Virgin America's LAX Loft lounge: only Australian kids allowed

Remember how Virgin America introduced a controversial a "no kids allowed" policy at its Los Angeles LAX business lounge, The Loft?

Australian Business Traveller brought you pictures and details of the swish new space last month, including news of the ban on children under 12.

The airlines' policies have been confusing, as several AusBT readers also noted, so we've been going back and forth with Virgin Australia and Virgin America to nail down whether the kids are welcome.

The answer will put plenty of American noses out of joint: only children flying Virgin Australia are allowed in.

If you're a Virgin America frequent flyer or first class passenger, the kids will have to cool their heels in the terminal unless you also hold Virgin Australia Velocity Gold or Platinum status.

You might see a few kids in the Loft — but only if their parents have booked with Virgin Australia or are Velocity Gold/Platinum frequent flyers.

Virgin America's policy is still that under-12s are banned and under-18s must be with an adult, Virgin America PR manager Patricia Condon confirmed to Australian Business Traveller.

But "because Virgin Australia has a long-standing policy to allow children under 12 to have access to their lounges our policy makes an exception for Virgin Australia guests traveling with children — as long as they are escorted by an adult of 21 years or older at all times," Condon explained.

Virgin Australia spokesman Luke O'Donnell also confirmed to Australian Business Traveller that "Velocity Platinum & Gold members may take one guest into the lounge, and Velocity Platinum & Gold and Business Class travellers may take accompanying children 17 and under into the lounge."

That covers Velocity Gold or Platinum members travelling in any class and on either Virgin America or Virgin Australia from LAX.

If you're travelling business on a flight booked with Virgin Australia, you can bring the kiddos with you as long as your flight starts with the VA flight code — in other words, if you booked with Virgin Australia, the kids are allowed in.

That'll be a relief to Velocity frequent flyers hoping to make the most of their status or redeeming points for business class when on holiday with the family and travelling through LAX.

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John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.