Airport services provider National Aviation Services (NAS) and Zambian ground handling company Nac2000 Corporation have launched the Pearl Lounge at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) in Lusaka, Zambia.
The lounge, located at the airport’s new terminal, is part of Zambia Airports Corporation’s (ZACL) efforts to upgrade international airports in the country. In June 2021, ZACL awarded a five-year tender to NAS and Nac2000 to build and operate an exclusive departure lounge catering to passengers traveling out from Lusaka. The 588m2 Pearl Lounge includes seating, food and beverage, free wi-fi access as well as a children’s play area among other facilities. All international flights out of Lusaka will fly from the new terminal at KKIA, which opened in August 2021.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Frederick Mwalusaka, Zambian permanent secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, said, “I would like to applaud this joint venture between NAS and Nac2000. This is a good example of local and foreign partnerships that create more quality products and services and employment opportunities in Zambia. It is the hope that such ventures within our new airport are the beginning of a new era for travel from Lusaka.”
Guy Michel Yazbek, group director, lounges and meet and assist services, NAS, commented, “We are excited to be working with the ZACL and the Ministry of Transport and Logistics in Zambia. The launch of our new Pearl Lounge is significant. Not only because it is located at the largest airport in Zambia but also because we won this tender in the middle of a global pandemic when the aviation industry was on a downturn.
“The KKIA airport serves as a hub for domestic and international flights and the new lounge is the perfect space for passengers to relax and unwind or catch up on last-minute work before they fly. We would like to take this opportunity to thank ZACL for the confidence and trust invested in the NAS and Nac2000 partnership. We also would like to emphasize on NAS’s commitment to Zambia and our willingness to expand our participation in the Zambian aviation industry.”
Jonathan Lewis, managing director of Nac2000 Corporation, added, “We as Nac2000 are honored to share participation in this joint venture with NAS and to work with ZACL to deliver world-class lounge service and hospitality through the Pearl Lounge at the new terminal facility at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.”
