Heathrow welcomes Star Alliance lounge

Wednesday 9 July 2008

Airline & Airport Updates

The Star Alliance group of airlines has opened a new lounge in Terminal 1 at London Heathrow Airport.

Situated in the international departures area, the new facility will be open to first and business-class passengers, as well as invited guests and Star Alliance Gold Card holders flying from Terminal 1 with any member airline.

At 1,650 square meters, the new lounge features 300 seats, a wireless internet network, shower facilities and food and drink service areas.

"The opening of a Star Alliance lounge in a major hub airport such as Heathrow is a major benefit to our member carriers and their customers," said Lee Hock Lye, vice-president of products and services for Star Alliance.

"Rather than own separate lounges and incur duplicate construction and operating costs, Star Alliance lounges save the airlines money, and give customers a high-quality experience in a comfortable environment that is much larger and with more amenities than the carriers could provide on their own."

The new lounge is part of a plan from Star Alliance to move all members into the same terminal. Air New Zealand and United Airlines moved to Terminal 1 this past weekend.

With the closure of Terminal 2, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, TAP and Croatia Airlines will all move to Terminal 1 by early 2009.

Elsewhere in Heathrow, British Airways has announced plans to open a business-class only check-in area in its Terminal 5 base.