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Frequent flyers with Virgin Australia are getting a raw deal when it comes to lounge access, according to our members.
Virgin Australia flyers with Gold or Platinum status are entitled to lounge access, at least in theory, when flying with Virgin’s partner airlines. But our members are unimpressed by the many gaps in Virgin’s lounge network, as well as the poor quality of lounges offered in major hub airports such as Singapore.
Except for Bali, Virgin Australia does not currently fly anywhere in Asia. Velocity members are instead encouraged to fly with Virgin’s partner Singapore Airlines. But the lounge afforded to Velocity members in its Singapore hub is widely considered sub-standard.
Velocity Platinum and Gold members are sent to the “KrisFlyer Gold” lounge in Singapore. This lounge has no toilets or showers, limited food offerings and is regularly overcrowded. By comparison, Singapore Airlines’ own frequent flyers (as well as Air New Zealand passengers) are welcomed into vastly superior lounges at the same airport.
Our members also lament the many gaps in Virgin’s lounge network, where lounge access is not offered at all. For example, Gold Velocity members departing from Los Angeles – Virgin’s only long-haul destination – were until yesterday unable to access any lounge. Lounge access remains unavailable when departing on Virgin’s partners South African Airways from Perth, or Hawaiian Airlines from Brisbane – even though Hawaiian flyers may use a lounge in Sydney.
Even where lounge access is offered to Velocity members, it’s not always honoured by Virgin’s partner airlines. Many members claim to have been denied access to Delta lounges in the United States, even when they should have been allowed in.
Some members suggest that it’s time for Virgin Australia to build some more of its own lounges, in order to reduce its reliance on partner airlines. Our members would also like Virgin to do a better job of ensuring partner airlines are aware of Velocity members’ lounge access entitlements.
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