Emirates Airline officially opened its new lounge at Brisbane International Airport, unveiling the facility that offers a stunning 360 degree view and is the first airline lounge in Australia capable of boarding passengers directly to the aircraft, including the upper deck of the Airbus A380.

Dale W Griffith, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Airport Services and the Honourable Desley Boyle, Minister for Tourism, Regional Development & Industry in Queensland were on hand to officially open the latest Emirates Lounge.

Dale W Griffith said: “In May 2003, Emirates made a US$13 million commitment to develop superior quality lounges around the world in an effort to provide passengers with luxurious sanctuaries whilst travelling. In 2004, Brisbane became the first Emirates destination outside of our hub in Dubai to have a dedicated airport lounge and it set the benchmark for all Emirates Lounges across our network.

“Five years on, we now have 18 Emirates Lounges across our network and are delighted by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our customers that make these lounges worth our continuous investments. The new Emirates Lounge, the second in Brisbane, continues to embody the airline’s dedication to innovation and superior service.”

More than double the size of the previous one in Brisbane, the new Emirates Lounge can seat 172 guests - 106 in the lounge area, 56 in the dining, and 10 in the business centre - and is located adjacent to Gate 75 on the new northern concourse of Brisbane International Airport’s redevelopment.

Desley Boyle said: “The lounge is another important investment by Emirates in Brisbane and Queensland and is a cornerstone of the airport re-development. It will provide the international level of comfort and service expected by business travellers from across the world.”

Koen Rooijmans, CEO of Brisbane Airport Corporation said: “Emirates has been one of the fastest growing international airlines to serve Brisbane and has quickly established itself as a part of the fabric of south-east Queensland. They have helped raise the standard of international air travel, and helped create new and exciting tourism markets for Queensland that have enabled us to improve the services offered to passengers at our airport.”

The Brisbane lounge facilities are available to both First and Business Class passengers as well as Gold members of Skywards, Emirates’ frequent flyer program.

Besides Brisbane, the airline offers the Emirates Lounge in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Auckland, Bangkok, Dubai (three lounges), Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Munich, New York JFK, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Singapore, with more due to open in 2008.

In November 2007, Emirates confirmed Australia’s status as a premier trade and tourism destination by announcing its flights to Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney would grow to 70 a week by 2009.