Airport Gyms: Do Lounges Really Need Fitness Facilities?

Airport lounges are wonderful facilities, with the best ones packed with more amenities than any passenger could possibly have time to take advantage of. Away from the obvious features of places to eat, drink, relax, work, and enjoy spa treatments, a recent trend has seen airlines begin installing fitness facilities such as gyms in their airport lounges.

As Simple Flying explored in an article last year, lounges with such facilities included the Ambassador Transit Lounge in Singapore and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at London Heathrow. The latter was famous for its peloton bikes that overlooked the apron of the UK’s busiest airport, although recent chatter on online forums suggests that these may have now been removed.

However, if they have gone, is this such a bad thing? As a lover of sport I enjoy a good workout as much as the next person, but, in my opinion, an airport is not the place to do so. At its best, air travel is, by and large, a relaxing pastime, so I would rather see the real estate in airport lounges used for facilities that are conducive to a slower pace of life, and taking a moment to enjoy the experience. Of course, at larger hubs, you still get a good workout just walking from gate to gate! What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!