I had just presumed they had filled in the split level floor in the atrium due to flooding
I was there on Tuesday to exchange two JAA licenses to EASA. Finding my self with magic ticket number 7 at 0820 I prepared myself for a protracted wait by buying a large coffee from the friendly lady at food counter and sat down with two other chaps, one who had come in from Qatar to exchange their license and another adding a type rating. Barely half way down my coffee, someone had checked that I had all the required paperwork, not batted an eyelid that I wanted to do someone else license at the same time and told me I should be out within the hour - which is exactly what happened - so something has obviously changed for the better. Everyone was very polite and the service could really not have been better in this instance.
I can imagine exam candidates that have been used to the old atrium and access to the restaurant may be a little peevish as there did seem to be a lot less available seating. Since this is where you have to congregate to be collected before the exams, it does seem a little mean. Personally I preferred to stay in the hotel until just before the exam and go back there for lunch to avoid sitting with the question bank junkies. However if you have a couple of exams back to back this isn't possible and now you may have to stand around instead of being able to relax. Top-tip... the office building opposite the CAA have a Costa with wi-fi and it rarely had anyone in it...
