The Emirates lounges at Dubai International Airport are legendary among frequent flyers.
Travellers can stop by for a shower, or even a quick shoe-shine, before hitting the sprawling buffet for unlimited hummus, cheese and a spot of champagne.
Less well-known is the lounge setup for Flydubai – the low-cost sister airline to Emirates that flies to far-flung destinations primarily across Africa and Eastern Europe.
Flying business class will not only net you a lie-flat bed (a rarity in the narrow body world) or a plush leather seat, but also access to the lounge at Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 2.
The brightly lit space (non-smoking) is decked out in the unmistakably bright blue and orange brand colours of Flydubai, and offers a relatively spartan selection of seating across two levels for visitors.
Unlike the ultra-long Emirates lounges at Terminal 3, the space for relaxing and working here is much more petite, with a main buffet area on the lower floor offering bistro-style tables.
Meanwhile, there are two separate seating areas on the upper level combining sofas and individual seats (fortunately, there are plenty of power plugs around).
A basic selection of cold food is served 24 hours per day (think sandwiches and pastries) while a wider range appears at breakfast, lunch and dinner times.
Unlimited tea and coffee is available at all times, and a surprisingly wide selection of serve-yourself alcoholic beverages.
Perhaps the most intriguing service for business class travellers with Flydubai is the dedicated gate – rather than boarding the standard shuttle buses with other travellers, you will be ferried to the aircraft on a vehicle with ever-so-slightly comfier seats.
While the Flydubai Business Class Lounge may be simple, it’s pleasant enough for a low-cost airline, and far better than the often non-existent offerings from airlines based in Europe.
