floor and then throw some blankets on top of it The Latinos who spend the night in T4 have taken a liking to Luis Alberto and bring him the odd hamburger which the young man thanks with a cheerful gesture Many of them are emigrants with jobs in Madrid most of them in construction or "whatever comes up" and they return at nightfall to sleep and save the 200 or 300 euros they are asked for a room in Vallecas Among those who have made Barajas their home there are so many different profiles that make the problem a complex issue to tackle and the social services of Madrid city council have held meetings this week to try to put a stop to homelessness in Barajas a phenomenon that in the last year "has grown exponentially producing a devastating effect," says Antonio Llarena for whom the airport has become "the largest free hostal in Europe" In this amalgam of people at risk of social exclusion or directly excluded from the system people who have divorced and lost everything they are usually just passing through or trying to get out of a rut They are the ones who cause the least problems," says Llarena the homeless with mental health disorders and the conflictive AENA has relocated the 'homeless' in two wings of T4 where 'normal' residents coexist (and not always peacefully) "with others who are more dangerous" It is there that the cleaning staff encounter "insults and threats" every time they go to do their work at half past four in the morning That is the time when they start cleaning the two wings of the terminal who lift the homeless and ask them to leave so that the workers can deploy their arsenal of buckets roll them up and store them in bags and backpacks but those who have slept on cardboard have to have them removed "They see that piece of cardboard as their belongings and if you take it away they become violent and take out all their anger and frustrations on us an employee of the cleaning service at Barajas and a USO trade unionist they feel attacked and insult and threaten you The situation is repeated every day and it is already unbearable they are accompanied by the security guards but not all the time because they leave when the homeless get up and we want them to stay there until we finish" The cleaners often come across urine and vomit that impregnate 'the Bronx' with a bad smell "They use them to wash clothes and we have come across syringes," says Correia "The staff live in disgust and fear of seeing how these people inject drugs in the toilets" The security agents consulted corroborate that this "disorder" in the toilets and in other areas of T4 (people have been found sleeping inside a lift and behind the check-in desks) is difficult to control This reality of a "city without law" is what has led ASAE to draw up an extensive 27-page dossier detailing the problem (extending it to other airports open 24 hours a day such as El Prat Tenerife South and Malaga) and which has served as the basis for several parliamentary groups (Sumar and the Mixed in Congress and the PP and Plural in the Senate) to ask questions on this issue The truth is that the situation at Barajas is raising the decibels of political and media noise especially after the Madrid city council announced on Thursday that AENA had communicated the "imminent" eviction of the homeless as well as an access control And although the administrations continue to disagree many of these 'passengers' who have been wandering the corridors for months waiting for a flight to nowhere are beginning to worry about the possibility that they will be informed that the flight has already been scheduled to depart Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados The national blackout on April 28 has resulted in delays at Barajas airport Aena recommends being aware of the status of flights for possible rescheduling Although Spanish airports remained operational during the blackout thanks to contingency electrical systems Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport suffered significant delays and long queues due to the paralysis of check-in Aena has confirmed that “all airports are still operational” and has explained that “it is advisable to check the status of public transport services arriving at the airports” in addition to “check with the corresponding airline the status of flights for possible rescheduling“ incidents in access and daily operations are still the order of the day Today, April 29, Barajas airport has reported through its website the cancellation of five flights bound for Atlanta It has also confirmed the delay of arrivals from the United States: four flights departing from New York have arrived in Madrid two hours later than estimated Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox (List price   3  months 12 Bulletins)  and thank you for choosing CamposolToday.com to publicise your organisation’s info or event Camposol Today is a website set up by Murcia Today specifically for residents of the urbanisation in Southwest Murcia providing news and information on what’s happening in the local area which is the largest English-speaking expat area in the Region of Murcia When submitting text to be included on Camposol Today please abide by the following guidelines so we can upload your article as swiftly as possible: Send an email to editor@camposoltoday.com or contact@murciatoday.com Attach the information in a Word Document or Google Doc Also attach a photo to illustrate your article (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company today announces the opening of a newly refurbished facility in the cargo center of the Adolfo Suarez – Madrid Barajas Airport will help support Spanish businesses with their domestic and international expansion The project has included the full refurbishment of the warehouse as well as the installation of a new sort system castor deck equipment and photovoltaic system The facility covers 3.500 square meters for the warehouse interior underground parking space and direct connection to Air Side The main warehouse will be able to manage an inbound capacity of 3,600 packages per hour plus an outbound X-Ray sorting capacity of 450 pack per hour and 1,800 packages per hour for x-ray by-pass it has been enabled with a cage capacity that includes up to 17 docks for trailers and vans for loading and unloading shipments this warehouse can securely store up to 3,300 pieces and up to 99 pallets in total “This new gateway will increase handling capacity provide better reliability and improve the working environment for the team members working at the facility,” said Ian Silverton Managing Director Ground Operations FedEx Spain and Portugal “It is a shining example of how we’re designing our new facilities to meet our customer’s needs,” he added The facility will benefit from the installation of solar panels which are already in place at some of FedEx Europe’s key facilities like the Charles de Gaulle Hub in Paris and the Cologne Hub in Germany This Madrid Gateway is the newest facility in Europe to be equipped with this sustainable technology It will feature 156 panels covering an area of 339 m2 and it is estimated to produce approximately 95 megawatt hours of electricity annually These panels will produce about 17% of the energy needs of the premises Other sustainable features include LED lighting and a smart water management system to reduce water use FedEx Spain has five air gateways in Madrid and Vitoria; two road hubs In Madrid and Barcelona and 26 stations nationwide The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden If you’ve been at Madrid Barajas’ Terminal 4 in recent years you may have been approached by someone asking you for money perhaps pretending to be a traveller who has run out of money or lost their wallet The Spanish capital’s airport has seen a steep rise in the number of homeless people and beggars marauding the terminals and sleeping there overnight the main terminal for international flights According to stats from Spain’s Aena airport operator and Madrid’s City Hall there are now between 370 and 500 homeless people at Barajas criminal gangs and even prostitutes operating across the airport’s four terminals Airport workers say they’ve turned Barajas into a ‘lawless city’ with beggars sleeping in lifts or setting up tents deteriorating infrastructure and toilets being left in a pitiful state Trade union Alternativa Sindical claims that homeless people do their business at check-in counters while others have been caught in the toilets taking drugs. There was even a report that a homeless person regularly walks around Barajas stark naked "There are people who are homeless and sleep at the airport but there are also homeless people who rob passengers," one of the workers told Spanish news site Preferente Other reports point out that some of Barajas’ homeless are just people who have fallen on hard times or who actually work but cannot afford to pay for a place to rent in Madrid They can easily be confused for travellers who may have missed their flights but the fact that they sleep inside sleeping bags and on sleeping mats is a clear giveaway that they are more ‘permanent’ residents than passengers waiting for a flight the next day The airport offers them a place