Following the great success of The Loft and the company’s rising passenger numbers, Brussels Airlines increases the capacity of its Brussels Airport lounge and further improves the comfort for their highest tier customers. Business travellers remain an important part of Brussels Airlines’ customer base; therefore the company continues to invest in the highest standard in hospitality. In order to offer the 1,500 Business Class customers and frequent flyers who visit the Loft each day a quality experience, Brussels Airlines has teamed up with renowned partners, who are all driven by design, technology and innovation.
The Loft by Brussels Airlines is a unique lounge concept at Brussels Airport, centred on comfort, technology, design and Belgitude. Since its inauguration in October 2014, The Loft welcomed more than 1.5 million travellers departing from Pier A at Brussels Airport.
Today the airline increases the capacity of ‘The Loft’ with 66% to a total of 2040 m², making it possible to welcome 500 travellers. But next to more physical space, The Loft now offers also new innovative experiences, for which Brussels Airlines has partnered up with quality brands Lexus, Miele, Grohe, Corian and Dyson, who are experts in design, technology and innovation.
“Customer centricity is at the heart of everything we do. We are known for our welcoming service and our Belgitude, which is reflected throughout The Loft. Business travellers remain an important part of our customer base; therefore we continue to invest in their comfort, working together with partners like Lexus who are driven by the highest quality service. With The Loft, we offer our customers an ideal environment, designed to meet their individual needs to relax, be productive or to be entertained.”
– Christina Foerster, CEO Brussels Airlines
The additional 800m² include an open space designed by Lexus, showcasing objects from the Lexus design awards, letting guests discover the brand’s luxury lifestyle. This space has been created following the traditions of omotenashi, the Japanese concept of hospitality and one of the core values of Lexus. Omotenashi goes further than just meeting an individual’s needs; it is about anticipating them before they arise.
“Omotenashi fits perfectly with the Brussels Airlines mantra ‘We go the extra smile’. Customers are treated with the welcome and hospitality that would be given to a guest at home. Our guests spend a great amount of time in The Loft, 74 minutes on average, so it is important to provide them with a high-quality service and to make sure they have an inspiring space to relax or to work before the flight.”
– Tanguy Cartuyvels, Vice President Marketing at Brussels Airlines
The new Loft also offers an enclosed VIP area for HON Circle members (the highest tier in the Miles & More loyalty programme) with a living room showcasing a changing art collection of foreign and Belgian art. Next to that, an array of the finest gastronomy in a state of the art Miele kitchen is offered to make travellers feel at home away from home.
Furthermore, The Loft offers private nap rooms, inspired by the new long-haul Business Class cabin that the airline will launch at the end of this year. They showcase fine art images produced by cultural engineering agency Meta-Morphosis. Each artwork has a link to Belgium. A massage area completes the experience; thanks to Panasonic relax chairs, simulating the Shiatsu treatment available in the seating of the new Lexus LS sedan. Another new experience includes the Grohe Spa, consisting of 11 bathrooms, each with their own settings according to personal preference, steam bath, music and light therapy, creating 11 unique moods and spa experiences. A game room featuring an impressive red velvet pool table concludes The Loft’s new experiences, letting Loft guests come together to play a game of pool.
On board as well as on the ground, Brussels Airlines wants to be an ambassador for Belgium. Therefore the ‘Belgitude’ is omnipresent in The Loft. This translates into the Art Nouveau design of the lounge, the many historical items from the Tintin universe and also the gastronomy. Belgian culinary delights are provided by caterer Newrest, while Belgian family-owned company Rombouts provides a daily dose of traditionally roasted premium coffee. Neuhaus’ chocolates give The Loft’s international audience an indulgent taste of Belgium and the beers from AB InBev complement the offer at the Belgian Bar, where lounge guests can pull their own draft beer.
Next to the airline’s own customers, Brussels Airlines also welcomes Business Class passengers and frequent flyers from many other international carriers to the Loft, including Star Alliance carriers, but also non-Star Alliance partners like Emirates, Etihad, Air Malta and Finnair. The new Loft will open to the public at the beginning of June.
