New Virgin Atlantic lounge access for VA Gold, Platinum

Just spotted updates on the Velocity site (haven't posted a link as I don't know what the rules are here): apparently Velocity Gold and Platinum members can now visit the Plaza Premium First Lounge in Hong Kong 4 hours prior to Virgin Atlantic flights (with one guest), and Velocity Platinum can now use the Virgin Atlantic Revivals lounge in London on arrival (no guests, though).

Great to have a lounge again in HKG: there hasn't been one for Velocity members flying Virgin Atlantic since early last year when the Clubhouse closed down. However, that four hour time limit is particularly stingy, given Virgin Australia codeshares with Virgin Atlantic on flights from Sydney and Melbourne to London via Hong Kong, and those flights from Australia arrive into HKG around 4:30/5:30pm, while the flight to London leaves at midnight.

In other words, even though the lounge is open, you'll have to sit outside until about 8pm when you'll finally be allowed in, unless you want to pay for access yourself, I guess. Typical Virgin stinginess! Two steps forward, one step back.

A big step up for Velocity Platinums and Golds! The Plaza Premium First Class lounge is of course also the one used by Virgin Atlantic now. But if you arrived on at say 4:30pm and entered the lounge at 5pm allowing for transit would they really come around and kick you out at 9pm, three hours before your flight? How do they even know how long you have been there?

To be honest I wouldn't spend that many hours in any HKG lounge, not even Cathay Pacific's Pier First Class. If arriving at 4:30pm I would jump onto the airport express train and go to Kowloon or Central, visit a cool bar, have a nice dinner, walk around the markets or shops and then catch the train back and spend an hour in the lounge before getting into my flight.

It's worth pointing out the 4-hour time limit also applies to Virgin Atlantic Business Class and Flying Club Gold cardholders. Virgin Australia probably didn't decide on the time limit... my guess is Virgin Atlantic did.