Oakland International Airport and MAG USA Partner to Bring ‘Escape Lounge’ to Travelers at OAK

UK-Based Firm Enters Seven-year Contract to Design, Build and Operate in Oakland

Oakland, CA – December 3, 2015: Oakland International Airport and MAG, owner of the third and fourth largest airports in the United Kingdom (Manchester and Stansted), announce today that MAG subsidiary, MAG USA, has been awarded a contract to design, build and operate an Escape Lounge at OAK.

The contract, awarded by the airport’s owner, Port of Oakland, is the second major contract win for the new MAG USA business.

OAK is the second largest airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, welcoming approximately 11 million passengers each year.

MAG USA will invest more than $2 million in the 2,700 sq. ft. Escape Lounge, which is scheduled to open in June 2016. For a fee, all passengers at OAK will be able to take advantage of stylish and contemporary furnishings, complimentary food and drinks, free Wi-Fi, a relaxed atmosphere, and a selection of newspapers and magazines.

Rosemarie Andolino, President and CEO of MAG USA, said, “We are delighted to be working with Oakland International Airport to bring our first Escape Lounge to the West Coast.  The Oakland International Airport leadership should be commended for their commitment to offering travelers new amenities to enhance their travel experience.  Oakland is a vibrant and growing airport that plays a vital role in the San Francisco Bay Area economy.

“Increasingly, consumers seek simple and affordable upgrades to their daily lives and Escape Lounges provide the opportunity to do just that. What better way to begin your travel experience than by enjoying high quality food and refreshment, free Wi-Fi and newspapers in a relaxed, comfortable and contemporary environment separate from the inevitable noise and crowds of gate areas,” Andolino added.
“Common-use airport lounges are still a new product in North America and we look forward to working with more airports as they look to improve their passenger amenities not just in lounges, but also in other areas of retail,” said Andolino.

Oakland International Airport agreed that travelers would enjoy the specialized amenities offered by the Escape Lounge. Kristi McKenney, Acting Director of Aviation for the Port of Oakland, noted, “We are pleased to partner with MAG USA offering the Escape Lounge experience to our customers. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to a broad range of palates, and we appreciate being able to provide affordable luxury with a local flair to people living and traveling in one of world’s most popular destinations. The airport is enjoying a sustained period of growth in passenger traffic, and we are offering more airlines and destinations than ever before. The new Escape Lounge will be a perfect addition.”

This follows MAG USA’s first Escape Lounge in the USA at Minneapolis-St Paul Airport (MSP). The lounge at MSP is due to open on December 7th.

MAG already operates five Escape Lounges across its four U.K. airports, along with the new lounge at MSP, collectively serving over 500,000 passengers per year. MAG’s award-winning Escape Lounges are part of the company’s ‘little slices of luxury’ which it offers to its passengers across its UK airports and now in the US.

About MAG

• MAG is one of the largest private companies in the UK and owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted, East Midlands and Bournemouth Airports. MAG employs over 4,500 people and annually serves approximately 50 million passengers and handles 650,000 tons of air freight.
• MAG’s strategy is to increase long-term shareholder value by generating profitable growth through the further development of its assets and by offering a high quality user experience for customers using its airports.
• By achieving this goal, MAG aims to become a global leader in airport management, products and services.
• MAG also includes the commercial property company, MAG Property, which has over £600m of property assets across its four airports and is leading the £800m major Enterprise Zone development, Airport City, at Manchester. In North America, MAG-USA works with airports to develop and operate terminal and retail solutions, passenger lounges and car parking facilities.
• MAG is managed on behalf of its shareholders who include the Council of the City of Manchester (35.5%), IFM Investors (35.5%) and the nine remaining Greater Manchester local authorities (29%).
• MAG USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MAG focusing on bringing Escape Lounges, enhanced parking services, improved retail concessions and terminal development to US airports.

About Oakland International Airport
Oakland International is the fourth largest airport in California and second largest in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 11 million travelers each year, OAK is the closest airport to the region’s top tourism and entertainment venues. It is also the closest for most local residents.

The airport currently offers air service to 49 destinations on 13 different airline brands – seven of which operate with OAK as their sole gateway into the San Francisco Bay region.

The vision of Oakland International Airport is to offer customers a world-class experience and be the airport of choice for Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by The Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.
For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details on shopping, dining, transportation, and more, visit www.iflyoak.com.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.