Business Traveller will be featuring an article on the best airport lounges in the world in our next issue, and we'd like your help in compiling it.
Which departure lounges merit a mention, and why? Let us know which features are the most important for you when it comes to a departure lounge (location, facilities, size, eligibility, etc), and which lounges tick these boxes in your opinion.
We'll start you off with a few suggestions:
- BA's Galleries at Heathrow T5
- Emirates' lounges at the newly-opened Dubai International T3
- Cathay Pacific's lounges at Hong Kong International airport
- Singapore Airlines' lounges at Changi airport
Travellator - 14/05/2009 16:34 GMT
Dont think its going to be BA lounge HKG somehow !
Gin&Tonic - 14/05/2009 17:02 GMT
Any that still has a smoking room that does not impeed non smokers.
CMoir12 - 14/05/2009 18:26 GMT
I agree that BA's lounges at LHR T5 are currently amongst the best
viking01 - 14/05/2009 18:59 GMT
The Virgin ClubHouse(s) at both LHR and NY JFK are excellent, and the ones in HK is no slouch either.
VintageKrug - 14/05/2009 20:39 GMT
It has to be the Lufthansa First Class Terminal at Frankfurt.
Superb in every respect from drive up check in, dedicated security line, dedicated duty free, personal greeting, full waiter service restaurant, free WiFi, terrific spacious and non-burping shower and bath suites with rubber duckies and ETRO bath accessories, a smart smoking area (think cigars rather than grabbing a quick ciggy).
The piece de resistance? A personal chauffeur driven Porsche Cayenne to the aircraft.
Nothing beats that. So good, they even made a documentary about it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=riVwcISBGas
I am also a big fan of Qantas' First Lounge in Sydney. The rainforest wall is a great, calming feature as you enter. The food and wine on offer is top notch. Great runway views, and supremely courteous staff.
Nice as the T5 lounges are, there are significant structural and service related shortcomings that, taken together, add up to a missed opportunity. Though they are a significant improvement, and the artwork is world class.
Streets ahead of what we had in T4.
The nicest touch is, I think, the genuine Concorde Connolly leather seats in the Boardroom of the Concorde Business Centre.
M.Moose - 15/05/2009 01:55 GMT
Cathay lounges in HK as well as Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge in Kuala Lumpur.
Noticed that these lounges are slightly positioned differently from e.g. Singapore Airlines Lounges in Changi. The CX and MH lounges gives a great sense of open space with little corners for meals. CX in particular provides you enough room to move around, sense of privacy as well.
Was at the MH Lounge in Paris just last week - very miserable indeed.
Without a doubt, QANTAS First Class lounge in Sydney. Great space, great food, great staff, views of the runways...simply the best!
Inquisitive - 15/05/2009 10:02 GMT
Singapore Airlines Changi airport lounge will be among the best for following reasons - For first class, there is a valet service at check-in, the first class lounge employ cook to prepare hot food (from selection) and a bar where one could order great cocktails - although bar hours are limited. There are good showers, smokers room and a very good collection of newspaper and magazines. The food and drinks selection is quite good and for night flight it is ideal to have dinner in the lounge and then go straight to sleep in the plane. The business class lounge is a shade lower in facility - however there are enough seats hence one could get privacy. BA T5 business class lounge (south side) is ridiculas as to go there one has to go down 1 level after security check and then go up 3 levels. The lounge is crowded all the time - however there is plenty of drinks and snacks. The newspaper/magazine supply is not replenished easiliy. Someone indicated Frankfurt first class lounge - it is vey difficult to locate that for transit passengers - the signs are ridiculas.
When the Cathay lounges in Hong Kong opened, they redefined the luxury air travel experience on the ground. There really hasn't been anything that has come close. The incorporation of the lounge design ("the wing"), with the architecture of this impressive airport. Having said that, the lounge is showing wear and tear and doesn't have the same "newness" it did five to seven years ago. Bringing the best of Hong Kong hospitality to service, run and cater the lounge with the Peninsula Hotel was a sheer masterstroke by Cathay Pacific. The fact that all oneworld emerald card holders have access to the first class lounge irresepective of oneworld carrier of travel.(unlike BA which has a seperate Gold lounge and the Concorde Room for first passengers only) is another major plus. The Cabanas in the wing and day break rooms in the pier are a great place for some privacy. I always manage to get 3-4hours of sleep in the wing cabana's when I have a long layover. The noodlebar probably has the best lounge food I have ever tasted - fresh, simple and filling. Overall
1. Definitely the LH FCT in FRA. Actually the FCLs are pretty good too, both in FRA and MUC
2. VS Clubhouse in LHR
3. CX Wing and Pier
4. TG F lounge, well, the entire F experience (buggies, spas etc) rather than the lounge, per se, in BKK
By comparison, LHR T5 and SIN T3 are pretty "meh, whatever". I'm in the EK F lounge in a couple of weeks time, but I've heard mixed reports - the restaurant and wine cellar look pretty good though
wisi1965 - 16/05/2009 08:07 GMT
I know a few 1st class lounges and must say the best was/is Lufthansa's in Frankfurt.
