Which airport needs a new "The Lounge" the most?

[Warks]

Having spent 5.5 hours waiting on delayed Virgin planes in Townsville (2 flights) over the past three weeks I'm voting for TSV!

Can't even sneak into the QP as the dragon scans your card and finds you've got no flight with QF that day.

It really has made me re-think my flying even though the QP is pretty tiny there. Still beats hanging around an airport with nothing to do but read body art.

 

[ksthommo]

Of course my vote is Cairns

 

[Robert K]

could'nt you buy a fully flex qf ticket, use the lounge, then cancel the ticket.

 

[brad330]

My Top 3.

CNS 3xE190, 8x73H, 1xF100
HBA 4xE190, 5x73H
TSV 3xE190, 6x73H

 

[muppet]

From a shareholder perspective, I think TSV so DJ can improve their share of the corp/defence/government stuff up there.
m

 

[yohy?!]

It has to be Perth really - a major capital city with international connections not to mention the mining business really needs to pull it's socks up.

 

[serfty]

Some one recently mentioned Perth was to get a makeover, increasing it's size and providing better views and access to the gates.
Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[Warks]

Not sure where you'd build it at TSV unless it's the wrong side of security as the old QP used to be.
Is TSV due any renovations? I've talked to staff there who hate the design of the terminal but I don't know if anything is on the horizon.

Mind you CNS is relatively new and just about the worst designed airport terminal I've seen.

 

[arraitch]

Some one recently mentioned Perth was to get a makeover, increasing it's size and providing better views and access to the gates.
Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

Unless there's something happening in the interim - which seems unlikely - it won't be until 2014 though.

 

[markis10]

Unless there's something happening in the interim - which seems unlikely - it won't be until 2014 though.

There was meant to be a mild reno by end of 2011 but is running late:

I can happily report to you all that works are half completed to expand the size of the Virgin Lounge in PER. They are extending it out towards the apron (Gate 16) and should almost triple the size of the lounge as it is now.

So fortunately you won't have to wait until the T1 pier is built before you get a seat

(You can see the extensions from the windows near Gate 16 in the departure lounge)

 

[Limewood]

Of course my vote is Cairns

The new domestic is excellent, don't think Q fly international from CNS anymore?.

 

[yo yo ma]

The new domestic is excellent, don't think Q fly international from CNS anymore?.

Just QantasLink to POM and then you get to use the Reef Lounge.

 

[markis10]

Just QantasLink to POM and then you get to use the Reef Lounge.

The new domestic is excellent, don't think Q fly international from CNS anymore?.

Psst, this is a thread about Virgin, QF lounges are irrelevent given they dont have any time access, and in the case of Cairns, are not open for some JQ flights!

 

[Limewood]

oops only read second post as heading said [h=2]Which airport needs a new "The Lounge" the most?[/h]
if it had said [h=2]Which airport needs a new "Virgin Lounge" the most?[/h]would have taken more notice, ah well...

 

[samh004]

oops only read second post as heading said [h=2]Which airport needs a new "The Lounge" the most?[/h]
if it had said [h=2]Which airport needs a new "Virgin Lounge" the most?[/h]would have taken more notice, ah well...

But "The Lounge" is the product name for Virgin lounges similar to "Qantas Club" being the name primarily for Qantas lounges.

When Virgin Blue started becoming more popular there we're a number of mixups, so it's always good to look at the URL in the address bar to see which forum you're in.




 

[Tuddy]

well hello everyone. based on passenger numbers and flights, i'd have to say that CNS and TSV would be right up there with being contenders for the next Lounges...then again, LST given the solid numbers there or perhaps PHE and KTA could be good contenders given the ever-growing markets there for DJ.

I must admit, I'm still a fan of the Bangkok Airways idea of having facilities exclusive for all passengers on its flights. However, for DJ I believe that this should occur in smaller ports where there presently aren't enough px to warrant a Lounge facility - think ABX, MQL, AYQ, NTL, EMD, GLT etc. - more or less we're talking anything with <300 seats a day into the airport and all px would have access to wi-fi, tea and coffee, newspapers and perhaps a small selection of nibblies. Very much a "mini-Lounge" that would provide a point of difference to QantasLink and Jetstar in these markets (think about it, QF have Qantas Clubs in EMD and GLT - at this stage, DJ can't sustain a Lounge in these airports. To build loyalty, they can offer the basics QF offers to its Qantas Club px to all DJ passengers. Then when numbers have grown sufficiently, open a Lounge. For NTL, where there's no Lounge and JQ dominates, it would provide a substantial point of difference - though the airport does have free wi-fi for everyone. Other airports like ABX, MQL etc. have no lounges at all - so would be purely to build up numbers for a relatively low cost). Just my two cents.

