Plaza Premium lounges receive the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Lounge Safety Ratings
By Peter Miller, Skytrax – London, UK
Plaza Premium Lounges at London Heathrow and Rome Fiumicino Airports have been awarded with the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Lounge Safety Rating, by international air transport rating agency Skytrax.
The Plaza Premium lounges at Terminal 2, London Heathrow Airport and Terminal 3, Rome Fiumicino Airport have both received the 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Lounge Safety Rating in recognition of the excellent and consistent measures in place to reduce the risks associated with the spread of COVID-19.
The 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Lounge Safety Rating is the highest possible Rating for an airline or independent operator lounge, with the facilities and staff service demonstrating consistent and high standards of cleanliness, with efficient procedures and well controlled service.
“We are thrilled to be awarded with the highest 5-Star Covid-19 Airline Lounge Safety Rating. Safeguarding everyone’s health and wellbeing is of utmost importance to us. Air travelling may seem a little stressful these days, but thanks to our global teams for their dedication and commitment to ensuring a hygienic and safe environment for our guests, we hope that travellers can achieve a comforting peace of mind during these unprecedented times. All of our lounges around the world strictly follow our global safety and quality standards, and as travel demand recovers, we look forward to hosting more of our valued guests in our newly-opened and re-opened departure, transit and arrival locations,” said Sylvio Angelone, Chief Operating Officer of Plaza Premium Group.
The COVID-19 Airline Lounge Safety Ratings evaluate and certify the safety and hygiene protocols put in place by lounge operators to ensure that the lounges are meeting the highest hygiene standards, and delivering enhanced safety levels for customers and staff. The COVID-19 Lounge Audit evaluates over 150 lounge safety protocols across both the lounge facilities and standards of staff service.
Plaza Premium lounges at London Heathrow Airport and Rome Fiumicino Airport
Edward Plaisted of Skytrax said: “We congratulate Plaza Premium Group for achieving these highest 5-Star COVID-19 Safety Ratings for their lounges at T2 Departures, London Heathrow Airport and in T3, Rome Fiumicino Airport. Plaza Premium have implemented a broad range of hygiene and safety protocols in these two lounges, including efficient social distancing organisation, increased cleaning and hygiene of lounge areas, adapted food and beverage services, and contactless service options at key touchpoints. These enhanced protocols are key to achieving the highest 5-Star Safety Rating, but it is also the consistency with which these elements are being applied that is so important in demonstrating their safety commitment to customers and staff.”
The lounges provide very clear and visible advice to guests regarding face mask use, personal health monitoring, hand hygiene facilities, and social distancing and movement etiquette.
The Skytrax COVID-19 Lounge Safety analysis included ATP testing to validate the standard of cleaning systems, and to ensure high contact surfaces are sanitised with enough frequency, and that disinfectant products and cleaning techniques are effective.
“safety commitment to customers and staff”
Whilst many airline lounges remain closed or restricted in many parts of the world, and many of those currently open have quite limited guest numbers, Skytrax note that the enhanced hygiene and cleanliness procedures introduced during COVID-19 will be around for a long time, and they expect to expand the COVID-19 Lounge Safety Rating to cover more than 400 airport lounges in 2021/2022.
» Plaza Premium London Heathrow Airport COVID-19 Lounge Safety Rating
» Plaza Premium Rome Fiumicino Airport COVID-19 Lounge Safety Rating
About Plaza Premium
With a mission to Make Travel Better, Plaza Premium Group is the pioneer and industry leader in innovating global airport hospitality services and facilities in over 250 locations of more than 70 international airports across the world. Established in 1998 and headquartered in Hong Kong, the group comprises four core business segments – airport lounges Plaza Premium First and Plaza Premium Lounge; airport terminal hotels Aerotel; airport meet & greet services ALLWAYS and a range of Airport Dining concepts. The Group has also developed Smart Traveller, a mobile-app based global airport membership programme that is designed for air travellers, offering uniquely-curated perks, benefits and rewards experience through points earning and redemption. In addition to its own brands, Plaza Premium Group provides airport hospitality solutions to leading airlines, alliances and corporates around the world, including but not limited to Cathay Pacific Airways, Singapore Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Star Alliance, SkyTeam, American Express, Capital One and many more. The Group has won more than 60 accolades in the last five years, including “World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge” for four consecutive years from 2016 to 2021 at the Skytrax World Airline Awards, the global benchmark of aviation excellence, and “Best Airport Lounge Operator” for 2018 & 2019 by TTG Asia magazine. In 2020, the Group has successfully been awarded ISO 9001:2015 for Hong Kong Headquarters, proving the quality management in providing airport lounge services. In addition, the group’s Founder and CEO Mr. Song Hoi-see was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year and Master Entrepreneur of The Year 2018 Malaysia. Plaza Premium Group currently employs over 5,000 staff and serves more than 20 million global passengers annually. By continuously innovating and striving to surpass travellers’ expectations of airport experiences, the group is growing exponentially across major international airports globally. To learn more: www.plazapremiumgroup.com
Connect with us: LinkedIn @plazapremiumgroup, Twitter @PPG_worldleader and WeChat @PlazaPremiumGroup
ABOUT SKYTRAX
Skytrax, the international air transport rating organisation, was established in 1989 and is based in London, United Kingdom. Skytrax launched the COVID-19 Lounge Safety Ratings in 2020, providing independent, expert evaluation and certification of COVID-19 hygiene and safety measures at airport lounges, and the programme is regarded as a global benchmark for Certifying COVID-19 airport lounge safety.