to keep warm indoors during the bitter cold winter months and stay cool during the sweltering summers a public and covered shelter that can be hard to come by in Spain’s capital READ ALSO: 'I came to Madrid airport to sleep and stayed' With all the security cameras and police presence Barajas also represents a safer place than sleeping rough in the city Aena and Madrid City Hall are now considering solutions from potentially evicting all the homeless people or cutting off access and emptying the terminals of people from midnight to 3am which means the situation also needs to be handled by Spain’s Ministry of Migration and Inclusion "While Aena keeps passing the buck to the city council the regional government of Madrid and the national government for years and years the legal solution hasn’t arrived," airport union ASAE told Preferente whilst also criticising the inaction of Spain’s national police The situation at Barcelona’s airport is similar to that of Barajas It’s estimated that around a hundred people sleep in the terminals every night at El Prat Some homeless people suffer from mental problems and authorities cannot agree on what they have to do to solve the problem with no particular body wanting to take responsibility dozens of homeless people slept until recently in one of the car parks but now they have moved to the departure terminal they gather together in the same space to feel safer with allegations that some passengers harass them while they sleep Aena claims that it cannot do anything to prevent the presence of beggars and homeless people at the airports it manages since this falls under the umbrella of responsibilities of local authorities As long as their presence does not disrupt the operation of its airports Spain received 94 million international tourists in 2024 and its airports were used by 396 million passengers cleanliness and reputation of the country’s airports should matter not just for local officials especially in a country for which tourism is of such crucial economic importance Spanish airports' homelessness problem also highlights the sad reality of the country's sin techo or personas sin hogar they numbered around 28,000 across the country Please log in here to leave a comment Areas continues with its launch plan at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport with the inauguration of two new food and beverage (F&B) offerings The opening of La Barra de la Bientirada (LALALA Group) at Terminal T1, and Bareto (Barbillón Group) at Terminal T4 is part of the large F&B competition Aena put to tender in February 2023 for Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas. It was the largest catering contract in the history of Spanish airports in terms of turnover, with Areas winning 35 of the 55 outlets tendered accounting for 70% of estimated sales over the eight years of the award “The two new outlets Areas has opened at Barajas are success stories in the restaurant industry and true ‘local heroes’ that allow Madrid's gastronomy to be beamed around the world They will continue to make Barajas a showcase for local flavour on a global scale,” said Areas Iberia chief marketing and expansion officer Located next to the T4 arrivals hall and open 24 hours a day the 6,700 sq ft bar-restaurant is a recreation of a traditional bar La Barra de la Bientirada is known for its informal Castilian cuisine this modern 3,200 sq ft space is situated in the Gate B boarding area These two new openings are in addition to the nine that Areas has launched since winning the tender in February last year The revamp of the gastronomic offering is being implemented in phases and will carry on until the end of the year as well as two Burger Kings in addition to these two new bars Are you an airport industry decision maker Register today for your complimentary subscription to Airports International magazine plus digital access to all previous issues Barajas has a terrace that offers an incredible panoramic view of planes taking off just a few meters away It even has a parking area that can be accessed for free which lists the 20 airports with the most traffic worldwide The viewpoint has 2,100 square meters with benches It offers a panoramic view of Terminal 4 and the Control Tower from where international and domestic aircraft so it is important to bring snacks and drinks if you plan to spend the afternoon Visiting the viewpoint is very easy if we have a car: we just have to get to the Iberia ring road next to the security checkpoint of the Alamán school There we will see five parking spaces and an accreditation booth where we must go to ask for our free spotters card we can directly join the spotters and photographers enjoying the takeoffs during the summer (from June 15 to September 15) and from 8:00 a.m Isn’t it the perfect plan for a Sunday morning is once again prohibiting passengers from carrying objects containing more than 100 milliliters 14% of them prefer to organize their getaways at the end of August therules for hand luggageat airports change this measure particularly affects Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajasand Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat The Aviation Security Regulationimposed by the European Union prohibits passengers from carrying objects containing more than 100 mlin the cabin bag However, this advantage has not been enough for the European Union to authorize their installation: the C3s have been on trial since September 1 for an alleged inability to recognize liquid explosives. A step backward that will bring back X-ray scanners, with low-definition images that will force travelers to take out their liquids and electronic devices during screening, as well as carry fewer milliliters in their carry-on bags. Go to Home PageSubscribeAdvertiser disclosureSearch The Points Guy operations and passenger traffic and the airport is located just 12 miles from the city center The name of the airport was previously just "Madrid-Barajas" the first prime minister of Spain after the reintroduction of democracy If you're one of the lucky flyers transiting through the Spanish hub here's everything you need to know for your layover Madrid has four main passenger terminals: T1 T2 and T3 (this terminal is mainly an extension of T2) are all connected are the newest terminals and opened in 2006 you can't get from there to T4 on foot There's also a free shuttle bus that runs 24 hours a day between the terminals You can catch the bus in the arrivals area of each terminal -- just look for an Alsa bus with the digital screen in the front saying T1-T2-T3-T4 You can walk between these three terminals though it may take you some time to get from one to the other You'll likely be flying out of T1 or T2 T1 operates mostly non-Oneworld international flights that are outside the Schengen countries Most flights within the EU/Schengen countries fly out of T2 There are Priority Pass lounges in all three terminals: Note that the Priority Pass lounges at Madrid airport only allow you to bring in one guest If you don't have a Priority Pass Membership you can pay to access the lounge -- rates range from $40 - $42 These terminals have a large collection of shops and restaurants -- you can find the full list here Highlights are the Mama Framboise pastry shop in T1 after passport control and the Sibarium Delicatessen for traditional Spanish products like ham You can also find Duty Free shops within the terminals Read more: 9 things to know about Iberia Avios A variety of services are also available in these terminals: AvGeeks should make sure to check out the miniature scale model of T2 near the D gate while art enthusiasts should go and see a statue by Colombian artist Fernando Botero outdoors in the arrival area of T2 T4 and T4S are the newest additions to the airport Oneworld long-haul flights on wide-body aircraft on airlines like American while Iberia or British Airways flights to Milan or London leave out of T4 To get to T4S you need to get on a short mini-train that's located within the airport The train comes every couple of minutes and takes about five minutes have your passport ready as you'll need to go through passport control There are Priority Pass lounges in both T4 and T4S: There are Iberia VIP lounges in both T4 and T4S too -- both of which have been renovated Access is limited to those flying business class on Iberia or another Oneworld carrier or those holding Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire elite status Those flying Iberia business class on flights longer than four hours and who hold certain Iberia (not Oneworld) elite status can also access the lounge The Iberia Arrivals Lounge is actually located in the Premium Air Rooms Madrid which is a "hotel" that offers 22 guest rooms available for day or overnight use Non-Iberia elite flyers can access this space by paying either a day (this may include a shower room and breakfast) or overnight rate Iberia elite customers or business flyers that meet the aforementioned requirements can use the space to shower or have breakfast day rates at $91 and overnight rates at $172 T4 has many high-end shops like Carolina Herrera and MaxMara, as well as more affordable brands like Zara and Victoria's