Does the EY lounge serve a-la-carte breakfast for departing VA1 pax?

[Homer]

We're on VA1 next week and it will be our first time visiting the EY lounge at SYD.

When I search for the lounge details I can only find references to a-la-carte dining at dinner time (for the AUH flights) so I was hoping someone who has been on VA1 and used this lounge would kindly let me know about the offering at breakfast. Personally I only care about champagne...but Marge takes her breakfasts very, very seriously.

 

[Denali]

We did VA1 back in March and it was buffet only back then. Check what time they open as we had to wait about 30mins before the lounge opened and we werent the only ones caught out.

 

[grubbidok]

Did it last week. No a la carte and a rather basic breakfast buffet (not even orange juice, but you can ask for it from the bar). Basic chipolatas, poached eggs, tomato etc. Some pastries and little yoghurts. Breads and jams. Quite a small selection but appears to be topped up frequently. A self-serve coffee machine (but no "real" coffee). It's tasty enough but not even close to the a la carte options once may be expecting.

There is a full bar though.

 

[Homer]

Thank you team. It sounds fairly under-whelming. I'll manage Marge's expectations and we won't allow any extra "lounge time".

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Full bar but no champagne!! They only had Aussie sparkling for the VA flight. I presume the champagne comes out for ey only

 

[Homer]

It seems like VA has made some sort of skinny catering arrangement for this lounge to be open at that time. Disappointing.

 

[grubbidok]

It seems like VA has made some sort of skinny catering arrangement for this lounge to be open at that time. Disappointing.

The really irritating part is that the entire lounge is built around the a la carte concept so it turns a great lounge into a cough one. So not only is there no meal service, there are also no comfortable seats as they're all dining tables built for the meal services!

 

[Denali]

Thank you team. It sounds fairly under-whelming. I'll manage Marge's expectations and we won't allow any extra "lounge time".

I was underwhelmed by the EY lounge. My actual comment somewhere on AFFer was, "Is there a secret room that I dont know about", because I couldnt understand the excitement about the EY lounge on what I was experiencing.

 

[Jack_OC]

I was underwhelmed by the EY lounge. My actual comment somewhere on AFFer was, "Is there a secret room that I dont know about", because I couldnt understand the excitement about the EY lounge on what I was experiencing.

Have you been in there in the afternoon/evening? It sounds like there is a very different type of service/food on offer in the mornings, when they are catering for VA pax only. Based on my experience in the afternoon/evening, it's the best lounge I've been in at MEL - although I should clarify that I have not yet experienced the QF F lounge.

 

[grubbidok]

Have you been in there in the afternoon/evening? It sounds like there is a very different type of service/food on offer in the mornings, when they are catering for VA pax only. Based on my experience in the afternoon/evening, it's the best lounge I've been in at MEL - although I should clarify that I have not yet experienced the QF F lounge.

The difference doesn't seem to be about time (morning/evening) as much as airline (EY/VA). It is pretty clear that the arrangement that VA have made is to not utilise the a la carte concept the EY lounge is built for but EY does at any time of day (see the arrangement they also had with EY lounge in LAX).

I've been to the EY lounge in SYD for an EY flight and it is a fabulous experience. Not so when it is geared up for VA, and a massive fall down from the old NZ lounge.

 

[Jack_OC]

The difference doesn't seem to be about time (morning/evening) as much as airline (EY/VA). It is pretty clear that the arrangement that VA have made is to not utilise the a la carte concept the EY lounge is built for but EY does at any time of day (see the arrangement they also had with EY lounge in LAX).

I've been to the EY lounge in SYD for an EY flight and it is a fabulous experience. Not so when it is geared up for VA, and a massive fall down from the old NZ lounge.

Yeah definitely sounds like the problem is when it's geared up for VA - I just thought that was only the case in the mornings? FWIW, I have been in EY combined J/F lounges elsewhere in mornings prior to EY flights, and they have done the full a la carte service. Very nice eggs benedict - aside from the fact that the "ham" was made of turkey! - and champagne.

 

[DaveB]

We flew out 17 May on the EY afternoon flight and both thought the EY lounge underwhelming and rather cramped. Actually asked once in did we miss where the F lounge was.

