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Priority Pass and the paradox of airport lounge access
Priority Pass revolutionised airport comfort but is now racing to put that rope back up. Can luxury survive its own popularity?
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Airport lounge access may not be a luxury, but people count it as one of the main attractions of fee-paying cards and are loath to be deprived.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
John Gapper
Imagine bypassing the crush at many airports by being chauffeured to a private VIP suite and onward to the steps of your aircraft when the flight is ready. It is a far cry from having to line up for a busy terminal lounge and being refused entry because it is full.
The experiences are at opposite ends of the travel spectrum, yet they are now spanned by one brand. Priority Pass, the world’s largest airport lounge network, with more than 30 million members and 1,800 lounges and other facilities, was joined in September by an elite offshoot called Priority Pass Private.
