NEW SIMBA LOUNGE OPENS AT JKIA’S UNIT 2 FOR KENYA AIRWAYS PREMIUM PASSENGERS
(Posted 10th November 2013)
After the August 08th fire at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport did all the airlines have to come to terms with changed operating conditions, initially changing locations and plenty of temporary measures, and notably the absence of lounges for their premium passengers flying with them out of Nairobi.
During a recent flight to the Seychelles, the lounge experience was still substituted by the contracted use of a cafeteria near Gate 4 of Unit 2 of the airport, but when returning it was good to see that Kenya Airways has managed to be ahead of the pack once again and open a small facility on the departure level of Unit 2, the ‘Simba Lounge’ which can be used by their business class passengers an those of their codeshare partners flying to Nairobi like KLM or Korean Airlines to name but two of the extensive list KQ now partners with under their SkyTeam banner or through bilateral codeshare arrangements.
It is understood that additional lounge spaces will be made available, by other airlines as well as by Kenya Airways, to meet the demand from premium passengers for lounge comfort when either connecting in Nairobi to one of KQ’s many African destinations or else fly with them out of Nairobi.
The lounge staff confirmed that the opening was a very recent affair, aimed to boost service levels while the reconstruction of the international arrivals hall is now in the design stage and work on the new Terminal 4 is continuing around the clock.
True enough, the passenger experience now is certainly not what it used to be when travelling through Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport but it must be acknowledged that all the airlines, led by national carrier Kenya Airways, the largest user of JKIA as well as the Kenya Airport Authority have made extraordinary efforts to restore functionality until the new terminal will be opened and the ‘temporary’ terminal, able to handle a further 2.5 million passengers, has been shipped to Nairobi and put together. For now though, at least can KQ’s premium passengers once again enjoy a lounge ahead of their flight, where a full range of F&B services and free high speed internet are available for them.
2 Responses
What is the telephone numbers of the lounge?
No idea … you would have to ask either the airport or Kenya Airways.
Thanks for reading my blog.
W.