Announces first lounge in South America, plus a new facility in Istanbul

AMSTERDAM, February 28^th, 2018 – Global airline alliance, SkyTeam, has announced two new branded lounges: one in Santiago, Chile and one at Istanbul’s new international airport. Both facilities are scheduled to open by the end of the year and will be available to First, Business Class and Elite Plus customers of SkyTeam members serving each city. SkyTeam currently has seven lounges worldwide after opening its latest in Vancouver in November 2017.

“Our holistic approach to caring for our customers is evident in our lounges. They represent a very popular alliance benefit for frequent flyers and our airlines, and we’re excited to expand our portfolio,” said Perry Cantarutti, SkyTeam’s CEO. “Building on the success of our existing lounge network will enable us to offer a greatly enhanced ground experience for customers flying through Istanbul, and strengthens SkyTeam’s presence in South America.”

The Santiago lounge will be SkyTeam’s first in South America and eighth worldwide. It will be available to eligible customers flying on Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeroméxico, Air France, Alitalia, Delta Air Lines and KLM.

Meanwhile, the six SkyTeam members serving Istanbul: Aeroflot, Air France, KLM, MEA, Saudia and Tarom, will transition their operations to the city’s new world-class international airport, scheduled to open in October. SkyTeam’s lounge at the new airport will replace the current facility at Ataturk Airport and will be more than double in size with a wider range of amenities.

Global Lounge Network will build and manage the Santiago and Istanbul lounges on behalf of SkyTeam. Open 24/7 in both locations, highlights include:

• Delicious regional cuisine, freshly prepared using locally sourced ingredients, as well as international offerings. Customers can enjoy tasty pastries from an empanada station in Santiago and freshly-cooked Turkish meze and pide in Istanbul.

• Local beers and wines plus non-alcoholic beverages will be offered in both lounges, where customers can enjoy refreshments in a sociable dining space with a communal feel.

• Abundant natural light, power at every seat, a business area and showers for a pre-flight freshen-up. Hybrid seating providing personal space with privacy to catch up with work or unwind.
  
  

SkyTeam lounges are available in major airports served by multiple member airlines. The alliance offers branded facilities in: Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London Heathrow, Sydney and Vancouver. For more information on SkyTeam’s lounges, click here.

ENDS

About SkyTeam: 
SkyTeam is the global airline alliance with 20 member airlines working together to offer seamless travel on an extensive global network. SkyTeam customers can unwind in 600+ lounges as they travel, earn and redeem Frequent Flyer Miles. SkyTeam Elite Plus customers are eligible for SkyPriority services. The 20 members are: Aeroflot, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeroméxico, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines and Xiamen Airlines. SkyTeam welcomes 730 million customers each year on more than 16,609 daily flights to 1,074 destinations in 177 countries.

www.skyteam.com / www.facebook.com/skyteam / www.youtube.com/user/skyteam

Media Contacts:

Klara Zakis, Manager Corporate and Internal Communications on

E: Klara.Zakis@Skyteam.com T: 020-333-3064