It seems easyJet is trying to attract more premium passengers to its network, with a new lounge to be opened at Gatwick Airport.
Its first airport lounge will be launched in collaboration with No1 Lounges at the North Terminal at London Gatwick Airport.
It will open on 21 October. The new lounge can be booked in advance through easyJet’s exclusive partnership with Holiday Extras, at https://parking.easyjet.com/easyjet-lounges.html or customers can simply book in on the day of travel.
A range of one, two and three-hour packages are available with prices starting from just £18.50.
The Gateway will offer passengers comfortable spaces space to eat, drink, work and play before their flight. The Gateway will offer customers a choice of complimentary hot and cold menus with a selection of enticing dishes, freshly prepared and served to their tables, alongside a range of self-serve side dishes and hot and cold drinks.
Destination-inspired signature dishes, which change every quarter, will be offered for those wishing to get that authentic taste of Europe before they jet off, as well as the lounge’s own signature cocktail list.
The Gateway provides free Wifi and areas to work with convenient charging points along with a choice of dining and lounge soft-seating for relaxing with refreshments, as well as areas that families can enjoy exploring including the TV den and games room.
The launch comes as the airline reports that business travel is returning to easyJet with corporates attracted by its value, network and approach to sustainability.
In Quotes
Rachael Smith, Commercial Proposition & Innovation Director for easyJet, commented:
“We are delighted to be launching our very first airport lounge in partnership with No1 Lounges to serve passengers at London Gatwick, where we’re proud to be the largest airline.
We’re always looking for opportunities to offer travellers more choice and great value, so we’re proud that The Gateway will be able to offer something for everyone whether it’s all the essentials for a workspace, somewhere comfortable to relax before jetting off or to entertain the family.
“The launch is timely as we are seeing the recovery begin in the UK, not only for leisure travel where winter sun destinations are proving popular once again, but for business travellers too, who are returning in their biggest numbers since before the pandemic.
“Whatever the reason for travel, we are confident that the lounge will provide the perfect destination for customers wanting to get their trip off to a perfect start.”
Shaun Weston, Managing Director of No1 Lounges, said:
‘We are excited to launch this new lounge concept at Gatwick Airport in partnership with easyJet. The Gateway is the destination at Gatwick North Terminal to enjoy a laid back, relaxed pre-flight experience. This new lounge concept will be the first opportunity for us to develop a new market segment in partnership with easyJet. We are anticipating that this lounge will be extremely popular during the travel renaissance as we recover from challenging times. We can’t wait to introduce and welcome a new audience to the world of airport lounging’
Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer, Gatwick Airport said:
“We are delighted to welcome easyJet’s and No1 Lounges, The Gateway, to our North Terminal. As Gatwick’s biggest airline, it’s fantastic that easyJet has a dedicated space for all passengers to relax before their flight, whether travelling for business, leisure or with their family.”
James Lewis, Head of Partnerships at Holiday Extras, said:
“Two of our most important partners working together to better serve our customers can only be good news for Holiday Extras. We’re especially pleased to be able to offer our customers one-hour bookings in the new lounge as travel gets back to normal and people head off on shorter city breaks for the autumn and winter season.”
All passengers travelling through London Gatwick Airport North Terminal can book to use the lounge regardless of airline or travel ticket class. They can also arrive without a booking and present their easyJet boarding pass on entry to the lounge.
Lounges have their uses for any traveller
I’ve always found the use of a lounge at an airport not be for the food or drink, rather as a quiet place to unwind and prepare things before I’m trapped on a metal tube for however many hours I’m in the air.
easyJet is targeting business, family and individual travellers with its new lounge – for those who need a quiet spot before a flight, to those who want to dine and drink, or for a place to sit the children down that isn’t the floor of the terminal.
Ultimately, the cost will be the key factor and if the passenger wants to pay for it. It’ll be interesting to see what ultilisation the lounge has after the launch period.
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