A "temporary" lounge has (finally) opened at Palermo airport: here's TFC readers' review
If there are airports like Bologna or Genoa, where at the height of the summer season, lounges are closed for work [...]
PMO
If there are airports like Bologna o Genoa, where at the height of the summer season, Lounges are closed for work of renovation and maintenance, and there are airports like Catania or Palermo where the lounges are opened just in time to serve the peak of the summer's traffic.
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Palermo in recent years has seen an incredible boom in international flights, with direct connections to the United States and many other routes from all over Europe and beyond, so this lack was a real "blot" for the airport and an inconvenience for passengers.
Editor's note: We have no technical information because we have not received any press releases and on the airport's website does not appear in the appropriate section, so we trust our community to tell the story.
The new Prima Vista at Palermo airport
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After a long wait of six years, Palermo's Falcone and Borsellino Airport also returns to have a lounge accessible to passengers. It is not yet the final one, but it is already an important step forward for an airport that has seen its passenger traffic grow significantly in recent years, but without offering a comfort zone reserved for premium travelers or holders of programs such as Priority Pass or DragonPass.
Managing it is Prima Vista Lounge, a reality that in just a few years has built an increasingly solid network of waiting rooms in several airports on the peninsula (and beyond): from Venice to Rome, and soon to be Bologna,
It has agreements with both Priority Pass and Dragon Pass and will soon have agreements with all carriers operating out of Falcone and Borsellino Airport.
The lounge is finally open: here's what it looks like
The first to try it out were local frequent flyers, who after years of waiting were able to set foot in the new hall. Silvio, one of our readers, shared his impressions:
"Lounge landside, it's located on the second floor as you enter and go to the back on the left - basically where they point to the emergency room. So far it's poorly signposted, I hope they fix the signage soon."
The lounge is indeed small: about 4 small rooms, with an estimated total of less than 50 seats. "It's the smallest I've ever been in," says Silvio, "but at least there's air conditioning, though maybe a little too loud!"
From a gastronomic point of view, the lounge does not disappoint those who love local flavors. Cornetti, Nutella, jams, cannoli, cassatine and fresh fruit for breakfast, accompanied by some savory snacks such as sandwiches, chips and dried fruit. In short, a basic but decent space for those who feel like relaxing before their flight, perhaps sipping coffee between a cannoli and a cassatina.
"Review? Dignified," Silvio says again. "Level similar to the average Italian lounge. It was almost empty today; we'll see in July and August how it fares. For now a 6, like the years it took to reopen."
Confirmation: it is only a temporary solution
Another reader, Claudio, shared an interesting background: the current lounge was made on a transitional basis. This was confirmed by the president of Gesap himself, the company that manages the Palermo airport:
"It was made on a transitional basis. We are in the process of making an even more comfortable one - after inspections - with a sea view."
News that is sure to please travelers: the future lounge will rise airside, beyond the security checkpoints, with entrance provided next to the duty free access and, most importantly, with guaranteed sea view. A long-awaited upgrade that could finally bring Palermo up to the level of other Italian and Mediterranean airports.
Cannoli, cassata and future expectations
Umberto and Francis, two other readers of The Flight Club, they commented with irony but also satisfaction:
"Well... if they put cannoli and cassata (the real ones!) in all the lounges of Italy, then yes, they would be wonderful 😂"
Both agree that although the size is small, the reopening of the lounge is still an expected and welcome achievement:
"For Palermo's passenger traffic it might be tiny, but after six years I'd say we're content at the moment."
Conclusion
The Palermo lounge is not (yet) a landmark for luxury travelers, But it finally represents a return to normalcy for the Sicilian airport. With plans for a new sea-view lounge already in the works, the hope is that in the coming months Palermo will be able to offer an experience that lives up to the expectations of even international travelers flying into the airport.
Meanwhile, for those flying from PMO, a cannoli and a cool corner to wait for your flight are already a good start.
As always, we are very happy to share our readers' reviews and a new surprise is coming soon to allow more and more people to tell about their experiences on the road.
