Virgin Australia has apologised to a mother-of-two who was asked to leave the airline's Melbourne lounge on Monday because she was pumping breast milk.

In a story posted to her social media, Elise Turner said she was asked by a staff member to leave the lounge to breastfeed in a bathroom.

"This is pretty unbelievable and I'm beyond furious right now," Dr Turner said in a since-expired social media post.

"I've been told that I can't sit here in the Virgin lounge as a paying business class ticket-holder to express breast milk."

Dr Turner says she attempted to "politely provide education" to the staff member that breastfeeding is protected under the Sex Discrimination Act of 1984.

Under the Act, it is considered discrimination when a woman is treated less favourably because she is breast

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