Review: Non-Schengen Business Lounge Bucharest (OTP)

This review covers my visit to the non-Schengen business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport (OTP).

Flying out of Bucharest Otopeni Airport

On a recent trip, I had the opportunity to visit the non-Schengen business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport, as I was flying with Turkish Airlines from Bucharest via Istanbul to London.

Bucharest Otopeni Airport (IATA code: OTP) is my home airport, and I fly from it more often than is probably healthy for my mental health, as it is very likely one of the worst airports of any capital city in Europe.

Needless to say, I have visited and reviewed the business lounges at Bucharest Otopeni Airport before, but as my reviews have become rather outdated, I thought it was time for a fresh one.

Since I wrote my previous review of this lounge, which was then called the MasterCard Lounge, it has not only been slightly renovated but has also changed its access rules.

Previously, the lounge was accessible to all departing passengers who received complimentary access, regardless of their flight destination, but since Romania officially joined the Schengen Zone, it is now located behind passport control and is only accessible when flying to a non-Schengen destination.

Officially, this business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport is now called the Satellite Business Lounge and will be your designated lounge if you are flying with airlines such as Air Serbia, British Airways, El Al, flydubai, Qatar Airways, TAROM, or Turkish Airlines, as these are the main carriers serving non-Schengen destinations.

Finding the non-Schengen business lounge

As much as I dislike Bucharest Otopeni Airport, it has one major advantage: the waiting times at security control are usually short, and even if a queue looks long, as is common during the early morning departure rush, it often moves quickly.

Given that the airport does not have a fast-track lane for priority security, this is at least much welcomed and one of the very few redeeming features of the airport.

Once you have passed through security, you turn right and follow a corridor that eventually leads through a small duty-free shop before opening up into the main gate area.

From here, simply walk straight ahead, bypassing the stairs, escalators, and lifts that lead down to the bus gates and up to the Schengen Lounge, and you will reach passport control, which you must pass through to access the non-Schengen part of the terminal.

Once you have passed through Romanian exit immigration, simply head up the stairs or take the lift to reach the entrance to the non-Schengen lounge on the mezzanine level of the airport.

Lounge entry rules

Access to the non-Schengen business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport is granted either through your ticket, if you are flying business class, or by holding a sufficiently high frequent flyer status with the airline or alliance you are flying with.

In my case, I was flying in Turkish Airlines business class and hold Star Alliance Gold status through their Miles&Smiles frequent flyer programme, both of which qualify me for entry.

Although historically none of the Bucharest airport lounges accepted Priority Pass, it is now listed on the Priority Pass website, so this should also grant you access, although I advise double-checking beforehand.

In addition to Priority Pass, other lounge membership programmes also grant access to the non-Schengen business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport, including certain credit card holders at Romanian banks.

Sadly, the partnership with lounge membership programmes and local banks has significantly increased the number of people accessing the lounge, leading to overcrowding at peak departure times, when there are hardly any seats available.

Seating

The non-Schengen business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport is not large, being essentially just one room.

As you enter the lounge and pass the reception desk, most of the seating is to your left, while to your right is the buffet area, with a few more seats and a sealed-off smoking area.

There is very little variety in seating, as around 95% of the seats are the same light and dark grey chairs arranged around dining tables.

Only towards the back of the lounge are some couches, which appear to be from the same manufacturer as the chairs, sharing the same style and colour.

The non-Schengen business lounge is rather bland and uninspiring, with absolutely no distinctive features or decorative elements.

Fortunately, being located on the mezzanine level of the terminal overlooking the apron, it feels airy and bright, and there are some decent opportunities for planespotting.

Food buffet at the non-Schengen business lounge

The food and beverage options at the non-Schengen lounge of Bucharest Otopeni Airport are identical to those in the Schengen lounge.

Although some upgrades have been made to the buffet in recent years, it remains rather uninspiring.

Throughout the day, regardless of the hour, the buffet offers the same assortment of food items.

At the lounge buffet, you will find croissants and other pastries, some pre-packaged sandwiches, a basic selection of cheeses, pizza slices, and a variety of deep-fried snacks such as chicken nuggets, hash browns, and spring rolls.

