World's Best Business-Class Lounges

Aug. 9, 2007 Special to ABCNEWS.com — -- Airport chaos can be dreadful enough to make anyone want to avoid the skies--especially the weary frequent traveler.

Not only do air passengers today face traffic, security procedures and lengthy check-in lines, but they're also experiencing more delays. From January through May 2007, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics tallied 728,071 delayed flights, compared to 608,214 during the same period in 2006.

For a business traveler, an early airport arrival in addition to a delay can result in hours of lost work or relaxation time.

Fortunately, airlines, particularly European, Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, have figured out ways to ease the headaches of a business clientele that's constantly on the go.

The result is an array of business-class lounges featuring amenities so plush they can make the most horrific delays seem like a trip to the spa.

"All of the top carriers really try to model (their lounges) around the five-star-hotel type of concept in terms of the service, the product, the design, the layout," says Edward Plaisted, chief executive of Skytrax, a London-based air transport research company.

Skytrax annually ranks the 10 best business-class lounges, based on customer surveys and business research group interviews, among other data. This year, Virgin Atlantic took the crown with its Heathrow Airport Clubhouse lounge. The Clubhouse includes a cocktail bar, video-projection system, hideaway mezzanine with loungers and daybeds, several dining options and a complete office and library.

And then there's the spa. Cowshed at the Clubhouse offers a range of treatments for men and women, such as facials, massages and tanning beds, while the Bumble and Bumble Hair Salon can perfect your 'do before you board.

While there were no widespread changes in amenities among the top lounges over the past year, Plaisted says there's been a greater emphasis on upgrading dining facilities. With so many carriers providing comfortable flatbed seats and an expanded array of in-flight entertainment, many business travelers prefer to dine before boarding the plane so they can sleep, work or relax during international flights.

At Cathay Pacific's lounge in the Hong Kong International Airport, which ranked second, travelers can sit at the Noodle Bar and enjoy freshly prepared dishes and sandwiches.

Qatar Airways also features a fine-dining restaurant with table service in its lounge at Doha International Airport. The airline made its debut on Skytrax's rankings this year, having completed the world's first "premium class" terminal at Doha International in late 2006. The $90 million Premium Terminal is available exclusively to first- and business-class passengers and offers shower rooms, Sony PlayStations and Internet access.

A Worthy Investment

One might marvel at the money many of these airlines are spending, constructing lavish facilities for customers who may end up staying just a few hours. That investment, however, is paying off, Plaisted says.

"The actual time that people spend in the lounge has increased in the last 12 months," he says. "From an airline's point of view ... it's all about how they individually create an image that their customers like, that they're going to want to come back to."

An occasional traveler might not see the benefit of a Japanese water wall and massage chairs, but for a business traveler, it could be the deciding factor in selecting a carrier.

"I've actually thought about changing the airline that I fly based on the Club Rooms that I've been using," says Harriet Baskas, a Seattle-based travel columnist and the author of Stuck at the Airport. "For business travelers, you're paying so much for your flight anyway that the experience has to extend into the airport."

Conspicuous Absence

So why are U.S. carriers missing from the list?

Plaisted explains that U.S. lounges for international and domestic flights tend to be more functional than luxurious. If the lounge is geared toward frequent fliers who are traveling in coach, as many of them are, the airline cannot afford to provide as many high-end services since they aren't getting the money back in airfare.

But it appears some North American carriers are starting to change their tunes, particularly those taking on new routes to Asia and Europe.

"American, Delta, United--they're all beginning to bring these new things on board, and I think in time they will accept that they have to upgrade the type of lounge facility that they offer," Plaisted says.

In the meantime, the luxe offerings overseas might have more business travelers heading to the airport long before takeoff--and they may even be a little sad to leave it.