Transforming the Airport Lounge into its Own Destination by Mei Mei Song, Plaza Premium Group’s Chief Transformation Officer

“Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret” – Oscar Wilde

Travel has always played a significant role in my life. As the daughter of Mr. Song Hoi See, the founder of Plaza Premium Group, I inherited a deep passion for our family’s business. We live and breathe the travel industry, constantly adapting to its ever-changing trends and consumer behaviours. Today, my role involves examining our brand’s practices and experiences, developing strategies to elevate our business to new heights.

We continuously ask ourselves how we can address our guests’ pain points, make every interaction within our network valuable to both guests and us, foster a healthy workspace for our employees to prioritize guest satisfaction, and ultimately, enhance travel experiences for all. Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution to these questions, I am confident that Plaza Premium Group is heading in the right direction in creating seamless and meaningful travel experiences for everyone.

You may have come across the saying, “It’s the journey, not the destination.” This saying could not ring any truer. I find myself constantly at the airport for both work and family trips, and every time I travel, I like to think of the destination I am heading to. How do I get there? What can I experience? What’s the culture like? How’s the people and lifestyle? What are the local dishes or drinks? I am sure it’s the same for anyone who is travelling. I am the type of person who truly appreciates both the journey and the destination.

As part of PPG’s global brand and transformation team, my team and I work tirelessly to ensure that the 20 million customers we serve each year through our airport lounges, dining outlets, transit hotels, and airport concierge services have no regrets about any aspect of their travel experience, from beginning to end. Sometimes travelling can be very stressful with the check-ins, security, immigrations, long transit hours or, in fact, short transit hours where you’re scared to miss a connecting flight. You’re hungry, tired, confused, stressed, and would just like some help. That’s where you will find us. Our products and services are created from observing the needs and pain points of travellers. We know what the traveller needs, and we have the right expertise and network to make sure your airport experience is something to look forward to instead of dreading it.

The airport lounge’s humble beginnings

PPG is a pioneer of the independent airport lounge concept, with our first Plaza Premium Lounge launch in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur in 1998. This was a time when the concept of an airport lounge was only reserved for business and first-class travellers, and those without this entitlement did not have any option to use the facilities and experience the comforts of an airport lounge. Fast forward 26 years later, starting with modest airport lounges in just two cities, today, PPG has expanded to over 1,600 global touchpoints in over 80 airports and spanning 30 countries from Asia, Europe, Australia, South America, North America, India, Africa, and the Middle East, and we’re still growing rapidly. Our growth stems from our unwavering focus on the customer, our continuous efforts to enhance the experience, and our love for travel.

The Airports Council International ASQ Global Traveller Survey, which we are a strong supporter of, revealed that post-pandemic consumers have different expectations. “For many consumers, the ‘live in the moment’ spirit drives their demand for optimal use of their time and the maximization of experiences, including a strong shift away from purely transactional encounters,” states the report. Surveys have shown that travellers now have higher expectations for their airport experiences and are willing to pay more for premium services. By providing an airport lounge that goes beyond being a mere place to sit, eat, and drink, we meet the elevated desires of travellers to be engaged.

Redefining the airport lounge: “Your Destination Before Departure”

That is why, this year, we launched an initiative called “Your Destination Before Departure” to redefine the airport lounge experience, transforming it into a “must-go” destination. Yes, you read that correctly. We believe that the airport lounge is more than just a transitory space, a middle ground before reaching your destination. This initiative is a significant milestone for PPG as it cements our commitment to become the ultimate destination for every traveller before they fly. We establish our Plaza Premium Lounges as a cultural representation of the location where the lounge is situated.

“Your Destination Before Departure” is more than just a campaign or initiative; it’s a promise to our customers. Our goal is to transform the airport experience into an unforgettable journey, infused with the unique culture and essence of each lounge. This initiative of PPG will transform how we look at lounge spaces and curate them to showcase the best of the local cultures and how we incorporate them into our lounge experiences. From the moment our guests arrive, they will be warmly welcomed by our Lounge Ambassadors, dressed in traditional attire, who share insights into the location, setting the tone for their pre-flight experience.

To pilot this this initiative, our six locations namely Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Nagoya, Adelaide, Rome, and Dubai take centre stage. We want to immerse our guests in the rich cultural heritage and destination-specific experiences. They can indulge in the local food and beverage corner, savour local snacks, dishes, and locally crafted beverages. We have thoughtfully designed a local corner, showcasing art pieces and decor that reflect the true soul of the destination. 

Experiencing local culture in airport lounges

For instance, you can now taste our signature laksa noodles while exploring our art curation featuring local Malaysian artist in our Kuala Lumpur Lounge,  immerse yourself in the roman architecture inspired interiors and F&B offerings of our award-winning lounge in Rome, Sip on locally brewed sake or hojicha  while listening to live traditional music in our Nagoya lounge, fill up your sweet cravings with local signature desserts such as the pavlova and lamingtons paired perfectly with the finest locally roasted coffee of South Australia in our Adelaide lounge, to add on, they even have a fantastic offering of local wines, beers, and spirits. In our Dubai lounge, you could have a taste of the local food, try the famous Emirati dates and while your there, you could also get yourself a henna tattoo by a qualified artist. We have also introduced locally crafted goods and souvenirs at our lounges, it is a great opportunity to connect with the local community and business owners while providing a unique glimpse into the local traditions. 

These lounge reinventions embody what we like to call a “proudly local” approach — a sense of place and a community-driven environment that goes beyond the practicalities of a transit stopover. It celebrates the very essence of why we all love to travel. 

The passenger journey redefined

At PPG, we strive to enable a customer-first approach and we are always looking for new creative ways to build a seamless holistic airport experience. The more time a traveller enjoys spending at the airport translates to a higher non-aeronautical revenue for the airports, benefiting the airport, concessionaires, services providers and travellers, encouraging repeat visits. I always ask people I meet, which airline or airport do you prefer to take or transit in? and I get different responses every time but one thing that is always the same is why they choose that airline or airport and that is the experience!

We at Plaza Premium Group are set out on a mission to make travel better by building meaningful and memorable experiences in all the locations we operate in and our ‘Your Destination Before Departure” initiative is only one channel towards that goal. Our company is working on introducing many creative and innovative concepts in the realm of technological advancements, enforcing sustainable practices and building people reinforcing PPG as a global leader in integrated, 360° airport hospitality experiences and passenger service solutions.

Together, we make travel better.

This is sponsored content. Sponsored content is provided by third parties including airports, members of ACI, World Business Partners, and others. The views expressed and/or presented by these third parties through sponsored content are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of ACI, its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.