Star opens seventh alliance lounge in Rome

Star Alliance passengers looking for a place to relax at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport now have a place to call home after the alliance Friday opened the seventh lounge in its growing global network. The lounge is likely to get plenty of use given that 17  Star carriers serve Rome and provide non-stop service to 25 destinations in 20 countries. It is available to eligible first and business class passengers flying on member airlines as well as gold card holders. The Rome facility joins similar alliance branded lounges in Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Nagoya, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The next cab off the rank is Amsterdam and Star is also refurbishing its offerings in Nagoya and Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport. READ: United's Polaris lounge strikes deep in the heart of Texas. The Rome lounge is the airport’s first facility from an alliance and Star partnered with Aviapartner and Aeroporti di Roma on the project. Located on the upper level of Boarding Zone D in Terminal 3, the lounge provides easy access to the departure gates for alliance member carrier flights to destinations in Europe’s border-free  Schengen Zone. In keeping with the local feel of other lounges in the network, the 130-seat Rome lounge uses Italian designer furniture and a local culinary experience that ranges from a staffed bar and barista coffee station to made to order signature dishes. It features free Wi-Fi, a private space to make phone calls and a mix of standard and USB power outlets to allow customers to recharge their electronic devices. “Star Alliance has set itself the overall goal of improving the customer’s travel experience, Star vice president customer experience Christian Draeger said. “Offering a premium lounge product is an integral part of this strategy. Star offers eligible passengers — those traveling in first or business Class on any of its 28 member carriers or those holding Star Alliance Gold status —access to more than 1,000 lounges across its global network.