Virgin Australia has shown with the unveiling of its Adelaide lounge that it has lost none of its flair nor charm that has won it many awards and loyalty of 10 million frequent flyers.
The airline, which is now owned by Bain Capital, opened what it calls its lounge of the future, at Adelaide Airport and the flair and charm the airline is known for was on full display.
READ Air New Zealand to trial digital health pass.
Designed by Brisbane’s WMK Architecture, the 283-seat Adelaide Lounge completes Virgin Australia’s network of seven domestic lounges across major airports around Australia, and all future lounge refurbishments around the domestic network will be done in line with this new and fresh design thinking.
Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the new lounge was the first of many new and exciting products for customers following the airline’s re-launch.
“We are continuing to write a new chapter at Virgin Australia and we’re incredibly focussed on creating great experiences for our guests,” Ms. Hrdlicka said.
“We know our capital city lounges are highly-valued by our frequent flyers and we’re reimagining the experience in a very Virgin way. Not only is the new Adelaide Lounge the best airline lounge at Adelaide Airport, but it’s fun, relaxed, and a place that everyone will feel welcome and comfortable.
“We plan to make significant investment in our lounges over the next few years. The new lounge we’ve unveiled today will be the foundation for the Virgin aesthetic and experience we will roll out across the network.
“Enhancing our lounge experience is one of many changes we are making for our guests. This adds to the announcements we have already made signaling a deeper investment in technology to improve our customer experience, refreshed on-board catering to be announced soon, great bonus Points and Status match offers for our Velocity members, cheaper fares, and extended flexibility to change bookings,” Ms Hardlicka said.
The Adelaide Lounge features include;
- The Coffee Bar: An eye-catching central café seating area, transforming from a place to unwind over a coffee during the day, turning into a wine bar at night.
- The Cellar Door Hub: With some of Australia’s most awarded wineries on the doorstep of Adelaide Airport, Virgin Australia has created a feature space for South Australian wineries to bring their cellar door to the Lounge for seasonal wine tasting.
- Distinct dining areas: Separate dining areas with diverse functionality have been built adjacent to servery areas to cater to all guest’s eating preferences, including large social tables, and banquette seating for more private dining.
- Lounge seating areas:
- The Library: A dedicated work area dubbed The Library, features workstations with PCs, printing facilities, power sockets, and desk lamps, offering a functional environment to work on the fly (work spaces continue to be available throughout COVID-19).
- The Gallery Lounge: a chill-out zone adjacent to The Library, complete with lounge chairs and a large flat-screen television.
- The Sunroom: With a mixture of cosy seating arrangements, it’s the perfect space to sit with a loved one, friend or colleague in comfort.
- The Long Stay: Closely located next to the servery, the Long Stay is tucked away from the main entrance and provides guests with an inviting space, with a wide variety of seating options.
WMK Architecture Director Russell Grady said the design of the Lounge is unlike anything else in Australian airports, setting the scene for Virgin Australia’s exciting new direction.
“In true Virgin Australia style, we’ve really elevated the playful elements in signage, furniture and vibrant lighting features, adding pops of colour and energising moments, to enrich the lounge’s natural material palette. It’s a venue that’s delightfully Virgin and provides frequent flyers with a warm and relaxing space when they fly,” Mr Grady said.
To coincide with the opening, Virgin Australia launched a new menu for guests of the Adelaide Lounge, featuring a selection of sandwiches, salads, wraps and healthy snacks, prepared on-site. An enhanced menu will be implemented at all Virgin Australia lounges in the coming weeks.
In an Australian airline first, Virgin Australia is also trialling a food ordering system, offering guests end-to-end table service. Initially available in the Adelaide and Melbourne lounges, guests will be able to order food and beverages directly to their lounge seat or table, by simply scanning a QR code and placing an order on their phone.
The opening of the Adelaide Lounge marks the start of a roll-out of the airline’s future product offering including a new onboard menu for Business Class, and a buy onboard retail menu for Economy and Economy-X guests, to be revealed in the coming months.
The Virgin Australia lounges in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth are now open. Virgin Australia is expected to open its seventh, and final domestic Lounge, in Canberra, in March.
