As Douglas Adams wrote in The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, “It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression, ‘As pretty as an airport.’”
He had a point. Airports, even good ones, are places you want to spend as little time in as possible because you’re going someplace else, ideally somewhere nicer with fewer TSA agents.
Beaches on the other hand, especially ones located in Barbados, are made for lingering. With both of those things in mind, Virgin is debuting a “Departure Beach” airport lounge in May 2018.
Designed to let travelers easily head from their reclining chair to their seat on the plane, the lounge on Brownes Beach in Carlisle Bay will let customers check in right on the beach. Offering all the services of a traditional airport lounge (drinks, food, wifi, luggage drop, etc.), Departure Beach will have showers, towels, bags for wet clothes and an air-conditioned indoor area.
“We believe that life should be a beach every day of your holiday — especially your last day,” Virgin says. “Check in, chill out and wring every last memory from your Barbados holiday.”
Including a ride from a hotel, accessing the new lounge will be relatively cheap ($25 per adult and $15 per child) and free food and non-alcoholic drinks are part of the deal. Also, although the beach will only be open to Virgin Holidays guests to start, it could expand to other airlines.
Nice call, Sir Branson.
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