Secret, as well as a number of Duty-Free shops. For a fancier dining experience, eat sushi at Kirei by Kabuki. It's fairly easy to get from the airport to the city center tipping taxis isn't customary in Spain) but you can usually do it for about $24 - $30 using a ride-hailing service like Uber or Cabify depending on traffic and exact destination The Metro system is easy to use and a one-way ticket costs $5.50 which includes the added airport supplement You can also take the bus 200 to Avenida America for $2 which runs 24-hours and makes just three stops: O'Donnell Renfe trains also have a line C1 which runs to T4 only, stopping at Fuente de la Mora, Chamartín, Nuevos Ministerios, Recoletos and Atocha. If you hold a Renfe AVE or Larga Distancia ticket with a same-day departure or arrival, your ticket between any of the aforementioned stops to or from the airport is free. If not, a one-way ticket costs $3. If you have more than a seven-hour layover, it's enough time to see Madrid and make it back in time for your next flight. Here are some ideas to spend a few hours seeing the sites of Madrid: Madrid has a number of hotels where you can use points, and here are some of the top picks for a quick stay: For those looking for something smaller and more personal, check out these boutique hotels: The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach That’s why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality Passengers wait for departure at Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport in Madrid At least seven flights had to be diverted from Madrid's Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport on Monday due to the presence of drones in the area Monday was another difficult day for air travelers in Spain due to strikes by the cabin crew of low-cost airlines Ryanair and Iberia Express The ongoing actions calling for better working conditions (in the case of Ryanair and Iberia Express) and a return to pre-pandemic conditions (Easyjet pilots) led to the cancellation of 14 flights (10 from Madrid) on Monday 29 (Xinhua) -- At least seven flights had to be diverted from Madrid's Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport on Monday due to the presence of drones in the area announced the problem on its Twitter account explaining that the company and the Civil Guard were "working together to reestablish operations." "Arrivals have been restricted and for the moment seven flights have been diverted to other airports," AENA added Professional drone operator Alberto Peinado told Xinhua that drones are not allowed to operate within 15 km of Madrid airport without special permission from the Spanish Interior Ministry and AENA and prior communication with the airport's control tower Permission must be requested 10 working days before an operation Those who do not comply with the rules are subject to fines of between 3,000 and 300,000 euros (3,000 and 300,000 U.S or a prison sentence if the drone operator is considered to have endangered lives A man takes photos of flight information at Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport in Madrid 2022 shows a flight of Iberia Express at Adolfo-Suarez-Barajas Airport in Madrid By 2021-05-24T13:06:00+01:00 SPAIN: The government intends to revive proposals to run high speed passenger services to and from Madrid’s main airport at Barajas Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos said at the FITUR international trade fair which was held in the capital on May 19-23 and catenary that can be energised at 25 kV AC as well as 3 kV DC the regular operation of high speed services over this route was dependent on completion of a 1 435 mm gauge link between Chamartín station in the city centre and Hortaleza Opening of the standard gauge cross-city tunnel between Atocha and Chamartín as this would give rise to a wider range of potential origin and destination pairs to be served by trains to and from Barajas Official opening of Barajas airport Terminal 4 station in 2011 The transport ministry says it plans to call tenders during 2022 for the necessary infrastructure modifications to enable regular services to be operated over the dual-gauge section of line initially sharing tracks with RENFE’s suburban services this is at best seen as a stop gap option because of the limited paths available and the need to initially use dual-system trains passengers using the Terminal 4 station must take a connecting shuttle bus to reach the rest of the airport’s terminals the government says it is planning to launch a feasibility study into options for a dedicated high speed line between Chamartín and Barajas Preliminary analyses of demand and profitability suggest that this could be viable but no formal timescale for further work has been announced SPAIN: Trial running began through the third cross-city tunnel between Madrid Chamartín and Madrid Atocha over the weekend of February 5-6 Rolling stock chosen for the trials consisted of a pair of S112 Talgo trainsets refitted for national operator RENFE’s low-cost Avlo services.  SPAIN: An extension of Madrid metro Line 8 is to be included in the future transport plan for the northeastern suburbs of the capital Comunidad de Madrid Vice-President Ignacio Aguado announced on July 7 Valdebebas is currently served by RENFE suburban services C-1 and C-10 running to .. SPAIN: RENFE suburban services began running to a new station beneath Terminal 4 at Madrid Barajas airport on September 23 An official opening ceremony had been performed the day before by Development Minister José Blanco President of the Madrid regional government Esperanza Aguirre and Mayor of Madrid Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Site powered by Webvision Cloud Advertiser DisclosureAdvertiser Disclosure 61 Published Articles 3583 Edited Articles Opinions and recommendations are ours alone If you’re flying somewhere in Europe via a transfer onto an Iberia flight from Madrid then the Iberia Dalí Premium Lounge will be where you spend your time between flights You can expect a far better experience than your average Admiral’s Club but nothing quite like the premium experience you find in business class lounges of Asian carriers like Cathay Pacific It’s a lounge I pass through frequently as Spain is one of my favorite countries to visit plus Madrid seems to be the airport of choice for carriers to operate their long-haul jets to from London The Iberia Dalí Premium Lounge is a real dark horse it has everything you could ask for from a business class lounge This is what I experienced on my visit in late September 2021 The Dalí Premium Lounge — or Premium Lounge Dalí — is 1 of Iberia’s 2 premium lounge offerings in Terminal 4 of its hub airport It’s located in the main part of Terminal 4 where domestic flights and flights to Schengen countries operate (the Schengen area includes a group of countries in Europe who agreed that citizens of such countries could travel freely between member states without having to clear passport control) you’ll find the second lounge — the Velázquez Premium Lounge Iberia flights to international and non-Schengen countries operate as well as flights to London with British Airways the Velázquez Premium Lounge in T4’s Satellite Terminal I visited the Dalí Premium Lounge because I was catching a domestic flight from Madrid to Barcelona (BCN) The entrance to the lounge is purposely located as close as possible to the check-in for Puente Aeréo — the name for Iberia’s frequent shuttle service between Madrid and Barcelona I somehow ended up doing a lap of the terminal and asking a member of staff where the lounge was I realized just how close the Dalí Premium Lounge is to security especially if you’re coming through Fast Track Not sure how I missed those quite obvious signs you can see security from the entrance to the lounge It’s only a short walk from security to the lounge Access to both Iberia’s Premium Lounges in Madrid is granted to those passengers flying any Oneworld airline (American Airlines It’s also open to those with airline equivalents of Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status no matter which cabin class they’re flying visitors of the Dalí Premium Lounge will likely be flying Iberia The entrance to the Iberia Dalí Premium Lounge you don’t even have to speak to a member of staff to enter I can’t recall this being the situation in any of the other lounges I’ve visited I’m old school and prefer to have face-to-face interactions The electronic gates into the Dalí Premium Lounge I’ve always enjoyed the bright and airy feel of Iberia’s Dalí Premium Lounge The bold reds and bright yellows give the place a warmer feel than many airport lounges — especially some airline-owned lounges that can often have a drab and boring corporate vibe It seems like Iberia got the memo that business class lounges are no longer just a place for middle-aged white men wearing ill-fitting suits I thought that the lounge was also on the quiet side for a Thursday at lunchtime The lounge is pretty vast and is comprised of several different seating areas the first area you come to is a zone of comfy Between each of the chairs facing the same way is a table with a lamp and power outlets The zone