BA Lounge

Showers in Club, not First: Gatwick South’s BA lounge quirk

This British Airways lounge complex sits airside in the South Terminal, with a combined entrance for Club and First just past security, and access restricted to BA premium cabins and status cardholders, even if you departed from the North Terminal originally.

The First and Club areas share one reception desk and main corridor, but Flyertalk reports that the actual shower rooms sit on the Club side only, behind a door to the right of the main walkway from reception, so even First passengers walk back there to clean up.

Opening hours usually track the BA long‑haul bank out of Gatwick South, roughly early morning into late evening, and regulars say the Club side can feel “a little smarter” than the First section despite the hierarchy on the boarding pass.

Food sits in the “competent but not memorable” bucket, with hot dishes, snacks and salads laid out on a self‑serve buffet that Flyertalk reviews say staff replenish regularly, so this is fine for a pre‑flight meal but not worth arriving 2 hours early just to eat.

Drinks are self‑pour, with wine and spirits lined up along the bar counter in both Club and First, and fridges holding beer and soft drinks; expect standard BA lounge labels rather than rare bottles, so save any serious tasting for onboard in Club or First.

In the Club lounge, a semi‑hidden Study runs along one wall with three communal work tables, described in detail on Flyertalk; it’s easy to miss if you stop at the buffet and bar, which is why frequent flyers use it as a quieter work zone.

Seating ranges from dining tables near the buffet to armchairs facing the windows, and Gatwick BA regulars say they often bypass the central seating clusters and head straight for the Study or side rooms on the Club side when they need laptop space and power sockets.

What regulars do: BA Executive Club members on long‑haul tickets often check in at the shared reception, drop their bags in First for a drink, then walk back into the Club section to book a shower and grab food before a night flight to destinations like the Caribbean.

Watch out for the food being just “ok” by multiple reviews on FlyerTalk and Reddit, so if you care about quality over convenience, eat something solid in Gatwick South’s main departures area and treat the lounge buffet as a backup snack run.

Practical tip: if you want both a shower and quiet workspace, ask staff at reception to point you toward the Club showers door and then the Study with its three communal desks, and budget at least 45 minutes airside before boarding to fit both in without rushing.