Now pay to get access to Emirates first, business class lounges

Emirates Airlines has now opened access to its first and business class lounges at Dubai International Airport for all its customers, including those traveling in economy class and premium economy. The customers shouldn’t worry as the airline is not going to ask you to pay increased airfares. The airline has however said that lower-tier passengers would get access to the lounges as paying guests.

A spokesperson of Emirates Airlines said that the new upgraded lounge access would be open for only those passengers who must be traveling on a codeshare flight operated either by Emirates Airlines or Qantas Airways. This would however be “subject to capacity restrictions”. The payments for lounge access can be made by credit card at the lounge check in counters. The infants, who are younger than two years old, would be provided complimentary access. The children between two and 12 years would be charged half the adult rate.

Media reports quoting the airline’s official said that Emirates Airlines is currently having no plans for allowing access to its first and business class lounges to lower-tier passengers at other airports in the world. It may be noted that until now the lounges had been providing access to first and business class customers, and also to higher-tier frequent flyer members.

Emirates Airlines in a statement said that the company now officially confirms that pay-per-visit access to its first and business class lounges at Dubai International Airport has been recently introduced. The decision has been arrived at keeping in view the “increasing demand from our valued customers for guest access to our lounges”.

Travel and aviation industry experts have however something else to say on the airline’s move. The experts have opined that the necessary changes have come at a time when the revenues of Emirates Airlines seem to be declining. The airline’s half-year profits dipped 75 percent in November 2016. The airline is seriously concerned about this and wants to boost its revenues through other means, and thus arrest the depleting profits making it sustainable.