South African Airways opens new domestic lounge, called VIA
Following months of extensive refurbishment, patrons travelling to local destinations will now be able to enjoy a new contemporary and stylish South African Airways (SAA) lounge - called the VIA lounge - in the domestic departure area of OR Tambo International Airport.
“The new facility has been appropriately named VIA lounge, as the lounges are a transition point for travellers for they travel via the airport to the destination of their choice. The lounge will offer a fantastic pre-departure experience displayed through warm hospitality that has become synonymous with the SAA brand,” says Sylvain Bosc, SAA Chief Commercial Officer.
The lounge features ample and comfortable seating areas, quality, fresh cuisine, a rotating art gallery showcasing South African artists, a kids’ area, the Junior Pilots, runway views and high speed internet. “Whether they want to relax or work before a flight, the lounge is the perfect place to do this,” Bosc continues.
The lounge design was done by Switch, an award winning Johannesburg-based agency. Travellers can look forward to a sophisticated, yet welcoming contemporary space with subtle, earthy tones to complement the SAA colour palette and aircraft interiors. The fabric and texture create a link between the platinum and business lounge experience, while the clever geographic naming device allows a celebration of the city through the visual language and local food expertly served by the VIA lounge crew.
Due to their long-standing relationship, SAA and Investec collaborated closely during the conceptualisation and execution of the VIA lounges. Ryan Tholet, Head of Investec Private Bank SA says, “It was exciting for us to work with the SAA team in terms of design, catering and staff training and to help them bring this lounge experience to life. We pride ourselves on our outstanding client experience, so we were delighted to share our expertise with SAA and, in doing so, ensure our clients have a similar experience while using these lounges.”
SAA business class, Voyager Lifetime Platinum, Platinum, Gold and Silver members, SAA Voyager/Nedbank Premium Credit Card, Star Alliance Gold members and Investec Private Bank Account card holders have access to the lounge.