Virgin Australia’s big carrot for corporate customers as competition heats up with Qantas

The airline hopes to entice back key corporate customers with the promise of access to its most exclusive lounge.

Inside Virgin Australia’s exclusive The Club lounge, prior to its refresh and reopening on April 20. Picture: Facebook

Invitations have gone out for membership of Virgin Australia’s most exclusive lounge, which has been renamed Beyond.

Not everyone who enjoyed access to the premium lounge previously known as The Club before Virgin went into administration has been asked to return, due to the fact they jumped ship to Qantas following the airline’s sale to private equity group Bain Capital.

However those past members can still expect to be gifted a platinum Velocity membership in the hope they will one day come back to Virgin.

Although no public-facing eligibility criteria exists for membership, those who have received an invitation are understood to have a corporate account with the airline, and help drive commercial outcomes for the business.

It’s understood membership can be negotiated as part of corporate contracts with the airline which continues to rebuild in the wake of Covid and administration.

As was the case with its predecessor The Club, Beyond is considered Virgin’s answer to Qantas’s coveted Chairman’s Lounge, which hosts politicians, VIPs and captains of industry.

Invitations to Beyond will be on a 12-month basis, or for a six to nine-month trial, after which Virgin will decide whether the customer has demonstrated enough loyalty to qualify for greater access.

In a letter to invitees, Virgin chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the lounge was reserved for the airline’s most “loyal and valued guests” and signified a fresh take and move forward on enhanced status and service.

“Beyond is more than just a future-facing name. It’s our promise to always give a little extra. To provide service that’s as tailored as it is effortless, and to consistently deliver an experience that goes above and way beyond,” she said.

“A carefully curated mix of exclusive benefits and our remarkable service and personality will ensure you enjoy your journey when you fly with us.”

She said the Beyond lounges, at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane Airports, would provide a “quiet, relaxing and unobtrusive space with a new a la carte menu and all the privacy and space you need to relax before you fly”.

Members would be allowed to nominate a spouse or life partner to enjoy the same level of service, which included a dedicated phone line and email to the Beyond team.

“You don’t need to do anything to accept your invitation to Beyond,” wrote Ms Hrdlicka.

“Our team look forward to sharing more details ahead of the Beyond Lounge reopening, including your benefits, lounge access and digital membership card.”

The new look lounges, featuring furniture in Virgin’s signature “red”, were due to open on April 20 for the first time in more than two-years.

There was some doubt whether Virgin would seek to resurrect the facilities, which were the brainchild of former CEO John Borghetti, during his transformation of the airline to a full-service carrier in an attempt to compete with Qantas.

Ms Hrdlicka ended speculation about their future last August, after pressure from corporate customers.

However, exclusive lounges in Perth and Canberra did not make the cut although the spaces are believed to have been retained by Virgin for the time being.