Virgin LAX Lounge

[mandmshow]

In March I landed at T5 from Minneapolis and the transfer to T3 for the VA flight to Australia was a shuttle bus airside meaning I did not have to go back through security. Upon arrival in T5 last week on the same trip I was told there was no shuttle airside and I had to leave T5 and travel to T3 landside (either LAX shuttle or walking) and go back through security. This was a pain - was the airside shuttle discontinued or was I misinformed ?.

At T3 I went to the "lounge" and was asked if I had the purple guest card (I am Velocity Gold). As I had checked in at Minneapolis of course I did not and the staff had to do some paperwork. The "lounge" as others have stated leaves a lot to be desired and I look forward to VA making changes there.

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF.

I am thinking the T3 to T5 airside shuttle may have been discontinued when Alaska Airlines LAX operations moved from T3 to T6 in late March.

Introducing the All-New Terminal 6 at LAX - Alaska Airlines

 

[mella2007]

Last time I was there was April. Agreed re the lack of showers and the food offering and service is pretty poor...the Virgin rep at LAX said a better lounge would be available in about 18 months and that they had a lot of complaints from passengers re the quality of it.
However it does still beat sitting out with the masses in the rest of that coughpy terminal

 

[drewbles]

I believe T3 is due to be revamped, and VA were meant to be moving. I have no idea what the hold up with them moving is, i'm sure it's political, but still, something has to give. That terminal is just horrid (and of course, VX will need to relocate when they re-develop T3).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Shame there's no tunnel airside between t3 and t2.

Why not, they do it for wildlife crossing major motorways!

You could even see Sir Dvid Attenborough narating a doco for National Geographic channel.

"all our minutes of waiting has paid extremely handsome dividends tonight. Here comes that not so elusive AFFer, seeking the better nourishment that the greener pastures on the other side offer. Just look at that pace, not a dance, not a shuffle, but a full flight pace which is so very unusual for this type of activity amongst the animal kingdom, but not for this highly attuned species. Watch how its deceleration is perfectly timed for the quick flip of the brightly coloured gold breast plate or the incredibly beautiful simmering black and irridescent purple of the ever so prized alpha of the species, which even more amazingly may be the male or the female of this very unusual species, toward the guardian of the pastures before a quick strut toward the prized feeding ground......simply stunning and surely the most unique sight I've seen in a very, very long time"

 

[Bolthead]

Shame there's no tunnel airside between t3 and t2.

Why not, they do it for wildlife crossing major motorways!

You could even see Sir Dvid Attenborough narating a doco for National Geographic channel.

"all our minutes of waiting has paid extremely handsome dividends tonight. Here comes that not so elusive AFFer, seeking the better nourishment that the greener pastures on the other side offer. Just look at that pace, not a dance, not a shuffle, but a full flight pace which is so very unusual for this type of activity amongst the animal kingdom, but not for this highly attuned species. Watch how its deceleration is perfectly timed for the quick flip of the brightly coloured gold breast plate or the incredibly beautiful simmering black and irridescent purple of the ever so prized alpha of the species, which even more amazingly may be the male or the female of this very unusual species, toward the guardian of the pastures before a quick strut toward the prized feeding ground......simply stunning and surely the most unique sight I've seen in a very, very long time"

LOL.... I think it is time we had a working bee for all the AFFer's. I have a shovel, pick and a miners hard hat with light.... All we need is man power. I think we can tunnel our way through in 2-3 years. (Hey they did this sort of thing on Hogans Heroes)

 

[777]

It's not a totally ridiculous idea - there are airside tunnels between most of the terminals on the opposite side from memory but AFAIK none on that side.

 

[LiamR]

I believe T3 is due to be revamped, and VA were meant to be moving. I have no idea what the hold up with them moving is, i'm sure it's political, but still, something has to give. That terminal is just horrid (and of course, VX will need to relocate when they re-develop T3).

I recall at some stage being told VX and VA would temporarily move away so they could revamp T3 into a trendy new terminal for VX, VA and VS, complete with a Clubhouse. Now wouldn't that be nice?

