Yahoo News Newcastle Airport launches its first ever three-tier lounge in partnership with Swissport
Newcastle International Airport has launched its first ever three-tier lounge in partnership with leading global aviation service provider Swissport. Aspire Executive Lounge offerS economy, business and first-class capabilities in one space.
The Classic Lounge offers an updated experience with a stocked bar and hot and cold food, and comes in at the lowest price point. The Luxe and Suite options are an upgrade on this, with further options and a great view of the runway for any people who are keen plane spotters.
Simon Calder, renowned travel journalist, was at the event, hosting a question and answer session with David Collyer, the Global Vice President of Executive Lounges at Swissport. Also known for his TV work on The Travel Show and Rip Off Britain, Simon has spoken about why he feels that this lounge is a huge step in the right direction.
He said: "I am watching this with great interest as I believe that people are now much more invested in the wider experience of their holiday, and that they want to enjoy her journey. This is really significant as people now want a lounge experience more than ever, and the three tier system provides a wonderful opportunity for people to pitch the price of the holiday at their own level.
"It's great to see the transformation and it is clear that a lot of work has gone into creating something very special. With air fares going up, which is unavoidable, the cost of the airport experience is shrinking in proportion to the overall price, so people are very happy to upgrade their trip.
David Collyer, Global Vice President of Executive Lounges at Swissport, said: "I come from a background in hospitality and I always wanted the experience of a hotel guest to translate to the same thing in an airport passenger experience. We looked at data and trend spotted, in order to look at the future and upgrade the options that travellers have.
"We decided to cater for everyone, and went through a design and testing period, when people were clearly anticipating us coming back to the airport. Due to our partnership with British Airways we were able to knock through into their old lounge and expand our offering through this.
"We believe that this is a fantastic product and I am personally very happy with the results. One of the best things about working in this industry is that we will be here for a long time so we can perfect the service that we offer as much as possible."
