Star Alliance opens new lounge at Brazil's Sao Paulo airport
By David Flynn, July 30 2014
Star Alliance travellers to Brazil can now enjoy a new world-class lounge at San Paulo–Guarulhos Airport.
It's the fourth lounge to be opened by the alliance rather than a partner airline, and follows the same concepts as set out in its predecessors at Los Angeles, Paris and Buenos Aires.
The design contains familiar 'Star Alliance branding elements' with plenty of local touches to celebrate the lounge's location.
For Sao Paulo – Brazil's largest city – that meant "a very Brazilian look and feel, reflecting the strong artesian heritage of the country," according to Star Alliance.
"The use of wood, rope, natural fibres and typical ceramic finishing bring cosiness to a sophisticated interior and provides a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere to customers."
This gives the lounge a unique ambiance, with the various seating areas divided into a variety of different sections.
Some of the country’s most talented designers used mainly native Brazilian materials to create specially handcrafted furniture.
These chairs certainly look comfortable enough to while away the pre-flight hours.
As you'd expect, there's a buffet...
... and as you'd hope, there's a bar too.
Want to freshen up before your flight? Head to one of the four shower suites.
Naturally there's free wi-fi and plenty of AC and USB power sockets, along with wireless printing.
Located at Terminal 3, the lounge's footprint covers 1,350 square metres with room for 295 guests.
Those guests will find the lounge open from noon to 3am but will need to be flying in first or business class or holding Star Alliance Gold status to get through the door.
Air Canada, Air China, Lufthansa, SWISS, South African Airways, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, TAP and United all operate from Terminal 3.
Avianca will remain in Terminal 1 and Copa Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to operate from Terminal 2, where Star says that "third party lounges will be available for eligible customers."
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
30 Aug 2013
Total posts 440
That looks stunning.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Jan 2013
Total posts 240
Looks nice. I wish the three alliances would sell lounge memberships for their networks. It would be a good deal: cash money up front for them as well as added incentive to fly with that group of airlines, and as travellers we'd get a wider range of lounges and a simpler program.
(Tell me 'Buy a Star Alliance Lounge Membership and get access whenever flying on any Star carrier in any class' wouldn't be easier then the current web of red tape that some have).
It'll be interesting to watch what sort of pressure these new alliance lounges put on paid memberships like QF or AC's.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2013
Total posts 702
You can do that for the Star Alliance
With a united club membership you get access to all star alliance gold lounges around the world + a guest
https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/products/travelproducts/Pages/UnitedClub.aspx
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Sep 2012
Total posts 236
Looks amazing!
Sure we harp on about the Qantas first lounges in SYD and MEL but some of these lounges accessible for both Business/First and eligible FF passengers in the likes of Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Heathrow T5 (BA), Heathrow Queen's terminal (T2) and even the QF SIN, HKG and LAX lounges are making exceptional lounge experiences available to more and more passengers.
It's interesting to see how the airport experience has evolved over the last 10 years where a sofa and a cup of coffee or glass of wine/champagne and a snack were about as much as you could expect in a lounge compared to now, where we have full restaurants, spas, champagne bars, designer furniture and impressive art becoming the standard, especially in major hubs.
Long live the lounge!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Sep 2012
Total posts 236
P.S Can't help but think that this might have been planned whilst TAM was still in Star Alliance. What a shame TAM passengers won't get to use it. Does Oneworld have a decent lounge in San Paolo?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Jan 2013
Total posts 240
Hey Alex, I agree. It's come along way and even though we do focus a lot on the QF First lounges, (neither of which you'll see without an equivilent spend of around $10,000 which can buy a lot of airport coffee), there is a lot of cool design out there.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 May 2014
Total posts 35
A small correction that SAA is still in T2, they haven't moved to T3 (yet).
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