 

[red_86]

Of course my vote is Cairns

Im with you.

 

[MarkD]

well hello everyone. based on passenger numbers and flights, i'd have to say that CNS and TSV would be right up there with being contenders for the next Lounges...then again, LST given the solid numbers there or perhaps PHE and KTA could be good contenders given the ever-growing markets there for DJ.

I must admit, I'm still a fan of the Bangkok Airways idea of having facilities exclusive for all passengers on its flights. However, for DJ I believe that this should occur in smaller ports where there presently aren't enough px to warrant a Lounge facility - think ABX, MQL, AYQ, NTL, EMD, GLT etc. - more or less we're talking anything with <300 seats a day into the airport and all px would have access to wi-fi, tea and coffee, newspapers and perhaps a small selection of nibblies. Very much a "mini-Lounge" that would provide a point of difference to QantasLink and Jetstar in these markets (think about it, QF have Qantas Clubs in EMD and GLT - at this stage, DJ can't sustain a Lounge in these airports. To build loyalty, they can offer the basics QF offers to its Qantas Club px to all DJ passengers. Then when numbers have grown sufficiently, open a Lounge. For NTL, where there's no Lounge and JQ dominates, it would provide a substantial point of difference - though the airport does have free wi-fi for everyone. Other airports like ABX, MQL etc. have no lounges at all - so would be purely to build up numbers for a relatively low cost). Just my two cents.

So what you are saying is they build a lounge, which is an exclusive area where the peace and tranquility is expected, and then open it up for every passenger on every flight, and give them loads of free stuff???? No offence, but thats a silly idea, whatever they value the cost of providing this service WILL be added to the fares, and we will all pay in the ticket price increases. We cannot viably have a lounge in every port, the airline would go broke!
If the ports such as Gladstone emerald etc dont have the demand for a lounge that will be viable for those that have the required status level, or have purchased lounge access then they would build it. Newcastle I feel is a good example of a winner, but we dont know how hard it may be to actually get approval to do so.

 

[markis10]

So what you are saying is they build a lounge, which is an exclusive area where the peace and tranquility is expected, and then open it up for every passenger on every flight, and give them loads of free stuff???? No offence, but thats a silly idea, whatever they value the cost of providing this service WILL be added to the fares, and we will all pay in the ticket price increases. We cannot viably have a lounge in every port, the airline would go broke!
If the ports such as Gladstone emerald etc dont have the demand for a lounge that will be viable for those that have the required status level, or have purchased lounge access then they would build it. Newcastle I feel is a good example of a winner, but we dont know how hard it may be to actually get approval to do so.

GLT will have a lounge soon, with three LNG plants being built each supporting 6000 workers in Dungas who FIFO, it's a bit of a no brainer.

 

[Tuddy]

So what you are saying is they build a lounge, which is an exclusive area where the peace and tranquility is expected, and then open it up for every passenger on every flight, and give them loads of free stuff???? No offence, but thats a silly idea, whatever they value the cost of providing this service WILL be added to the fares, and we will all pay in the ticket price increases. We cannot viably have a lounge in every port, the airline would go broke!
If the ports such as Gladstone emerald etc dont have the demand for a lounge that will be viable for those that have the required status level, or have purchased lounge access then they would build it. Newcastle I feel is a good example of a winner, but we dont know how hard it may be to actually get approval to do so.

Not saying there needs to be peace and tranquility. Nor do I think there needs to be copious offerings. And remember I was suggesting it be only open in smaller ports with less than say 300 seats/day out of the port. Tea, coffee, water, newspapers, wi-fi and maybe some cheap Arnotts bikkies that can be bought in bulk (you know - the kind that every motel from Wagga to Nhulunbuy has provided for free) is all that's needed. We don't need any fancy Luke Mangan offerings. As I said, it would be merely something as a point of difference to the competition. The plebs like me who have Red status (soon to be silver, have no fear) and no Lounge membership never get access to these things (don't think of this as a "poor me" kind of thing by the by) so if I was to choose between Virgin, QantasLink and Rex to get from Albury to Sydney, then naturally I'd choose Virgin as I'd be getting an extra offering - as would those who sit on the Qantas/Virgin fence (regardless of status) because Virgin would offer that point of difference. I'm acknowledging that it wouldn't be feasible to open Lounges in all airports (esp. the smaller ones), so in order to provide a point of difference (as Qantas presently does with its Qantas Clubs in airports where Virgin doesn't have a Lounge), Virgin could open up mini mini Lounges for all its passengers. The expenditure for such an initiative would be rather minimal compared to opening full-blown Lounges in every airport it operates to. Think it through...