Emirates invests in own premium lounge at BIA

nAward-winning carrier spends Rs. 200 m on plush dedicated facility for First and Business Class passengers and Skywards Gold members

Emirates has opened its own dedicated passenger lounge at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake (BIA), becoming the first international airline to invest in such a facility at the BIA.

Completed at a cost of Rs. 200 million, the Emirates lounge on the second floor of the Arrivals Terminal is exclusively for the use of the airline’s First and Business Class passengers and Gold members of Skywards, its frequent flyer programme.

The 5,778-square-foot space is designed, equipped and furnished to the exacting specifications developed for Emirates lounges at 30 other major international airports around the world. It can accommodate up to 118 passengers in comfort, helping further cushion them from travel weariness.

“Emirates is one of the most active carriers serving Colombo, with 28 flights a week,” said Chandana de Silva, Emirates Area Manager Sri Lanka & Maldives. “This makes the Emirates lounge a tangible value addition to passengers departing or transiting at the BIA. Our investment in this facility reflects the continuing commitment of Emirates to its operations in Sri Lanka, as well as our optimism about the potential of the destination.”

The Emirates lounge at the BIA features 58 leather armchairs, a dining area for 54 people, a Business Centre with seating for six, an outdoor terrace overlooking airside with seating, a well-stocked bar, a TV viewing area with the choice of most of the international channels, a dedicated prayer room, shower facilities, and washrooms for males, females and disabled. It offers buffet dining for all meals and Wi-Fi facilities.

Besides the new lounge in Colombo, Emirates has three lounges in Dubai, and has launched 27 other lounges in key cities across its network since 2005. They are in Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Birmingham, Brisbane, Dusseldorf, Delhi, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester, Melbourne, Mumbai, Munich, New York JFK, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Perth, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Zurich.

The winner of more than 500 prestigious international travel and aviation awards, Emirates operates 14 direct flights a week from Colombo to Dubai, seven flights via Male to Dubai and daily flights from Colombo to Singapore, offering First, Business and Economy Class services. The Emirates global network now comprises 121 destinations.