We arrived at the airport around 14:54 for the 16:45 departure - earlier than necessary, but taxis in Bordeaux are not good at turning up on time! The BA desks were not properly set up - one was one doing general check-in and no Club Europe desk set up. A "Club Europe" desk opened, although I think that everyone in front of us was not BA silver/gold or Club Europe. Dropped bag off and collected boarding pass and directions to the shared non-BA lounge. There was a very long queue at security, although it did move relatively quickly. There were several places to get food before security and other shops.....once you get through there is a duty free shop (long slow queues) and one bar/sandwich shop. The lounge was very basic indeed - you need a security code to get in and also hand in the voucher! Limited food (crisps etc) and alcohol/soft drinks. Things were not replenished when they run out. At least it was somewhere to wait. Met up with a work colleague, who was trying to get back to Birmingham - this was her third re-routing back to the UK due to the "ash cloud".
When the flight screens came up with "termine", everyone got confused as to what this meant......we thought it meant it had been cancelled. In fact, it meant the check-in had closed. We were told to leave then as we had to pass through immigration - another long queue. The area past here is very small, with nothing at all and very busy with the LGW flight and an EI flight to Dublin. Boarding was very soon called, with priority for Club Europe and BA silver/gold.
It was a much busier flight than on the way out - Club Europe was seven rows, and full apart from 1D/F - this was taken at check-in for some reason (we were in 2A/C, which are bulk head seats as there is no 1A/C). Very funny annoucement from the captain today about the route home and the problems with the ash cloud in Northern England.
After a little wait, we were pushed back and taxied off to the runway - short wait here again for an incoming AF flight and then we were up and heading home. On the way home, it was salmon with a couscous salad and a dressing that would not come out of the bottle at all (despite much shaking!). Washed down with.....champagne of course!! Slightly longer on the way home than on the way down, but still only about 1.5 hours. Cabin crew were fun and friendly and very attentive during the flight.
Landing seemed very fast - noticed three VS planes on the ground at LGW - one in a hangar, one parked up near the cargo area and one at a South Terminal stand (not sure what flight that would be at that time). Off and then into an empty immigration (past someone being walked back by security to the gates - think that they might have been being deported).
Baggage seemed to take for ever to come out - there was a diverted Thomas Cook flight that should have been going onto to Manchester with lots of unhappy people! Once the bags had arrived, bus back to the South Terminal and time to find a train back to London.
A very good flight, but if you are flying through Bordeaux, try to arrive late and not go through security until you really have to!!