BAGoldcard - 16/05/2009 14:40 GMT
I am happy to nominate the BA T5 Galleries complex, which is really very good, especially the Gallery First and Concorde Room, with the cabanas. The quality of food and champagne/wine is (usually) very good.
The VS Clubhouse is good, and the food is very good. It is, however, a little "flash" for my taste, and the wine and champagne are not up to BA's standards. The inability to help yourself to drinks is disappointing......The staff are of varying quality and responsiveness, but that can be said of most lounges! That said, this is the best part (after the car/check in at T3) and the rest of the VS experience is a serious of disappointments and poor quality!
The QF First lounge at SYD has great food and wine, view of the City and airport, although the seating areas are a little featureless and not that comfortable or private.
I have to make a positive comment regarding the shared lounge that BA use at BAH - surprisingly nice and comfortable.
Disappointments are the BA/QF lounges in BKK and SIN; whilst not bad they could be better.
KSHaggag - 16/05/2009 20:40 GMT
I do agree and disagree with everybody ....i believe it is just your personal experience that makes you vote for a lounge over the other ,that s why our opinions do converge and diverge .........at the end ,we do agree on some common points .............there is no doubt that the Lufthansa First Class Terminal in FRA is a top notch product ,though now 5 years old !!............
I heard about the new Fcl lounges in FRA and MUC but have not yet visited them ....hope will do soon ........
I noticed that nobody has evoked the Qatar Airways First Class terminal in Doha ........head and shoulders above most competitors ground products ...........the Fcl zone is also most of the time serene and inspiring ,unlike the Ccl zone ...............
Before I wrap up ,let me pay tribute to the awesome Thai Airways First Class lounge in BKK .........ambience ,comfort ,spa facilities ,food ,etc.........could say among the very best in the world ............!!..a lounge to fly for !
I have to back the Qantas First lounge at SYD.
From the moment you arrive to the moment you board your flight, you feel like every penny had been well spent.
The food was perfect, freshly cooked and served very quickly. We sat by the window whilst dining and had the A380 parked below us, a marvelous view of the Sydney skyline across the runway and services that was second to none.
So how good was this lounge? Well, such was the attention to detail, service and selection of food and drink, it managed to stop my wife shopping in the duty free. That is a first!!
flyingbunny - 18/05/2009 07:50 GMT
Right now I am sitting in Ethihad's new lounge in the new terminal at Abu Dhabi airport. It is fabulous. I am in the busines centre with 10 of the new MACs all on desks with lamps and leather chairs. There's free internet, although I cannot access my email at the moment and I've just eaten some delicious chicken stogonov and tomato rice. PLus the staff are great - a member of staff asked me what drink I would like and then came and found me to serve me as I tucked in. In a few minutes I am going for a free fifteen minute massage. There's a prayer room and a smoking room and plenty of areas to sit on soft leather sofas, or chairs and a TV room. All looking over the runway. The food and beverage is like a buffet from a top hotel. I would definitely rate this as one of the top lounges in the world.
I have to agree with VintageKrug about Frankfurt, for all the reasons he gives, but a close second is the Zurich Airport First Class Lounge. Virtually all the same facilities but the food choice is better in FRA.
My big gripe is that they will no longer keep your coat for you. This was a very useful service if traveling to hot countries when departing during a cold European winter and saved having to carry (or pack) it in sweltering heat.
The excuse for abandoning this service - 3 guesses - "Security"!!! Just how dangerous can an overcoat be???
QFGoldflyer - 21/05/2009 09:29 GMT
Qantas Sydney Flounge simply has to be on the list! The best I've experienced!
fasttracker - 27/05/2009 08:39 GMT
Korean Air's business class lounge at - Seoul Incheon airport has an elevated mezzanine lounge looking over the terminal. Peaceful and you can hear the announcements too. Lots of computers and a snooze area.
Listener - 28/05/2009 14:10 GMT
How about "special recognitions" for those individual lounges that may not be the BIGGEST or MOST LUXURIOUS, but offer something truly SPECIAL or UNIQUE?
*Top of my list is EVA AIR'S "The Garden" lounge at Taoyuan, Taipei airport.
Before EVA removed First Class from their flights, this lounge was for the use of Super First passengers as well as Diamond Card members. Now its only for Diamond Card members...not a bad perk for being a top-tier member of this airline.
It's the nicest "little lounge" i have ever experienced complete with a chef who will make you any type of fresh noodle dish you want, along with other Taiwanese dishes and I have to give a special "shout out" to the bartender who has been working at EVA lounges at the airport for something like 20 years. He has the greatest laugh and loves to make special drinks for guests.
There's also shower suites available, plenty of comfortable seats, high-speed computer work areas, and even a "garden swing" one could enjoy. Top it off with one of those "self-playing" baby grand pianos and beautiful glass artwork by a local Taiwanese artist. I truly love visiting and enjoying this lounge any chance I could get.
Anyway, there's my "honorable mention" for those one-of-a-kind lounges in the world. I hope you will add this category to your article.
