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Cape Town - British Airways officially opened its new R19.8m lounge at Cape Town International Airport on Wednesday.
It is the first in South Africa to be modelled on its Galleries Lounges in Terminal 5.
It is twice the size of the previous facility and able to accommodate 148 customers.
The Cape Town lounge opened just a month before the airline increases its winter schedule to the Mother City from seven to 10 weekly services.
Speaking at the event, Denize McGregor, head of customer service and operations, said lounges are a small, but significant component of a £5bn, five-year investment programme.
New aircraft, such as the A380 – now flying six times weekly to Johannesburg – and the 787 Dreamliner are the centrepiece of this, but it also extends to enhancing cabins, catering, in-flight entertainment and the airport experience.
“Lounges are an important part of our customer service experience for our premium customers and most loyal frequent flyers,” said McGregor.
Alan Winde, Western Cape MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, said that the London/Cape Town route is important to the Western Cape economy, both in terms of direct tourism and business travel, but also because travellers from the United States are using London as a hub to connect to Cape Town.
“By increasing its services to Cape Town and investing in facilities here, British Airways is demonstrating confidence in the Western Cape economy and its continued growth,” he said.
It is the first in South Africa to be modelled on its Galleries Lounges in Terminal 5.
It is twice the size of the previous facility and able to accommodate 148 customers.
The Cape Town lounge opened just a month before the airline increases its winter schedule to the Mother City from seven to 10 weekly services.
Speaking at the event, Denize McGregor, head of customer service and operations, said lounges are a small, but significant component of a £5bn, five-year investment programme.
New aircraft, such as the A380 – now flying six times weekly to Johannesburg – and the 787 Dreamliner are the centrepiece of this, but it also extends to enhancing cabins, catering, in-flight entertainment and the airport experience.
“Lounges are an important part of our customer service experience for our premium customers and most loyal frequent flyers,” said McGregor.
Alan Winde, Western Cape MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, said that the London/Cape Town route is important to the Western Cape economy, both in terms of direct tourism and business travel, but also because travellers from the United States are using London as a hub to connect to Cape Town.
“By increasing its services to Cape Town and investing in facilities here, British Airways is demonstrating confidence in the Western Cape economy and its continued growth,” he said.
