Air New Zealand is set begin construction next month on a new, much larger regional lounge at Auckland Airport, as part of a NZD$60 million investment in lounges throughout New Zealand over the next two years.

The lounge will cater for up to 265 customers, offering more than three times the seating of the current regional lounge. It is scheduled to open mid next year, upstairs on Level 1 of the Auckland Airport domestic terminal, where it will offer expansive views of the runway. The current lounge and valet service will continue to be available throughout the development.

There are also plans for the airline’s Wellington Airport Domestic Lounge to undergo a refurbishment in the coming months with seating numbers to increase by 10 percent to 374. There will be six different zones in the new lounge to meet the needs of customers – including a café and bar, barista station, business, lounge and quiet areas as well as a self-service food and drinks station.

A new regional lounge is currently under construction at Tauranga Airport and will offer three times more seating than the current lounge. It is expected to open later this year. Plans are also underway for brand new regional lounges in Christchurch and Nelson.

Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Experience, Anita Hawthorne, says the airline is focused on continued investment in its network of lounges to enhance the customer experience.

“We know there is huge demand for Air New Zealand’s network of lounges, so we’re delighted to be able to go through the process of redeveloping our regional lounges in Auckland, Christchurch, Nelson and Tauranga along with our domestic lounge in Wellington to enhance the experience our customers have on the ground before they fly,” she says.

“Air New Zealand’s customers are at the core of our business and we expect to see annual passenger numbers grow from 17 million to 19 million over the next two years, so it’s important to invest in our lounges in order to meet this growth.”