New Virgin Blue Lounge is launched

I got an email update yesterday informing me about new lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. You can either purchase annual membership for AU$349 plus a joining fee of AU$199 or pay as you go at AU$30 (approx £13) per visit.

Facilities sound good - showers [y], continental breakfast, make your own sandwiches, free booze after 1pm, and state-of-the-art Sony Vaio laptops in the business centre.

The few times I've flown DJ I've never been tempted to visit their Blue room "lounges" as they were nothing special and you had to pay for coffee anyway. Prices are higher but £13 is still extremely good value if you make full use of the lounge, including the excellent business facilities.

If arriving in any of these cities after a long-haul flight, and you have an onward DJ flight then these lounges would be an ideal place to freshen up in if you do not have lounge access with QF.

http://www.virginblue.com.au/thelounge

The Strawb

[mitchja]

I hope VS AU Flying Club card holders can still access the new lounges when travelling on a DJ flight [:?]

Regards

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by mitchja
I hope VS AU Flying Club card holders can still access the new lounges when travelling on a DJ flight [:?]

Regards

Great question James and I have a great answer. Yea they still let VS Gold Flying Club members in. Maybe the one on the best unpublished Gold benefits (or maybe I am going blind). I gave The Lounge in Sydney a ring and they confirmed.

And there is a McD's next to the BlueRoom in Sydney. I do enjoy McDonald's Australia's breakfast snadwiches.

I can hope that VA will allow VS gold in their CH/PatriotRoom or whatever.......

I never knew that was a Flying Club Gold benefit. Very good if I may say so.

The Strawb

[mitchja]

Yeah you also get an increased luggage allowance on all DJ flights as well, being VS Au.

Regards

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin

Originally posted by mitchja
I hope VS AU Flying Club card holders can still access the new lounges when travelling on a DJ flight [:?]

Regards

Great question James and I have a great answer. Yea they still let VS Gold Flying Club members in. Maybe the one on the best unpublished Gold benefits (or maybe I am going blind). I gave The Lounge in Sydney a ring and they confirmed.

No they don't. I was refused entry [V] It is only available if you have arrived on a VS flight and are connecting to a DJ flight on the same day. They receive a manifest from VS (much in the same way that Revivals do) and check against that. The entry fee is AUD30 and VS pays that to DJ.

To be honest I feel, given the amount of money I have thrown at Virgin Atlantic to become Gold, it wouldn't exactly bankrupt them to pay for me and the number of Gold members who would seek to use the Lounge

Adelaide now has a new lounge.

And now Priority Pass gets you into all the Virgin Blue lounges... nice!

From the Priority Pass email today:-

"We are delighted to welcome Virgin BlueÕs stylish Australian lounges, each known simply as 'The Lounge'.

'The Lounge' from Virgin Blue is available to Priority Pass members when flying on domestic flights in Australia from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney or Adelaide and each newly-refurbished location offers full business facilities, including free wireless internet access, private workstations and Sony Vaio laptops, as well as ample space and opportunities to relax. There is also a carefully planned drink and snack menu, with the special touches for which Virgin Blue has become known."