Virgin LAX Lounge

[civinod]

Dear Mr. Borghetti,

If you plan on challenging the Qantas dominance of business flyer's please take a trip to your lounge at LAX.

Are you guys serious. This is on par with a third world airline.

No showers.

Beer on tap only if you can find the attendant that is busy eating her dinner out the back.

Do you have wine at this location.

Oh I forgot to mention the lovely instant cup noodles. How about plastic cups for drinks.

Very very poor.

 

[lovestotravel]

Agree totally!!!

The LAX lounge is the big problem with VA's network!

It's bad enough that I fly Air NZ over VA because of it, which isn't bad at all really, but I'd prefer to fly non stop MEL-LAX

I don't see it getting fixed for years unfortunately

 

[drewbles]

When I passed through this lounge the other week I got "An invite to our temporary lounge" at check-in. When asked how temporary it was, I had no response.

Then, the arrivals into T5 when the DL NRT flight is also arriving, and they have one TSA agent collecting forms at exit in that *tiny* arrivals hall; don't get me started (they handed out 'express' cards in-flight, which were collected on the ground with "oh we don't have any express here you have to join the queue with the rest of them").

It's a good thing their product is nicer in-flight than QF (and cheaper).

 

[MadFairlane]

When I passed through this lounge the other week I got "An invite to our temporary lounge" at check-in. When asked how temporary it was, I had no response.

Then, the arrivals into T5 when the DL NRT flight is also arriving, and they have one TSA agent collecting forms at exit in that *tiny* arrivals hall; don't get me started (they handed out 'express' cards in-flight, which were collected on the ground with "oh we don't have any express here you have to join the queue with the rest of them").

It's a good thing their product is nicer in-flight than QF (and cheaper).

So thats the reason they collected my express card on the last trip...

I couldn't work it out, they took it off me and then I joined the queue... I just figured it wasn't busy enough to need it hahaha...

I never bothered to ask the reason why they took it off me...

 

[juliusg]

Yes! The Express Card had me confused as well. That day (June 13) we had a 90 minute, sweaty slow immigration crawl. They took the card, and gestured to the l-o-n-g line. Farcical!

And yes, the lounge is essentially cough.

 

[777]

Isn't the fact they now serve alcohol a major step forward?

Passing through there in late September. Would be nice to see it improved by then.

 

[drewbles]

Isn't the fact they now serve alcohol a major step forward?

Passing through there in late September. Would be nice to see it improved by then.

That must be a very recent development. As recently as 6 weeks ago, I was given a free pass to use the bar downstairs with the rest of the crowd (and the stupidly long queue to get in to the stupidly small bar). T3 really is a joke.

 

[Leumas]

Hmm, I'll be flying SYD-LAX-SYD on them soon.. Outbound is VA code, but DL metal, return is VA metal and code...

The last time I checked lounge access, I don't think I have access outbound. I'm a Plat. There used to be an explicit paragraph saying I couldn't use the lounge. VA's Twitter even told me tough luck. Now, I see this page:

https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/...ge-access/#velocity-platinum-and-gold-members

The top table suggests I don't, but you can argue I do based on the bottom table because I'm a Plat.

Regardless, it sounds like I won't be missing much at LAX, although I'd like a shower because I'd be travelling all day that day before catching the long-haul back.

Confused...

 

[bcoldwine]

Was in there last week & it was still pretty dismal. If you want an alcoholic beverage you still have to get a pass to go to the bar downstairs. So far the only change from the old Alaska Airline days is the addition of a big tin of Milo to the serve yourself beverage area. Other nibbles on offer were uniformly appalling.

LAX is really the weakest link for VA. Local check-in staff also never miss an opportunity to disappoint.

 

[mardy]

I found the LAX lounge to be fine. In fact I found it better than expected after hearing all the reports here.
Given the limited space available in T3 i'm not sure what people expect VA to do anyway?
(Short of moving to the Delta terminal, which is easier said than done)

 

[bcoldwine]

... Getting a liquor license and a new catering contract would be a start.