stretches from the entrance of the lounge right to the windows at the end My favorite spot when visiting this lounge is one of the desk areas in the first main room just to the right of the comfy office chair seating zone It’s close to the food service area and has the best views of the apron Each table is separated by a partition for privacy which doubles up as extra COVID-19 protection A great spot to get some work done and have some food A little further round to the right is a small area with high desks and stools There are more tables just like it towards the far right of the room Separating the 2 main rooms is a window-less bar area but this area feels like a proper authentic Spanish hangout There are a few casual booth seating areas These would be great for a group of friends who want to have a couple of drinks before a flight On the opposite side of the room to the physical bar is a wall-mounted TV that usually displays the news past the huge map on the wall marking out each of Iberia’s 130 destinations around the world This second seating area has all the same seating areas as the other side as well as a food service area and drink machines The view upon entering the second main room of the lounge There is also a similar comfy office chair zone bright red booth zone adds privacy and comfort This would be a great place to grab 40 winks Hot Tip: There are no power outlets by these booths Cozy up in the red booths for a little more privacy As far as business class lounge food and drink goes Business class lounges can feel a bit soulless and often lose their connection to the city or country they’re in — not Iberia’s lounges Let’s start easy with the non-alcoholic options It’s always a welcome sight to see a proper coffee machine that grinds fresh beans for your caffeine fix Not to mention that the coffee beans are supplied by Illy — one of my favorite coffee companies Illy is about as good as big brand coffee gets Remember what I was saying about keeping the Spanish connection you don’t get more Spanish than Cacaolat and Don Simon tomato juice The most Spanish of non-alcoholic beverages There were also fridges full of soft drinks in glass bottles There’s no chance of getting dehydrated with the copious amount of bottled still and canned sparkling water why do they put the still water in plastic There was also room temperature water on offer by the food service area Room temperature water if chilled isn’t your thing There was also a fridge dedicated solely to cerveza — another Spanish favorite including Spanish classics like San Miguel and Mahou or Budweiser if you’re feeling a little homesick Perhaps the best discovery of all is this help yourself wine unit One thing I’m not sure of is whether or not there’s a sparkling wine or Champagne option available in the lounge If flying business class with Iberia is anything to go by I’d guess that there’d be Cava — I’ll check next time I pass through and update the article Behind the bar in the main bar area is a mixture of top-shelf liquors I can’t confirm for sure whether all of these options were included During my visit at the end of September 2021 hot food was served by a member of staff behind a screen from this central part of the first main room of the lounge on my latest visit to the lounge in November the set-up had reverted to a self-service hot buffet and a third option that escapes me (but I think it was some kind of minced meat dish) Hot food was served from this food station had a distinctly Spanish taste thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes and flavorsome sauce after being promised that it wouldn’t be too spicy It packed just the right amount of spice and was full of flavor there were prepacked options in the form of salads… …boxed sandwiches (great to see reduced use of plastic here)… …but the plums and apples were wrapped in a paper/plastic hybrid packaging I hope this is only while COVID-19 is still rife and that it’s to stop contamination given that we eat the skin of apples and plums but not bananas and oranges Other snack options available were flavored yogurts and Actimel… …and packaged goodies like roasted almonds… Close to the entrance of the lounge is this signage pointing out each of the different amenities of the lounge At the far end of the lounge is the shower area It’s not the most obvious to find as it’s hidden behind a partition and appears to be a staff area It’s only when I noticed the tiny sign high above that I knew was in the right place There was no queue given how quiet the lounge was I simply asked reception which to use and they told me I had access to number 2 I liked the simple and clean design and the fact that it was spotless I also liked that there was a luggage rack/bench which makes getting changed and finding clothes far easier than using the floor Fresh towels (wrapped in plastic…) were ready and waiting I just don’t understand the need to wrap a towel in plastic There were also all of the classic bathroom amenities that you’d expect to find: shaving set Loving the use of paper here rather than plastic The men’s room was equally as spotless as the shower room tucked away at the farthest right corner of the lounge was this gaming area with a PlayStation and an Xbox I couldn’t tell you which versions they were A common sight these days was this empty reading shelf The ongoing pandemic means that all reading material is now only accessible via a QR code This lounge does electrical connectivity well Most sockets have both a regular European socket and USB port I don’t have much to report on the staff and service The only interaction I had with the staff in the lounge was with the lovely lady who plated up my 2 portions of food and even indulged in my banter about not being able to handle spicy food and blaming her if I got an upset stomach I did notice that there was a small but mighty team of cleaning staff who made sure to keep on top of the clearing and cleaning around the lounge Assuming the unnecessarily wrapped up fruit was a COVID-19 protocol the only other main protocol I noticed were these signs placed over some of the seats to remind guests to keep as separate as possible I can imagine this is important for social distancing but my visit was very quiet and these signs were rather redundant I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Iberia’s Dalí Premium Lounge at Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) and had a plentiful and delicious selection of food and drinks I flew through Madrid again and booked my next flight with Iberia (even though their Intra-European economy is about as basic as EasyJet) just so I could spend time in this lounge before my flight I’d be hard-pressed to think of something that I’d say needs improving or adding to this lounge I know this airport (and likely the lounges in it) get a bad rap from some it’s up there as one of my favorite airports in Europe to fly through — partly down to this lounge Iberia has 2 lounges in Madrid: the Dalí Premium Lounge in Terminal 4 and the Velázquez Premium Lounge in Terminal 4S If you’re flying a premium cabin or have elite status you can use British Airways lounges when flying Iberia Iberia passengers can use the Alaska or British Airways lounges at JFK Terminal 7 You can neither pay nor use Avios to enter an Iberia lounge The only way to access is with a valid premium ticket or elite status Daniel has loved aviation and travel his entire life He earned a Master of Science in Air Transport Management and has written about travel and aviation in publications like Simple Flying Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter We respect your privacy. 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Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply OFFER ENDING SOONChase Sapphire Preferred® Card LIMITED TIME TRAVEL OFFERThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express BEST LOUNGE ACCESSThe Platinum Card® from American Express Privacy Policy | All Guides | Terms & Conditions | Web Accessibility Policy | Cookie Policy travel information and ancillary information concerning travel and credit cards The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial LLC uses reasonable efforts to maintain accurate information on the site — and prior to applying for any credit card offers found on UpgradedPoints.com all visitors should review other features of such credit cards including but not limited to interest rates and should determine the suitability of such credit cards considering their own individual financial position as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases Editorial Disclosure: The content featured on UpgradedPoints.com has not been influenced or reviewed by the credit card companies mentioned comments and analyses are the responsibility of the author(s) and not any Advertiser or credit card issuer Jaunted ranks T4 of Barajas "one of the coolest airports." Photo by Iberia Airlines Jet Stream keeps you ahead of the fast-moving world of global airlines you agree to receive email communication from Skift Tags: madrid Subscribe today to keep up with the latest travel industry news Already a subscriber? Login New users get20% offtheir first year of Skift Pro User