December 11 2019  |  Spirits & Tobacco

Heineken and KLM launch Crown Lounge experience at Schiphol airport

By Laura Shirk


Located between concourses E and F at Schiphol Airport and set over two floors, the 6,800-sqm lounge is the largest airline lounge in Europe

Heineken and KLM have partnered in their hometown of Amsterdam to bring a new bar experience to passengers using KLM’s stylish new Non-Schengen Crown Lounge.

Located between concourses E and F at Schiphol Airport and set over two floors, the 6,800-sqm lounge is the largest airline lounge in Europe. As such, it will welcome over one million passengers per year from KLM and its partners.

Opened on November 28, 2019, the bar marks a significant step in the more than 20-year relationship between the two Dutch companies. Earlier this year, Heineken was awarded a five-year contract extension with KLM and Air France. The brand is the exclusive premium beer offering on-board all flights in a partnership that creates brand visibility for the airlines’ combines 86M annual global passengers.

Notably located in the main “City” area of the Crown Lounge, the Heineken bar is the first of its kind at an airport and features the flagship brand and its zero alcohol variant: Heineken 0.0. Additionally, on the upper level at the Sky bar, a wider selection of beers and ciders from the brand’s global portfolio is available.

The Crown Lounge venue also provides a unique opportunity to engage key target consumers with the Heineken brand’s key sponsorship platforms such as the new Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix in May 2020 and the UEFA EURO 2020 football tournament later that summer.

Dimitris Kyriazis, Director, Sales Europe Export & Global Duty Free, Heineken, says: “We are very excited to partner with KLM as the exclusive provider of beers and ciders in the stunning KLM Crown Lounge at Amsterdam Schiphol, building on our long-term relationship and shared commitment to give KLM passengers a unique journey from start to finish.

This new lounge experience enables us to connect with over one million consumers from all over the world, giving them the chance to enjoy a perfectly served beer or cider from our extensive portfolio. For transit passengers, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a taste of the best of Amsterdam with Heineken the world’s most international premium beer brand, right here in its home city. The Sky bar menu choice also showcases the wide global footprint of our portfolio of craft beers, ciders and regional favourites including Singapore’s Tiger Beer, Dos Equis from Mexico and Lagunitas from the USA.”

Eline Gambino-Lebens, Manager Partnerships Global Brands, KLM Customer Experience, adds: “As two iconic Dutch brands, KLM and Heineken are natural partners in many ways and we are delighted to offer our Crown Lounge guests a fantastic choice of brands from the Heineken global portfolio. We have a long and successful relationship in the skies with Heineken and we look forward to bringing this to life in new and innovative ways at our latest destination, here at Schiphol.”

Referencing the commercial opportunity of the in-flight beverage sector – and the significance of the marketing benefits, Kyriazis explains: “In-flight is a brand-building channel for us to bring our portfolio to the world and we have increased our ‘35,000 feet’ range to include several lo/no alcohol ranges, led by Heineken 0.0. With the growing trend for a balanced and healthy lifestyle, we want to give passengers greater choice in how they enjoy the great taste of our beers and ciders without any compromise on quality. Whatever the destination, the Heineken portfolio of beers and ciders offers great options for everyone.”

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