Earth Lounge At Cochin International Airport

During my recent flight from Cochin to Dubai, I had the opportunity to check out the Earth Lounge at Cochin International Airport (COK). While the airport does not have any airline-specific lounges, the Earth Lounge can be accessed using Priority Pass or, in my case, the LoungeKey program.

Accessible and easy to find

The Earth Lounge is located on the airside of COK, just past the emigration and security. Passengers can directly take an elevator to the terminal’s upper level, where the lounge and food court are located, either past security and before entering the airport duty-free, or they also have elevators just past the duty-free. There are plenty of signs posted around the terminal, making navigation to the lounge easy.

Upon entering the upper level, passengers can see the lounge entrance directly, and it is only a 15-second walk through the food court.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Upon entering the lounge, there were multiple queues available, including one dedicated for First and Business class passengers, which I was able to use as I flying Business with Emirates. The process of checking into the lounge went smoothly, and I was in within a minute.

Plenty of seating inside the lounge

Despite being 02:00, there were quite a considerable number of passengers in the lounge, but there was still plenty of available seating remaining. Additionally, a section of the dining area has been reserved for First and Business Class passengers, which pretty much ensures there will always be seating available for premium passengers in the main dining area.

Overall, the lounge looked spacious and well-organized, with various types of seating available in various sections. Various seating configurations were available from couches to couples tables to family tables, allowing passengers to select a suitable seating area depending on the number of people they were traveling with.

While the main dining area of the lounge is what passengers first see upon entering the lounge, it is considerably larger, with various other sections connected, such as quiet resting areas, kids’ areas, and even a smoker’s lounge available.

Ample lounge amenities include a fully staffed bar

Passengers accessing the lounge will have access to free WiFi, flight information, the latest television news, and newspaper services. Additionally, there is a fully staffed bar inside the lounge for passengers wishing to consume alcohol (additional payment required).

Furthermore, passengers can access a relaxing lounge if they wish to sleep or unwind, a meeting/business center if they wish to work while traveling, and even a playroom for kids and infants. Passengers looking to get refreshed can also access the shower facility that is available.

The one interesting thing I noticed about the Earth lounge is that they do make boarding announcements inside the lounge… even at 03:00 in the morning. While it did not bother me because I was awake, I am guessing it might be a bit uncomfortable for any passengers wishing to get some sleep.

One side of the lounge was entirely covered with floor-to-ceiling windows, which would have provided a great view of the airport apron if it had not been nighttime. Regardless, it still offers cool views of aircraft parked nearby.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

A varied food and drinks selection and chef-service

Considering it was early morning, the food available was mostly breakfast items, from salads to mini-sandwiches, cereals, and typical items such as eggs, beans, and sausages. Some regional South-Indian dishes, such as Idli and Vada, were also ready-made.

The best part of the meal service for me was that passengers could request certain dishes, such as Dosas, be made. The chef would cook the food items at the live cooking station and deliver them to their tables with all the accompanying chutneys.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Obviously, I went for a plate of delicious Ghee-Roast Dosa and a small plate of sandwiches, salad, and chicken. Considering the food was made just minutes ago, it was still hot and fresh and on par with eating at a restaurant, which is not something that passengers often get from many lounges.

Apart from the bar, a wide variety of drink choices were also available. From fresh juices to canned soft drinks and various hot beverages, passengers could help themselves with what they wished to drink. The lounge staff would constantly make rounds, refilling water glasses if passengers were seated and having food.

I decided to stick with juice and water because a hot beverage would only make it harder for me to sleep on the flight.

Enjoying the lounge’s rest areas

Another remarkable feature of the lounge is the secluded rest areas where passengers can relax and even catch some sleep before their flight. Various types of seating are available, so passengers can choose which best suits them. Given that it was early morning, most of the area was occupied with passengers sleeping or relaxing.

The lounge was well-staffed, and they ensured passengers were tended to. Additionally, they ensured the lounge remained clean by clearing the tables once passengers vacated it so that the seating area would be prepared for the next passenger who wished to use it.

Overall thoughts on the Earth Lounge at Cochin Airport

As boarding began for my flight, I left the lounge and walked a short distance to my gate, where I boarded my Boeing 777-300ER, which would take me back home to Dubai that morning.

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The Earth Lounge is extremely comfortable and offers useful services to all passengers, regardless of whether they are traveling for leisure or business. While the lounge offers free food and drinks for passengers like every other lounge, it has taken special consideration to offer a great place for passengers to relax before their upcoming flight, which is the best part about the lounge.

Perhaps the one criticism I might have is having boarding announcements inside the lounge, especially at night. While I was not affected by it during my time in the lounge, and I personally would rather choose to miss some sleep than miss my flight, I have been to plenty of airport lounges around the world. The general trend is for lounges not to make boarding announcements inside to improve the customer experience.

Overall, the Earth Lounge is absolutely brilliant in terms of amenities offered and staff service. Hence, I would definitely recommend it.