Hobart to get more Virgin Australia flights, and a lounge as well

Virgin Australia is boosting its game for Tasmania's business travellers, with more flights to Hobart, priority boarding plus a lounge for the airport.

The airline says it will begin a "new daily service between Hobart and Melbourne by September 2012".

Priority Boarding will also be available for all flights out of Hobart from Friday March 23, with a separate, dedicated lane at the boarding gate so that what the airline terms its 'premium guests' – anybody travelling in business class or holding a Velocity Platinum or Gold card – can avoid the crush.

As for that long-awaited lounge – well, you'll still be waiting for quite a while, as this isn't due to open until sometime in 2013.

All we know so far is that it'll be a compact 75 seat lounge based on Virgin Australia's 'regional lounge' model, similar to the airline's lounge at Mackay Airport (shown below).

“With the additional Hobart-Melbourne flight announced today, Virgin Australia will offer more than 200 services a week in and out of Tasmania" says Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti said. " We are committed to becoming the airline of choice in Tasmania."

Virgin is also showing a little love for the Apple Isle by naming its newest Boeing 737-800 aircraft, due in May 2012, after Tasmania’s iconic Sandy Bay.

David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.