Adani Airport Ends Lounge Access Partnership With DragonPass One Week After Launch
| 2025-05-16
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Adani Airport Holdings has ended its partnership with China-based lounge provider DragonPass, halting access for DragonPass users at Adani-managed Indian airports.
Adani Airport terminates DragonPass partnership days after launch
Adani Airport Holdings has announced the immediate termination of its partnership with China-based lounge access provider DragonPass, just one week after the collaboration was formally launched.
In a statement released on Thursday, the company confirmed that DragonPass customers would no longer have access to airport lounges at Adani-managed facilities across India. The move will not affect lounge access or services for passengers using other platforms or programmes, according to the airport operator.
“DragonPass customers will no longer have access to lounges at Adani-managed airports,” a spokesperson for Adani Airport Holdings said. “This change will have no impact on the airport lounge and travel experience for other customers.”
The announcement follows a short-lived agreement signed last week between Adani Digital Labs—Adani Group’s digital services arm—and DragonPass, which had been aimed at expanding the travel experience for domestic and international air passengers. The deal was initially described as a means to enhance convenience by offering DragonPass members access to a wider network of airport lounges throughout India.
At the time of the launch, an Adani Digital Labs representative had described the partnership as “a direct engagement” that would “unlock new opportunities” and improve the travel experience.
Partnership abruptly ends with no explanation
Adani Airport Holdings has not provided a reason for ending the partnership, and DragonPass has not issued any public response as of Friday. The sudden termination has raised questions among frequent travellers, particularly those with existing DragonPass memberships who now find themselves without lounge access at several major Indian airports managed by the Adani Group.
DragonPass is a global travel services platform headquartered in China. The company offers access to airport lounges, dining options, and related services in both domestic and international markets. Its partnerships span over 1,000 airports worldwide, and it caters primarily to frequent flyers, corporate clients, and premium cardholders.
The terminated deal would have extended DragonPass’s footprint in India significantly by including lounges at airports operated by Adani Airport Holdings, which manages facilities in cities such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram.
Developments coincide with broader aviation tensions
The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of foreign-linked aviation service providers in India. On the same day, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the revocation of security clearance for Celebi Airport Services India, the local unit of Turkey’s Celebi Group, citing national security concerns.
Celebi had been providing ground-handling services at several major Indian airports. Following the government's move, airport operators, including Delhi International Airport, stated they were making arrangements with alternative service providers such as AISATS and Brid Group to ensure uninterrupted operations.
India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, K Rammohan Naidu, said the decision to revoke Celebi’s clearance was taken to uphold national interests and public safety. The ministry added that efforts were underway to retain affected employees to ensure a smooth transition.
While no official link has been made between the Adani-DragonPass decision and the government’s actions against Celebi, the timing of both developments has drawn attention. Some analysts suggest that evolving geopolitical dynamics and concerns around foreign influence in critical infrastructure may be influencing corporate and government decisions.
Context: Foreign service providers and infrastructure access
India’s aviation sector has seen increasing private sector involvement, particularly in airport management and digital services. However, the participation of foreign companies—especially those based in countries with strained diplomatic relations with India—has occasionally triggered national security debates.
The move to terminate the Adani-DragonPass partnership adds to a growing list of actions reflecting India’s cautious stance on international collaborations involving strategic infrastructure. As of now, no formal policy change has been announced regarding the operation of foreign travel service providers in Indian airports.
The Adani Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates, has invested heavily in airport infrastructure and digital services in recent years. Its airport subsidiary currently manages seven airports and is expected to handle over 300 million passengers annually by 2040, according to projections by India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation.
As travel demand rebounds post-pandemic, the competition for enhanced passenger experience—especially in premium services like lounge access—remains strong. How this abrupt end to the DragonPass agreement will affect future digital and hospitality partnerships at Indian airports remains to be seen.
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