login is one of the five most important trade fair institutions in Europe and the leading one in Spain Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Madrid or FITUR are large events attended by people from all over the world around 4 million people visit its 240,000 square metres of exhibition space 13 exhibition halls and 2 convention centres and outdoor areas in the touristic area of Airport / Feria de Madrid The area avails of 8 accesses prepared for disabled people distributed among the various entry areas (north Since 2019, IFEMA Madrid also manages IFEMA Palacio Municipal located on a nearby plot with a total surface area of 500,662 m2 (venue for the Mad Cool Festival In addition, these facilities include Espacio 5.1 where large international exhibitions are held IFEMA Madrid unveiled its spectacular new food court with 32 restaurants and terraces that will serve the more than 3.7 million visitors it receives each year and will position the institution as a major food hub in Madrid This new food court project is managed by the Spanish multinational company Areas IFEMA is making a qualitative leap in its culinary offer with an innovative model that is committed to serving a wide variety of healthy options Tex-Mex and Latin American chains (Aloha Poke as it strives to improve the quality of food and drink available on site The renovation project includes the creation of a "Food Avenue" featuring a selection of 12 brands that represent the diversity of the current food offer indoor restaurants will be set up in each pavilion with a design inspired by the concept of terraces and gardens which highlight the presence of natural light and offer open spaces out towards the rear courtyards with dishes devised by chef Nino Redruello This expanded offer will also include the new restaurant owned by the Saona group which will serve the IFEMA Madrid convention centre Exhibition Complex and Car Parks Map  Schedule varies depending on the fair This park is ideal for different activities Only twelve kilometres from the city centre the Madrid airport has excellent transport links and a wide range of services Madrid's excellent transport system allows you to get around the city quickly and safely by bus The city’s new official sightseeing and tourist travel pass Our online store (in Spanish) sells artisan souvenirs The transport system in Spain is characterized by an extensive network of railways The country's primary modes of transport connects the Spanish capital city Madrid to cities and towns located in different parts of the country The centrally located city is well-connected by air with the capitals of most neighboring and far-off countries Several regional and international airports connect the different areas of the country with each other and with places abroad Spain is among the most visited countries in the world alongside France This means that most of the International and domestic routes are always busy The 20 busiest airports in the country are evenly distributed in 20 different locations in Spain the number of passengers going through the busiest airport was over 50 million people and the least busy airport handled slightly above one million passengers All the airports had a significant percentage increase in the number of passengers from the previous year The Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas in Madrid, the country's largest city The airport is also called the Madrid-Barajas Airport and is the main international airport serving the city of Madrid The airport covers an area of 7,500 acres making it Europe's largest airport by physical size alongside Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in France growing to be among Europe's most significant aviation centers The Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas is also the sixth busiest airport in Europe The airport has five terminals and serves as the primary access to the Iberian Peninsula from Europe and the rest of the world the Barcelona El Prat Airport is also simply known as Barcelona Airport The international airport is found in the municipalities of El Prat de Llobregat The Barcelona airport is the second busiest airport in Spain The airport handled approximately 44,154,693 passengers in 2016 which was an 11.2% increase from 2015 mainly serves domestic European destinations and is the main airport in Catalonia Also known as Aeroport de Son Sant Joan or the Son Sant Joan Airport the Palma de Mallorca is an international airport located in Palma de Mallorca With 27,970,655 passengers using the facility in 2016 Palma de Mallorca Airport is the third busiest airport in Spain and also the country's third largest airport after the Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona airports The airport traces its roots back to the 1920s when the postal services required seaplanes to fly to the other Balearic Islands Palma de Mallorca is a focus airport for EasyJet It is also the primary base for Air Europa The Màlaga Airport (which was officially named the Málaga-Costa Del Sol Airport in June 2011) is located in Màlaga Màlaga Airport is Spain's fourth busiest airport with flight connections to more than 60 countries throughout the world Approximately 18,628,876 passengers went through the airport in 2016 registering a 15.7% increase from 2015 The Màlaga Airport is a significant airport for tourism in the country and it is also the main international airport serving Costa del Sol Màlaga-del Costa Airport was officially opened on March 9th photos and original descriptions © 2025 worldatlas.com please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot Get the most important global markets news at your fingertips with a Bloomberg.com subscription. Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (MAD) is Spain's largest airport in terms of size serving over 39 million passengers per year Located just eight miles from central Madrid Previously named Madrid-Barajas after a nearby village the first Primer Minister of Spain after the restoration of democracy in the wake of Franco's dictatorship but Terminal 4 is a more recent edition; it was built in 2006 The first three terminals are together in one building while Terminal 4 (and its satellite terminal You can access various Salas VIP (aka airport lounges) in all terminals by paying a fee for one-time access Terminals 1 and 2 (Terminal 3 is used for domestic flights) spas and trendy features at Barajas; like the city of Madrid itself there has recently been a lot of renovation going on throughout these terminals to improve restaurants and shopping in order to catch up with the flashier Terminal 4 Rioja wines and more; just be aware that the US doesn't allow Iberian ham to be brought into the country Terminal 1 has a recently opened Mama Framboise Terminal 2 features the famous Spanish tapas restaurant Cien Montaditos where you can get small montaditos (mini sandwiches) for as little as one euro Baggage storage is available in T1 near the arrivals hall Each bag will cost you €6 ($6.75) for 0-2 hours and €10 for 2-24 hours This particular terminal typically handles flights in the Oneworld alliance British Airways or Iberia from the US to Spain this terminal is slightly further away from the city center so be prepared to spend a few extra minutes on transport if you're heading to T4 If your flight lands or departs from the 4S Satellite terminal in T4 make sure to plan a little time getting to your gate because the 4S gates are almost a mile away from the main T4 building There's an easy tram service available that takes you to and from these gates (allow about 5-10 minutes) and it's actually the first driverless transit system in Spain You can obtain 30 free minutes of Wi-Fi in all terminals, but for longer periods you'll have to pay. There are pharmacies and lottery ticket stands located throughout T4. Both chapels and a mosque are also located in T4 and has won the Stirling Prize of the Royal Institute of British Architects the most prestigious of Great Britain in architecture as well as the International RIBA European Awards 2006 Best Engineering Project 2005 by the Institute of Engineering Spain and the Design Award T + L 2006 in the Best Public Space category Characterized by its corrugated roofs and yellow beams as well as being spacious and filled with natural light T4 is great for last minute shopping and snacks The terminal has an array of mid-priced shops like Zara and Victoria Secret as well as upscale shopping like Hugo Boss Bulgari and Michael Kors can be found in the 4S area Kirei by Kabuki is a yummy sushi place that is located near the J gates appropriate for a sit-down meal or quick takeaway Baggage storage is available in T4 near arrivals hall Each bag will cost you €6 (about $7) for 0-2 hours and €10 (about $11) for 2-24 hours You can catch the metro or various buses from any of the terminals. The pink Metro line 10 makes separate stops at Aeropuerto-T123 and Aeropuerto-T4 Be careful not to get off at the Barajas stop located between the two airport stops because that is referring to the small village of Barajas you can switch lines at various stops to get you to different points in the city (€5/$5.50 Cibeles (city center) and Atocha (the