In 2019, Bengaluru Airport pulled the rights from Plaza Premium and Above Ground Level to run the Lounges at Bengaluru Airport (both Domestic and International). Bengaluru Airport decided to operate the lounges on its own, copying the strategy of Mumbai Airport, which insourced lounge operations in the GVK Lounges (now renamed Adani Lounges). At the Bengaluru Airport, there was a temporary lounge in place of the Above Ground Level Lounge. In 2020, the BLR Domestic Lounge Opened up, but I haven’t been able to visit it since then because of the pandemic.
On my recent Tata Trilogy Trip, after arriving at Bengaluru Airport on Air India 803, I would fly out in a few hours to Hyderabad on AirAsia 1983. So, I parked myself in the lounge for a few hours before getting on with my next flight.
BLR Bengaluru Airport Domestic Lounge
The BLR Domestic Lounge occupies the same space as the earlier Plaza Premium Lounge on the mezzanine floor. The access is from the central atrium of the Domestic Pier of the Bengaluru Airport. As you arrive there, you notice a long queue before the elevator.
About 3-4 counters at the reception on the ground floor process the authorisation for most-bank-based lounge access, offered by Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club. However, I did not join the queue on my trip, and I headed to the mezzanine floor using the elevator. If you are already pre-authorised on the ground floor, you have to show your authorisation slip before you head right to use the lounge facilities.
While I’d headed over to the first floor to access my Priority Pass, I also saw access via American Express cards upstairs. So, I presented my American Express Platinum Card for validation. The agent validated the card with an INR 2 charge and passed my card and boarding pass back.
There were instructions on how to access the wifi right next to the reception.
The bones of the lounge haven’t changed much. The layout is pretty much the same as I saw it under the earlier administration. The lounge has an open format with a high ceiling and views of the airport operations on one end. Here is a look at the BLR Domestic Lounge.
Right at the other end of the BLR Domestic Lounge, there is a restaurant area with lots of tables for dining.
After the dining area, there are a lot of couches spread across the lounge, overseeing the gates. There are lamps and tables set between each couch and USB charging points between each sofa.
There are also a couple of big open-format desks with high stools strewn around the lounge. One could plug in their laptop or phone and work at these tables, but most people used these tables to partake in the buffet.
There was also an oversized couch at the end of the lounge if someone wanted to sit with their family.
There were also chairs for toddlers.
A special section was cordoned off for business class customers, but no one seemed interested in going there.
There was an open chiller if you wanted to get a soft beverage.
Carbonated Beverages were available free of cost at the bar, and beers and other beverages were available for a price.
The Lounge is managed by TFS (Travel Food Services), the same company that staffs and runs the Adani Lounge and the American Express Lounge in Mumbai. I was over during lunch service, and the lunch buffet was laid out.
For Lunch, there was an elaborate cold counter, with fruits and salads, hummus, curd rice and Dahi Bhalla chaat on offer.
The hot buffet had an assortment of Indian and Chinese dishes on offer.
There was white-sauce pasta, chole and paranthas at the live counters, and some chicken skewers on offer.
I eventually settled for some of the skewers and the noodles with the black bean sauce vegetables.
Overall the food was good quality, and I tried a few things there during my three hour trip to the lounge.
People often tend to find the lounge crowded, but that is the right-side section of the lounge. On the left-hand side, another section of the lounge is usually ignored, which is empty.
The Lounge has the same F&B amenities, with the only difference being that there are no live stations and bar here. For that, you’d have to walk over to the other side of the lounge.
Bottomline
The Bengaluru Airport Domestic Lounge, which is now operated by TFS on behalf of the Bengaluru Airport, has a good assortment of F&B options to spend a couple of hours before your domestic flight out of BLR. The lounge is the only option for airlines (Vistara and Air India) offering Lounge Access to their elites and Business Class customers. You can also gain access via most credit cards. The Lounge easily seats about 100 passengers but gets crowded at times.
Have you been to the Bengaluru Airport Domestic Lounge? What has been your experience here?
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The whole lounnge experience was upto the mark. Rest rooms were very clean and wellness maintained, great work done by Savita.
Which all cards were allowed in this? I have read Axis and Amex but which variant of Axis and AMEX?
I do have AMEX Rewards CC
@Parag Gupta since the Rewards Card does not have a lounge access feature, then no lounge access on the card.
We all know this. What’s great in that.the person who has travelled and been to lounge knows it.
@Ashish kumar, great to know you know.Since you know so much, wondering why were you on a website which deals exclusively with information about air travel and related stuff.
Like always detailed review and good insights. I always wondered that with your infinia card you also get priority pass which gets you access to these lounges…so why do you keep swiping your credit cards to gain access?
@Deccan, I don’t have the Infinia, and secondly, I have a Priority Pass, with no restrictions unlike those coming with amex and HDFC. It is just that I found the card in my wallet earlier.
Thanks Ajay for your reply. Priority pass for Infinia members have no restrictions for use in India as well unlike Regalia or other cards. Hence the question.
@ajay which priority pass do you have(the one you mentioned without restrictions). What restrictions does Amex and HDFC pp have?
@Kumar Pratyush, I have the one from Citi Prestige.
The lounge gets pretty overcrowded especially during the morning hours I observed during my flights from BLR to BOM / CCU.
Your observation regarding the right side of the lounge being empty is also very valid and accurate as this part of the lounge is much emptier as compared tp the typical left side.
However even when there are terminals with multiple lounges such as Mumbai T2 (Loyalty lounge / Amex lounge) or Delhi T3 (Plaza Premium / Amex / Air India) the fact of the matter is that the common lounges are overpacked with too many people only because they want the free food.
In contrast the other lounges such as the Amex or AI lounge are relatively empty as their requirements are a bit more strict.
Lounges are meant to be providing some sort of privacy, the fact that they have diluted the value by keeping it open for all has resulted in this situation of the liunges being overcrowded.
Not a very good experience. Strict policies w.r.t kids entry. Highly dissapointed.
Airport lounges have always been a fascinating thing to me. Great review, Ajay.