Airline customers will once again be able to enjoy the Emirates airport lounge in Dubai, with several of the airline’s premium on-ground services set to recommence from July 1.

However, the experience won’t be back to “business as usual”. Lounge facilities have been significantly modified to ensure the highest health and safety standards, reduce contact and optimise customer comfort.

Among the changes to the lounge experience, are:

• guests will enter through biometric gates using facial recognition
• food to be served in hygienically-sealed meal boxes, rather than buffet style
• beverages, including spirits, will be offered in single serve bottles
• wine and champagne from shared bottles will be temporarily unavailable
• increased space between each occupied seat to aid social distancing
• tables and chairs will be sanitised after each customer leaves
• mandatory masks in the lounge and in the airport
• the lounge will be sanitised and fumigated at the end of each day
• all lounge employees will wear personal protective equipment

Alongside the reopening of the Dubai airport lounge, other premium services are also set to resume, including the airline’s signature Chauffeur Drive service for first and business class passengers in Dubai and other cities, with a few key COVID-necessitated tweaks, such as masks and gloves for drivers, sanitisation for high-touch points and thorough vehicle disinfection at the end of each shift.

Several changes to on-board services can also be expected, including PPE for the crew, closure of social areas – including the A380 onboard lounge – modified on-board services to minimise contact, and enhanced disinfection for all aircraft.

To begin with, the airline only plans to open the one lounge in Terminal 3 Concourse B, Dubai International Airport (DXB) to serve First Class, Business Class and eligible rewards members from July 1st.

However, the brand has noted that it plans to reopen more lounges in Dubai and around the world in the coming months.