Airport lounge

Airport lounges (also: Airline Lounge ) are lounges in large, mostly international airports. They serve only a select group of travelers, to bridge waiting times. The reason for the offer is an enhanced service, for example to bind to passengers in high price segment to an airline. Lounges ultimately serve the competition among the airlines.

Lounges are mainly from airlines, but also from credit card companies, airports rarely and very rarely operated by hotel chains. The cost for the use of services by passengers are usually in a membership included.

Many major airlines as well as some regional airlines have now set up lounges. The airline lounges have partly name ( as a product line or as individual lounge ).

Equipment, location

The outfits are very different; However, the international standard is a dignified and peaceful atmosphere with an appropriate equipment ( eg carpets and chairs), a diverse range and support. Most lounges have small desks, TVs, a wide selection of current newspapers and magazines, and sometimes even laundry services, prayer rooms, showers, spas, Sleeps and a range of drinks. In some cases a distinction is made between arrival and departure lounges. Some airlines operate common lounges or pay other companies for their use by foreign passengers.

Lounges are conveniently close to the gates, so that the way to the airplane is as short as possible and the lounge has to be left until the start of boarding.

If one uses the lounge of an airline, although it is not the passenger, this proximity is often not given and you have to cover for the way to the airplane a great distance, possibly even replace the terminal. This is a major disadvantage of so-called airport lounge programs such as the Priority Pass.

Lately, the services of individual airlines for their best customers are always exclusive: Some airlines offer their visitors lounge separate transfers in luxury limousine directly to their airplane. This is especially the case if for flying first class or customers separate terminal buildings with high status are available, such as the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt. The passengers are personally visited during boarding, driven in a small golf cart through the terminal and accompanied to the aircraft, such as in the Thai Airways First Lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport in some lounges.

Access authorization

Access Passengers who have booked a ticket to a high class or have attained a superior status in frequent flyer programs. Within an Alliance Access is usually granted another airline passengers. In smaller airports, there are sometimes only a single lounge for all passengers, even competing companies, such as in Graz. Some lounges require entrance fees. Other vendors provide a ( indirectly ) paid membership access to a variety of lounges, for example, Diners Club, American Express ( Platinum), Regus, uniglobetravel and Priority Pass.

Some airlines offer different formats Lounge ( at Lufthansa four). In general it can be said that there are large differences between the various lounges. Individual lounges offer only a modest range of drinks and a few chairs, in other lounges there is the best champagne, full meals and a massage service.

Provider

Others

In English usage, is a ( Airport ) Lounge also a waiting lounge in the airport meant that is available to all passengers and is provided by the airport operator.

Very large airports also offer lounges for pilots.