Higher State offers personal training, group exercise, reformer pilates, yoga and a gym with top-of-the-line recovery equipment.
Australian flyers are swapping neck pillows for bench press headrests, terminal seats for cyclists and portable movie players for internet-connected fitness consoles.
Melbourne Airport has opened its first health club and wellness centre, Higher State, a gym concept that welcomes travellers, hotel guests, airport staff and local residents.
Higher State features a full gym facility capable of accommodating functional training, personal training, group exercise classes, reformer pilates and yoga, as well as a 25-metre indoor pool, infrared sauna, meditation pods, compression recovery, virtual sessions and signature wellness treatments from trained therapists.
This is a strong investment in health and wellness that is set to be equally strong supported: Belgravia Leisure, an Australian health and fitness provider with more than 60 clubs across Australia and New Zealand, will oversee the now-up and running operations.
It’s also a justifiable investment, as Belgravia Leisure understands how challenging the flying experience can be.
“It’s well-known that air passengers are prone to some unfavourable physical effects, including fatigue, jet lag, insomnia and even digestive issues,” says Bree Melotte, health expert at Belgravia Leisure. “Our massages greatly improve circulation and increased blood flow delivers more oxygen to tired muscles, speeding up recovery and reducing fatigue. What’s more, our compression recovery service uses air to massage travellers’ legs, buttocks and lower back areas, providing deep pressure and a relaxing massage – the perfect post-flight care plan.”
According to Belgravia Leisure, Higher State will be within walking distance of the airport’s Terminal 4 and will be located within the new dual-branded Novotel and Ibis Styles hotel.
While the move may seem groundbreaking, it’s not the first company to put wings to health and wellness: Last year, Rome Fitness opened a gym in Terminal F at Philadelphia International Airport, while United Airlines recently inked a deal with Therabody to bring the company’s health tech products and equipment to international business class passengers.
SimpleFlying reported that five other cities, including Chicago and Vancouver, also had in-airport fitness centers as of last summer, and argues that the rise in health-related travel and further momentum in Melbourne is just the beginning of an airport gym boom.
