NETHERLANDS. Heineken’s new bar at national carrier KLM’s recently-opened 6,800sq m non-Schengen Crown Lounge at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is part of a Dutch-themed hospitality offer that will serve over one million passengers in its first year.
Dutch brewer Heineken has partnered with KLM to create a new level of bar experience in what is now the largest airline lounge in Europe. Heineken is the exclusive provider of beers and ciders in the space which welcomes a diverse array of travellers from KLM and its Sky Team Alliance partners, including Delta Airlines, Air France, China Eastern and Korean Air.
Prominently located in the main ‘City’ area of the Crown lounge, the Heineken bar – officially opened on 28 November – is the first of its kind at an airport and features the flagship brand and its no-alcohol variant, Heineken 0.0. Customers can relax in seating areas surrounded by artworks from the Netherlands’ most famous painters including Rembrandt and Piet Mondrian.
Additionally, on the upper level at the Sky Bar, a wider selection of beers and ciders from the Heineken global portfolio is available, including regional brands such as Singapore’s Tiger Beer, Dos Equis from Mexico, Affligem, Strongbow and Lagunitas from the USA.
Engaging target consumers with sponsorship platforms
The Crown Lounge also allows Heineken to engage consumers with some of its sponsorship platforms, including the upcoming Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix in May 2020 and the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament later that summer.
Heineken Director of Sales Europe Export & Global Duty Free Dimitris Kyriazis said: “We are very excited to partner with KLM… building on our 20-year relationship. 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 also showcases the wide global footprint of our portfolio of craft beers, ciders and regional favourites.
KLM’s Customer Experience Manager of Partnerships Global Brands, Eline Gambino-Lebens, added: “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 Heineken’s global portfolio. We have a long and successful relationship in the skies with Heineken and we look forward to bringing this to life here at Schiphol.”
“Inflight is a brand-building channel…”
In March 2019, Heineken was awarded a five-year contract extension for pouring with KLM and Air France. The brand is the exclusive premium beer offering on all flights in a partnership that creates brand visibility for the airlines’ combined 86 million annual global passengers. Since October 2019, Heineken 0.0 – a no-alcohol beer – has also been listed on all KLM flights.
Commenting on the commercial opportunity of the inflight sector Kyriazis said: “Inflight is a brand-building channel for us to bring our portfolio to the world and we have increased our range to include several low/no-alcohol ranges, led by Heineken 0.0. With the growing trend for a healthy lifestyle, we want to give passengers greater choice in how they enjoy our beers and ciders without any compromise on quality.”