 

[drewbles]

I recall at some stage being told VX and VA would temporarily move away so they could revamp T3 into a trendy new terminal for VX, VA and VS, complete with a Clubhouse. Now wouldn't that be nice?

We can only hope! the VS Clubhouses are quite nice!

 

[777]

Here's a clue:

Starting in the fall of 2012, you can get free access to our airport lounge at LAX where you can refresh, unwind, get some work done, grab a snack or just sit back and relax. We’ll email you day passes to use at your leisure, so please remember to bring your lounge pass with you on your day of travel.

From the Virgin America status tier information. Seems they are giving a limited number of passes per year to their high tier FF'ers. It does sound like a more permanent lounge is around the corner and that it may well be a reasonable thing.

See: Flights from Virgin America | Virgin Flights

Has anyone been through there recently BTW? I am passing through late next month and would be pleased to see the booze flowing!

 

[LiamR]

Here's a clue:



From the Virgin America status tier information. Seems they are giving a limited number of passes per year to their high tier FF'ers. It does sound like a more permanent lounge is around the corner and that it may well be a reasonable thing.

See: Flights from Virgin America | Virgin Flights

Has anyone been through there recently BTW? I am passing through late next month and would be pleased to see the booze flowing!

I was there three and a bit weeks ago, booze a plenty! But food consisted of two minute noodles and fruit. Hmmm

 

[777]

I was there three and a bit weeks ago, booze a plenty! But food consisted of two minute noodles and fruit. Hmmm

This will do me just fine then.

 

[drewbles]

This will do me just fine then.

The lounge is not somewhere I would want to spend more than an hour. It's horrendous (and the bathrooms are from the 80's). It needs gutting and re-doing. C'mon VA, make up your mind where you're going in LAX (or at least with LAWA!).

 

[777]

The lounge is not somewhere I would want to spend more than an hour. It's horrendous (and the bathrooms are from the 80's). It needs gutting and re-doing. C'mon VA, make up your mind where you're going in LAX (or at least with LAWA!).

I would have thought the news from Virgin America implies a very definite strategy - to build a permanent Virgin facility at LAX.

 

[drewbles]

I would have thought the news from Virgin America implies a very definite strategy - to build a permanent Virgin facility at LAX.

I'd hope the same. I believe Beardy Branson has been trying to get 'The Virgin Alliance' up and running for some time, but as is evident, they're still very separate brands.

The VS Clubhouses are lovely, and there is a reciprocal agreement for VA Plat's to access them (and SG I believe) but the VX network has no lounges, and VA/VS don't share any common lounges either. Here's hoping VX/VA/VS share something and get Clubhouses everywhere

 

[Jousams]

I'd hope the same. I believe Beardy Branson has been trying to get 'The Virgin Alliance' up and running for some time, but as is evident, they're still very separate brands.

The VS Clubhouses are lovely, and there is a reciprocal agreement for VA Plat's to access them (and SG I believe) but the VX network has no lounges, and VA/VS don't share any common lounges either. Here's hoping VX/VA/VS share something and get Clubhouses everywhere

Hopefully when & if the Sydney terminal relocation happens, there will be a clubhouse style lounge as a first lounge.
Yes, I know a long way off...


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[lovestotravel]

Will VA keep flying LAX or let Delta and Air NZ do that ?

Focus perhaps on SFO from Australia ?

 

[pauly7]

Will VA keep flying LAX or let Delta and Air NZ do that ?

Focus perhaps on SFO from Australia ?

I think it could be a really good idea actually for DJ to focus on SFO.

QF couldn't get the premium pax on the bus to make SFO work but loads of leisure flyers were solid - and that is where DJ are stronger and may be able to capitalise.

It would also take them out of trying to compete with the flagship A380 fleet and develop a new 'green' market of their own whilst letting their more established partners battle it out with QF to LAX...

Not a bad idea....

 

[pythonisman]

I would love a ->SFO DJ/VA option, over dated LAX...

 

[drewbles]

Hopefully when & if the Sydney terminal relocation happens, there will be a clubhouse style lounge as a first lounge.
Yes, I know a long way off...


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Who knows. VA and EY are building a joint lounge (and the EY F lounge, from what I hear, is very nice!).