DRW lounge

[markis10]

So when is it going to open, where will it be and will this thread have daily reports/status updates like the OOL one .

 

[docjames]

So when is it going to open, where will it be and will this thread have daily reports/status updates like the OOL one .

Are you volunteering to take phots each time you're there?

 

[markis10]

Sure, I expect they will look like this for a little while:

Or perhaps the work will displace the JQ toilet paper dispenser:

 

[docjames]

No-one in Darwin formal (short, thongs)??

 

[LiamR]

So when is it going to open, where will it be and will this thread have daily reports/status updates like the OOL one .

You've got 360 posts to catch up on before you can catch up to (the most document lounge construction project in the history of aviation) OOL's construction.

I'd expect to see one in the next few years, espically since the SQ/VA/SilkAir Partnership happening. But I dare say they've got their hands full at the moment construction other lounges. Maybe when the OOL/SYD lounges are complete?

 

[markis10]

You've got 360 posts to catch up on before you can catch up to (the most document lounge construction project in the history of aviation) OOL's construction.

I'd expect to see one in the next few years, espically since the SQ/VA/SilkAir Partnership happening. But I dare say they've got their hands full at the moment construction other lounges. Maybe when the OOL/SYD lounges are complete?

Did you miss the announcement, its not years away especially given the inpex announcements

We can also announce that we will open a lounge at Darwin Airport for our eligible Virgin Australia guests as well as those of its alliance partners.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ty/new-darwin-routes-darwin-lounge-35078.html

 

[LiamR]

Did you miss the announcement, its not years away especially given the inpex announcements



http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ty/new-darwin-routes-darwin-lounge-35078.html

Oh my gosh, I somehow missed that. Must have had my head burried in OOL too much!

To start off, do those locals of DRW know of any current vacant space within the terminal area that could be turned into a Lounge?

 

[o40ity]

There was an announcement Mid 2011 that NT airports had plans to expand the current terminal. There is provisions that the terminal expansion would include "Airline Lounges" on the second floor of the building. I would expect the plans would include the ability to accommodate the new proposed Virgin lounge.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

There was an announcement Mid 2011 that NT airports had plans to expand the current terminal. There is provisions that the terminal expansion would include "Airline Lounges"

Gawd...if they wait for a terminal expansion, markis10 will be long retired, sitting out on his back deck in a rocking chair and fluffy slippers, sporting his favourite "don't serve me at SYD" shirt and a corn cob pipe!

 

[Jousams]

just to restart this thread.
any news on when the DRW lounge will be opening?
ive got two trips early next year.

also, why is there a need for a lounge. 3.5 daily departures?
wouldnt ROK/LST/GLD/BNE INT/NTL be more important?

 

[2impulsiv]

The other day I took the morning flight from DRW to PER in J and was guested into the qantas lounge by a friend and noticed a few people that I later seen on the DJ flight... My boarding pass mentioned lounge access, are DJ using the QF lounge?

 

[Tuddy]

just to restart this thread.
any news on when the DRW lounge will be opening?
ive got two trips early next year.

also, why is there a need for a lounge. 3.5 daily departures?
wouldnt ROK/LST/GLD/BNE INT/NTL be more important?

A DRW airport rep told me that the Lounge will be opening in 2014, about a year later than the initial schedule due to delays in the commencement of construction. Most construction on the new terminal works will occur in 2013, with one end finished early 2014 and the other in late 2014. Odds on bet is that Virgin Lounge will be early 2014.

DRW, whilst having few departures (at the moment...) is where some of the longest domestic flights in the network originate with the shortest flight taking ~3.5 hours to BNE. The flights, from what I gather, are reasonably high-yielding. I can't comment on the breakdown of J-class and status passengers on the flights as I haven't a clue in that regard. I suspect that, realistically, it's to compete with QF's stronger offering (schedules, QP etc.) and expect that with the Lounge, we may see more destinations and frequencies opened up from DRW (though I'm not holding my breath)

In relation to additional airport lounges, well, let's look at your suggestions one by one. ROK, in my mind, is the next most logical port to open up a Lounge with over 900 seats out of the port on any given weekday. GLT I don't believe, as yet, has enough seats out of the port to warrant a Lounge with a mere 340 (though with a few 190s, this figure does bump up) though it is a high-yielding 340+ seats. LST makes sense in terms of seats and strong number of business travellers during school terms, as well as leisure travellers (whom are usually the SYD-MEL set) during holiday periods. BNE Int. - they're happy with the NZ/SQ lounges (though I know that those heading off to exotic spots like HIR don't have access...). NTL - not yet. The market share just isn't high enough, nor the times suitable for the business market to attract the business traveller travelling through. As the schedules become more attractive, most definitely though. SO, I expect ROK and LST to be in the next 2-3 years. NTL and GLT it depends really on how the schedules evolve, though within a 5 year period it's possible. Let's also not forget regional WA with KTA and PHE...

