Last week I traveled for work from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to Pune International Airport (PNQ) on Jet Airways. I also wrote about my experience with lounge hopping at 2 airport lounges at AUH Terminal 1 – Al Reem Lounge and Al Dhabi Lounge. This article is a complete review of the Bird Lounge at Pune Airport (PNQ).
Related: Entire List of all Priority Pass Airport Lounges in India
In the past, whenever I would get a chance to travel to Pune, I would always wonder, why doesn’t Pune International Airport still not have a non-airline branded Premium Executive Airport Lounge?
I check-in to my SpiceJet flight, and when I was done, I turn to my left and glanced upon something new that said Lounge, and I was like no way – it’s an Airport Lounge!
Meet “BIRD Lounge”, Pune International Airport’s new Premium Executive Airport Lounge.
BIRD Lounge at Pune Airport (PNQ)
Bird Lounge officially opened its doors on 25th January 2019 at PNQ in Lohegaon (Lohgaon), Pune. I spoke to them, and I was among the first 25 passengers that had visited the lounge since its inception.
Relax. Refresh. Unwind. Enjoy Bird Lounge’s spirit of hospitality.
It is located to the left of the SpiceJet check-in counter inside the airport. Since, it’s right next to check-in, it is before immigration. Hence, keep enough time for immigration and security.
Edit: The image above is from December 2019. I spoke to a lounge employee a year later, on 12th January 2020, and the Bird Lounge at Pune Airport (PNQ) is still open and fully functional.
Bird Lounge – Checkin & Price
The lounge is open 24/7. At checkin, you are required to provide your valid boarding pass. Entry to the Bird Lounge comes at a no-brainer price of INR 599.00 (~ AED 30, ~ USD 8.37).
Edit: The price in January 2020 has increased to INR 843.00 (~ AED 42, USD ~ 11.5).
Cash works but I paid successfully with my Visa Credit Card (they did not accept AMEX). Edit: As of January 2020, they accept American Express.
The credit card charge showed up as “ABOVE GROUND LEVEL” and coded as Food & Drink (Restaurants).
Read More: 10 things to know before using your International Credit Card
The Bird Lounge at PNQ is not yet part of any lounge network like Priority Pass, Lounge Key, Lounge Buddy etc. I secretly wish that it may eventually be 🙂 (Bird Lounge Thiruvananthapuram is already a part of Priority Pass and Lounge Buddy)
Edit: Priority Pass adds Bird Lounge at Pune, Dehradun and Bhubaneswar on 15th March 2019.
Edit: Bird Lounge Pune also accepts LoungeKey and DragonPass
Bird Lounge – Features
Seating Area
Bird Lounge is relatively smaller compared to most airport lounges, but it has a good seating area and comfortable couches. The restroom / washroom is located in the corner and is also well maintained.
Internet
Bird Lounge offers high speed internet and it is definitely faster than the free airport wi-fi. I ran out of free consumption of the airport wifi, and this was a savior.
Workspace
Bird Lounge also has a small one desk workspace area for internet access (in case you do not have a laptop), and an option for printouts (so handy when you need it).
Food and Beverage
Bird Lounge has good options for snacks, sandwiches, cereals and desserts, all included in your entry fees. Unfortunately, it does not yet serve hot meals.
There were also various options for juices, soda (soft drinks), water, and coffee and tea.
Service
The customer service at Bird Lounge was really good and the folks were very friendly. They helped me with servings of food and beverage and also gladly assisted me with any questions that I had.
Summary – Bird Lounge Pune Airport
Overall, the experience at the lounge was well worth the price, and I look forward to coming back again. Edit: I did visit again many times in 2019, and used my Priority Pass there.
Generally, I’m really happy that Pune International Airport finally has an executive airport lounge and is making it easier for business and leisure travelers.
Edit: Pune International Airport now has another lounge “Earth Lounge” (see lounge on DragonPass, and LoungeBuddy).
There’s one thing I wish Pune International Airport would add support for – allowing wide body aircrafts to fly in and out of the airport. This would open a flurry of flight options from different parts of the world. But I understand the restrictions, and I hope that if not this Pune airport, the new Pune Airport would definitely support this.
Checkout the complete list of Priority Pass Lounges in India. For more lounge reviews in India, the popular travel blog LiveFromALounge has a really good compilation of lounge reviews. Here are a few – AMEX Lounge Mumbai, GVK Lounge Mumbai, Plaza Premium Lounge Ahmedabad, Plaza Premium Lounge Delhi etc.
PointsOfArabia also has a good review of the Aviserv Lounge at Mumbai Airport.
And if you’re into First Class Airport Lounges, Lucky from One Mile At A Time has a good compilation of The World’s Best First Class Airport Lounges in 2019.
You can follow Bird Lounges on Instagram.
Have you visited the Bird Lounge at Pune International Airport (PNQ)? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Birds view on Bird’s lounge!!! Informative and useful information for travelers. Very well detailed. I am frequent traveler from Pune airport so makes me comfortable with this information. Thanks for sharing it.
This is interesting! Hopefully it is accessible to domestic travelers too!
It sure is. I accessed it on when flying domestic from PNQ to AMD.
Great guidance! Keep it up
Detailed information and helpful review ! 👍
Is it located on domestic terminal or international terminal?
Hi Aman, at Pune Airport, the domestic and international terminal is the same terminal. Check-in and security happen at the same terminal regardless of where you’re flying. And the Bird Lounge is located right next to the SpiceJet check-in counter (for both domestic and international checkins)
This Bird Lounge doesnt Exist anywhere now. Please Be noted. It was closed and now reopened now with name Earth Lounge. No Priprity pass, No Amex, Only very few Cards Accepted. Also, at 3 AM all they had was a few sandwiches, and a Lavazza Coffee machine. Also the Lounge is a very corner from main gate, which also doesn’t attract any takers.
Hi Nick, we reached out to the Bird Lounge team today at Pune Airport, and as of January 2020, the Bird Lounge is fully functional and operational. It has not closed down. The Bird Lounge is a different lounge than the Earth Lounge. The Bird Lounge is located at check-in next to the SpiceJet check-in counter, while the Earth Lounge is located next to Boarding Gate 5.
The Bird Lounge is still listed and accessible using
– Priority Pass: https://www.prioritypass.com/en/lounges/india/pune-international/pnq1-bird-lounge
– Dragon Pass: https://en.dragonpass.com.cn/lounge/390822
Is it exclusive to International passengers only or also accessible to Domestic travellers aa well? Also, my wife doesnt have priority pass…. Can she still avail the Birds lounge and what cards have free access.
It is accessible to Domestic travelers too, and she can access the lounge.
Here’s an excellent write up by CardExpert on the best cards for Priority Pass in India:
https://www.cardexpert.in/ultimate-guide-to-priority-pass-airport-lounges-in-india/