 

[MandM]

Was in there last week & it was still pretty dismal. If you want an alcoholic beverage you still have to get a pass to go to the bar downstairs. So far the only change from the old Alaska Airline days is the addition of a big tin of Milo to the serve yourself beverage area. Other nibbles on offer were uniformly appalling.

LAX is really the weakest link for VA. Local check-in staff also never miss an opportunity to disappoint.

I was there mid-April and alcohol was available in the lounge. I wonder why it is gone again? I did quite enjoy the blue moon with orange.

 

[LiamR]

(they handed out 'express' cards in-flight, which were collected on the ground with "oh we don't have any express here you have to join the queue with the rest of them").

Omg yes, what's up with that? The crew gave me one onboard and made a big deal about how I could beat the masses, only for a delta rep to take it and tell me to join the back of the regular queue.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Passing through there in late September. Would be nice to see it improved by then.

Will be flying out of LAX on VA Sept 23 - am bitterly disappointed to read these reports - i thought when they shifted from Alaska Lounge it was supposed to be big step forward - sheesh.

So still no showers - virtually no food - and you gotta go downstairs to get a drink? That is worse than Alaska Lounge.

Coupla questions - on arrival if express cards taken off you is there actually a crew lane so I can use APEC card?

What have they done with meal service after departure from LAX? Last year they had a silly menu mix of a number of kinda largeish snack items in J rather than full meal service - it was weird given timing of flight.

 

[bodog]

I haven't been there but just came across the review of the LAX Koru club which Virgin also share - it doesn't look too shabby

Tour of Air New Zealand

Is that the one people are commenting negatively on?

 

[Fruitcake]

i thought when they shifted from Alaska Lounge it was supposed to be big step forward - sheesh.

So still no showers - virtually no food - and you gotta go downstairs to get a drink? That is worse than Alaska Lounge.

It wasn't so much a case of VA moving from the Alaska lounge - rather, the Alaska lounge moved away from VA when Alaska left T3 late last year.

Very disappointing to hear the "temporary" lounge is still in action... I'll be experiencing it myself for the first time in a few weeks. Might be bearable in a port like SIN where the airport itself offers reasonable facilities (ie a paid shower facility or similar) but given the dearth of facilities at LAX the lack of an international standard lounge is disappointing. Either move departures to T5 so we can use the skyclub or build a decent Lounge - even if it only cloned the domestic Lounge environment and offered more shower facilities it would be OK.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Will be flying out of LAX on VA Sept 23 - am bitterly disappointed to read these reports - i thought when they shifted from Alaska Lounge it was supposed to be big step forward - sheesh.

So still no showers - virtually no food - and you gotta go downstairs to get a drink? That is worse than Alaska Lounge.

Coupla questions - on arrival if express cards taken off you is there actually a crew lane so I can use APEC card?

What have they done with meal service after departure from LAX? Last year they had a silly menu mix of a number of kinda largeish snack items in J rather than full meal service - it was weird given timing of flight.

Went through last week. Lounge was not good, but at least quiet and free wifi. Terminal 3 is terrible overall.

T5 arrivals - yes, i believe there is a crew lane at Immigration. T5 customs was great - through in 5 minutes , literally.

Meal service out of LAX was a full meal in J - standard service, not snack, which was good to see.

 

[serfty]

... QUOTE=bodog;645988]I haven't been there but just came across the review of the LAX Koru club which Virgin also share - it doesn't look too shabby

Tour of Air New Zealand

Is that the one people are commenting negatively on?

No ... It's the T3 lounge this discussion is referring to.

The AirNZ lounge is in T2.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[bcoldwine]

No, there hasn't been a move from the old Alaska Lounge, it is still the Alaska Lounge just with a new sign and a tin of Milo. I understand there are plans for a reno but for now it's much like any other domestic business lounge in the US (which is to say, poor).

And no, not talking about Koru club, talking about the VA lounge in terminal 3.

 

[777]

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