Havens Await

As air travel slowly begins to pick up, airport lounges – those oases of sanity – are reborn

- By Susan Mckee

Bountiful buffets? Gone. Pitchers of lemonade, iced tea, and cucumber water? Nope. Stacks of newspapers and magazines? Missing.

Welcome to the COVID19-era airport lounge. In those that are open, expected amenities have vanished (forget about taking a shower).

Yet, the key attribute of the lounge experience remains Peace and quiet. Once you step through the door, the tumult of the terminal vanishes. Comfortable seating, fast WiFi and plenty of electrical outlets await.

Then there’s the staff. Do you want to change your seat assignment for an upcoming flight or have another question about your reservation? The clerks at the front desk can handle it. Need to track down a missing suitcase? They can help. And, unlike in the terminal, there’s no long line – and no crowd.

Lounge operators are going to great lengths to protect staff and passengers from the risk of the novel coronavirus, knowing that safety is of primary importance to rebuilding trust, and traffic.