Thai Airways take top honour at World Airline Awards with Best First Class lounge ... Virgin Atlantic's London Heathrow Club House named Best Business Class lounge

		THAI AIRWAYS first class lounge is 2007 Award winner for comfort and service
	"Global survey ..... multi-national interviews ..... Global awards"

"Airline lounges around the world continue to change in size, appearance and amenities offered, and this is well demonstrated by our Award winners in 2007" says Edward Plaisted (CEO of the survey organisation, Skytrax).

"No longer is it just a segregated waiting room offering some free drinks, snacks or newspapers, but has developed into airlines offering in some cases the ultimate luxury items - it is to be viewed as an experience in itself on some occasions. Thai Airways new Royal First class lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport has the most extensive choice of options to satisfy passenger demand, and combines these facilities with exclusive staff service attention to offer what our respondents named as the world's Best" added Plaisted.

"Customers want space, privacy, comfort and facilities such as shower rooms, dining options, internet etc" says Peter Miller of Skytrax, "but Thai went further and installed an exclusive Spa facility with a ranges of services including Gym Room, Foot-massage and traditional Thai massage. Add to this the Spa suites with jacuzzi, and one can understand why customers seem to be happy here."

Another star performer in the 2007 results is Qatar Airways Premium Terminal in Doha - a self-contained terminal serving only First and Business class customers, with lounges that are more reminiscent of a 5 Star hotel standard. Bedrooms for transit passengers, beauty and health treatments, jacuzzi and restaurant style eating are amongst the facilities on offer.

In the Business Class category, Virgin Atlantic was the 2007 winner, respondents voting in the main for Virgin's Club House lounge at London's Heathrow airport. "In line with the Virgin image, this is a lounge that is modelled more around a trendy and slightly quirky style" said Plaisted. "It does not aim to offer perhaps the calming atmosphere of many airline lounges, but certainly offers an impressive array of facilities and options to while away the waiting time."

Charts show airline name and "home" base airport name for the winning lounge.

 

 



SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The Worlds Best Airline Lounge Survey is commissioned and conducted by Skytrax Research of London. No outside sponsorship or external influence is applied to any aspect of the Survey.

More than 90 different nationalities of survey respondents are represented in the final survey results. Out of a total 589,335 interviews for the Survey, 2,336 responses were ineligible - either due to duplicate submissions, or where input was not considered bona-fide or independent).

The Worlds Best Airline Lounge Survey data was gathered using a range of input sources:

 Online Customer Survey
 Business Research Group Interviews
 Customer Telephone Interviews
 Selected Passenger Interviews


Additional research comprised back-up interviews, amongst a random, representative sample of Survey respondents. This research was to both verify survey interviews, and to gain respondent reasons for specific airline nominations.


Further enquiries should be directed to:

Mr Peter Miller
Marketing Director
SKYTRAX RESEARCH
E-mail: miller@airlinequality.com