Bangalore Airport (BLR) Domestic Lounge is a makeshift arrangement after Plaza Premium and Above Ground Levell lounges were shut down for refurbishment last year. Both these lounges are handed over to a new operator which is a joint venture between Gate Group and Travel & Food Services (TFS) India. Currently this new group is operating the temporary lounge, BLR Domestic Lounge, in one half where Plaza Premium used to operate.
In this article I am reviewing the Bangalore Airport Domestic Lounge in detail. So without further ado, let’s get started.
Location
BLR Domestic Lounge is located on the Mezzanine Level (second floor) after security check. After getting the security check done on the first floor, take a right and you’ll see a sign of the lounge. You can either swipe the card on the first floor or take the elevator for the second floor and swipe there at the reception.
Accepted Cards
Being the only lounge at busy Bangalore Airport, this lounge accepts almost all credit cards which have lounge access feature. Below is a list of cards which provide free access:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- RuPay
- American Express
- Priority Pass
- Dreamfolks Dragon Pass
This lounge also has tie-ups with almost all major domestic carriers, e.g., Vistara, Air India, IndiGo, Go Air, Air Asia, Spice Jet. So you should be able to access the lounge if you have an appropriate class ticket or airline status.
BLR Domestic Lounge allows access up to 3 hours and children under 4 years are admitted for free.
Amenities
BLR Domestic Lounge sports standard set of amenities as mentioned below:
- High speed WiFi
- TV & Flight Information
- News Papers
- Food & Drinks
- Alcohol (Paid)
- Newspapers
- Air Conditioning
The alcohol is available, but is subject to payment. Also there is no shower and sleeping area within the lounge premises. 3 pin electrical sockets are available next to most sofas and working stations for charging your electronic devices.
Ambiance
The lounge has a combination of sofas, high seats & chairs for seating. The chairs are placed really close to each other so are sofas. I believe this is to maximize the utilization of floor space. The high seats face the air side and you can get a great view of planes. The lounge has a mini bar, food station and live food counters.
I visited the lounge during lunch time and I found it really crowded and noisy. All seats in the dining area and sofas were occupied. Only a few high rise chairs, facing airside, were empty. There is nothing worthwhile to mention about the interior and overall I found the ambiance just okayish.
Food
BLR Domestic Lounge really shines in this department. The lounge offers a wide spread of dishes to fulfill your appetite. Many varieties of canned juices and aerated drinks are available to quench your thirst. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian soups are available. There is ample variety in the main course too and vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian dishes are available.
Even different types of salads and cut fruits are available.
Most importantly there are live counters for Pasta, Dosa and Breads. These counters provide you with hot delicacies for a better experience.
The dessert section is okayish with a limited number of options.
One thing I really liked about this lounge is that they have replaced the water bottles with WaterCube water fountains. WaterCube dispenses water hot, cold as well as at room temperature to suit your needs. The glasses are reusable and hence it reduces the plastic footprint drastically.
Coffee and tea machines are also available at your disposal.
I really liked the taste of food and found the spread satisfactory. The food was being replenished quickly and so were the clean plates. Overall I had a very good dining experience at this lounge.
Drawbacks
The only major drawback of BLR Domestic Lounge is that it gets overcrowded and noisy. It becomes really hard to get a seating space during the peak time. You have to stand in the queue at the live counter and wait for your turn which is really annoying. TFS should work on increasing the seating capacity for the better experience of the travelers.
Verdict
BLR Domestic Lounge gets the job done in the interim while the main lounges are under refurbishment. If your sole purpose is to grab a meal on land before flying out, this lounge will not disappoint you. However if you are looking for a quiet place to relax and do your work, avoid this lounge.
Have you recently been to Bangalore Airport Domestic Lounge? Which card did you use to get the access and how was your experience? Let me know in a quick comment below.
