The 1st class passenger areas at airports are not just luxurious waiting rooms, you can count on a cigar, spa service, gourmet meals, a place to nap, fitness and quiet time while the staff takes care of our children. And that little detail - no need to sit in the noise and crowds. The idea of the famous "airport lounge" has been on the market for more than 80 years.
Some solutions seem to be revealing and new, especially in tourism. Sometimes we think they appeared a dozen years ago, because, after all, nothing globalizes as fast as technology or travel. After all, the famous FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) or "fear of being left out" has just appeared in tourism, although de facto it applies to many spheres of everyday life from business to culture.
VIP airport lounges, which are still a novelty in many airport buildings, are not new. The first such luxury lounge was created as long as 87 years ago. It was created by a man who is still one of the icons of American airline history - CR Smith, CEO of American Airlines. The airport lounge opened at LaGuardia in New York.
The premium zones at airports provide quiet, you can relax while waiting for your flight or work in concentration
© Knauf Ceilings
Premium zones at airports provide quiet, you can relax while waiting for a flight or work in concentration
© Knauf Ceilings
Today, these zones at airports in Asia, Europe and the Middle East can be truly luxurious. Restaurants, an open bar, comfortable seats, work areas are pretty much the norm, the best ones offer much more: spa and massage services, fitness centers, cigar rooms, secluded nap areas and showers.
Enclosed VIP area rooms serve to "cut off" what's going on in the main departure hall area; the crowd and noise there can be difficult to handle. While new airports are being designed with attention to acoustic comfort, the element of crowd can no longer be mitigated, notes Patryk Urbaniak of Knauf Ceiling Solutions. The company has been supplying equipment for airport interiors for years, for example, in the Dubai Airports building it installed 120,000 acoustic panels on the walls and ceiling.
As the expert points out, the standard of these parts often resembles that of a luxury hotel, hence the great emphasis of the investor and architects on the design of the rooms. The color scheme, furniture, walls, ceilings - everything must harmonize with each other. In the choice of sofas or chairs, durability is less important, which is crucial when furnishing the main terminals and halls at the airport, here the main focus is on the quality of materials and comfort. - Ceilings are also designed differently, they don't have to have the highest level of noise absorption, as the custom here is not. They are supposed to fit in with the interior design or even be its main accent. That's why for VIP lounges at airports architects like to choose metal ceiling panels, which can be given any color scheme, such as gold," explains Patryk Urbaniak of Knauf Ceiling Solutions.
Passengers can count on cold drinks, comfortable seats and restaurant-like service here
© Knauf Ceilings
Passengers can count on cold drinks, comfortable seats and restaurant-like service here
© Knauf Ceilings
Heathrow, Lax, Frankfurt go further, you don't even have to show up at the airport
As premium service becomes more commonplace, the question naturally arises: what can be done differently to maintain its prestigious nature? So a new concept was born. Separate buildings with entire suites are being built at airports, where affluent travelers can wait for their plane. They have completely private space and service to the standard of a 5* hotel. It's almost like a vacation even before the flight leaves for vacation.
London Heathrow and Frankfurt airports already offer them. Since 2017, also LAX airport in Los Angeles - the first in the US. The Private Suite in LA is housed in a private building away from the main terminal, but close to the runway. There are 12 luxurious suites available, and each can accommodate the whole family or a group of friends, as they are designed to accommodate up to 6 people.
The suite standard includes complimentary meals, wine and cocktails, massage, and access to a conference room, should the need arise during the trip to attend, for example, a board meeting via video or an important online negotiation. Children, meanwhile, are provided with toys and an outdoor playground.
Leather recliners separated by thick curtains provide comfortable rest and privacy, and non-alcoholic beverages and chilled champagne await guests.
© Knauf Ceilings
Affluent travelers don't even have to show up at the airport. They go through security checks and customs clearance in the apartment building, and straight from there they are taken to the tarmac under the plane's steps by limousine.
Sound like a fairy tale? The last argument is sometimes even less related to the realities of mass tourism, but it is a reality: private suites instead of departure halls or even VIP lounges solve yet another problem - the lack of paparazzi. For many well-known figures from the world of finance or show business, this is a convenience. They can rest in the comfort of privacy.
For more information, visit the company's KNAUF CEILING SOLUTIONS Sp. z o.o. page on the A&B portal.
