BNE Lounge to reopen next week

[markis10]

Lounge staff tonight confirmed the revamped lounge will open next week in BNE - yeah, although self serve Byron Bay Cookies will no longer be on offer :evil:.

 

[LiamR]

That's good news. I wonder how it will compare to the new Mel Lounge?

Prize for the first person to snap photos of it? I'll shout that person lunch in the lounge.

 

[samh004]

Sounds like good timing for anyone flying down to SYD for the F lounge run…

 

[Noob]

Will the lounge be any bigger than it use to be? Not that it really matters, just interested - I hope it is very similar to the MLB lounge!

 

[samh004]

Will the lounge be any bigger than it use to be? Not that it really matters, just interested - I hope it is very similar to the MLB lounge!

I didn't realise Virgin Australia operated a lounge in Florida!

When I walked past on the weekend there looked to be the same ceiling entrance tiles as I've seen in photos of the MEL lounge. Look like wooden leafs.

 

[firefox]

been told the bne fitout is similar format (design) to the MELB. So i am betting same colours, design format etc..

 

[richie9x]

Do they still have the offer that Qantas FF gold and platinum can get access to the Lounge for a limited time?

If so I might switch some flights to Virgin to check it out.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

That's good news. I wonder how it will compare to the new Mel Lounge?

Prize for the first person to snap photos of it? I'll shout that person lunch in the lounge.

*crosses fingers and hopes that it opens on my day off next week (Tuesday) haha*... might have to give Gold anytime access a try if that's the case

 

[samh004]

might have to give Gold anytime access a try if that's the case

Am I missing something here? I didn't know there was anytime access for Velocity Golds?

 

[pshepvic]

Am I missing something here? I didn't know there was anytime access for Velocity Golds?

It's true. It's an unwritten benefit - subject to capacity but confirmed by Sydney lounge staff. Was mentioned in another thread at some point from memory.

They did say it was for arrivals access if you've flown that day though, so I'm not quite sure if they will let you use the lounge if you're not flying, or not flying DJ. So might not be true anytime access, but more arrivals access.

 

[N860CR]

That's very good news. I emailed The Lounge about this literally five minutes before this thread appeared and they got back to me this morning saying it's not confirmed, but they're hoping for the last week of July.

I have a run down to Brisbane on the 30th... I might take an earlier flight and make use of the arrivals lounge for a few hours!

 

[scibo10]

Any news on whether it will include kerb side checkin?

 

[samh004]

It's true. It's an unwritten benefit - subject to capacity but confirmed by Sydney lounge staff. Was mentioned in another thread at some point from memory.

They did say it was for arrivals access if you've flown that day though, so I'm not quite sure if they will let you use the lounge if you're not flying, or not flying DJ. So might not be true anytime access, but more arrivals access.

Ahh I knew about arrivals access. Least I know I didn't squander my chances the other day when dropping my sister off for a QF flight.

Any news on whether it will include kerb side checkin?

With the amount of construction still ongoing for the new car parks, I doubt the airport would be happy to construct an area for kerbside check-in before the existing construction is complete?

 

[LiamR]

On Saturday I picking greeting a friend as they got off a flight. It was in Sydney and the T2 security queue was as long as ever, I ducked around to the premium entry and asked if I could sneak through. (I wasn't flying until that night) They let me through with no problems. Said I'm welcome anytime.

After that my friend wanted some breakfast, so we headed up to the lounge and asked (Not expecting) if we can do in. Was allowed in with no problems.

It's not a written benefit, but more of a goodwill gesture from Virgin. That way it's not open for abuse.

 

[LiamR]

Slightly O/T

But one of the things I really liked about the temp MEL lounge, is they had small bottles of water available. I use to grab one one the way out, and consume it on the flight. Great idea to keep you refreshed.

With real lounges they only offer water in glasses. Wouldn't it be nice if they had bottles of water in all of the lounge?

Thoughts?

 

[markis10]

With the amount of construction still ongoing for the new car parks, I doubt the airport would be happy to construct an area for kerbside check-in before the existing construction is complete?

Those of us who are sadly old enough to remember the Golden Wing Valet Parking Area would have noticed the construction work there over the last few months, which is not near the normal car park work (and strangely the closest area to the lounge), you access it from the park short area for DJ which is a left turn off the main road near the control tower, the work is already done:

Its going to be a massive advantage to DJ when its open given the current airport access which becomes its one car park at peak periods! Of course it could all be a coincidence...............

 

[ChrisFlyer]

It was mentioned somewhere on here by a Virgin rep that there would indeed be a similar kerbside check-in and direct entry to the lounge... I just don't know where they'll manage to fit the screening point!

And re: anytime access - I have called the Brisbane lounge before to verify this, and they said that anytime access for Golds is fine - although the usual guest rights are slightly different in this situation. If you bring in a guest when you yourself are not traveling, the guest (apparently) needs to be ticketed on Virgin that day to be allowed in. The guy that answered had to go double-check with the lounge manager before telling me that, so I'll assume that it's accurate! This is of course different to the usual guest rules for when you enter the lounge as a ticketed passenger - as your guest does not have to be flying at all.

 

[samh004]

Those of us who are sadly old enough to remember the Golden Wing Valet Parking Area would have noticed the construction work there over the last few months, which is not near the normal car park work (and strangely the closest area to the lounge), you access it from the park short area for DJ which is a left turn off the main road near the control tower, the work is already done:

Its going to be a massive advantage to DJ when its open given the current airport access which becomes its one car park at peak periods! Of course it could all be a coincidence...............

From that image, it looks like a better idea would be to extend the terminal over that section, providing direct access to the lounge perhaps, and more terminal floor space, you could probably also build the kerbside entry into that, but it seems like the corner of the terminal was chopped off.

 

[markis10]

From that image, it looks like a better idea would be to extend the terminal over that section, providing direct access to the lounge perhaps, and more terminal floor space, you could probably also build the kerbside entry into that, but it seems like the corner of the terminal was chopped off.

No need to extend anything, that rotunda is where the cars circle, you walk in straight to a security screening point that was there in the AN days then straight up into the lounge via the escalators already in place.

 

[cityloop]

Lounge staff tonight confirmed the revamped lounge will open next week in BNE - yeah, although self serve Byron Bay Cookies will no longer be on offer :evil:.

Grrrrr, I was loving the self serve Byron Bay Cookies!!!