A week ago, on March 29th, Vienna International Airport (VIE) opened its new 'Vienna Lounge.' While returning from a trip to the Austrian capital yesterday, I took the opportunity to check out the facility. I was impressed by its atmosphere, extensive seating and food and drink options, and, of course, its runway views.
What is the Vienna Lounge?
The Vienna Lounge is located in Terminal 2 of Austria's largest airport, between security and, for those traveling to non-Schengen destinations, passport control. Open from 04:30 to midnight every day, it serves passengers departing from Vienna's B, C, and D concourses. Passengers departing from the F and G gates have a lounge of their own, known as the Sky Lounge.
I was able to access the lounge due to flying from Vienna in British Airways' 'Club Europe' business class. The UK flag carrier is one of several oneworld airlines whose premium cabin passengers and status holders can use the Vienna Lounge, with the others being El Al, Finnair, and Iberia. Qualifying Star Alliance airlines include Aegean, Brussels Airlines, Ethiopian, Eva Air, and Luxair.
As far as SkyTeam members go, premium passengers and status holders from three of its members can use the lounge: China Airlines, Saudia, and Tarom. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus, airBaltic, Belavia, Condor, Emirates, People's, and Tunis Air are the qualifying non-alliance carriers. Equally, anyone can pay €49 ($54) for a three-hour stay, although there is currently an opening offer of €29 ($32).
What's inside?
After being welcomed into the lounge, its sheer size immediately became apparent. A guide given to me upon arrival explained that the facility seats 450 guests over 2,500 square meters, with the seating in question coming in all shapes and sizes. Visitors have options including armchair-style seating (including in-seat power), as well as traditional and raised tables for groups of varying sizes.
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I visited the lounge around lunchtime yesterday (Monday, April 4th), at which time it was relatively popular but, due to its sheer size, did not feel busy. This allowed for a relaxed atmosphere which, if necessary, would have been peaceful enough to get some work done. For passengers wishing to work in more privacy, there is also a dedicated workspace and meeting room.
Other useful features include showers, a TV area, and a dedicated space for families. At the heart of it all is the lounge's buffet, which serves a wide range of hot and cold food and drinks. Having initially only planned to grab a late breakfast there, I ended up staying to try a selection of hot food too. Both food and drink operated on a self-serve basis, with more than enough to go around.
The walls of the lounge also feature a selection of artwork by Austrian artists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, as made available by Vienna's Leopold Museum. While art is not my wheelhouse, the paintings often caught my eye, and generally added a nice cultural element to the setting. Next month, the lounge also plans to open an outdoor terrace, which will feature a smoking area.
Worth a visit?
So, is the new Vienna Lounge worth stopping by at? Personally, I was very pleased to have been able to use the facility, particularly so soon after it opened. It was a perfectly pleasant spot in which to while away an hour or so before my flight, with a tasty range of food and drink that was just what I needed at the time of day.
However, I was able to use the lounge free of charge due to the ticket upon which I was traveling. Had I had to pay the full €49 entry fee, I'm not sure if it would have felt quite as good value for money. Nonetheless, this isn't presently a necessity due to the more reasonable €29 opening offer, a fee which I would say does warrant a visit. Overall, the lounge is a nice addition to Austria's largest airport.
What do you make of the Vienna Lounge? Have you had the chance to use it yet? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!