New marhaba lounge opens in the Philippines

Angeles City: marhaba, the airport services division of ground handling and travel company dnata, announced Monday that it opened a new lounge at Clark International Airport (CRK) in the Philippines. The addition complements marhaba’s Meet and Greet services, which have been available at the airport’s Terminal 2 since 2023. Besides Clark, marhaba offers airport Lounge services at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in The Philippines.

The new lounge at Gate 9 of the airport can accommodate up to 170 passengers. Travellers can enjoy an all-day buffet and beverages and unwind in private sleeping pods. The lounge has also been fitted with business meeting rooms and several other facilities.

Margaret Yu, CEO of dnata The Philippines, said, “Our new lounge in Clark, combined with our Meet & Greet services, allows us to provide travellers with a seamless, end-to-end airport experience. Our dedicated team is committed to ensuring a warm, welcoming and memorable journey for every passenger.”

marhaba’s growth story

mahaba was founded in 1991 with just 20 employees. Now, the company has over 600. It was launched in the UAE to help passengers arriving in or departing from Dubai International Airport. In recent years, marhaba has expanded its network considerably. It operates 18 airport lounges in seven countries, including the UAE, Australia, Switzerland, Pakistan, Singapore, Tanzania (Zanzibar) and the Philippines. The meet and greet services are available in UAE, Australia, Switzerland, Zanzibar and the Philippines.

In an earlier interview with Gulf News, Tim Walker, Vice President – Commercial & Business Development, Airport Operations, had said 2024 had been an exceptional year for dnata’s hospitality division. “In the first half of our financial year (April – October) 2024, we’ve delivered exceptional results. Our meet-and-greet service assisted over 220,000 customers, even before heading into the busy holiday season.”

Walker said, “Our lounge services have grown 10 per cent year-on-year, serving over a million customers at Dubai Airport. Meanwhile, in partnership with DUBZ, our home check-in service helped over 44,000 passengers—representing a 22 per cent year-on-year growth.”

Time-saving services

Walker said the aviation market continues to break records monthly, with no signs of seasonality. And the demand continues to grow for ‘time-saving services.’

“We’re seeing a strong preference for seamless, time-saving services rather than purely luxury-driven demand. Travellers—whether flying for business or leisure—now prioritise efficiency. They (passengers) want a stress-free airport experience, avoiding queues and maximising comfort. This shift in consumer behaviour is fueling growth in services like home check-in and premium lounges,” he added.

Growth is also prevalent across multiple segments. Walker said, “Since COVID, demand for personalised travel experiences has surged. Our services grew threefold after the pandemic because people’s mindsets shifted—they now prioritise convenience and customisation.” In the UAE, lounges are also undergoing an ongoing refurbishment programme across all terminals. “We’ve completed upgrades in Concourse B and Concourse C at Terminal 3. Next in line are Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Concourse A,” he stated.

‘Hyper-personalisation is the future’

Walker commented on marahaba’s plans for the proposed passenger terminal at DWC, and said the future is “hyper-personalisation.” He said lounges will be highly curated and experience-led, with customised offerings based on consumer preferences.

“The airport experience will be drastically different in the future. Services like marhaba’s will be elevated through technology, enabling deeper personalisation. Right now, airports follow standardised processes, but the future will be more customised,” said Walker.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, the experience will be based on individual preferences and needs. He explained that it won’t be a single entity providing all of this, but rather an integrated system of connected services that personalise the journey based on passenger data.