main train station if you are connecting to a RENFE train) RENFE trains are available to/from T4 only and will take you to various points in the city The ticket typically costs about €2.50 ($2.80) but it's free if you can show proof of a connecting AVE high-speed train Taxis will cost about €30 (about $33) to most places in the city center making sure to visit the lake and the Palacio de Cristal a beautiful building built entirely of glass in 1887 as an exhibition hall for flora and fauna Start with the half-day itinerary, then add on: Walk a few blocks from the Retiro to Spain's most famous art museum, the Museo del Prado (€14/about $15) Make sure to see highlights like Goya's masterpieces Diego Velazquez's royal court painting Las Meninas and the celestial paintings by El Greco Use your Starwood points at the famous Westin Palace Madrid, a gorgeous, regal property situated in the Plaza Neptuno. Rooms are flooded with natural light and include a desk and chair, the Heavenly Westin bed and shower. You can also enjoy the opera brunch here sampling Spanish breakfast delights while listening to live opera and zarzuela July rates for this SPG category 5 property start at €232 (about $257) or as little as 12,000 Starpoints per night but there is very limited redemption availability Finally, if smaller and trendier is more your thing, TPG loves the ME Melia Reina Victoria in Plaza Santa Ana for its central location and chic decor July rates start at €166.50 (about $184) per night Since the airport is so close and easy to get to from the city center, it's not really neccesary to stay close to the airport, but if you do have an early flight and prefer to be nearby, check out the Hilton Madrid Airport July rates start at €97 (about $107) or 30,000 HHonors points per night Six Great Places To Get Tapas in MadridMy Madrid: Eat, Drink, AmorDestination of the Week: MadridSeven Reasons Why I Love Madrid Copyright © 2025 The Points Guy, LLC. All rights reserved. A Red Ventures company. With today's opening of the store in T4, FC Barcelona now has 14 proprietary Barça Stores, eight of which were opened during the 2022/23 season. These include the Canaletes, Passeig de Gràcia, and Sagrada Família stores located at strategic locations in the city of Barcelona. The Club also has different stores in El Corte Inglés, two of which are in Barcelona, namely in the Diagonal and Plaza Catalunya stores, with two in Palma. Barça assumed direct control of management in June 2018, creating BLM (Barça Licensing & Merchandising) with the aim of recovering direct control over the brand and making the most of its merchandising rights to continue expanding globally and develop the retail business expansion plan. As such, the Club now has the following proprietary Barça Stores: Spotify Camp Nou, Canaletes, Passeig de Gràcia, Madrid, T4 Madrid Barajas, Centre Comercial Arenas, Poble Espanyol, Barça Store & Exhibition Sagrada Família, Westfield La Maquinista, Parc Central Tarragona, Aeroport T1 (Barcelona), Aeroport T2 (Barcelona), La Roca Village and Maremàgnum    In addition to these 14 stores, there are four franchise Barça stores located in Palma, Salou, Platja d’Aro and on Ronda Universitat in Barcelona. The Club's Barça Store in Barcelona airport T2 was recently moved to a more central location, making it easier for travellers to purchase their Barça products. The change was brought about by AENA implementing an approach to improve the service to travellers leaving the Catalan airport, the second most important in Spain. Officials have activated emergency protocol  Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A passenger on an Air France plane carrying at least 160 people has reportedly been quarantined in a Madrid hospital after showing Ebola-like symptoms. The crew on flight AF1300, which departed from the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Thursday, alerted authorities on the ground at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport when the passenger complained of feeling unwell and was apparently shivering. The passenger, who had travelled from Lagos, Nigeria, was taken by ambulance to an unspecified hospital in Madrid but the rest of the passengers were allowed to leave the plane as normal, Air France said in a statement. Reports of the number of passengers on board the plane have varied between 163 and 183. The aircraft was taken to a special area of the airport once all travellers had left. The spokesperson said the plane was grounded in Madrid so it could be disinfected as a precautionary measure. Spain's health ministry confirmed the Ebola emergency protocol had been set in motion. A Spanish Health Ministry spokeswoman said authorities were treating it as a suspected Ebola case. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies with a EUR2.4 billion investment into two projects covering all the terminals and has been buoyed recently by dispensation within the law that governs it to increase charges to airlines in 2024 - those charges having originally been frozen as part of the privatisation process eight years ago You must log in to read the rest of this article Got an account? Log In Get a taste of our expert analysis and research publications by signing up to CAPA Content Lite for free, or unlock full access with CAPA Membership You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed today swept the board to capture all four packages in the Madrid-Barajas Airport food & beverage mega-tender The incumbent previously operated 40 outlets at the airport in a joint venture with AENA Aeropuertos The spaces were put to tender when these contracts expired in December 2012 The concessionaire will operate 47 units in total at the airport covering 17,000sq m of space Ãreas beat contender Autogrill in the bid for one of the large packages but Ãreas was the sole bidder for the other large package The two largest packages, across 42 locations, cover all terminals, but with an emphasis on T4 and the T4 Satellite, which (as we reported in October) the airport company is remodelling The two smaller packages (of three and two units respectively) will cover selected spaces in terminals 1 The contract terms cover ten years for each of the two main lots and eight years each for the two small lots The new F&B offer at Madrid-Barajas will feature 19 different national and international brands including Burger King Ãreas is required to invest €24.8 million under the contracts modern and avant-garde designs” to the airport The winning bidder is required to pay a minimum guarantee rental of €37 million NOTE: The March edition of The Foodie Report will feature an interview with AENA Aeropuertos Director of Commercial Services & Properties José Manuel Fernández-Bosch *NOTE: The Foodie Report is the sister title of The Moodie Report. Published monthly within The Moodie Report e-Zine, plus regular coverage on this website, The Foodie Report covers all revenue-generating travel-related food & beverage. For your free subscription please e-mail Genevieve.Knevitt@TheMoodieReport.com Subscribe to our newsletter for critical marketing information delivered to your inbox HMSHost will debut six new restaurants spanning over 725sq m Hudson separately captured a seven-year contract to launch a Manhattan-inspired retail store and Terminal 5’s first immersive video gaming lounge The Australian Airports Association Retail & Commercial Forum will include a blockbuster programme of seven extra-curricular activities Today’s images come courtesy of Düsseldorf Airport which is currently sporting an orange theme and playful signage renaming it ‘Luchthaven Düsseldorf’ Copyright © The Moodie Davitt Report | Website by Yellowball We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website Please click on one of the buttons below to accept We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " By 2011-09-23T10:47:00 Already have an account? LOG IN You’ve reached your limit of content for the month Register for free now Police say at least 30 people are sleeping permanently in Madrid airport’s terminal 4 but the number goes up in winter In Madrid airport’s bustling fourth terminal Unlike the thousands of Christmas travellers For him the terminal is his destination – the closest thing he has to a home the 49-year-old unemployed builder wandered into the airport while trying to hike up the road to another town He is one of dozens who have made their home in the terminal with its bright lights and huge glass windows overlooking the passenger planes on the runway Like other hubs such as Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle who can blend into the crowds of travellers Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport – Europe’s fifth-busiest with 40 million passengers a year – is a public space so authorities let the homeless sleep there as long as they cause no trouble Police say there are at least 30 people sleeping permanently in terminal 4 Poverty grew in Spain after a construction crash in 2008 left millions out of work but the unemployment rate is still close to 24% The latest official statistics count 23,000 homeless people in the country but charities estimate the real figure is closer to 40,000 Having spent