No1 Lounges launches third Australian facility with opening of My Lounge - Home of Virgin Australia in Brisbane

10 September, 2019

British airport lounge operator No1 Lounges has launched its latest airport lounge together with airline partner Virgin Australia at Brisbane airport's international terminal. This is its third lounge in Australia with 'The House' versions currently available in both Melbourne and Sydney.

The latest opening, the My Lounge - Home of Virgin Australia has been developed in close collaboration with the airline to provide guests with what is described as "a unique co-branded… social lounging experience".

The facility is located closest to the departure gates in Brisbane near to gate 77 and is open to all eligible Virgin Australia business class passengers and Platinum and Gold members of the Velocity frequent flyer programme, as well as Virgin Australia lounge members travelling to New Zealand.

Alongside "complimentary and guaranteed" access for the above, passengers from other airlines will also be permitted to use the lounge on a pay-per-use basis. This can be pre-booked online or in-person on the day of travel, for AUD60 and AUD70 respectively per adult, while those travelling with children aged between two and 11 can also secure entry for AUD30 (online) and AUD35 (on the day).

The lounge offers a selection of comfortable sofas and an eclectic mix of seating areas, unrivalled runway views and unlimited Wi-Fi, as well as television, newspapers, glossy magazines and charging points as standard. Guests can also enjoy locally sourced hot and cold dishes from an all-day grazing counter, barista-made coffees and self-serve drinks and DIY cocktails from a stylish island bar - including the 'flamingo', an exclusive signature aperitif presented by Virgin Australia.

The 'my Lounge' concept is inspired by loft-style living, with the design of the lounge built around being social. There are already examples at London Gatwick airport in the UK, housed in both the north and south terminals. The Brisbane lounge covers an area of over 330 squarer metres and can accommodate over 100 passengers, with seating for 108 guests. It is open from 5am to 10pm each day to cover Virgin Australia's full schedule out of Brisbane.

The airline offer flights to 12 destinations from Brisbane and handles around 500,000 passengers annually out of Brisbane. Unlike the lounges in Melbourne and Sydney, which filled spaces previously occupied by Etihad Airways, the Brisbane partnership with No1 Lounges is about appealing to the customer demographic with the pay to enter option targeted at the leisure market.

"Getting the balance right was absolutely crucial," says Paul Scurrah, CEO, Virgin Australia. "It is a wonderful lounge experience catering to all ends of the market, from business to leisure. Our guests love the lounges in Melbourne and Sydney, which gave us the confidence to move forward in Brisbane."

CHART - Virgin Australia is the second largest international operator in Brisbane behind flag carrier Qantas AirwaysSource: CAPA -Centre for Aviation and OAG (data: w/c 09-Sep-2019)

Virgin Australia is the second largest operator in Brisbane behind flag carrier Qantas Airways and holds a 32.5% share of the weekly seat capacity, according to CAPA - Centre for Aviation analysis of OAG schedule date (for the week commencing 09-Sep-2019).

In the international market it retains that second largest operator position, but its share slips down to 17.1% with an international network from Brisbane that comprises flights to Adelaide, Apia, Auckland, Bali, Christchurch, Dunedin, Honiara, Los Angeles, Nadi, Port Moresby, Port Vila, Queenstown and Wellington. While the markets served have remain unchanged these past five years, Virgin Australia's international capacity out of Brisbane has reduced during the current winter (southern hemisphere) schedule, down -8.3%on winter 2018.