Emirates' Skywards frequent flyers holding a Gold membership card but flying economy will be able to bring guests into the Emirates Lounges worldwide from this Wednesday, 27 February, the airline confirms.
Golds will also have guesting privileges at the Emirates businesss class lounges in Dubai's Concourse A, B and C.
Last April, the airline suspended "guesting" privileges for its Gold frequent flyers travelling in economy, with cardholders only allowed to bring a guest when in business or first class.
But Emirates revealed the restoration of guest access to Australian Business Traveller earlier this month in an interview with Brian LaBelle, Emirates' Senior Vice President for Skywards, as the airline announced its new Platinum frequent flyer tier.
"What we removed last year was the guest [privilege] for Gold members travelling in economy class," LaBelle explains. "And, yes, we will be reinstating that."
"The reason we did that was only because the lounges were not able to sustain that capacity and we had to find some way to be able to offer the right kind of capacity to business class customers."
"So, very reluctantly, we had to take that step. But now that the Concourse A [in DXB Terminal 3 has opened], with the expansion of the lounge facilities in Dubai, we will be reinstating that benefit."
The new Concourse A is a truly enormous space, with some truly enormous lounges — including the impressive First Class lounge, which Emirates' newly-created Platinum frequent flyers will be able to use from 1 April.
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About John Walton
Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.
1 on 12/2/13 by airtraveladdict