more than half his life in jail for a series of armed robberies ended up in the street after being released two years ago In the airport he can get up to €15 a day by begging He eats at a soup kitchen in the suburbs in the day and comes back to the terminal in the evening he chose the biggest and brightest terminal with plenty of floor space and quiet corners to curl up in “People come to sleep in terminal 4 because it is the best,” said Rubio a Madrid native with sunken features and a greying beard There are bathrooms where you can wash your hair.” he gets a few hours’ sleep before the early crowds arrive for the morning flights to London “I’d like to rob half a million euros and get out of here But I don’t resent the other people I see here leaving A miniature community has sprung up among the terminal’s residents Edu charges a euro a bag to keep an eye on the others’ belongings Some earn tips by pushing passengers’ luggage on trolleys and helping them find the right check-in desk a 60-year-old former school sports teacher from Bulgaria Long separated from his wife and two children he came to Spain a decade ago and worked at odd jobs until four years ago when he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver Pushing his trolley around or drinking Coca-Cola in the cafes taking his medicine and washing in the airport toilets he blends in with the crowds of passengers who scarcely notice him until he offers to carry their bags At Christmas time he can earn up to €20 a day His whole body aches from sleeping on the floor “But this is the only place where you can earn a bit of money,” he said “You see a lot of people in the street begging Madrid Barajas Airport is the busiest in Spain and the fifth busiest in Europe Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid New airport city centre rail link to Europe’s fifth busiest airport Allows direct connections with the RENFE standard and high-speed network €109.5m construction project announced in March 2007 Barajas is some distance from Madrid’s city centre and has a metro link but there is no direct heavy rail link from the national RENFE system It is also one end of one of the world’s intensively worked air passenger routes With the anticipated opening of high speed rail services between these two a national rail link to the airport will further encourage land-based travel to and from long distance flights The Spanish Ministry of Development announced in November 2006 that it is to build a new direct airport rail link to Madrid Barajas Airport operated by the transport of arm of the Communidad de Madrid the Metro Line 8 running from the city centre to Barajas Terminal 4 station opened in May 2007 the initial 1999 station becoming re-designated as Terminal 1 The airport rail link will use a mixture of existing routes and new alignments to reach Terminal 4 Provision has been made at the terminal for a railway station during construction To further serve the developing Spanish AVE high-speed network airport services are likely to be extended across the city providing connections from the airport to the major railway interchanges at Atocha and Chamartin The airport rail link is expected to become part of the Madrid Cercanias suburban railway network that serves the suburbs of Madrid At this stage no details have been revealed as to whether existing rolling stock or new trains will be used to provide the service to Barajas Airport the route will be electrified at the Spanish standard of 3kV dc rather than the 25kV ac of the new high speed lines. Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Posted by | May 7, 2015 | Since we all have to arrive at the airport early anyway why not plan ahead and sneak in spa time to take care of ourselves Airport mini spas have been strategically placed near (or within) about business lounges for some time It’s smart to take care of our bodies while waiting for a flight — or to quickly freshen up after a long flight Their goal is to bring health and well being to people who want to adopt this type of lifestyle with organic menus options salon services and a range of high quality spa products from its shop on my way home from a recent trip to Spain I had an opportunity experience what Esenza has to offer: I enjoyed their breakfast options and taste tested a couple different healthy smoothies Esenza is a bright and open space with seating along its counter or you can “take away” (for my American readers that means ordering it “to go” in British English) what you’d like for the flight Finding a healthy option among the fast food stands at the airport (and even the business lounge and they only use fresh and natural products: Their toast with olive oil and organic jams was the perfect combination of toasted crunch the sweet flavor of natural jams and the bitter yet sweet flavor from the olives I also tasted a couple of their cocktails (their menu has nine options): “Esenza Detox” is a combination of swiss chard apple carrot and daikon (a mild flavored radish) and “Esenza Green” is a mix of green apple I have to admit that both were refreshing and packed with nutrients a mix of Eastern and Western ingredients — all natural and healthy Mini Massage and Facial Treatments at the Airport Esenza has a menu of five different massage treatments four facial options and the ability to customize your treatment And these are performed by the most qualified therapists it was time to shut out the noise of the airport and experience Esenza’s “Massage on-the-Go,” a 20 minute neck and back massage Their treatment rooms are private and each fully enclosed Being a fan of at least 50 minute sessions and preferring 80 minute treatments I was a bit concerned if I would relax and gain any benefits from such a short time My therapist used a sweet almond oil by Nirvana Spa and she was able to work out some of that travel stress before stepping into the plane spa pedicure (25 and 45 minute options) and even waxing A travel companion who was on the same trip actually had a scheduled interview with Global Entry to complete her paperwork in Chicago upon returning from this trip those cards do not provide the most flattering images she chose to have a wash and blow dry styling just before the flight I suspect that’s an advantage before showing up for the Global Entry photo you’ll definitely be pleased with Esenza Spa by SHA I appreciate Esenza’s philosophy of promoting good nutrition therapeutic treatments and styling services And their shelves are stocked with excellent products such as Dermalogica They also have  SHA’s own line of food supplements as well as healthy snacks And this is only a teaser of what you could expect from the medical team at SHA Wellness Clinic (a full service spa with multi-day programs and luxury hotel with 93 suites) — I think we should go there to check out their meetings and events programs that focus on good health and wellness Have you tried Esenza Spa or used an airport spa Rob is editor of Business Travel Destinations He was voted among the top 10 business travel bloggers by USA TODAY 10Best Rob reviews international destinations for meetings and events -- where business travelers go the hotels where they stay and their lifestyle preferences on the road He spent more than a decade planning hundreds of corporate events throughout the U.S executive retreats and other special events Rob was previously the event planning guide for About.com (previously by The New York Times Company now known as The Balance) from 2007 - 2011 His articles have appeared in business travel publications and travel sites internationally Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress Madrid's Barajas airport welcomed its first official flight Four sites had been proposed as the location for the new Madrid National Airport: Getafe There were a few teething problems with the new airport including the presence of a large number of birds which made taking-off difficult That was resolved by using a solution dreamed up by the Americans some time beforehand and their presence deterred other birds from being near the planes The first destinations from Barajas were Barcelona and Seville The fare to Barcelona at that time was 150 pesetas In 1965 the airport's name was officially changed from the Madrid National Airport to Madrid-Barajas the first democratically elected prime minister after the death of Franco the authorities decided to commemorate him by renaming it Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas What began as basically a small airfield grew and grew Barajas is now the biggest airport in the world and it also has the longest civilian runway It is also one of the busiest in the world it was used by 41,833,374 passengers and the numbers continued to increase it was the European airport with the highest rise in passengers the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are clear from the passenger numbers for last year that figure had dropped to just 17,112,389 French luxury leather goods and clothing house Longchamp has opened a new store in the newly renovated Terminal Four of Madrid Barajas Airport it is the fifth Longchamp store in Spain and the first airport store operated by the brand itself The design of the 