Emirates opens dedicated lounge at Atatürk Airport

Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing airlines, today celebrated the opening of its dedicated lounge for First Class and Business Class passengers as well as Gold members of Skywards - the airline’s frequent flyer programme, at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport (IST).

The grand opening was marked by a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by local dignitaries, members of the media and senior Emirates staff.  “We reaffirm our commitment to providing our discerning customers with consistently high standards, with our 1.5 million euro investment in the new Istanbul lounge,” said Mohammed H. Mattar, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President - Airport Services.  “Lounges are an integral part of a stress-free, seamless travel experience, and it is this type of investment that sets Emirates apart. It is a matter of great pride to be adding Istanbul as the 30th Emirates Lounge in our network of lounges.”

Located at the transit area of the International Terminal of Ataturk Airport, the new Emirates Lounge offers seating for over 100 customers covering an indoor area of 520 square meters. It has been designed with the same attention to detail as the other Emirates’ lounges throughout the world, where guests can enjoy an array of luxurious amenities. These include an extensive range of gourmet dishes from Turkish and world cuisine, as well as a complimentary full-bar service including premium wine, spirits and champagne. The Lounge also offers services like a fully equipped business centre with Wi-Fi connectivity, TV and reading areas, shower facilities and a prayer room.

Istanbul Deputy Governor Ahmet Aydin: Emirates Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria Manager Bahar Ahmet Birinci; Mohammed H. Mattar, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President - Airport Services

Istanbul Police Headquarters Ataturk Airport Chief Sener Yilmaz;TAV General Manager Kemal Unlu;Istanbul Police Headquarters Ataturk Airport Deputy Manager Osman Kaplan;Mohammed H. Mattar;Istanbul Deputy Governor Ahmet Aydin Bahar Ahmet Birinci;State Airport Authorities Director in Chief for Istanbul Ataturk Airport Celal Ozugur

“We do not want to limit the joy of travel to only the flight time, but to extend that to the entire journey,” said Bahar Ahmet Birinci, Emirates Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria General Manager.  “Recognizing the fact that travel starts from the moment you leave your home, from our chauffeur service to the new lounge at the airport, we want our guests to enjoy their complete travel experience with Emirates.”

Highlighting that Emirates is amongst few airlines that provide customers with dedicated lounges, Birinci said, “Designed in keeping with the international standards of Emirates, the Lounge distinguishes from other dedicated lounges with the amenities on offer.”

 About Emirates Lounge:

• Can be availed by Emirates First Class and Business Class passengers as well as Skywards Gold members.
• Offers its guests an extensive open buffet of gourmet dishes from the Turkish and world cuisine, as well as a complimentary full-bar service including premium wine, spirits and champagne
• Also offers services like a fully equipped business centre with Wi-Fi connection, TV and reading areas, shower facilities and a prayer room
• Offering seating for over 100 customers with an area of 520 square meters with sea and runway view.
• Furnished with Italian marble floors, Gold Rolex clocks, 56 leather armchairs and mahogany furniture in line with the worldwide Emirates quality standards.
• With the opening of the new Lounge in IST, Emirates now operates 30 dedicated lounges around its six-continent network including lounges in Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Birmingham, Brisbane, three lounges in Dubai, Delhi, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester, Munich, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York - JFK, Paris - Charles de Gaulle, Perth, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Shanghai and Zurich. 

Source: Emirates.com (23/05/2012)