When it comes to the newly-opened Virgin Atlantic lounge at JFK airport, the airline itself says it all pretty succinctly: “Business, meet pleasure.” Complete with an entertainment zone, cocktail bar, brasserie, Internet lounge and “quiet zone,” the only thing missing is a spa — oh, wait, they have that too, stocked with Dr. Hauschka and Bumble & Bumble concoctions to soothe, soften and de-stress world-weary passengers between flights.
No stone’s been left unturned at this overtly swanky clubhouse – the latest gem in the crown of the ever-expanding Virgin empire.
For the business traveler who needs last-minute assistance with documents, final flight arrangements or little disasters like the dreaded dead cell phone battery, the world-class service that’s become synonymous with Virgin Atlantic lounges isn’t lacking by any means in this urban oasis.
Playful touches like a massive red ball couch and seating pods suspended between the psychedelic and the futuristic complete the space, reflecting the sort of bold, brash design statement we’ve come to expect from the likes of well-known risk taker Richard Branson, founder of the 400-company-strong Virgin Group under which the airline operates.
A collaboration between Virgin Atlantic’s design team and the New York-based Slade Architecture, the lounge spans 10,000 square feet and cost a reported $7 million to complete. It’s located beyond the TSA checkpoint in the A-Concourse, above boarding gates A4 and A5.
Photo credits: Virgin Atlantic and Slade Architecture