102sq m store reflects the brand’s other travel retail outlets using high quality materials and making maximum use of light throughout It also features a large window to allow passengers a view of the interior Passengers will get to discover new and established Longchamp collections such as Le Pliage Cuir Le Pliage and special bags to celebrate Le Pliage’s 20th year also the grandson of the House’s founder commented: “The duty free market is becoming more and more sophisticated and we are delighted to open our own store in Barajas Airport “Madrid is one of Europe’s most elegant capitals and passengers travelling through the terminal will be able to discover Longchamp’s French heritage The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to present the results of the inaugural TREX Awards A trailblazing celebration of the finest travel retail-exclusive products and other initiatives the TREX Awards recognise the critical need for differentiation within travel retail shining a spotlight on innovations that deliver unique value to travellers The performance is a timely boost for the travel retailer Among the stand-out performers were confectionery which turned in an extraordinary +84% increase year-on-year The cdf Global Shopping Festival underscores the retailer’s strategic focus on innovation customer engagement and service excellence as key levers to stimulate Chinese consumption during the Labour Day Golden Week and beyond Clean Air Directory Find indoor locations with superior air quality Join the movementSet up a monitor and join our global community of contributors increasing access to air quality data See the most polluted cities around the world Air Monitors AirVisual SensorsWorld's smartest air monitors Featured contributorsLearn about our featured data contributors around the world and how they help their communities improve air quality Community MonitoringIQAir AirVisual Platform offers easy and convenient ways to share data and provide critical air quality data globally Air Purifiers HealthPro SeriesAward winning HealthPro Series Award winning 61 Stations operated by 8 Contributors Real-time Madrid most polluted city ranking embassies advanced air monitoring across Central Asia (Part 3 of 4) Indoor Air Quality Alert: Oklahoma Flooding Stay updated on the air quality of your favorite places Get a monitor and contribute air quality data in your city Madrid Barajas International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Spain It is the 11th busiest airport in the world Passenger growth of 10% per annum at Madrid Barajas International Airport has led the Spanish airport authority (AENA) to approve a €2.91bn expansion that includes the construction of a new terminal and satellite building a new baggage handling system and an automatic people mover The expansion also featured numerous other projects including new parking facilities and a highway extension the European organisation for the safety of air navigation projects that Madrid Barajas Airport will become Europe’s third busiest airport by the end of 2012 more than 141 million passengers were serviced at Spanish airports and passenger numbers in Spain grew 9% more than the EU average Madrid Barajas Airport saw yearly passenger growth of 10% and accounted for 27% of air traffic between the EU and South America The airport handled the most cargo traffic in Spain and in terms of cargo volumes represented the eighth busiest airport in Europe and the 31st internationally 2 and 3 are adjacent terminals that are home to SkyTeam and Star Alliance airlines The new Terminal 4 is home to Iberia Airlines its franchise Air Nostrum and all Oneworld partner airlines Since the early 1990s plans have been underway for the construction of a new terminal building This culminated in an international design competition which was won by a team comprised of British architect Richard Rogers the structural consultant TPS (Carillion) and Inetec (structurally complete by December 2005) In February 2006 Terminal 4 was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Spain This new terminal makes Barajas the world’s largest airport in terms of terminal area with an area of more than one million square metres (11 million square feet) The facility consists of a main building (T4) (470,261m²) and satellite building (T4S) which are separated by approximately 2.5km; the new terminal was designed to allow passengers an altogether stress-free start to their journey The terminal incorporates impressive illumination augmented by glass panes instead of walls and numerous dome structures in the roof which allow natural light to pass through The new T4 facility Barajas was designed to handle 70 million passengers annually The 1km-long wing-shaped building was designed with a wide range of environmentally friendly energy consumption-reducing installations such as efficient cooling systems extensive shading to the façades and roof lights and zonal lighting The new satellite building has a total floor surface of 287,384m² and is capable of handling around 15 million passengers a year with 26 gates one that hosts the arrival and departure facilities for passengers and the other for passport facilities and commercial zones An automatic people mover (APM) connects the new terminal building to the satellite building Automatically guided vehicles transport passengers between two stations in a tunnel with two platforms in the principal terminal and one in the satellite building The APM covers a distance of 2,100m and run 24 hours a day Six trains transport a maximum of 13,000 passengers an hour at a maximum speed of 60km/h The transfer between stations takes around three minutes with trains stopping in two-minute intervals The new terminal hosts an automatic baggage handling system capable of handling up to 16,500 pieces of luggage an hour on a total of around 78km of conveyor belt The system processes baggage from arrivals departures and transit flights within the new terminal and the satellite building Siemens Dematic AG undertook construction of the baggage handling system Design and engineering services were supplied by FKI Logistex Crisplant a/s The company subsequently received an order to design manufacture and install four S-3000M Tilt-Tray sorters 172 check-in systems and an empty tote system Work included equipment update and software renewal as well as the expansion of the parking facilities and the air traffic navigation offices The work has not altered the physical appearance of the tower The 840m underground section of the M11 highway linking Barajas to Paracuellos del Jarama has also been expanded The masterplan for the expansion of Madrid Barajas Airport British architect Richard Rogers teamed up with Spanish firm Estudio Antonio Lamella for the project bringing in UK structural consultant TPS (Carillion) and Spanish firm Inetec the latter having the legal powers to sign off the drawings The terminal building construction is undertaken by a joint venture of FCC An order worth €28.9m for baggage handling equipment went to FKI Logistex Crisplant a/s Main contractor for the construction of the parking facilities is Spanish company Dragados Lea+Elliott performed various services during the planning phases of the APM including a feasibility study and cost estimates The project management was the remit of Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB) PB’s scope of services included design review The technical audits of individual projects recommended to the client where improvements could be made in all aspects of project management the firm assisted in the tender evaluation process for the terminal building ($600m construction value) and parking structure ($140m construction value) two more runways (15L/33R and 18L/36R) were also constructed to aid in the flow of air traffic arriving and departing from Barajas These runways were officially inaugurated in February 2006 (together with the terminals) but had already been used on several occasions beforehand to test flight and air traffic manoeuvres Barajas now has four runways: two on a north–south axis and parallel to each other (separated by 1.8km) and two on a northwest-southeast axis (and separated by 2.5km) This allows simultaneous take-offs and landings into the airport allowing 120 operations an hour (one take-off or landing every 30 seconds) The Metro Line 8 runs directly to Terminal 2; from this terminal there is a free connecting bus to Terminal 4 and from Barajas town metro station to Terminal 4 The Line 8 extension directly connects Terminal 4 the construction of a Cercanias link between Chamartin train station and Terminal 4 was started The project was completed in 2010 and links Madrid Barajas Terminal 4 with Chamartin and Atocha AVE high-speed train stations which was first built and commissioned in 1998 was fully refurbished during the course of expansion The airport parking has been categorised into car parking areas P1 The P1 parking area provides 2,400 spaces for both short and long term parking P2 is a multi-level car parking that serves Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 Short-stay car parking lies outside Terminal T2 View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network