By James Wilkinson

Virgin Blue will ramp up its presence in Western Australia when it opens The Lounge at Perth Airport in April 2009 — the sixth facility of its kind in Australia.

Virgin Blue’s The Lounge is set to open in Perth

Offering similar facilities to Lounges in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, the Perth Lounge was announced by Virgin Blue CEO, Brett Godfrey, during a Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA  presentation in Perth this morning (December 9).

“This is a significant commitment from Virgin Blue and we see it as an important step in providing further benefits to the increasing number of business and corporate travellers who fly with us, not just to the east coast, but also on our newly launched intra-WA routes,” he said.

The all-inclusive food and beverage corporate lounge will offer complimentary WiFi access, workstations, a private meeting room as well as an entertainment area.

The Lounge announcement follows Virgin Blue’s 56 per cent increase in capacity within the Perth market in recent months, including new services between Perth and Karratha and Perth and Newman, as well as increased services between Perth and Broome.

Last month Virgin Blue’s sister airline Pacific Blue also launched direct flights between Perth and Bali, marking the first international service offered by the group from WA.

“Make no mistake, we are very serious about serving the needs of WA’s leisure and business travellers [and] we are very encouraged by the support we have received from the West Australian business and general community,” Godfrey said. “We are eager to further enhance the travel experience for all guests, while at the same time maintaining affordability, innovation and the unmistakable Virgin flair and friendliness.”

Access to The Lounge is available on an annual membership, is complimentary to Velocity gold members and a selection of airfares, or can be purchased for $30 online for a single visit.