 

[markis10]

I would expect GLT to get a lounge first purely because it will have more potential than ROK thanks to Curtis Island not being part of the downturn, although GLT would be harder to put a lounge in due to space. Then would come Emerald, with ROK after that.

 

[Jousams]

Let's also not forget regional WA with KTA and PHE...

How many seats do these airports usually see?

I would expect GLT to get a lounge first purely because it will have more potential than ROK thanks to Curtis Island not being part of the downturn, although GLT would be harder to put a lounge in due to space. Then would come Emerald, with ROK after that.

One would think a large proportion of ROK traffic would be healthcare & proffesional services being a major regional center.
And the large proportion of doctors / health professionals in my area all seam to have QC or ZLL memberships even considering the closest QC's are 2.5-3 hours away in Brisbane and Coffs Harbour.

Whilst the mining traffic out of GLD/EMD would be strong the traffic in general would be 1/4 of that traveling from ROK.
So even if only 1/5 ROK travelers were for business it still would parallel that of EMD/GLD.

also a lounge in ROK would be able to be open and being used throughout the day. Not just an hour before the flights?

Isn't there only 3 daily atrs from emerald anyway?
But I do agree GLD would be an important destination for a lounge.



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[Tuddy]

I would expect GLT to get a lounge first purely because it will have more potential than ROK thanks to Curtis Island not being part of the downturn, although GLT would be harder to put a lounge in due to space. Then would come Emerald, with ROK after that.

I was half-hoping you'd correct me on something I'd written markis10. ROK, however, has a lot more flights than GLT on bigger aircraft (at the moment at least - in your personal opinion as someone far more knowledgable of the region, more flights soon do you think?). Similar to yourself, I'm not sure where one could be squeezed into GLT - perhaps another OOL job and whack it on top of the terminal? Or even put it next to the QP where the rental car maintenance facility is presently located? EMD-wise, more expansion really does need to happen at that terminal (and further expansion of services to at least 5/day) before a Virgin Lounge would open. ROK has space upstairs at the moment that could be easily converted into Lounge, hence my belief that it will be sooner. And I'm sure you'd agree with my sentiments about NTL not being ready for a Lounge yet (though I think it would be an interesting port to pilot an AirNZ Link CHC-style Lounge...). Where do you see Lounges opening in the next 5 years or so?

 

[Tuddy]

How many seats do these airports usually see?

One would think a large proportion of ROK traffic would be healthcare & proffesional services being a major regional center.
And the large proportion of doctors / health professionals in my area all seam to have QC or ZLL memberships even considering the closest QC's are 2.5-3 hours away in Brisbane and Coffs Harbour.

Whilst the mining traffic out of GLD/EMD would be strong the traffic in general would be 1/4 of that traveling from ROK.
So even if only 1/5 ROK travelers were for business it still would parallel that of EMD/GLD.

also a lounge in ROK would be able to be open and being used throughout the day. Not just an hour before the flights?

Isn't there only 3 daily atrs from emerald anyway?
But I do agree GLD would be an important destination for a lounge.

Up to 380/day into each of them. But a high-yielding, high-viz wearing 380.

If you don't mind me asking Jousams, what's your nearest port (in terms of regional centre and airport)? A valid point that markis10 makes (I'm going to assume the name is Markis) is that it's a high-yielding market with high-status passengers due to the mining, whereas ROK isn't as high a yielding market (look at the average fares into all three markets and you get an idea..). ROK's schedule is such that it could be open throughout the day. EMD is getting an extra flight/day in a few weeks due to the immense success of current flights, and I personally expect to see even more coming on line as more ATRs arrive. It seems that plans for the new NSW destination have been put on hold for the moment which is a shame.

