Virgin Atlantic kids-only airport lounges could be a blessing for business travellers
An airport lounge just for leisure travellers, with special separated sections for children of different ages, leaving grownups -- and business travellers -- in peace and quiet.
It sounds like the business traveller's dream, but Virgin Atlantic's Virgin Holidays subsidiary has just opened its second v-room (get it?) lounge in the UK at Manchester Airport.
The big kid in us all might even be distracted by PS3 video games, table football and widescreen TVs.
The v-room costs £20/A$30 to get in for adults (£12/A$18 for kids), which includes fast track security, wi-fi, hot and cold food and soft drinks. The harder stuff is available for a price.
Like its first v-room at London's Gatwick, the lounges are aimed at airports that are holiday-focussed.
But business travellers win too: at Gatwick, the v-room relieves pressure on the main business class Clubhouse lounge.
After Malaysia Airlines this week announced its ban on children in first class, we hope that the v-room is part of a considered effort to serve both business travellers and families on holiday -- separately.
Our recent trip through the Qantas-British Airways joint business class lounge in Singapore made it only too clear that exhausted parents off their parenting game and under-stimulated kids make for a noisy time of it for business class passengers and high-tier frequent flyers -- the airlines' most coveted customers.
Qantas already offers a family section in its international business lounge at Sydney, which is a great start. And oneworld partner British Airways has a separate unaccompanied minor lounge at both Heathrow and Gatwick for kids travelling alone, but no special provision in its main business class lounges.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 729
Wonderful idea, they should all adopt that policy.
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