Luxury Air Canada lounge opens at Saskatoon airport

Saskatoon’s airport facelift reached a major milestone Tuesday as Air Canada opened their new luxury lounge to the public.

The Maple Leaf Lounge at John G. Diefenbaker International Airport offers business class flyers and club members a fully-staffed bar, self-serve buffet and a “cyber counter” equipped with computers and colour printers.

The 137-square-metre space, which can host up to 40 customers at a time, was designed by Saskatchewan artists Shawn Evans and Holly Friesen.

It’s located near the Air Canada departure gates in the terminal, giving flyers quick access when their flight starts boarding and has a view of the tarmac.

“It’s really a premium-level service,” said Stephen Maybury, CEO of the Saskatoon Airport Authority.

“It’s going to be enjoyed by many travellers.”

The lounge is the 17th to be opened by Air Canada across the country.

Maybury said Saskatoon’s airport has been trying to attract a luxury airline lounge for quite some time.

“We had a dedicated space that was always the intent to bring a premium-service lounge to Saskatoon,” he said.

“We’ve been working on it for quite awhile.”

The CEO also provided an update on the parking renovations at the airport, saying construction is set to be completed by November.

“Weather has cooperated throughout the summer and hopefully that will continue into the fall season,” he said.

The new parking system will include various levels of service for different prices, including valet and park-and-ride options.