ABU DHABI airport lounge has been voted the best in Middle East and Africa at the 2013 Priority Pass Lounge of the Year Awards.
Nearly 60,000 Priority Pass members voted based on their experiences of the programme’s lounges globally and against a set of criteria for lounge quality including refreshments, staff, business facilities and overall ambience.
Now in their ninth year, the awards recognise excellence within Priority Pass’s network of over 600 partner-operated lounges worldwide.
Fully refurbished in 2011, the Al Dhabi Lounge caters primarily for business travellers, most of who are making single flights rather than being in transit.
Mohammed Al Bulooki chief commercial officer of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said: “Winning this award confirms that ADAC’s efforts to attain excellence in all its services and offerings are heading towards achieving the company’s vision of becoming one of the world‘s leading airport groups.
“The team’s aim is to exceed guest’s expectations by delivering a remarkable and personalised service.”
The overall global award went to the Pau Casals VIP lounge at Barcelona’s El Prat airport in Spain.
Business manager MEA for Priority Pass, Soukalin Ghosh, said: “With so many of our members taking part, Lounge of the Year provides the most comprehensive overview of the quality of the world’s airport lounges in 2013.
“For the past eight years, the Lounge of the Year awards has given Priority Pass members the opportunity to provide us and our partners with their feedback regarding what they value in an airport lounge. As our members are regular travellers, many of them on business, airport lounges are a key contributor to a smooth and productive trip.
There were a total of nine winners including Pau Casals VIP lounge, Barcelona El Prat (Global Best Lounge & Europe), Terminal 3, London Heathrow Airport (Global Best Refreshments), Escape Lounge, Manchester Airport (Global Best Staff) and Dilmun Lounge, Bahrain International Airport (Global Best Business Facilities).