Lounge operator eyes shake-up of traditional airport facilities with introduction of collaborative workspaces for millennial travellers
- Plaza Premium Group wants to break the mould of identical airports with ‘McDonald’s, KFC, and same duty free’
The Hong Kong company that has become the biggest independent lounge operator is exploring the possibility of opening collaborative workspaces in airport’s around the world.
The Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has put forward a proposal to the operator of Hong Kong International Airport, where it launched its first airport lounge in 1998, to open such a space.
Shared workspaces have yet to catch on at airports, although Dallas Fort-Worth opened one for the public last year.
“The trouble with airports is they provide monotonous products,” said Song Hoi-see, PPG’s founder and CEO. “Everywhere you see McDonald's, Kentucky [Fried Chicken], the same duty free. What is the difference from one airport to another.
“I am a disrupter, disrupting the conventional way of providing services. You must provide personalised service and localisation.”
The company is considering how to introduce secure and dedicated shared workspaces for travellers, with a focus on those who might not have the frequent flier status to access business lounges.
Co-working spaces have boomed in recent years as part of the shared economy model, and one such company, WeWork, is valued at US$47 billion.