The 80-seat Rayleigh Lounge will be available to eligible passengers flying on Singapore Airlines from November, with eligible travellers flying on other international airlines to gain access to the lounge when their flights begin.
“We’re creating a premium airport experience that is distinctly Western Sydney,” said WSI CEO Simon Hickey.
“The Rayleigh Lounge will give travellers a welcoming place to dine, work or unwind before their flight, with thoughtful design, top-tier hospitality and views across the World-Heritage listed Blue Mountains,” he said.
“As more airlines join WSI and more passengers choose to fly from Western Sydney, The Rayleigh Lounge will grow with them.
“That is how we have designed the entire airport: ready for today and built to grow with Sydney for generations to come.”
Located on the airport’s mezzanine level, the lounge was designed by COX Architecture, one of the two architects that designed WSI, and will feature furniture from Australian designer Tom Fereday.
“In the terminal and now the lounge, we designed the interiors from the outside in,” said COX Architecture partner Brooke Lloyd.
“In the lounge, passengers can take in the full depth of the region, beyond the airfield to the Cumberland Plain and the Blue Mountains. We built the colour palette around this view, specifically, the gradient from the bush into the blue haze that gives the Rayleigh its name.
“Our design of the lounge is a natural extension of the terminal concept design created jointly with ZHA, where the warm, earthy palette comes from the surrounding landscape. From the moment passengers walk in, we want them to see and feel that they’re in Western Sydney.”
Fereday said the aim was to create a space to be enjoyed and used like a home.
“Focus was placed on natural materials and soft tactile forms with the intention to instil a sense of calm within the space, a moment to pause within the busy nature of travel,” he said.
“Warm darker tones of solid timber within the space offer tactile pieces that can age and patina over time as people use and experience the lounge.”
Already the inflight caterer for Western Sydney International Airport, dnata will operate the premium lounge.
“Operating a lounge at a 24-hour airport means understanding what passengers need at different points in their journey and delivering a consistently high-quality experience throughout the day,” said dnata Australia’s managing director, Burt Sigsworth.
“We’ll bring dnata’s international experience in airport hospitality and food service to The Rayleigh Lounge, while working with local producers to give the offering a strong connection to Western Sydney.
“From the ingredients we source to the way dishes are prepared and presented, our aim is to pair the quality and service passengers expect from dnata with the region’s diverse food culture.”
The lounge is designed to expand to service up to 130 travellers at a time, while the airport has reserved space for other lounges to open at WSI in future.
The first flight from WSI – a Jetstar service to the Gold Coast – will take off this Sunday, October 25.
