Review Lufthansa Lounge Milan Malpensa

The light at the end of the tunnel is looking brighter and brighter, at least as far as the world of travel is concerned. The most anticipated news has finally arrived, Europeans will be able to return to the States After an 18-month ban.

Slowly the companies are reactivating services, on board as well as on land, and so Lufthansa after permanently closing many lounges. at German airports and having reopened the first-class terminal in Frankfurt, it has also begun restoring European lounge operations.

Last September 7, the lounge present in Terminal 1 of Malpensa Airport reopened, de facto the only active lounge in the Schengen area of the airport.

Location

The hall is located in area A of the airport, the one dedicated to domestic and international flights in the Schengen area. It is located behind the Starbucks present after the connecting bridge to the more remote embarkations.

Right where there is the Monteverdi Room, one of the two lounges operated directly by SEA, and which unfortunately are both still desolately closed.

Access to the VIP lounge

This lounge does not participate in any network, it is therefore not possible to log in with Priority Pass or Lounge Key. At London and other airports, LH's policy has been to open its lounges to these types of customers as well, especially to cash in on access and thus reduce costs, we will see if anything changes around here as well.

Currently, in order to gain access, one must fly into business class with a Star Alliance airline. or have elite status in one of its member companies.

At Malpensa, in addition to Lufthansa and Swiss, many other carriers fly, such as Tap Portugal, Aegean, Sas, and Brussels Airlines; then there are Singapore Airlines and United, which, however, operate from the opposite side of the airport, the one dedicated to non-Schegen flights, but which might still decide to use this lounge before going through passport control and heading to the departure gate.

The lounge

The lounge was recently renovated and epitomizes the style of the last lounges opened by the German carrier before Covid-19. 

It is beautiful and modern, you can already tell from the door frame at the entrance that it is a room with attention to detail.

I passed through here on my trip with TAP to Canada, with a stopover in the Portuguese capital. Upon my arrival, the lounge was deserted and I was able to take my photos in immaculate surroundings.

Two sides are fully exposed to the runway, although in an area from which there is not much visibility of movements. The glass windows, however, give plenty of natural light, and that really makes a difference in an environment like this.

There are different environments with various types of seating, obviously with the spacing signs imposed by appropriate restrictions.

What is interesting is that the lounge remains open even when there are no LH flights, which is not expected and was confirmed to me by the staff. Closing normally is around 8:30 p.m., even when, as today, there are no LH group airline flights.

The food offerings are obviously small, but adequate for what are the needs of a lounge dedicated to short to medium-haul flights.

A wide selection of brioche, evidently left over from morning flights, salads, and tempting-looking sandwiches, A complete and operational coffee bar with barista to prepare coffee and cappuccinos, and not the now ubiquitous vending machines.

Although it was not even 4 o'clock, there was also a hot dish, some pasta with tomato sauce, and in general the quality of the offer is definitely higher than in the two lounges managed directly by SEA and opened at Linate and Malpensa, where there is neither anything hot nor even a bartender.

In conclusion

I was surprised by the reopening of this VIP room, certainly impacted by the presence of many Star Alliance carriers and the simultaneous absence of independent alternatives.

It is large and can quietly accommodate all passengers passing through this airport ensuring excellent service and compliance with all Covid-19 regulations

Most importantly it is open, I really don't understand SEA's choice to keep the Monteverdi Hall closed.