Cairo International Airport (CAI) has plans to improve some of its lounges, thanks to a new partnership with Plaza Premium.
In this post:
Cairo Airport getting six Plaza Premium lounges
Plaza Premium Group, Egypt Aviation Services, and Cairo Airport Company, have announced a strategic joint venture, which will see Plaza Premium manage, operate, and commercialize, six lounges across various terminals at Cairo Airport. The lounges are progressively being rebranded with the name Plaza Premium Lounge by CAS and EAS.
The new joint venture has taken over six lounges in Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and the Seasonal Terminal. Furthermore, a new lounge by the F Gates of Terminal 3 is also being developed. Note that this agreement seemingly doesn’t include the EgyptAir lounges, which will continue to be operated independently.
This partnership marks the official entry of Plaza Premium into the Egyptian market. Plaza Premium is a fast growing lounge operator, with lounges across the globe. I find that Plaza Premium lounges are among the higher quality contract lounges that you’ll find at any airport.
Here’s how Okan Kufeci, Plaza Premium Group’s Senior VP of Europe, Middle East, and Africa, described this:
“This unprecedented partnership with Egyptian Aviation Services (EAS) and Cairo Airport Company opens up exciting opportunities for our first entry into the Egyptian market through this strategic partnership, bringing our global standards and expertise in delivering award-winning airport hospitality experiences to Cairo. We are committed to our mission of making travel better for all passengers flying through Cairo International Airport with our portfolio of Plaza Premium Lounges.”
Here’s what General Mohammed Kamel Moustafa, Chairman of Egypt Aviation Services, had to say:
“The opportunities arising from the travel and tourism industry in Egypt is growing exponentially, driven by increased passenger traffic, new routes and expanded capacity among leading airlines. We are pleased to collaborate with PPG in amplifying Egypt’s reputation as a global aviation hub by optimizing passenger experiences and services in the multiple airport lounges within the Cairo International Airport.”
I take serious issue with this collaboration
Friends, help me understand what’s going on here. There must be a serious misunderstanding here. I don’t know if you’ve been to Cairo Airport, but it’s one of the finest airports in the world. It has world class design, the friendliest and most efficient service imaginable, amazing temperature control, and some of the best airport lounges out there.
I don’t know what these executives are talking about. Making travel better for passengers through Cairo Airport? Optimizing passenger experience? How can you improve what’s already basically perfect?! Cairo is a nearly four-star airport, so what’s next, will the airport be a nearly five-star airport?
For those who have no clue what I’m talking about, see here, here, and here. 😉
In all honesty, I’m happy to see Cairo Airport working on making improvements to the passenger experience. If only pointing out the shortcomings weren’t basically considered criminal.
Bottom line
Plaza Premium is taking over management of six lounges at Cairo Airport, in an effort to improve the offerings, and deliver a better passenger experiences. I’m happy to see this development, since I think Plaza Premium will do a better job managing lounges than the previous operators. Unfortunately, don’t expect any reviews of the lounges from me in the near future…
What do you make of Plaza Premium taking over lounges at Cairo Airport?
A good honest laugh at a perfect time with all the terrible news…thanks!
Maybe Tiffany could go undercover to review the new lounges?
Please review this lounge once it opens....
Can we assume you will be accepting their undoubted invitation to review ? They will probably have prepared special accommodation for you ;)
I just had a 5 hr layover in CAI T3 on Egyptair Biz from DXB-CAI-IAD.
I also had a 4 hr layover in June 2024 from JFK-CAI (Egypt Air) and CAI-CXB on Emirates (Emirates biz lounge in CAI)
So i can compare side by side.
The egyptair Lounges near F gates on T3 (Alioth and Al-meizan) are what i consider bottom-rung lounges. Alioth is bigger with buffet food on both sides. food quality...
I just had a 5 hr layover in CAI T3 on Egyptair Biz from DXB-CAI-IAD.
I also had a 4 hr layover in June 2024 from JFK-CAI (Egypt Air) and CAI-CXB on Emirates (Emirates biz lounge in CAI)
So i can compare side by side.
The egyptair Lounges near F gates on T3 (Alioth and Al-meizan) are what i consider bottom-rung lounges. Alioth is bigger with buffet food on both sides. food quality is sub-par
Al-meizan is smaller but had better food but still i consider both food options to be quite sub-par.
The CAI emirates lounge is absolutely incredible. Felt premium from the time you step in, food quality was amazing like any other Emirates lounge/Qatar lounge so it felt on-par and up to Emirates standard.
I still dont understand the love of egypt air to cling wrap every damn food item in the lounge or in the plane. it just feels cheap.
Not sure what OMAAT is talking about praising CAI EA lounges being amazing, if it's pun, it's spot on.
LOL! You’re just asking for trouble, aren’t cha?
LOL. Best post of the year.
Now I'm eagerly waiting for 1st of April!
Reach out to them and see if you can schedule a OMAAT reader meet up in one of their revamped lounges
If you need a guest blogger to review the lounges once they open, please let me know! ;)
I always appreciate reading your posts, the sarcasm at the end of this post is appropriate. I was curious how you would handle it considering the recent episode.
Keep up the great work.
OMG, DXB and DOH will soon be a thing of the past thanks to CAI's revamped lounges.
Most perfectest airport in the whole milky way.
OMAAT gets results. 7 stars!
You've got to wonder if this is a response to "some guy on the internet" giving them a less than 5 star review?! Clearly they will now become 5 star plus. Like Lufthansa.
Wondering if this is because of your "negative" comments about the situation at CAI.
Cheers!
Dense as osmium.
Indeed you are more so than Xe. Being American you appear to lack any comprehension of sarcasm.
I take it there will be a full OMAAT review of all the new Cairo lounges on opening day? Together with a review of all the airport hotels.
Then followed by an OMAAT review of the accommodation provided by the Egyptian prison system?
I wonder if it will be a shared cell or if he’ll get a private cell.
Hilarious comment
Surely you have to redeem WoH suite upgrade rewards to get a private cell in the Egyptian prisons? I hear their Globalist recognition is very poor.
I assume this deal was in the works for a while but it would be so hilarious if the airport were spurred to action by your previous reviews.
They have to rehabilitate their reputation after some blogger unfairly maligned them on the internet.
It will now be the even-more-bestest airport globally!