A sunken lounge, a sun deck and brand new business facilities are just three of the innovative new features in Virgin Atlantic’s new Narita Clubhouse.The airline’s new Clubhouse at Narita airport, re-opened on 14 July after a total refurbishment. 

Several enhanced facilities have been introduced which incorporate local Japanese touches while still reflecting the Virgin brand and flair that makes the Virgin Clubhouse experience so unique.

The new design means that the Clubhouse’s entire space has been opened up to create one large space but with different areas within this to provide privacy.  The increased seating capacity means that there are now two sunken lounges that provide comfortable banquet seating and a raised sun deck seating area which means passengers will be able to get the most out of the natural light that floods into the area as well as having great views of the aeroplanes. 

The Clubhouse offers new business facilities, which includes state-of-the-art computers, a dedicated business area, wifi connectivity and international and business land lines. There are also facilities to charge mobile phones and blackberries.  All these facilities are linked through a series of screens, which display a variety of images on each side, giving the passengers different visual experiences as they move through the space.

The Clubhouse has introduced a self-service snack station, which allows the passenger to have an increased choice of refreshments or the option to order something from the kitchen if they prefer something more substantial.  A new ‘Welcome system’, which is being rolled out worldwide after its success at the flagship Heathrow Clubhouse, will feature in the Clubhouse to improve the passengers arrival experience.  The ‘Welcome system’ is an electronic guest entry system that provides accurate flight and customer information and can even enable the host to inform the passenger of the status of their flight before entering into the Clubhouse.  The system will provide an effective and efficient tool to ensure that passengers spend more time inside the Clubhouse and less time queuing up outside.

Paul Sands, Country Manager of Japan, commented:

“Clubhouses have always been a great way for us to set ourselves apart from other airlines, particularly for a morning departure like the Tokyo one.  Our passengers need a lounge that is going to work perfectly and let them get their business needs out of the way quickly and efficiently, but also allow them to be able to relax and soak up some of the unique Virgin atmosphere that is offered in our stylish Narita Clubhouse.”

Joe Ferry, Head of Design at Virgin Atlantic, said:

“The new Narita clubhouse has been created with our continued design philosophy of using local design agencies to capture the essence of the culture of the destination in collaboration with the Virgin Atlantic Airways in-house team who inject the Virgin brand into the space.  This innovative space highlights the importance Virgin Atlantic places on design, globally, to ensure its customers have a unique experience in environments that have high levels of design, wherever they are in the world.”
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