Always innovating

Airport World discovers that lounge operators continue to up their game and invest in new facilities to meet growing demand from travellers that are looking to enhance their airport experience.

It has been a busy year to date for the Plaza Premium Group, which has announced the opening or planned introduction of a number of new lounges, signed a partnership agreement with PT IAS Hospitality Indonesia, and launched autonomous wheelchairs to transport passengers around airport terminals.

Ever innovative, PPG started the new year in style with the launch of a Premium First Lounge (PPF) at Rome Fiumicino Airport and announcing plans to expand its lounge offerings at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to four facilities by the start of the busy summer season at the Turkish gateway.

The total will include the newly opened Plaza Premium Lounge Anadolu in Domestic Departures and a new international lounge created by upgrading the former domestic lounge. Next on the agenda for Sabiha Gökçen is a Plaza Premium First (PPF) lounge.

This was followed by the opening of a new Plaza Premium Lounge (PPL) at Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport (DMM) in Saudi Arabia, and the debut of two new lounges, including its first PPF in the US, at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

In between the lounge openings in DMM and DFW, Plaza Premium Group and PT IAS Hospitality – a subsidiary of InJourney Aviation Services that specialises in premium airport hospitality solutions and operates executive lounges and inflight catering services across key airports in Indonesia – have collaborated to expand premium lounge access for passengers across Indonesia and worldwide.

Under the collaboration, customers of PPG’s partners can access 26 lounges operated by IASH across Indonesia, while customers of IASH’s partners can access up to 100 Plaza Premium Lounges globally.

“Southeast Asia is a key strategic market for our business, and Indonesia, as the largest economy in ASEAN and a fast-growing tourism market, presents a significant opportunity for growth,” commented Song Hoi See, founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group.

“We are excited to add IASH’s lounges to our growing global lounge network. This partnership underscores our shared ambition to raise the bar for airport hospitality by offering a consistent, high-quality lounge experience for business and leisure travellers, whether departing from Indonesia or connecting through major international gateways.”

Plaza Premium Group has also launched a new autonomous wheelchair service at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) through its ALLWAYS brand to enhance passenger mobility services.

Its self-driving wheelchairs, part of a wider service expansion, are designed to navigate the airport, providing a modern, hands-free mobility solution for travellers needing assistance.

Elsewhere, Zebra has designed a new Aspire Executive Lounge at Copenhagen Airport. Commissioned by Aspire – the hospitality brand of Swissport International – the lounge design is said to be inspired by Copenhagen’s reputation as ‘The City of Spires’.

Indeed, Zebra says that its design integrates references to medieval and renaissance silhouettes, like the iconic copper-clad spires found across the skyline, and the modern Scandinavian ethos, coupled with an international perspective that defines the Danish capital.

Mia Tsujimura, associate director at Zebra, remarked: “Designing the Aspire Lounge in Copenhagen was an opportunity to craft a spatial narrative that resonates with both place and purpose.

“We drew from the city’s architectural language; its skyline, textures, and tonal richness, to create a sanctuary that feels distinctly local yet globally relevant. Every detail was considered to create a calm sense of place for the modern traveller.”

The distinctive shape of the city’s spires, for example, has subtly informed design elements throughout the space, such as inspiring angular forms in shelving, lighting, and signage.

David Collyer, global senior vice president of Aspire Executive Lounges, commented: “Our new lounge at Copenhagen Airport reflects our commitment to well-designed spaces that deliver comfort, relaxation and a seamless experience for our guests, while embodying a sense of place and truly celebrating Danish culture.”

Another operator enjoying a good start to 2026 is Airport Dimensions, which has opened new facilities in Indonesia, Hong Kong and Vietnam to significantly strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Building on a period of rapid growth that includes recent high-profile developments in Hong Kong (opening of a second Kyra Lounge), Jakarta (Blue Sky Premier Lounge) and Ho Chi Minh City (new Rose Business Lounge), in early March the company announced the official opening of the Blue Sky Premier Lounge in the International Terminal (T2) at Juanda International Airport (SUB) in Surabaya.

The new Blue Sky Lounge in Surabaya follows the successful launch of the Blue Sky Premier Lounge at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport earlier this year.

Indeed, Airport Dimensions believes that the Jakarta facility has become a benchmark for the partnership between Airport Dimensions and Blue Sky Group, pairing what it describes as “local relevance with world-class hospitality standards” to serve Indonesia’s dynamic travel market.

Spanning 462 square metres and accommodating up to 101 guests, the new lounge at SUB is described as a sophisticated sanctuary that draws inspiration from Surabaya’s identity as the ‘City of Heroes’.

The design narrative is said to seamlessly blend Western influences, characterised by warm woods and muted heritage tones, with the elegant textures of Indonesian tradition, including framed batik that pays homage to the resilience of Kota Pahlawan.

Errol McGlothan, president of EMEA & APAC at Airport Dimensions, commented: “Aviation across Southeast Asia is growing rapidly, with secondary cities like Surabaya playing an increasingly important role in international connectivity.

“That growth brings a diverse mix of travellers – from early regional departures to long-haul connections, business passengers and families – placing new demands on the airport experience.

“Through our work across Indonesia and the wider Asia-Pacific region, we have seen first-hand how expectations are evolving: people want space to reset, quality food, areas to work, and environments that support every type of journey. This lounge reflects that understanding, responding to how people travel today while delivering the consistent global standards international passengers expect.”

Airport Dimensions notes that the opening of the second Kyra Lounge in Hong Kong is designed to build on the award-winning launch of the original that was recently named the best Priority Pass lounge in Asia Pacific.

While in Vietnam, the company has celebrated the unveiling of the upgraded Rose Business Lounge at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City in partnership with SASCO.

And there’s more to come in Vietnam following the recent announcement of a new lounge in development at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport. It is being delivered in collaboration with Vietnam Airport Services Joint Stock Company, Vietnam’s leading airport commercial services provider.

The new additions to its portfolio mean that Airport Dimensions now has a presence at 85 airports across the globe.