Airports: can you imagine a time when they were the epitome of glamour? Jet-setting is now so easy now that air travel has become more mundane and less of the adventure – b ut if you’ve ever visited an posh airport lounge, you’ll know the thrill of opening a can of Coke you didn’t pay for (not counting the ticket price, of course). At Heathrow and Gatwick, Emirates passengers have enjoyed luxurious lounges for nearly 20 years. One major London airport has been conspicuously left out (well, three if you count London City and Luton but no one really does).
That is, until last Thursday, September 19, when Emirates unveiled its new lounge at Stansted Airport. The new lounge is located in Satellite 1 of Stansted’s main terminal - a handy three minutes’ walk from the departure gates. Along with its sleek decor, the lounge offers ‘farm to table’ gourmet dining thanks to Full Circle Farms in Sussex.
There’s an important caveat though: the lounge is only for the airline’s ‘premium customers’. That means people who’ve coughed up for First and Business Class tickets, and Emirates Skywards members who’ve clocked enough miles to reach ‘Platinum’ or ‘Gold’ status. Economy flyers can pay extra for one-time access to the lounge, subject to availability.
How much does that cost? Well, you pay a flat rate, plus local taxes, for a four-hour jaunt in the lounge. If you add the estimated 20 percent tax payable in the UK, it costs around $186 (£140). For Econom.