Cathay Pacific’s The Wing lounges are in line for a multi-million dollar makeover as the airline gears up for growth, especially in the premium travel market.
Located at the top of Terminal 1 with a footprint spanning from gates 1 through 4, The Wing served as Cathay’s undisputed flagship lounges until the more distant The Pier lounges underwent a stunning transformation in 2015-2016 at the hands of feted UK designer Ilse Crawford.
Now The Wing might just steal back that crown…
How Cathay will refresh The Wing lounges
“Our lounges are signature products,” Cathay Pacific’s Chief Customer & Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau told Executive Traveller following the airline’s launch of a landmark HK$100 billion (US$12.8bn) investment over the next seven years in fleet, cabin products, lounges and digital and sustainability initiatives.
“The Wing will be for renovation very soon,” Lau added, saying the work would encompass both first and business class lounges in several phases.
The Wing First “will close towards end of this year,” with a targeted reopening date of “end of 2025 or early 2026.”
Lau noted this would be when Cathay expects to welcome the Boeing 777-9, which will in turn feature an all-new first class suite, creating a close connection between the product and experience in the air and on the ground.
Once the ribbon is cut on The Wing First, “We will progressively also refresh The Wing Business” from 2026, Lau said.
Cathay is expected to reshape The Wing along the same lines as The Pier, which also serves as the template for other lounges across Asia, in London and Vancouver.
Hopefully some hallmarks of The Wing First, such as the private Cabana Suites where passengers can enjoy an indulgent pre-flight soak in the oversized bath, won’t sacrificed in the name of this new look.
The Wing makeover slots in as the third piece in Cathay’s pledge to launch three “newly-designed flagship lounges” Beijing, New York and Hong Kong “over the next three years.”
There’s also been plenty of speculation that Cathay would also reopen The Bridge lounge, which was shuttered and then abandoned during the pandemic.
Source: https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/cathay-the-wing-first-business-lounge-renovation
