The return of The Bridge – a beloved Cathay lounge

For Cathay members, the fate of their beloved Cathay Pacific lounge had been hanging in the balance for too long. 

The Bridge – our Terminal 1 lounge nearby Gate 35 - first opened in 2013, only to shut its doors during the pandemic. And Marcus Lui, Head of End to End Customer Experience and Strategy at Cathay, says members have been curious to know when the “passenger favourite” would reopen. All of which makes May an especially significant month for all involved. 

To learn more about the lounge’s grand reopening, as well as the upgraded design and improved services, we spoke to Lui and Vivien Sun, Cathay’s Customer Experience Manager – Lounge Portfolio & Strategy, who helped lead the process.

Intuitive design

From a design perspective, the reopening is a unique opportunity for Cathay to synergise various elements of the brand. “Aesthetically,” Lui says, “the intent is to bring The Bridge in line with the contemporary Cathay Pacific lounge design language. At the same time, this lounge also has many innovative features that we’re going to apply to Hong Kong International Airport lounges as well as our global lounges in the future.”  

Customers will recognise the interior of The Bridge, especially as it echoes the décor at the other HKIA lounges – such as The Deck and The Pier. Some of the furniture has even been upcycled, which helps reduce unnecessary waste. Moreover, the coherent design doesn’t stop at the lounge network, but spans from the ground to the sky. The Bridge features selected original artwork courtesy of Gallery in the skies to “create a stronger continuity between our ground experience and inflight experience,” says Lui. Meanwhile, The Noodle Bar, a signature feature where passengers enjoy made-to-order noodles, has also been added to The Bridge’s roster.

New era, new approach

Diamond delights

We’ve created an oasis of calm for our Diamond members and those flying in First class with Cathay Pacific. This is an exclusive space for travellers to relax before their flight, away from the hustle and bustle of the airport crowds. Grab a drink, sink into a plush chair and let the stress of the world fall away before being whisked away on your next travel chapter.  

High-tech makeover

Another new feature of The Bridge will be directly experienced by customers as soon as they arrive at the lounge. Three new biometric check-in points will alleviate the need for customers to show their travel documents and boarding passes – aligning the seamless entry experience with the rest of the airport. Lui foresees that other Cathay lounges will operate with facial recognition for airports with compatible technology in the near future as well.

Food matters

Dining is an integral part of any lounge experience, most of all Cathay’s, and one of the biggest considerations when it came to the redesign. This, along with a need to optimise underutilised space, resulted in The Nook.

“In the past, travellers often didn’t fully experience or even realise everything the lounge had to offer. Part of that was because of the layout - all the customers would go to the righthand side because all the food was there,” says Sun. “We made this a priority when re-imagining the space.” 

Enter The Nook, a new area that encompasses the lounge’s left-hand side. Expanded seating, cosy interiors and an expansion of our signature Noodle Bar comprise the space, adding a compelling Asian food destination which travellers had been asking for. Besides our Noodle Bar classics, we’ve also introduced regional Chinese small plates, pastries and chilled appetisers. There’s even a dim sum cart, reminiscent of classic dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong – something new, but also familiar.

Customers are key 

When it comes to the variety of dining options at The Bridge, it’s about more than just quantity. Instead, every detail presents customers with an increased sense of flexibility and control – two key aspects central to today’s travel expectations. 
 
“Traveller behaviour varies depending on whether they’re on their own for business or travelling for leisure with family, as well as the time of day and how early they arrive at the lounge,” Sun says. “If a customer arrives early in the morning, they might be in a rush. They may just want to grab a coffee and a pastry. However, someone travelling with their family might arrive early at the airport to immerse themselves in everything on offer.”

“From a refreshing shower to sundowners with expertly crafted cocktails at The Bar, there’s ample time for quiet comforts at The Bridge.”

After years of anticipation, Lui, Sun and the rest of the Cathay team are excited that The Bridge is finally reopening, and they look forward to seeing their members respond to the tried and tested, as well as the surprises. “A lot of them really missed it,” says Lui.