Cathay Pacific unveiled its First and Business Class Lounge at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3 in a soft opening to eligible passengers following an extensive renovation. The lounge, which officially opens its doors on Wednesday, 7 December features separate First and Business Class areas and is the only Cathay Pacific lounge outside of Hong Kong with these distinct zones.

Designed by Studioilse, the renowned London-based design studio led by Ilse Crawford, the Heathrow lounge echoes the contemporary Asian aesthetics of Cathay Pacific’s widely-acclaimed and award-winning lounges at Hong Kong International Airport.

At 1,200 square metres, the new London lounge is 30 per cent larger than its predecessor.  With floor-to-ceiling windows providing panoramic views of the airport’s apron and northerly runway, the lounge’s calming environment and myriad of amenities conveys Cathay Pacific’s brand ethos of a “Life Well Travelled”.

The Cathay Pacific Group prides itself on listening and responding to the needs of its customers, making significant investments in order to continually enhance its products and services, both in the air and on the ground. The Heathrow refurbishment is just one such example and follows the airline’s other recent lounge openings in Bangkok, Haneda (Tokyo), Manila, Taipei and Vancouver.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Product James Evans said: “At Cathay Pacific, we care about our passengers’ experience at every stage of their journey – from the moment they arrive at the airport until they reach their destination – and our exciting new Heathrow lounge was designed to enable our customers to travel well. Our aim was to provide our passengers with a tranquil haven to relax before boarding their flights to Hong Kong and we hope our customers are as enthusiastic about the new lounge as we are.”

With careful attention on food and beverage, the Heathrow lounge ensures First Class passengers are extremely well catered for. In addition to The Dining Room, which offers table service with freshly prepared dishes made-to-order by the chef, there is also The Pantry, where visitors can enjoy grab and go delicacies with items changing throughout the day.

The Business Class area, meanwhile, is no less impressive, featuring Cathay Pacific’s signature Noodle Bar, a favourite among passengers seeking authentic Chinese delights, and The Food Hall, a vibrant space offering a wide range of Western and international dishes, including traditional British fare. And if you are feeling thirsty, the full-service bar is the perfect place to enjoy a pre-flight aperitif.

The lounge is further equipped with bespoke Solo Chairs, eight shower suites, giving First and Business Class passengers a calm and stress-free environment in which to unwind before their journeys, and The Bureau for those who may need somewhere quieter to work. Adorned with an abundance of plants and specially sourced artwork by noted Chinese artist Han Feng, this is a lounge that truly engages the senses, one that exemplifies the high regard that the airline places in Heathrow as a destination.

Providing unrivalled convenience and flexibility, Cathay Pacific flies between Hong Kong and Heathrow five times a day, more than any other airline. With the addition of Gatwick, in September, to the airline’s ever-expanding global network, which followed the launch of Manchester in 2014, Cathay Pacific now operates 43 nonstop flights to the United Kingdom every week.

Cathay Pacific’s Heathrow lounge is open to First and Business Class passengers, Silver or above Marco Polo Club members, and Sapphire or above oneworld members. Opening hours are from 5:30am from Monday to Saturday and 7:30am on Sunday until 10:30pm.