Eagerly Anticipated Independent Airport Lounge Opens at London Heathrow Terminal 5

LONDON, August 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Collinson Group, owners of Priority Pass, and Swissport, the world's largest aviation services provider, today announced the opening of the first independent, shared use lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 5.

'Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5' will be jointly owned and operated by Swissport and Airport Lounge Development (ALD), Collinson Group's lounge operating arm. Located at Gate A18 in Terminal 5, it will be the first lounge open to all travellers in one of the world's busiest airport terminals.  

Priority Pass members will have access to the lounge as part of their membership.  Travellers without membership can enjoy three hours in 'Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5' for £35 when booked in advance at http://www.executivelounges.com or for £40 at reception on the day subject to availability. The lounge is open from 5am until 11pm daily.

Errol McGlothan, General Manager EMEA, Collinson Group said: "Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5 has been designed to meet the exacting needs of the millions of travellers who travel through the terminal every year.  Using insights gained from frequent travellers, we are confident that we've delivered the most compelling destination lounge where travellers can relax and refresh ahead of their next journey.  Developed in partnership with Swissport, we are delighted to offer travellers access to an independent lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 for the first time."

Stephen Wilkinson, Property Director, Heathrow said: "We are delighted to announce that as of today, we now have independent lounges in each of our terminals. Our team works tirelessly to ensure our customers receive the very best service when they fly and we're delighted that the new Aspire lounge at Terminal 5 will enhance this service from today."

Shaun Weston, Travel Services Director, Swissport commented: "Since launching in 2012, the Aspire brand of airport lounges has grown in popularity and now covers many global destinations. The opening of 'Aspire, the Lounge and Spa at LHR T5' is a significant step for Swissport, giving us a presence in one of the world's leading airport terminals. We look forward to combining our operational expertise with Collinson Group's reach amongst travellers, to deliver a world class facility."

The 4,000 sq ft lounge space is dominated by soaring windows on two sides giving guests dramatic runway views. An extensive British-inspired seasonal food and drink menu has been created which includes a wide range of complimentary as well as premium (chargeable) options, changing throughout the day. Guests can also enjoy a unique opportunity to sample Spey Whisky, draught beer and a selection of wines on a complimentary basis or choose to pay for carefully selected 'Wine Flights', an innovative way to  taste a variety of wines from different regions.  

A highlight of the lounge is the 'Bliss Spa at Aspire' which is the award-winning beauty company's first location in an airport. The specially designed travel spa menu includes a range of facials, manicures and pedicures available as refreshing 20 minute express, or luxurious 40 minute appointments guaranteed to deliver amazing results in a fun, positive environment.

This includes an express version of the famous Bliss Spa Oxygen Blast facial, a 40 minute complexion reviver for bright, glowing skin and the Hot Cream Manicure for perfect nails.  

To help guests relax before or during a long trip, state-of-the-art 'rest pods' let guests  recline back on specially engineered, reclining loungers, watch television and recharge in private so that they are rejuvenated for the journey ahead.

Travellers on business will have access to connected work spaces with complimentary high speed WiFi, charging posts and designated quiet zones to make the most productive use of their time.

About Aspire, The Lounge & Spa at LHR T5 

Floor space: 4,000 sq ft

Open from 0500 - 2300, 7 days per week

Features: runway views, British-inspired menu, air conditioning, shower facilities, disabled access, televisions, flight information monitors, newspapers & magazines, refreshments and beverages.

About Collinson Group 

Collinson Group (http://www.collinsongroup.com) is a global leader in influencing customer behaviour to drive revenue and value for clients. The Group offers a unique blend of industry and sector specialists who together provide market-leading experience in delivering products and services across four core capabilities: Loyalty, Lifestyle Benefits, Insurance and Assistance. Collinson Group operates the world's largest independent airport lounge membership program, Priority Pass, as well as ALD, its lounge operating arm.

About Airport Lounge Development Inc.  

A company of Collinson Group, ALD has been operating since 2006, and is now the US leader in independent shared-use lounges offering an affordable hospitality experience for travelers on any airline and traveling any class of service. ALD specializes in the design, construction, operation, management and marketing of independent shared-use airport lounges. ALD's experienced leadership team is known for delivering a turnkey lounge solution tailored to the airport's needs and supported by an established customer foundation.

About Aspire Lounges 

Aspire Lounges, a brand wholly owned and operated by Swissport, operates 14 airport lounges in Europe and Africa, 9 of them being located in the UK at key locations such as Manchester Terminal 1, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Newcastle, the first of which opened within London Gatwick's North Terminal in February 2012. During 2015 Aspire Lounges will open new facilities in London Heathrow Terminal 5, Bristol and London Luton airports.

Aspire Lounges are part of Swissport International, the world's largest provider of ground and cargo handling services in the aviation industry. Swissport International Ltd. provides ground services for around 224 million passengers and handles 4.1 million tonnes of cargo a year on behalf of some 700 client-companies in the aviation sector. With a workforce of around 60,000 personnel, Swissport is active at more than 270 stations in 48 countries across five continents, and generates consolidated operating revenue of CHF 3.0 billion. http://www.swissport.com

About Bliss  

Bliss is a world renowned expert in spas, skincare and well-being. Famous for delivering the best facials, massages, body treatments, hair removal and nail services, these highly-effective treatments are turned into best-in-class products to make guests look and feel beautiful, healthy, and happy. It all started when Bliss opened its first New York City location in 1996 and revolutionized the industry by taking a completely different approach to spas, skincare and well-being. Bliss operates 21 spas around the world and its spa-powered products are now sold in over 35 countries. From the powerful results from every spa service and product, to the upbeat environment, pretension-free attitude, everything Bliss does is aimed at empowering guests to achieve a higher state of happy. 

About Heathrow  

Heathrow is the UK's hub airport, home to more than 80 airlines connecting to more than 180 destinations. Every year Heathrow welcomes over 70 million passengers with a commitment to 'making every journey better'. Following an investment of more than £11 billion over the past 10 years, passengers have voted Heathrow the 'Best Airport in Western Europe', 'Best Airport Terminal' for Terminal 5 and 'Best Airport for Shopping' 7 years in a row.