The thrill of the ANA Lounge cannot overcome familiarity
I still clearly remember the thrill I felt the first time I used an ANA Lounge at the airport. After passing through security, in those slightly tense moments before boarding, the moment I stepped into that quiet space, I felt as if the quality of my journey itself had been elevated. The calm lighting, the well-arranged chairs, the airplanes visible outside, the serene atmosphere. There was a world clearly different from the bustle in front of the boarding gate, and that alone made it feel special. Even just having a cup of coffee made me feel like I was being treated with care, and I felt that even the travel time for business trips had turned into something a bit more refined.
However, humans are strange creatures. Even a service that moved me so much at first becomes something I take for granted after using it many times. For me now, the ANA Lounge is no longer a place that generates the same sense of excitement as it once did; in a sense, it has become a place that is exactly as expected. Of course, it is clean, quiet, and offers a certain sense of security. Those are points that should be appreciated, and I do not feel that the basic quality has dropped. It is just that, for better or worse, it is the same every time. In exchange for that sense of security, the freshness has disappeared.
Perhaps from the lounge's perspective, providing stable quality is the top priority. While an airport is an extraordinary place for users, it is a continuous routine for the operators. That is precisely why it is important to eliminate variations in service and ensure that anyone can get the same level of satisfaction regardless of when they visit. I understand that logic well. However, as a user, I inevitably start wanting a little more. If it is a space that high-ranking customers or those who meet certain usage conditions can enter, I find myself wishing for just one more touch that would move my heart.
For example, a sense of the seasons. It could be the drinks, light snacks, or even the way the space is presented. Something that says, 'This is available this season,' 'There is this change this month,' or a small feature unique to that specific airport. If such elements were added even slightly, the meaning of stopping by the lounge would become much stronger. The current lounge is convenient, well-organized, and reliable. In exchange, the pleasure of going out of one's way to enter it has faded somewhat. It is sufficient if you just want to spend time quietly until boarding, but it is hard for it to be an experience that exceeds expectations.
Recently, depending on the time, I sometimes skip the lounge and just spend time near the boarding gate. This is something I would not have considered in the past, but I suppose it means the appeal of the lounge has relatively declined. I think this is not because the service has gotten worse, but because my own sensibilities have changed. You can only experience that first thrill once. That is precisely why, to keep people using it, it is necessary to accumulate satisfaction that is different from the initial surprise.
I do have expectations for the ANA brand. Because I have the impression that they are thorough in both in-flight and ground services, I look for that same level of excellence in their lounges. In this day and age, it is difficult to differentiate just by having seats, drinks, and quiet. Especially for those accustomed to traveling, they are sensitive to slight changes and small gestures of care. That is why I would be happy if it could become a space where there is a small discovery every time I use it, while still retaining that classic sense of security.
A lounge should not really be just a waiting room. I want it to be a place that makes the time before boarding a flight feel just a little bit richer. Thinking about it that way, the current ANA Lounge gets a passing grade, but it does not reach the level of being moving. I want to experience that special feeling I felt at the beginning once more in a different form. Customers who have been using it for a long time are the ones who notice such small evolutions. There is a sense of dissatisfaction that only comes from being used to it, and because I have expectations, my requests increase. I am not trying to complain; I feel there is room for it to become even better. I want a lounge that is not just convenient and well-organized, but one that has a reason for me to want to enter again. I truly want ANA to show us that next step.
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