Insider Spotlight
Located on Level 4 of Terminal 3, the 2,600-square-meter First Meridian Lounge serves eligible business class and premium passengers of Thai Airways, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Cathay Pacific, KLM and Qatar Airways.
The facility is privately operated as a third-party lounge under NAIA’s commercial arrangements with airport concessionaires and is part of a broader terminal space optimization initiative by New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the airport’s private operator.
The move reflects NNIC’s efforts to improve the passenger experience while making more efficient use of limited terminal space. The operator has been repurposing offices, former airline lounges and other underutilized areas into facilities that can accommodate more travelers throughout the day.
Why it matters
The common-use model consolidates premium lounge services into a single larger facility that can cater to multiple airlines rather than maintaining separate lounges that may only be occupied during specific flight schedules.
By centralizing lounge operations, NAIA can continue offering premium passengers lounge access while freeing up space for food, beverage, retail and other services that benefit a broader segment of travelers
“This shared lounge supports our effort to improve the passenger experience at NAIA while using terminal space more efficiently,” NNIC said.
“It gives eligible passengers of participating airlines a more comfortable and reliable pre-flight experience, while allowing us to create more space for food, beverage, retail and other amenities that benefit more travelers.”
What passengers can expect
First Meridian Lounge provides premium travelers with larger spaces for dining, working, resting and recharging before boarding.
Amenities include spacious seating areas, high-speed Wi-Fi, workstations, shower facilities and real-time flight information displays. The lounge also offers infant care rooms, sleep pods, private rooms, children’s play rooms, game and golf simulators, and quiet zones—features that are not typically available in smaller dedicated airline lounges.
Its food and beverage selection includes local and international cuisine, a bakery, teppanyaki station, halal offerings, a full-service bar and a wine cellar.
The broader strategy
NNIC said the shared lounge concept mirrors premium airport facilities in major international hubs, where common-use and third-party-operated lounges serve eligible passengers across multiple airlines, membership programs and access schemes.
The airport operator said the model enables airports to enhance passenger amenities while managing space constraints more effectively.
First Meridian Lounge is among several collaborations between NNIC, concessionaires and service partners under NAIA’s modernization program.
NNIC said it will continue working with airlines and commercial partners to improve comfort, convenience and operational efficiency across the airport as additional carriers are expected to join the facility. —Daxim L. Lucas| Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
