Coat Check Service at Lounges

[Homer]

This is a left-of-field suggestion/random thought of the day so please bear with me...

My most frequent sector is SYD-BNE for a day trip and as it happens I'm going there tomorrow. While it will reach 16 degrees here, it will reach 19 degrees up there. And as any person who frequently flies between the two cities in winter can likely attest, it will be much closer to 8-10 degrees in SYD when I take the train to the airport and back but it will feel above 20 degrees in BNE with the Qld sun beating down.

So what I would love to be able to do is to check my big coat at the VA lounge before leaving SYD and then collect it again when I return. The alternative, which is what I do now, is carry it with me from the moment I arrive at the terminal in the morning until the moment I head down the escalators to the train station in the evening. I know some terminals have lockers but I'd love to coat-check at the lounge. It just somehow feels a little classier than stuffing a coat into a locker.

Just a random thought...

 

[harvyk]

It's not a bad idea... Coming from CBR where we're easily in the minuses in the morning, a coat is a must, head to BNE and there is no way it is needed, thus it's something to get in the way and be lost whilst up there.

 

[markis10]

All the lounges had their luggage storage areas removed for security purposes, I suspect a cloak service would fall into the same category, although I am not sure why there would be a security issue given the sterile area for most lounges.

 

[tuapekastar]

The QF F lounge at MEL certainly offers to 'store' your hand luggage at reception (at least a couple of months ago it did), and I'm guessing if I wore a coat, they may offer to do the same with it, so it would seem lounge + storage per se is OK (unless there has been a recent change). I think it is a worthwhile idea, unsure how popular it would prove...perhaps too much so? Meaning not enough room? No idea!

 

[777]

I've left a bag in the BNE VA lounge before while I went into the city and back for the day. It's the only time I've ever asked about it and it was no issue.

 

[harvyk]

I've left a bag in the BNE VA lounge before while I went into the city and back for the day. It's the Bly time I've ever asked about it and it was no issue.

I've noticed though that the standard "no unattended bags" rule doesn't seem to apply in lounges. If you get more than a few steps away from your bag out in the main terminal, you'd have just about every security guard in the building jumping on you, and yet in lounges ppl (and staff) seem to be quite happy for bags to be left whilst the owners use the facilities, grab a drink, get something to eat, and talk to a friend on the way back.

 

[Danger]

I would love to see a simple coat rack in lounges. More than anything I think I would free up chairs. It's not uncommon to see garment bags or suits thrown over a chair to keep them (relatively) straight, thereby meaning that chair can't be used for someone else.

I travel a lot with a garment bag and would be very happy to leave it on a rack somewhere in the lounge to collect on my way out. The usual 'we take no responsibility . . .' sign would obviously have to be firmly affixed.

 

[777]

I've noticed though that the standard "no unattended bags" rule doesn't seem to apply in lounges. If you get more than a few steps away from your bag out in the main terminal, you'd have just about every security guard in the building jumping on you, and yet in lounges ppl (and staff) seem to be quite happy for bags to be left whilst the owners use the facilities, grab a drink, get something to eat, and talk to a friend on the way back.

Just to clarify, I didn't just leave it there! I asked the staff if I could check it with them while I went into the city for 5 or so hours and they hadn't problem with it.

But yes, leaving bags while getting food and bev seems standards active in lounges - even in the LOTFAP.

 

[richie9x]

One thing with a coat check is you might get passengers checking their coat in then forgetting about. Then the lounge staff have the hassle reuniting the coat with its owner.

There might be a bit of a queue when a boarding call is made. Especially if if you two or more wide body jets leaving at the same time. I guess it depends on how popular it is.

I guess luckily it doesn't really get very cold in Australia. So normally don't need big thick coats.

 

[NM]

What's a coat?

Oh yeah, that warm thingy I have to taken when traveling to Melbourne.

 

[eric2011]

I've noticed though that the standard "no unattended bags" rule doesn't seem to apply in lounges. If you get more than a few steps away from your bag out in the main terminal, you'd have just about every security guard in the building jumping on you, and yet in lounges ppl (and staff) seem to be quite happy for bags to be left whilst the owners use the facilities, grab a drink, get something to eat, and talk to a friend on the way back.

Generally, lounges are after the xray machine so by rights the bags should have been deemed safe.

 

[harvyk]

Generally, lounges are after the xray machine so by rights the bags should have been deemed safe.

So by that theory I'd be able to walk away from my bag whilst air side in the main terminal, and ignoring the common thief, it should still be there in one piece when I get back?

Me thinks not... I would expect that if you got more than about 5 or so meters away from your bag (so far enough that it could look unattended) at a minimum security would come swooping in.

A couple of years ago I remember seeing a system designed to find unattended bags, when testing it, from memory it allowed me to get about 2 meters away from the bag before it flagged a possible problem.

 

[Rallo]

Generally, lounges are after the xray machine so by rights the bags should have been deemed safe.

Not true ,pre screening or post screening the items are deemed to be unattended, a security risk and you may get a chat from AFP

 

[Leumas]

I doubt it will ever happen in Australia or even NZ... The time when the climate calls for it is short. The space and staff is just another expense the airlines can enhance...

 

[eric2011]

So by that theory I'd be able to walk away from my bag whilst air side in the main terminal, and ignoring the common thief, it should still be there in one piece when I get back?

.

We was talking within a lounge ( ie Qantas club etc ) not the main terminal and i do it all the time. Put your gear on a chair or table and wander off to get coffee, nibbles etc or even a quick use of the computers or duck into the toilet. Never encountered a problem with a dozen armed security types turning up and detonating my dirty undies and socks with a charge of C4

 

[medhead]

I face a similar problem flying ADL-SYD. It's real cold in ADL at 5am, but it's damn hot for me in SYD. I wear a thermal top under my shirt but no jacket. Much easier to remove and stash away in luggage than a jacket.

 

[k_sheep]

You'd have needed your coat in BNE the last 2 days! Brrr!