Spain — Malaga, Costa del Sol: 4-Night Holiday (Day 1, Part 1)

Date: 2018-10-03

Heathrow Terminal 5

Up at 5am. Quick hot shower, breakfast at the hotel at 6am, checked out at 6:30. Left the car at Purple Parking (7 minutes from the hotel; free shuttle to Terminal 5), then through to the terminal.

Terminal 5 is British Airways' exclusive hub — only BA operates from here, serving 169 cities including daily flights to Tokyo Narita and Haneda. No other airline uses this terminal.

No checked bags today, so straight to security. BA's European short-haul rules: one regulation-size bag (up to 23kg) plus one handbag or laptop bag as cabin luggage. Checked baggage is extra: £30 per item. Boarding passes: downloaded online 24 hours in advance, or printed from machines in the terminal. Check-in is entirely self-service.

Early morning security was quick — through in about 10 minutes. Coffee at the gate while waiting for the departure board, then moved to the gate around 8:30am.

The Flight: London to Malaga

BA412, departing 9:25am. Nearly full. In late September, London is around 10°C — Malaga reaches 30°C. This explains the demand.

Outside on departure: heavy rain, thick cloud, 6°C. The queue for the runway was long — over 10 planes waiting. Actual takeoff at 9:45.

Fifteen minutes of turbulence in the cloud layer, then clear blue sky above. The contrast is immediate and genuinely cheering.

Catering: BA no longer serves complimentary meals on European short-haul. Instead, they sell Marks & Spencer sandwiches, hot sandwiches, and porridge. Payment by card only (no cash). Items can also be pre-ordered during online check-in. Having had a proper hotel breakfast, we brought only water. The M&S items are exactly what you'd find in a high street M&S — not particularly special. There is a seasonal turkey sandwich nod to Christmas, but otherwise unremarkable.

Arrived 1:15pm — slightly ahead of schedule. The captain announced 30°C outside. We stripped off sweaters and jackets before the doors opened.

The view on approach: a reservoir in the Malaga hills, then the coast — dry landscape, olive groves, bright sky. Summer is still very much here.

Day 1 Part 2 covers: arrival at Malaga Airport, rental car, and Marriott Playa Andalucía.

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