29 February 2016, London: Mr. Song Hoi-see, Founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group, the pioneer and industry leader in providing Premium Airport Services, talked to CNN about his vision and mission in enhancing travellers’ airport experience worldwide in an exclusive interview conducted by CNN’s renowned presenter Richard Quest in his February episode of CNN Business Traveller. Mr. Song also announced the expansion of his Group’s operations at London Heathrow Airport after the interview.
During the interview at Plaza Premium Lounge in London Heathrow Airport, Mr. Song explained to Richard that his idea of developing an independent airport lounge was stemmed from his poor travel experience on economy class, affecting him to work effectively while on-the-go. When Mr. Song was asked about what made him think he could create a lounge that economy passengers or non-premium passengers would use, he recalled, “I find that working is very inefficient in the airport and a lot of people would go through the similar experience that I have.”
After the interview, Mr. Song disclosed to CNN that Plaza Premium Group will expand its operations in London Heathrow Airport to include the opening of a T4 Arrivals lounge in H2 2016, a 90-room airport transit hotel brand Aerotel in T3 Arrivals in Q1 2017 and a new lounge at T5 in the pipeline to meet the growing demand for airport hospitality services at one of the world’s busiest airport hubs. This business growth will continue to enhance the global presence of Plaza Premium Group, which currently operates the world’s largest independent airport lounge network in more than 130 locations across 35 international airports.
“This is an exciting time for our UK-based operations where our values of excellence and quality of hospitality have already been warmly received by our travellers at London Heathrow Airport and with a new Plaza Premium Lounge arriving at Rio de Janeiro in the middle of this year”, continued Mr. Song, “we can look forward to a direct Plaza Premium Lounge link between the previous and the next Olympic host cities”.
Global expansion over the coming year will include services at Taipei, Siam Reap, Rio de Janeiro and Brisbane following the successful opening of Plaza Premium Lounges in Cebu, the Philippines in December 2015 and Phnom Penh, Cambodia in January this year.
As the need for airport lounge access by travellers has been surging these days, more often than not, travellers would talk too loud in the lounge, some could be affected by ornery children, while some might even pilfer free food. As airport lounge is supposed to be a tranquil hideaway for travellers to rest, relax and refresh, when it comes to lounge behaviour, CNN Business Traveller developed “An Etiquette Guide to Lounge Behaviour” at Plaza Premium Lounge with Richard Quest starring as an ill-behaved lounge passenger to vividly remind travellers the proper ways of their lounge behaviour and etiquette.
To watch CNN’s interview with Mr. Song Hoi-see on the rise of independent airport lounge, please visit:
https://youtu.be/FTwoLvgElDk
To watch “An Etiquette Guide to Lounge Behavour”(from 04:10 to 07:26), developed by CNN, please visit:
http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/02/12/business-traveller-lounge-wars-spc-b.cnn
For reservation or more information, please visit: www.plaza-network.com