Virgin Atlantic kids-only airport lounges could be a blessing for business travellers

An airport lounge just for leisure travellers, with special separated sections for children of different ages, leaving grownups -- and business travellers -- in peace and quiet. 

It sounds like the business traveller's dream, but Virgin Atlantic's Virgin Holidays subsidiary has just opened its second v-room (get it?) lounge in the UK at Manchester Airport.

The big kid in us all might even be distracted by PS3 video games, table football and widescreen TVs.

The v-room costs £20/A$30 to get in for adults (£12/A$18 for kids), which includes fast track security, wi-fi, hot and cold food and soft drinks. The harder stuff is available for a price.

Like its first v-room at London's Gatwick, the lounges are aimed at airports that are holiday-focussed.

Families are not only welcome in the v-room lounge -- it's especially for them.

But business travellers win too: at Gatwick, the v-room relieves pressure on the main business class Clubhouse lounge.

Grownups in the v-room get their own special area -- the bar -- too.

After Malaysia Airlines this week announced its ban on children in first class, we hope that the v-room is part of a considered effort to serve both business travellers and families on holiday -- separately.

Our recent trip through the Qantas-British Airways joint business class lounge in Singapore made it only too clear that exhausted parents off their parenting game and under-stimulated kids make for a noisy time of it for business class passengers and high-tier frequent flyers -- the airlines' most coveted customers. 

Qantas already offers a family section in its international business lounge at Sydney, which is a great start. And oneworld partner British Airways has a separate unaccompanied minor lounge at both Heathrow and Gatwick for kids travelling alone, but no special provision in its main business class lounges.

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.