ITA Airways closes Linate lounge: work in progress until summer
As we had announced in recent months next January 13, the ITA Airways lounge in Milan's Linate airport will close for [...]
ITA Airways
SkyTeam
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As we had announced in recent months in January 13, the ITA Airways lounge in Milan's Linate airport will close for work. The Italian airline chose the least busy time of the year to do this work, which will bring all premium passengers and Volare Elite members departing from the Milan airport to use the only available lounge: Sala Leonardo.
Work on ITA Airways lounge at Linate
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As explained last September, this will not be simple stucco and painting work, but extension work and a complete makeover of the lounge.
There are no rumors about the style that the new waiting room will have: we will see whether the architectural style Will be in line with the Fiumicino Hangar or whether a different line will be chosen also in light of the impending transition to Star Alliance. This is no small choice given that a great many carriers in this alliance offer two diffetent types of loungesi: one for business class passengers and one for those with the Gold Star Alliance level.
The choice of expansion could precisely be read in this direction. The new zone, the one that pre codiv and expansion works at Linate, was occupied by the runway view restaurant, could become the Gold Lounge so as to accommodate these passengers, and possibly carving out a space for the HON Circle, a mythological figure that soon former Alitalia people will have to start learning about and especially dealing with.
Part of the space occupied by the restaurant has already been incorporated into the Leonardo Hall, and ITA will take over the remaining vacant space. The very Leonardo Hall will be home to ITA's passengers, the only lounge besides the British Airways present on the ground floor of the terminal.
End of work scheduled for the beginning of Summer
There are only two seasons in the world of aviation, so if everything goes smoothly the reopening of the new hall should come by the end of March when, as is the practice, the summer schedule begins and when traffic starts to increase.
Although at an airport like Linate inconvenience will be important especially for frequent flyers who will be forced to use a lounge, already as crowded as the Leonardo room, and without a real bar counter, one of the "optional extras" of the former Alitalia House that distinguishes ITA's lounges from all others on the Italian terriotory.
How to access ITA Airways lounges for free, all the time
Not only Milan, but also Rome and Catania. These airports are home to ITA Airways lounges. In order to gain free access, every time you travel AZ to these lounges you must travel business class or possess, at least Premium Volare status. Alternatively, it is possible to be ITA Airways Platinum American Express Card Holders. One of the main benefits of this card is precisely that it guarantees Holders, all Skypriority privileges even when flying economy.
This means that you will have fast routes to the airport, priority boarding, and unlimited and free lounge admissions, simply by showing the Credit Card.
