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The woddts best lounges The ranking of the best airline lounges in the world is a highly subjective process, often with lashrngs of partisanship and accusations of bias. Nevertheless, some lounges just keep showing up in all the lists and can safely be relied upon to be top of their ciass. Here are our top picks.

Virgin Australia Lounge, Sydney The Sydney lounge of the airline rs regarded by Virgin Australia CEO John Borghe ttr as the flagship faci1iq,. Roomy and ultra modern, there's ample space to work, dine or just relax. There's even a premium entry for the airfine's VIP passengers. The lounge does coffee big time with baristas going flat out and a bar that opens at 11am with beer on tap,

Etihad Airways Premium Lounge, Abu Dhabi With a new lounge nou/ open rn Terminal 1 to supplement the existing lounge rn Grminal 3, Etihad Airways is reminding flyers that there is more choice among the rapidly expanding Middle Eastern carriers. Featuring all the usual trimmings, both lounges are open2117 and include a family room, Style & Shar.e salon and 15-minute treatments at the Six Senses Spa

) The firstVlP lounges were introduced in 1939 when American Airlines (AA) launched their Admirals Club at NYC's LaGuardia Airport. But instead of offering a Iuxury service toVlPs, who were often chosen through a vague and elitist qualification

process, the experiment bacl<flred and resulted in disenfranchised customers fi ling anti-discrimination complaints to the US Civil Aeronautics Board. Australia's introduction of airline lounges in the 1970s was much less controversial.

Qantas Business Lounge, Perth The impressive new Qantas Business Lounge in Perth is the latest addition to Qantas lounges across Australia. Catenng to all travellers, it boasts areas to relax and dine with an Italian pizzabar, plus a wine bar serving barista coffee and fresh crolssants in the morning and wine and carap6s in the evening.

Emirates Lounges, Dubai Emirates can always be relied upon to lavish their elite passengers like sheikhs. Unsurprisingly then, the first-c1ass lounge in Dubai is so big it consumes an entire 1eve1 of Concourse A and has a pdvate bridge connecting drrectly to the exclusive section of their Airbus A3B0s. There s also a day spa, a 1a carte dining. and fu11y equipped work spaces.

Air New Zealand Koru Lounge, Sydney This innovative airline has proven rtself yet again following the opemng of its lounge at Sydney Internatjonal Airport last year Here lrou can try a signature 'Kiwrtini' cocktail while enjoying fare from the 'food theatre' and views of the runway. Jn March the airline launched its new Brisbane lounge and more upgrades are planned across the network. E!

Trans Australia Airl ines (TAA) launched Flight Decl< for domestic passengers while Qantas, then exclusively an international airline, launched Captaint Club for their preferred passengers. When Virgin Australia, formerly l<nown asVirgin

Blue, launched The Blue Room in 2003, it was on a casual pay-as-you-go basis. But as the airline moved to a full-service model, it quickly occupied the vacantAnsett facilities to create the uber chicVirgin Australia Lounges we have today.