Plaza Premium Group builds South American lounge network with São Paulo opening and Avianca partnership

BRAZIL. Airport hospitality specialist Plaza Premium Group (PPG) is to extend its presence in South America next month with the opening of a Plaza Premium Lounge at São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport. It is the group’s second lounge in the country, following its 2016 market debut at Rio de Janeiro International Airport (RIOgaleão). In related news, Plaza Premium has struck a partnership with Avianca Airline that will see it open nine lounges across the region (see below).

At São Paulo Guarulhos, Plaza Premium Lounge will open in the Domestic Departures area. Spanning 1,530sq m and with room for up to 335 passengers, the lounge will feature localised, sustainable design elements and spaces for rest, work, entertainment, culinary experiences and other amenities.

Extending the network: Renderings of the new Plaza Premium Lounge at São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport

Services will include reading options, cable TV, flight status information, showers and private meeting rooms. In the gastronomy section, there will be a wide selection of warm dishes, appetisers, fresh food, and soft and alcoholic beverages. The lounge follows Plaza Premium Lounge’s ‘We Care For Your Wellbeing’ programme with zoning to facilitate privacy and social distancing.

Plaza Premium Group Global Business Development Director Jonathan Song said: “The opening of Plaza Premium Lounge at GRU reinforces our commitment to Latin America. Rio de Janeiro provided us with a springboard into this significant and important market five years ago and the region offers exciting opportunities for Plaza Premium Group.

“Together with our strategic partners and our proven track record for developing and managing airport hospitality services around the world, we are actively identifying new opportunities on the continent to further expand our footprint in the region. We look forward very much to delivering our signature airport hospitality to millions of travellers in, out and around Latin America who can now enjoy a worry-free, totally seamless, and comfortable airport experiences in Brazil São Paulo as well as Rio de Janiero.”

As the busiest airport in Latin America, Guarulhos served more than 40 million passengers annually before COVID-19, and is one of the major transport hubs in the region. Plaza Premium Group has been present in Brazil since 2016, with operations at RIOgaleão domestic and international departures, and in arrivals. The group also owns Aerotel Rio de Janeiro, located in international departure in Terminal 2.

Partnership with Avianca Airline

Separately, Plaza Premium Group has formed an affiliate partnership with Avianca Airline that will see it open nine new lounges at airports in the Americas. Avianca Airline is the largest airline in Colombia and the second largest in Latin America. The partnership covers lounges within Avianca’s portfolio in Colombia, El Salvador and Miami, USA.

By 2022, said Plaza Premium Group, it will have locations across more than ten countries in Latin America. More details will follow.

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