Gulf Air has opened its new Falcon Gold lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 4, despite ongoing unrest in Bahrain.
Samer Majali, Gulf Air’s CEO said that there was a consensus in the country that “all parties want a united Bahrain”.
He also said that he was hopeful the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix (sponsored by Gulf Air) could still be rescheduled.
The foreign office continues to advise against all but essential travel to Bahrain.
Designed by James Park Associates (JPA), the new lounge was first announced in 2008, but management changes and restructuring at the airline delayed the opening until now.
Majali said he had wanted to wait until the airline had a "clear strategy", adding that London was the carrier’s "most important long-haul route".
Located next to gate 6, from where the majority of Gulf Air’s flights depart, the lounge represents the future look for all Gulf Air’s lounges.
Its flagship Bahrain lounge is due to be revamped within the next six months followed by its Dubai. Both will have a similar look and feel to the new London facility.
The 600sqm lounge features lounge and dining areas, an island bar with Illy Café counter, a business centre, self-service buffet area, showers and a locker storage area.
Cream, blue and gold are the main colour schemes, following the carrier’s corporate identity and livery.
ABTN’s sister site Business Traveller attended the launch event for the lounge on March 8 – for photos of the new facility click here.
Gulf Air plans to launch new routes to Milan on March 27 and Geneva on March 29, and has been, as Majali put it, the “trailblazers” in Iraq, with four routes to Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and most recently Basra.
Last year Gulf Air also announced plans to merge its business and first class cabins into a new Falcon Gold hybrid product, offering a fully-flat bed on flights lasting more than 4.5 hours.
However Majali said that due to the time taken in getting the seat certified the carrier is planning to install an interim “off the shelf” business class product on its A330 aircraft (which serve the London route), with a decision on which one to be announced “soon”.
www.gulfair.com