Cathay Pacific will open the doors of a new lounge – The Cabin – at Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1 on October 11, 2010. The lounge is a premium lounge for both First and Business Class passengers, Silver and above Marco Polo Club members, and Sapphire and above oneworld members.

The Cabin, located by Gate 23, is on a lower level accessible by stairs and a lift both of which lead immediately to the reception. The design throughout the entire 1300sqm lounge follows Cathay Pacific’s signature style with a combination of marble, wood and granite as well as floor to ceiling windows along the length of the lounge capturing maximum amounts of natural light and views of the runway.

The reception splits off in two directions with The IT Zone on the right hand side and The Deli, The Health Bar and The Relaxing Zone on the left. Unlimited WiFi internet is accessible through the lounge without the need for a password.

The IT Zone consists of two sections: the main area and an IT room.

The main area is equipped with 21 iPads and 6 iMacs, as well as plenty of power outlets for those working with laptops. Furthermore, there are 21 of Cathay’s new ‘Solus chairs’: a futuristic bubble-like chair, which provides each person with a private space consisting of a small built-in table, coat hanger and power outlet. In total there are 41 of these chairs around the entire lounge in the other zones. The entire back wall is made of glass with LED lighting that pulsates every half an hour to help passengers keep track of the time.

The IT room has 11 private workstations, each equipped with an iMac, a printer and a telephone. There is also a meeting room with videoconferencing facilities.

At the other end of the lounge, to the left of the reception, guests will first come across The Deli – a self-serving buffet bar and a delicatessen catered by The Peninsula serving antipasti, salads and sandwiches.

Further down, past The Deli, is the Health Bar serving freshly blended fruit and vegetable smoothies and juices.

Finally, the Relaxing Zone is located at the far end of The Cabin: a dimly-lit area with more Solus chairs and, for those with families, sofa areas with coffee tables.

Alex McGowan, Cathay Pacific’s Head of Products, said that that the new lounge is
at Gate 23 because it is close to the airline’s preferred departure gates and has been created since “…forward projections of the number of passengers indicated that we needed the new space because of a growing member base [in the Marco Polo Club].” It joins Cathay’s three existing lounges at the airport: The Wing, The Pier, G16 and The Arrival for passengers.

View our story on Cathay Pacific’s new lounges at London Heathrow Airport here.

Alisha Haridasani