René Seifert – Entrepreneur & Global Citizen

It’s not for the obious reason. In the First Class Lounge where I’m sitting, I get treated like a king. Yummy food, immaculate service, big recliner-chairs, you name it. Rather,  the entire lounge concept carries a fundamental flaw.

As for the moment of writing (sitting in the lounge) connected with WiFi, there is a glass door to the Business Lounge. The one where everyone gets to sit – if you don’t have a first class ticket or are like me a HON-Circle member. I used to sit in that other lounge till I got this ultra-frequent-flyer status. The problem there: It’s so crammed that it defies the very purpose of a lounge: having a place which is more relaxed that the general hall with a few fringe benefits like drinks and snacks.

My point is: When I used to have access to “only” that business lounge, I took a bottle of water and went out into the general hall as often there was not even a seat free in the lounge. So much it was packed. What really has a bad taste, that this First Class Lounge just besides and visible for these poor people is almost completely empty and in size just slightly smaller than the entire business lounge. Usually I am THE ONLY passenger sitting there and getting served, today at least there is another family here as well. Overall it gives it just an occupancy of, say, 20 %. The business lounge often ranges in the 120 % by contrast.

In India – unless your name is Gandhi – it is quite uncommon to question own privileges, but I feel  feel sorry for these people “on the other side”. The airport should have definitely allotted more space for the business lounge.

In the light of the problems and inequalities in India a minor point, but still as the airport started not even a year ago from a clean slate, it should have been done better. What I also enjoy is writing this feedback publicly on my blog instead of being repetitively asked to fill out the same questionnaire every time again I’m here. The problem with this is: The questionnaire asks the wrong questions. Hence, I prefer to air my view in this free-flow manner.