 

[Jack_OC]

We flew out 17 May on the EY afternoon flight and both thought the EY lounge underwhelming and rather cramped. Actually asked once in did we miss where the F lounge was.

If you were expecting it to be like a dedicated F lounge then I can see why you would be underwhelmed. It's certainly not on par with the EY dedicated F lounge in AUH, for example, and I assume not on par with the MEL/SYD QF F lounges etc.

However, bear in mind that it's a combined J/F lounge, and most people in there would only qualify for J lounge access if there were two separate lounges. In that context, I think it's very good - better than any other J lounge in MEL, IMHO.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

If you were expecting it to be like a dedicated F lounge then I can see why you would be underwhelmed. It's certainly not on par with the EY dedicated F lounge in AUH, for example, and I assume not on par with the MEL/SYD QF F lounges etc.

However, bear in mind that it's a combined J/F lounge, and most people in there would only qualify for J lounge access if there were two separate lounges. In that context, I think it's very good - better than any other J lounge in MEL, IMHO.

We are not talking about Melbourne

 

[Jack_OC]

We are not talking about Melbourne

Ah - sorry, I see that now!

I think it still holds true that it depends whether you judge it against other J lounges or other F lounges though - it would be a relatively disappointing F lounge but a good J lounge.

 

[fewings85]

I was in there in feb. not overly inpressed but it was good enough, got caught out with waiting for it to open. Flew in on the red eye from PER to connect to VA1. Flight was 11.30am as I had arrived around 7.15 am lounge didn't open til 8.30am. When I say 7.15 I was there at the lounge at 7.15.

I have VA1 again in August however the flight time is now 9.30am on this day. Does this mean the lounge will be open from 6.30am? I don't land SYD til around 6.15am anyway.

 

[Homer]

I have VA1 again in August however the flight time is now 9.30am on this day. Does this mean the lounge will be open from 6.30am? I don't land SYD til around 6.15am anyway.

I checked this today as my VA1 flight is at 9.30am and there was a comment in this thread about having to wait for the lounge to open. My TA advises that the lounge will be open from 7.30am for the 9.30am VA1 departure so you might have to kill some time...

 

[farstar]

This whole fractured lounge thing from Virgin needs to stop from Sydney. It's a major Virgin port get a lounge yourself Virgin. I fly to Apia and my new lounge is "SkyTeam Exclusive Lounge".

 

[farstar]

This whole fractured lounge thing from Virgin needs to stop from Sydney. It's a major Virgin port get a lounge yourself Virgin. I fly to Apia and my new lounge is "SkyTeam Exclusive Lounge".

Also I forgot to say if you are flying NAN-SYD as a Virgin platinum which lounge even if flying Business which lounge do you use? It seems like none but I could be wrong.

 

[fewings85]

I checked this today as my VA1 flight is at 9.30am and there was a comment in this thread about having to wait for the lounge to open. My TA advises that the lounge will be open from 7.30am for the 9.30am VA1 departure so you might have to kill some time...

seems abit silly ti leave it so late to open, I could understand 8.30 for the 11.30 departure but 7.30 for a 9.30? usually you have to be at the gate at around 8.30ish doesn't leave a lot of lounge time...not that this is the best lounge to be "relaxing" in, most you see usually open three hours before the flight.

I wont have as much time to kill as last time at least. If I land around 6.15 by the time I transfer over to the international terminal it may be around 6.45-7-ish. Much better then the arriving at 6.45 and having to wait til 8.30 with the 11.30 departure of VA1 I was on last time.

I agree with farstar above however, Virgin need to consider opening a international lounge at its key/major hubs. Sydney and LAX would be a good start. With all the confusion and un-certainty surrounding LAX this past year it would be great to put its Velocity members at ease. Its their key/main overseas hub. With flights now from LAX to MEL its now servicing Australia's the biggest cities. There will be none of this worrying about what lounge are we gonna get each time we travel.

One in Sydney would be very handy as well its probably their biggest hub here I assume. Melbourne could probably do with one as well with Hong Kong flights beginning as well.