AFF Gathering #17 in BNE on 18 - 20 October 2024

We're pleased to announce that the 2024 AFF annual gathering will be held in Brisbane, the sunny capital of Queensland!

The weekend of Friday 18 - Sunday 20 October 2024 has been chosen for the event. As per past years, there will be a welcome dinner on the Friday evening, optional activities on Saturday and a main dinner on Saturday evening. There may also be an optional activity on Sunday in the late morning.

All AFF members (and +1's, etc.) are welcome to attend. Most people usually fly in on Friday afternoon and leave on the Sunday afternoon/evening.

Your lead organisers for this year's event are @NM and @QF WP. Other Brisbane-based members are also welcome to volunteer to assist.

We'll update this thread over the coming months with more information about the planned activities, dinner venues and costs, which we expect to be similar to past gatherings. There will be a $5 registration fee per participant, plus the cost of any activities and/or meals that you choose to join.

For now, please feel free to let us know in this thread if you think you'll be able to make it! For those unfamiliar with the AFF terminology:

• "Platinum" means you're planning to attend and have booked flights/accommodation
• "Gold" means you're likely to attend but will need to confirm at a later time
• "Silver" means you're unlikely to attend at this stage.
• "Bronze" means you're unable to attend.

The AFF Leadership Team can provide support in terms of money collection and distribution, and editing this thread as needed. If something needs to be updated, please simply report the post with the update so anyone on the team can action it (starting a conversation only alerts one person).

We're looking forward to seeing you all in Brissie!

 

[CaptJCool]

The map was the larger size, TVB04 version.

I discovered today one of our folk has been to some of those African countries which had been unpinned
Is there still time for @travellingann to make mention of them and get them added ?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Experience A lunch - We had fun getting lunch. Subway hadn’t prepared the 4 platters (pre-ordered Friday night) when we arrived on time (12:20pm) so we had to wait 30 mins. So did most of the others behind us:

View attachment 412775

Thanks to my helpers @RooFlyer and @serfty who volunteered to come to assist:

View attachment 412776

Set up for the hungry hordes:

View attachment 412777

GOSH - I'm glad I was under the weather and didn't volunteer. I can see Sefty was firmly in charge of crowd control.....

 

[Sprucegoose]

Should gave gone direct to CBR.

Are they renovating the Sydney J Lounge Ade?

 

[QF WP]

Hmmm I’d better look on the map and cross check against my BA97 flight list I’m sure I could add cities/countries to the map

 

[CaptJCool]

Hmmm I’d better look on the map and cross check against my BA97 flight list I’m sure I could add cities/countries to the map

I’m also surprised many of the island states in the Caribbean had not been visited
It almost seems an AFF Cruise sometime in the near future Could fix that absence … there has to be something that scoots between the various islands. (Not sure about Haiti that would be much more problematic)

 

[Sprucegoose]

Just tell them you were planning to use the train and your credit card - if they've not made alternative arrangements, it's hardly your fault.

I tell them I'm from Melbourne and lost - always get through.

Post automatically merged: Oct 22, 2024

PSA - SYD J lounge is closed for reno work. Source: FB pages and I’m at SYD Club now. Absolutely no place to sit. The queue to get a meal is snaking behind to the back of the seating area. It’s been over 4 years since I have been to a Club and boy, is it crowded #HumbleFlex

Thats interesting. I dont recall getting a note from Qantas about this - I don't read everything from them as I would need to employ an assistant. Do you know how long this renovation is planned for?

 

[QF WP]

I’m also surprised many of the island states in the Caribbean had not been visited
It almost seems an AFF Cruise sometime in the near future Could fix that absence … there has to be something that scoots between the various islands. (Not sure about Haiti that would be much more problematic)

Same - I’ve only been to Jamaica. I should check with Mrs QF WP and her travels.

Don’t think I can take away any

 

[Mr_Orange]

I've been to St Lucia (a very long time ago). Does that help..... not really knowing what the map is all about....

 

[RooFlyer]

I’m also surprised many of the island states in the Caribbean had not been visited
It almost seems an AFF Cruise sometime in the near future Could fix that absence … there has to be something that scoots between the various islands.

Cruise this December will add 6 Caribbean nations to my tally, all unused pins (plus Colombia).

I've been to St Lucia (a very long time ago). Does that help..... not really knowing what the map is all about....

Had to be an attendee at the Gathering.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Had to be an attendee at the Gathering.

I was for Friday night.

 

[RooFlyer]

I was for Friday night.

Oops! Of course. But I guess at the dinner to also push the pin in .

 

[AIRwin]

I've been to St Lucia (a very long time ago).

Where the UQ campus is?

 

[CaptJCool]

Where the UQ campus is?

@RooFlyer went there on Sunday
I was there Friday

 

[NM]

I discovered today one of our folk has been to some of those African countries which had been unpinned
Is there still time for @travellingann to make mention of them and get them added ?

Yes, so long is it an attendee of the event that nominates the country they personally have visited. Let me know and I will on behalf of the traveller.

 

[NM]

I've been to St Lucia (a very long time ago). Does that help..... not really knowing what the map is all about....

I'll pin Saint Lucia for you

 

[Mr_Orange]

Where the UQ campus is?

You're a comedian

 

[Ade]

Demand access to the CL lounge - DYKWIA??

ha ha (rofl) I was thinking that given the J lounge is unusable, P1 would be routed to the CL ? Is there any P1 here that was routed to CL at SYD?

Post automatically merged: Oct 22, 2024

But you did change to fly CBR-BNE direct?

I had to, with no choice, a heavy heart and teared eye - to make in time for our AFF weekend. I would be kicking myself, if I had to miss some of the wonderful time for a measly 15SC

 

[Ade]

Are they renovating the Sydney J Lounge Ade?

Based on what I read in various QF groups in Facebook, the word "renovation" is used very, very loosely ... The intel for now is that the carpets are being ripped out and new carpets put in and some furniture rearrangement. I can't find anything official from QF re this though ...

 

[AIRwin]

I would be kicking myself, if I had to miss some of the wonderful time for a measly 15SC

Claim ORC?

 

[markis10]

Building Approvals will usually give you a clue:

NES T3 Airside Admin Level, Site 3S-001,
Relocation of an existing wall & services in Domestic Qantas Lounge

At the same time this caught my eye

Expansion of Qantas International Business Lounge….not proceeding