Photo/Illutration An area for business people and individual passengers in the Travelers Lounge at New Chitose Airport in Chitose, Hokkaido (Shuji Shida)


CHITOSE, Hokkaido--New Chitose Airport has opened a lounge that provides international passengers a resting space, luggage storage and a drink counter for a fee of 1,000 yen ($9.10), excluding tax.

The Travelers Lounge, which opened in December, covers 380 square meters of floor space near the center of the departure lobby on the third floor of the international passenger terminal. It is adjacent to the security check for departing travelers.

“Passengers using international flights experience relatively longer waiting times,” a representative of New Chitose Airport Terminal Building Co. said. “We hope they use (the new lounge) as a starting point to enjoy dining and shopping (at the airport) without carrying around luggage.”

The lounge is divided into two areas by the reception counter.

One area allocated for business people and individual passengers contains 51 seats, while the other area for families and group passengers has 53 seats.

Each area has an IC card-controlled baggage port, a counter for free drinks, electric outlets for charging and free Wi-Fi services.

Tables and a counter are also available in the area for individual passengers. The area for group passengers features bench seats.

Touch-screen terminals are installed in the lounge for users seeking information about available facilities on each floor of the airport, public transportation, such as JR trains and buses, as well as restaurants, shops and other places.