How we transformed Bristol Airport’s lounge offering in just 45 days

What was the problem?

Bristol Airport emerged from the pandemic with strong passenger growth and a clear ambition: to elevate its passenger experience.

However, the existing terminal lounge was no longer meeting expectations. Passenger feedback highlighted low satisfaction, limited capacity, and operational inefficiencies. Commercially, the lounge also wasn’t performing to its potential.

The airport recognised that a refreshed, premium lounge could enhance the passenger experience, reflect the start of a holiday, and generate additional revenue. They needed a partner who could move quickly, deliver a high-quality experience, and help unlock commercial value.

TESTIMONIAL

“Through the COVID recovery period it became clear that passengers wanted the option of a more relaxed environment to enjoy some time before their flight. Our previous lounge provider struggled to meet this need, so when it came to the tender for the lounges, we wanted to make sure passenger experience and a relaxed environment were at the heart of what we offered. Visiting CAVU’s lounges in Manchester showed us that these priorities were a high focus for them too, and that helped influence our decision during the tender evaluation.”

Andrew Morris

Retail Operations Manager at Bristol Airport

How we helped

We inherited two lounge spaces in March 2023, one of which had been dormant for three years. With summer approaching, speed was critical.

Our approach combined experience-led design, brand alignment, and collaborative delivery. We drew on insights from Bristol’s existing lounge network to balance commercial performance with passenger satisfaction, created a space that felt intentional and welcoming, and relied on quick decision-making and strong working relationships to stay on track despite the tight timeline.

The new lounge provides a premium, 140-seat environment for passengers. It combines comfort, inviting interiors, and high-quality F&B offerings, designed to stand out in a competitive airport market.

Ecommerce expertise was integral, with a booking journey crafted to drive pre-bookings and simplify customer engagement. We also worked closely with the airport to optimise bookings through its own channels, ensuring a truly collaborative approach.

Rob Hassard, Head of Growth, Experiences (EMEA), reflected on how we delivered despite the tight timeline:

We didn’t have the luxury of a long design period, but we had a clear vision and a great working relationship with Bristol. We leaned on learnings from our existing lounge network to build a concept that balanced commercial performance with a quality experience, and the lounges opened just 45 days after site handover

What impact has the lounge had since opening?

Since launch, the lounge has delivered strong commercial results, with pre-bookings and online sales growing consistently. This demonstrates the impact of combining a great lounge experience with an effective booking journey.

Passengers have responded positively, giving the lounge an average rating of 4.6 stars on Google Reviews, reflecting its quality, consistency, and appeal.

At the same time, a previously underused space has been optimised to maximise both comfort and revenue potential, improving operational efficiency across the lounges.

TESTIMONIAL

"A new space became available to build a bigger lounge. With high demand already evident, this allowed us to increase capacity from 110 seats to 250 across two lounges. The new lounge has been fitted out to a high standard and really does offer passengers a premium experience. We’ve been highly impressed, and the look and feel of the lounge has exceeded our expectations. With only one lounge before, we often struggled with capacity, particularly for pass holders. Now, with the Essence Lounge dedicated to pass holders, we’ve been able to meet demand more effectively and deliver a better experience. Guests using their passes are more satisfied, and overall capacity is being managed far more smoothly."

Andrew Morris

Retail Operations Manager at Bristol Airport

Rob added perspective on the commercial and operational success of the new lounge:

Launching our lounges at Bristol in just 45 days was a huge moment. We had to move fast, but still deliver a quality product, and we did. That quick turnaround really proved to Bristol that we can deliver not just speed, but genuine quality and strong commercial returns. It allowed both sides to invest in a brand-new, 140-seat lounge that really shows the best of what we can do together. It’s one of our flagship spaces.

What does the future hold?

The success of the lounge has strengthened the partnership between Bristol Airport and our team, opening the way for further collaboration. Rob explains how this partnership is enabling new initiatives:

We’ve been able to launch our Essence and Escape products within the airport, which is a big step forward. You can’t innovate like that without a solid partnership. Between Escape and Essence, we’ve built two products that really meet customer needs and deliver great commercial results. It’s exciting to think about where we can take things next.