Virgin Blue launches its first 'Blue Room'

Virgin Blue today officially launched its first ever "Blue Room" aimed at challenging the traditional airport corporate lounge concept and offering Virgin Blue Guests the option to work on the run, chill out or tune in before or after their flight.

The opening of the first Blue Room at the carrier's Brisbane Airport home is part of the evolution of Virgin Blue as an airline, and is aimed at meeting and surpassing the needs of its busy customers.

Virgin Blue has spent months devising a lounge concept that offers a modern, high-tech and business friendly facility to travellers, without compromising the airline's low cost base and low fares.

Anyone travelling with Virgin Blue can simply front up and pay an introductory pay-as-you-go $5 entry fee or a reasonable annual membership fee of $99* for the first 9 days of opening, then $175 until June 30, when the $195 standard annual membership fee will apply by which time further Blue Rooms will open around the country.

Entry into The Blue Room gives access to features including:

· Workstations where Guests can 'plug in' and go about their business

· State of the art surround sound Sony Cinema Centre which will screen movies on the big screen (popcorn optional)

· Comfy armchairs & digital TV's

· A 'play-zone' incorporating Sony Playstations for big kids looking for a distraction from work

· Newspapers and magazines.

· Express Check-in for those with hand luggage only.

The Blue Room will also have other services and facilities available for a reasonable fee:

· Our "Chill out Room" including a therapeutic massage bar - 10 minutes for $10

· "Munch" café serving delicious meals and real gourmet coffee.

· "Bar- Fly" offering bubbles, beer, bourbon and other alcoholic beverages complete with large plasma screen TV's

· Meeting rooms for those who want to dash from the plane to the presentation

· Fax/Colour copier/digital photo printer for the convenience of today's modern business road warrior

Chief Executive Brett Godfrey said, "Virgin Blue has always been based around providing an outstanding service at a great low fare and then offering choice via discretionary extras at a fair price.

Our customer research has shown that regular business flyers are happy to buy a beer or a wine if they can have access to privacy, plug in their laptop or simply unwind. Meanwhile, the majority of tourists and discount travellers aren't being forced to cross-subsidise the needs of the business market. The Blue Room stays true to that concept and will be a profit centre in its own right.

The Blue Room is about having the choice to enjoy a lounge with its facilities, that has personality and at a fair price. This reflects Virgin Blue's commitment to looking after the needs of both the business traveller and their company's bottom line."

All Guests will have the option to visit the lounge for an introductory $5.

Brett Godfrey added, "Keeping with our egalitarian approach to business the Blue Room will not exclude non-members, people can also bring along a couple of their friends and we even welcome Qantas flyers assuming we're not too busy. The Blue Room will be cosy and cosseting, but it will not be crowded."

A number of other innovations are being introduced as part of Virgin Blue's push to be responsive to the needs of everyone from lounge lizards to web-wizards who want to make their own flight changes on the net, to those guests with big appetites on long flights or a desperate desire to sit in seat 1A.

Web Enhancements

Virgin Blue will soon introduce Guest Profiles on its Internet site, enabling all Guests to register at no charge for their Virgin Blue Guest Profile. Once they do this, they can log in and have access to their own information including all Virgin Blue bookings they have made. It will also mean that travellers who have registered for a Guest Profile will be able to login and  change and/or cancel any bookings (according to fare rules) easily and efficiently giving travellers the freedom & independence to change their flights when they feel like it.

The Blue Zone

Virgin Blue's 'Blue Zone' is a seating option that gives Guests the choice to pre-reserve on long haul sectors one of our extra roomy exit row/front row seats for a $50 charge each way. At present Guests can secure a Blue Zone seat on flights longer than three hours.

New In-flight munchies

Breakfast packs, fresh sandwiches, wraps and soups have recently been added to the in-flight menu to tantalise the taste buds of all travellers, but especially those who fly often and crave variety. From May 1, hot meals will also be on offer and rotated on longer sectors and include delicious delights such as Roast lamb with vegies and mint gravy as well as Honey Soy Chicken and Rice.

Virgin Blue has said that it is planning to shortly introduce "Blue Rooms" in Sydney and Melbourne and is considering launching the concept at other key ports across Australia.