Airports are no longer just a pit stop on the way to somewhere else—they are destinations in their own right. Over the past 26 years, Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has witnessed and contributed to this evolution, transforming airports from mere transit hubs into integral parts of the travel experience.
When people travel, they expect care and attention onboard or at their hotel, but airports often fall short in providing the same level of hospitality. Recognising this gap, we pioneered the concept of airport hospitality, offering passengers comfort, convenience, and care where they are most needed.
PPG started with one lounge before expanding to terminal hotels, concierge services, and F&B. We have built an entire portfolio of products and services designed to create an end-to-end experience that prioritises passenger well-being and satisfaction. Airports can be stressful, with long transit hours, security checks, and navigation challenges leaving passengers tired, hungry, or overwhelmed. By enhancing the airport journey, we aim to transform it into a seamless and enjoyable part of the travel experience.
MY FATHER’S LEGACY
PPG was founded 26 years ago by my father, Song Hoi See, a former investment banker who often enjoyed the privileges of airline lounges during his business trips. However, when he started his own business, he quickly realised how challenging it was to work on the go without the comfort and amenities airline lounges offered to CIPs (commercially important persons).
At the time, only about 15 percent of passengers—those flying in business or first class—had access to these exclusive services. Determined to democratise the airport experience, he launched the world’s first independent airport lounge brand in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
Today, Plaza Premium Group operates in 150 countries across 600 airports, with 1,600 touchpoints serving 20 million passengers annually.
As Chief Transformation Officer, I lead our evolution, championing ESG initiatives and focusing on people, technology, and sustainability to drive PPG’s long-term vision and solidify its position as the global leader in airport hospitality.
FRESH OFFERINGS FOR MODERN TRAVELLERS
Given our experience, we’ve had a front-row seat to the evolution of travellers’ needs and preferences. Our observations show that demand has shifted travel patterns, that airport usage usage varies from airport to airport, and how all of this is influenced by seasonality and time of day. As a result, we have been able to adapt and personalise our offerings to stay ahead of the competition.
To keep up with these changes, it is crucial to introduce new experiences and services that address the pain points of modern travellers. With their needs diversifying, we have customised our offerings to offer more than just a place to rest. For instance, we now have exhibitions, play zones for children, and meeting rooms in our lounges. Being a mother of three myself, I value facilities like play areas for children and nursing rooms.
Additionally, I believe cultural immersion plays an important role in creating experiences as well. Our “Proudly Local” initiative incorporates local culture into our lounges through art, food, and community engagement for a richer, more connected travel experience.
We want to educate guests about a destination through our curated experiences. We also want every traveller to be excited about visiting the airport because there are so many unique and fun things to see and do.
Additionally, we have partnerships with over 100 banks globally where the banks reward lounge access for credit card spend. Yet, a surprising number of Asian travellers don’t know about this service. Hence, our consultancy arm advises banks and airlines on how to incorporate their brand’s unique characteristics into lounge experiences.
WE UTILISE AI, TOO
In addition to building experiences for current and future travellers, we seek to cater specifically to the needs of Gen Z, a generation that is experience-driven and digitally savvy.
A 2024 Global Passenger Survey conducted by the International Air Transport Association indicated that younger generations prefer digital solutions as well as a single app for all services and more lounge access. For this reason, we have been focusing on curating unique experiences and enhancing our airport hospitality offerings with technology.
One such offering is our Smart Traveller mobile app, which allows users to access a variety of travel-related perks and services. It is designed to enhance the airport experience for travellers through an airport rewards programme, allowing users to earn and redeem points while enjoying various premium services offered by us.
Given that AI is the future, our team has also been actively working on integrating AI into our operations and services. Along with developing AI-powered virtual assistants to provide real-time information to travellers, we are leveraging AI heatmaps and deep learning for better lounge traffic management and demand prediction.
We have also seen an increase in the demand for curated experiences among affluent travellers. To meet this demand, we are expanding the Plaza Premium First portfolio, an exclusive range of luxury airport havens that offer all-inclusive personalised hospitality services. Currently, we are established in Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Vancouver.
The Plaza Premium First Lounge concept elevates the travel experience through personalised hospitality such as made-toorder signature dishes. Furthermore, we collaborate with premium brands such as Taschen and Dior to provide unique experiences.
At PPG, our mission is to make travel better and ensure every interaction within our network is valuable and meaningful for our guests. We strive to keep innovating and introducing experiences that make people’s airport journey a better part of flying.
Photos: Plaza Premium Group
