A new “pay per use lounge” is to open up in Terminal 1 during 2020, connected to the international departures area – airside. The lounge will act as a “premium departures lounge” for passengers travelling on international flights departing from Terminal 1. The lounge will join a chain of lounges around the world which fall under the “Aspire” brand. Operated by Swissport, Aspire is the largest airport lounge operator in Europe and have lounges at Heathrow, Chicago, Amsterdam, and many other major airports around the world.

The new lounge will utilize the airport’s former control centre which sits between gate 53 and 54 as well as part of the Terminal 1 observation deck. For spotters, this will mean permanent closure of the level 3 observation deck between gate 53 and 55 (possibly the entirety). The viewing deck has been around since the opening of the international terminal in 1986 and has been a favourite location among many local spotters, especially for shots of terminal 1 apron movements.

This will be the first Aspire Lounge in Australia where “guests will enjoy unique and exciting food and drink options, with small, local suppliers bringing a taste of Western Australia.” The design of the lounge is planned to be “inspired by the region, reflected through beautiful finishes and artwork.” The lounge is due to be operational in mid-2020. Online bookings for a three-hour stay will set you back $55 + GST. A range of loyalty and airline affiliations are to be announced in early 2020 which will grant some passengers free access.

So for us spotters, this is a sad development as we are losing one of our best spotting locations. However for the airport, this is a major investment to take the airport into the future, “providing the amenity and efficiency to deliver passengers a seamless, quality travel experience. “