A small fridge contains cups of yoghurt, pudding, and pre-packaged fruit and salad bowls.

There are also some cookies and nuts available at the buffet.

The quality of the food is not great, and if you come to this lounge expecting a tasty hot meal, you will need to adjust your expectations.

That said, if you are not too fussy and do not mind the unhealthy snacks, such as the greasy pizza slices and low-quality deep-fried items, it will be enough to keep your stomach quiet for a couple of hours.

Drinks

The drinks selection at the non-Schengen lounge of Bucharest Otopeni Airport isn’t great either.

The Nespresso coffee machines produce an acceptable brew, although it is a shame the lounge provides only paper cups rather than proper cups or mugs.

In the fridges, you will find bottled water and a selection of soft drinks, such as Pepsi and iced tea.

There is also a fridge stocked with half-litre cans of Tuborg beer.

At the drinks counter, you will also find one variety of white and one red wine, both lower-shelf Romanian brands, which are nonetheless drinkable.

If you are looking for something stronger, you can choose from alcoholic drinks such as Beefeater Gin, Ballantine’s blended whisky, Petroni Vermut, and lower-shelf vodka and cognac.

Perhaps the highest-quality drink at the counter is the 5-year-old Ararat brandy from Armenia, which I was surprised to see, as you don’t often come across it outside the Caucasus, let alone in a random airport lounge.

Other lounge facilities

There are not many other facilities at the non-Schengen lounge of Bucharest Otopeni Airport to speak of.

Fortunately, there are toilets inside the lounge, located just around the corner from the reception desk towards the exit.

From my experience, having visited this lounge many times, the toilets are kept clean throughout the day.

The lounge is equipped with Wi-Fi, offering decent speeds, although it is not always reliable.

Smokers will appreciate the glass smoking room at the far end of the buffet counter, which, from my experience, is sealed well enough not to disturb non-smokers sitting close by.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many tables with access to a power socket, although there are a few bright blue charging stations with multiple USB and iPhone cables hanging out, where you can plug in your phone to charge.

However, these are somewhat inconvenient to use unless you might be seated right next to one, as otherwise it would mean leaving your phone out of sight while its charging.

My lounge experience

Fortunately, the non-Schengen business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport remained relatively empty for most of the time I was there.

My Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul was departing at 09:40, just after the morning departure bank, which is a relatively quiet hour at the airport.

Although I cannot say I really enjoyed the food and drinks (apart from a sneaky morning glass of Ararat brandy, which I may have consumed!), I at least managed to get a bit of work done on my laptop.

I did enjoy a little planespotting from the lounge, even though there was little traffic at the airport at this quiet hour.

As much as the lounge itself left me unimpressed, the staff at least worked hard to keep it clean, clearing away empty plates, cups, and glassware and wiping down the tables.

Time to board

The non-Schengen departure gates are all a short walk from the lounge – so you can leave it late and still board your flight without hurry, if you want.

There are just five jet bridges at the non-Schengen part of the terminal, with a few more bus gates one floor down at ground level.

My flight – a Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 to Istanbul – was departing from a bus gate today, which is rather unusual for Turkish Airlines departures from Bucharest.

Fortunately, that flight proved to be a much better experience than my visit to the lounge!

Conclusion

The non-Schengen business lounge at Bucharest Otopeni Airport, officially known as the Satellite Business Lounge, is uninspiring and of subpar quality, but it certainly beats waiting in the overcrowded terminal or at one of the overpriced cafés.

Although the business lounges at Bucharest Otopeni Airport are also prone to overcrowding, they can provide a quiet respite if your flight departs outside the main departure banks, particularly the busy one in the early morning.

Do not expect a wide or high-quality selection of food, as the buffet is basically limited to pastries, sandwiches, and cheap pizza slices and deep-fried snacks.

The drinks selection is little better, offering mostly coffee and soft drinks, with only lower-shelf wine and spirits.

You really do not want to spend longer than necessary in this lounge, so it is best not to arrive too early for your flight at Bucharest Otopeni Airport.