Virgin Australia opens the newest lounge in its domestic network, with Cairns travellers set to enjoy the creature comforts needed to work, socialise or just chill before their flight.
Located on the upper level of the Cairns domestic airport, the 710 square metre lounge seats 180 guests with a Luke Mangan designed buffet and an all-day barista service.
There's a meeting room for up to eight people and of course free wifi Internet flows throughout the lounge.
The space has been designed to encapsulate Virgin Australia’s contemporary look and feel, the airline says, and offers sweeping views of the tarmac and the Cairns hinterland.
Taking inspiration from the tropical environment, the lounge features timber privacy screenings, floor to ceiling glass windows to maximise sunlight and vibrant colour accents through the soft furnishings.
"Cairns was one of the first destinations we started flying to and it remains a very strong focus for us today" said David Anderson, Virgin Australia's General Manager of Brand Strategy.
"We have transformed the travel experience to Cairns with the introduction of Business Class on all jet flights, bringing competition for the first time in over a decade. We remain committed to bringing choice to travellers throughout Queensland and we look forward to launching our new service between Cairns and Weipa next year, bringing much needed competition to a currently regulated route."
Check out our extensive photo tour of the new Virgin Australia lounge at Cairns Airport.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
19 Jan 2012
Total posts 427
Well done VA!
At a time when QF has dilly-dallied with its CNS-BNE services and removed ALL QF international services, and reduced its CNS-SYD services, including the removal of the morning flight, thus elimintaing a connection to international services from SYD, VA has maintained an aggressive schedule of 2-class flights to both BNE and SYD.
VA has brought a good value business class product to the CNS market.
The pricing of business class by VA has forced QF into reducing its fares on these routes from the enormously inflated fares in business during the decade of no competition.
A VA lounge in CNS was the missing ingredient for VA...
...David, enjoy your visit to our stunning tropical home town and please pass on a well deserved congratulations to your hosts as appropriate...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2199
I agree it sucks, but given that most of the QFi flights to destinations not served ex-BNE (e.g. CGK and BKK) leave SYD in the mid-morning, the connection possibilities really aren't great unless you can arrive at SYD T3 at about 0800, which in turn means you'll need to leave CNS by about 0400...
...and in any case DeathStarisation where the market is seen to be mostly leisure - which is the impression I get for CNS - is to a point justifiable. After all, the DeathStar (or its sister ships) appears to fly CNS-SIN and DRW-SIN.
Again, I agree it sucks, but I think the concern is probably better directed to getting more flights ex-BNE and using an early (but not dead-early) connecting flight CNS-BNE.
19 Jan 2012
Total posts 427
Yes, the CNS-BNE 0530 was removed for some days of the week, but has been creeping back in, if you accept a weekend 717 service.
Sure the DeathStar massed forces now come to CNS for their holidays, but unfortunately for local businesses, these good folk aren't that cashed up...
...with 6 flights a day between BNE and CNS, VA is providing a significant alternative, which is why, despite being PlatinumOne with QF, myself and partner are also both Platinum with VA...
...QF have told me they deem a fuller schedule ex CNS not to be financially viable (whatever that means).
...QF local staff tell me the lost connecting traffic is several times higher than the figures accepted and used by management...
...let's not to forget the option of direct CNS-HKG flights on CX for inetrnational travel...
So, well done VA!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards (Plat)
03 Jan 2012
Total posts 10
Hobart lounge...? Sometime before 2020?
QF
21 Aug 2012
Total posts 14
Nice lounge, seems funny that Virgin's lounge in Cairns has a meeting room for up to 8 people but even Canberra has a room, no door, no privacy and a few PC dumped on a skinny table...would have thought such facilities would have been more of a priority in Canberra before Cairns?
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