Article: Qantas Auckland Lounge Upgrade: The End of an Era

[AustraliaPoochie]

Maybe when the combo int and dom airport terminals at AKL are conjoined, things might change.
There is talk of adding more runways over where the inlet sea that is sometimes a sand bank is.
They should put the (new, if they do decide one new one (lounge) is needed), QF lounge at concourse B, near gate 15 or so, which QF larger planes sometimes uses, ie, the one with the far walk mentioned above.
There is lot of space over there.
But if QF has to use what they have now, and can't expand outwards or upwards, its really a play around, and no real improvement as such.

 

[thebmw]

Maybe when the combo int and dom airport terminals at AKL are conjoined, things might change.
There is talk of adding more runways over where the inlet sea that is sometimes a sand bank is.
They should put the (new, if they do decide one new one (lounge) is needed), QF lounge at concourse B, near gate 15 or so, which QF larger planes sometimes uses, ie, the one with the far walk mentioned above.
There is lot of space over there.
But if QF has to use what they have now, and can't expand outwards or upwards, its really a play around, and no real improvement as such.

The combined terminal is estimated at about 5 years away, So probably more like 6-10. Sure, planning ahead is good, though the actual combined terminal isn't likely to make a difference for Qantas lounge setup as they're still going to want to be in the international section - my read is that it will be similar to MEL where it's just everything under the one roof.

Putting the lounge all the way out there would be fine if they could guarantee not having flights from the original pier, because (assuming no change to current security and passport control) going all the way out there for the lounge, then all the way back to board, would be an unpleasant experience.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

If you time it (in relation to MEL), T2 from immi and int sec screening to gate 20, where the pandas are, is a quite a far walk.
I think the pandas are in that far zone, tho not sure if QF do use that far zone, ...
But its a trek.
Its hard, if they have to ie QF have to stick with where they are, not sure how they are going to create more space, maybe take away the F cupboard/side annex.
They had flights to the 3 capital cities, and now have the connector from SYD - AKL to the US, but no F cabin, so maybe, and I am saying maybe, their aim is to remove the F annex, if they don't move location.
If they do get the offer to move, then, whoopee, ... maybe all our dreams have come at once.
Wait and see what VH wants to do, and what AKL airport will allow them to do.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

AKL airport has been talking about integrated domestic terminal and 2nd runway for a long time. More than 10 years ago both were 5 years from opening. Obviously that has not happened, and not just due to covid. I'm not expecting them any time soon.

As for MEL QF does use the pier with high numbered gates a lot. In my experience most (not all) 737 flights to NZ use those gates.

 

[RichardMEL]

Really unsure what MEL Int T2 has to do with AKL in any way, apart from the vague similiar setup of the extension out to the higher gates ie 14-20, but since it was brought up, I find QF NZ flights tend to, in the mornings at least go from 11 and lower. As a rash generalisation, those higher number gates out there I find more often than not used by Star Alliance carriers - UA, NZ(widebodies), TG and SQ. Of course QF is out there too as required, thiugh the general desire is to keep the QF flights around that 8-11 zone where possible.

Anyway back to AKL, regardless of any pie in the sky terminal consolidation project, QF have already made it very clear that the new lounge format will be a combined lounge along the lines of HKG and LHR. The old F lounge area hasn't been used as such for years, but a glorified Plat/OWE waiting area.

In AKL, those further gates (around a 15min walk iirc) were in the heydey used mostly by all those EK 380s and worked well for that. Are they still as highly utilised?

AKL consolidation would be really nice in the longer term of course. Weather it become a true shared use (dom/int) terminal, or something more akin to MEL's setup it would help. While the dom terminal currently is around a 10 minute walk and there's a shuttle bus so it's very doable - moreso than say BNE - (but not great in a cold winter rain), having both under at least a shared roof would work well for everyone I reckon. The logistics though are probably part of the delay, along with likely significant cost and disruption imo.

 

[elanshin]

Really unsure what MEL Int T2 has to do with AKL in any way, apart from the vague similiar setup of the extension out to the higher gates ie 14-20, but since it was brought up, I find QF NZ flights tend to, in the mornings at least go from 11 and lower. As a rash generalisation, those higher number gates out there I find more often than not used by Star Alliance carriers - UA, NZ(widebodies), TG and SQ. Of course QF is out there too as required, thiugh the general desire is to keep the QF flights around that 8-11 zone where possible.

My redeye overnight was at gate 3 before it even hits the main gate area. Actually meant a bit of a backtrack walk from EK / QF lounges.

In AKL, those further gates (around a 15min walk iirc) were in the heydey used mostly by all those EK 380s and worked well for that. Are they still as highly utilised?

Morning flight for me to BNE was from that area. Saw 3 QF 737s parked there a long with 1 anz and another 2 airlines that i don't remember right now.

 

[Lynda2475]

I noticed that QF3/4 (B789) leaves from gates closer to the lounge, but the B787 flights to SYD and MEL were all leaving from gate 17 which is listed as an 18min walk from the lounge.

I thought they were supposed to be rejigging the design within their existing foot print?

 

[elanshin]

Morning flight for me to BNE was from that area. Saw 3 QF 737s parked there a long with 1 anz and another 2 airlines that i don't remember right now.

Oh i did take a pic.

 

[RichardMEL]

18min would make sense. I have slightly longer legs and always figured around 15min from QF ir EK lounge out to those further away gates.

Probably just me but I enjoy that walk actually. Nice ramp views on the way and nice to get some exercise headed out there before a flight '- even if it's only 3-4 hours.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

... Are they still as highly utilised?

Re: the far gates at AKL (15-20), have seen the United Airline plane sitting out that way in Dec last year.
---
Lots of works being done to the external side of AKL airport, with more than one crane at it, so they must be doing something.

 

[serfty]

I noticed that QF3/4 (B789) leaves from gates closer to the lounge ...

That's due to the USA factor and the need to accommodate space for SSSS. With those flights, gates 6, 8, 9 & 10 at the south end of the main pier are generally used. (Although pre-COVID I have boarded for LAX at gate 18 which is a 20 minute walk.)

 

[downgraded]

And long may that be ... I detest the "International Lounge Concept" with special "Secret Squirrel" catering for F.O.Q.'s.*

FOQ's = "Friends of Qantas", aka media, CL, WP1 etc.

How QF chooses to treat the self-entitled behind closed doors is up to them, but once you're in their public venues, be it in a lounge or on a plane, then I'm afraid anyone in a class of service deserves to be offered exactly the same service levels and priority etc.

 

[bussyboy]

Oh i did take a pic.

I had to google image search - Batik Air

 

[Larko1]

Will be great to use the lounge tomorrow according to the Qantas app

 

[Larko1]

Will be great to use the lounge tomorrow according to the Qantas appView attachment 371498

Nothing’s changed & it’s full!

 

[Beano]

Nothing’s changed & it’s full!

I've never noticed if it's full. I park myself in the business section, which at most has perhaps only a couple of people.

 

[cpatters]

Do we have any updates on the progress of the lounge refurbishment program including the Auckland lounge? Surely someone has some insights they can share with the group

 

[Beano]

Executive traveler, based on information as of November 2023, suggests end of 2024.

 

[cpatters]

If end of 2024 for Auckland they will need to get cracking very soon to complete the project by that date as it will be a good 12 months of renovations I'm guessing.
Maybe we will get an update on Thursday with the results announcements??

 

[Beano]

If end of 2024 for Auckland they will need to get cracking very soon to complete the project by that date as it will be a good 12 months of renovations I'm guessing.
Maybe we will get an update on Thursday with the results announcements??

My thoughts also. they do need to get cracking.