A few months ago the Finnair Premium Lounge in non-Schengen area at Helsinki Vantaa airport closed for a complete refurbishment, but there have been very few details about what to expect when the lounge reopens, until now. From this spring there will no longer be a Premium Lounge, but a Platinum Wing.
Both the Business Lounge and the Premium Lounge are currently under refurbishment but in different stages. The Premium Lounge will be moved further to the south and the Business Lounge will be enlarged, using some of the space previously used for the Premium Lounge.
However the new top-tier lounge will no longer be called Finnair Premium Lounge, but Finnair Platinum Wing, and there is a reason for it. When it opened it was available to OneWorld Sapphire and Emerald members as well as Finnair Plus Gold and Platinum. Later on the rules changed and OneWorld Sapphires were no longer admitted, at least not during peak times (at other times they could be allowed in at the discretion of the lounge staff) but when the new Platinum Wing opens also Finnair Gold members will be directed to the Business Lounge nextdoors.
The Platinum Wing will only be available to OneWorld Emerald, Finnair Platinum and Finnair Lumo passengers. And of course you need to travel on Finnair or a OneWorld airline, and it has to be to a non-Schengen destination.
The Finnair Platinum Wing is expected to open on 26 March 2019 and will have space for 155 guests.
Here are some of the facilities mentioned on the Finnair webpage:
-Seats for 155 guests
-Different spaces for working, relaxing and dining
-Private phone booth
-Living room area for even more comfortable lounging
-Private shower suites and a Finnish sauna
-Bar area
-Printing facilities
-Free internet access
-Newspapers and magazines available
-Food and drinks offering
-Hot breakfast from 5.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.
-A high-quality food selection: à la carte dining, salad bar, desserts and snacks from 10.30 a.m. to 12 midnight
-Upgraded beverage selection
-Barista coffee, tea
So the signature sauna will still be available, but it will most likely be a different sauna.
In the past the differences between the superior Premium Lounge and the regular Business Lounge included not just the sauna but a better selection of wines and spirits, champagne for self service, better food and snacks as well as generally better and more attentive service. The Premium Lounge also had a more high-tech design, created by Finnish designer Vertti Kivi.
Now when both Finnair Gold and OneWorld Sapphire flyers will be directed to the Business Lounge there will also be less people in the lounge and possibly even more attentive service.
Be the first to comment