 

[Jousams]

Up to 380/day into each of them. But a high-yielding, high-viz wearing 380.

If you don't mind me asking Jousams, what's your nearest port (in terms of regional centre and airport)? .

I'm from between BNK & LSY. (ballina and Lismore, with Lismore being the regional center)
However I generally use OOL due to frequency and hate for J*



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[Tuddy]

I'm from between BNK & LSY. (ballina and Lismore, with Lismore being the regional center)
However I generally use OOL due to frequency and hate for J*

Ok, so ZL is the most realistic option out of either BNK or LSY for anyone wanting to travel from your neck of the woods on a semi-regular basis - and Lounge membership isn't too steep with ZL. I know that Lismore has a base hospital, as well as some specialists, but this isn't a significant number of people. LSY has up to 144 seats/day into it on ZL. Health professionals, even if we take an inflated figure fo 20, might fill up half a Rex plane, but not even a third of the smallest plane in the DJ fleet...just some perspective there. QC-wise, I am aware that a lot of people do travel up from your way to OOL and I expect that they will be quite happy to use the QC when it opens at said airport. I also know a lot that travel DJ from OOL and have status and Lounge membership with DJ. Two very different markets you're comparing. The ROK catchment really only has ROK, whereas the BNK/LSY community has OOL just up the road taking a lot of potential traffic due to far superior frequencies. Personally, I think DJ would make a bit of money by putting an additional E190 or two/day into BNK as a lot of the people that live in the area and commute to SYD go to OOL because BNK just doesn't have the schedule (one mid-afternoon flight may cater for the tourists going to Byron, but not the locals) and a Saab340 just isn't an enticing option for a flight that long (esp. if via NTL!)

 

[markis10]

I was half-hoping you'd correct me on something I'd written markis10. ROK, however, has a lot more flights than GLT on bigger aircraft (at the moment at least - in your personal opinion as someone far more knowledgable of the region, more flights soon do you think?). Similar to yourself, I'm not sure where one could be squeezed into GLT - perhaps another OOL job and whack it on top of the terminal? Or even put it next to the QP where the rental car maintenance facility is presently located? EMD-wise, more expansion really does need to happen at that terminal (and further expansion of services to at least 5/day) before a Virgin Lounge would open. ROK has space upstairs at the moment that could be easily converted into Lounge, hence my belief that it will be sooner. And I'm sure you'd agree with my sentiments about NTL not being ready for a Lounge yet (though I think it would be an interesting port to pilot an AirNZ Link CHC-style Lounge...). Where do you see Lounges opening in the next 5 years or so?

Emerald and Gladstone will be a priority because of the mining traffic, which used to go through ROK. Number of seats into a town is not a precursor to putting in a lounge, Darwin is a good example of that, it's all about the yield. Once the ILS goes into GLT, expect a lot more flights because they have a better chance of landing, as it stands, the airline is still making 2x to 3x what they do from ROK thanks to the airfares.

Based on sheer numbers NTL should have a lounge, being in the top 20 along with HTI, and equal in pax numbers to MKY, but both of those have too many VFR travellers whose spend is not influenced by lounge access.

 

[Tuddy]

Emerald and Gladstone will be a priority because of the mining traffic, which used to go through ROK. Number of seats into a town is not a precursor to putting in a lounge, Darwin is a good example of that, it's all about the yield. Once the ILS goes into GLT, expect a lot more flights because they have a better chance of landing, as it stands, the airline is still making 2x to 3x what they do demo ROK thanks to the airfares.

Agreeing wholeheartedly there in terms of yields - but as we've both said - where in GLT would it go? ROK readily has the space available. In terms of number of seats and of status pax - how small would you make a Lounge at GLT or EMD based on current schedules? QFLink-style cupboard?

Based on sheer numbers NTL should have a lounge, being in the top 20 along with HTI, and equal in pax numbers to MKY, but both of those have too many VFR travellers whose spend is not influenced by lounge access.

Agreeing that NTL shouldn't have a Lounge at the present moment. In terms of DJ pax numbers - MKY is a far larger port with 910 seats/day (and yes I know seats and yield are two different things). VFR is high into NTL, but as NTL airport recently stated in an interview relating to extra DJ seats to BNE, half of its traffic is business-related. We needn't get into this battle again, but there is scope for additional DJ flights into NTL (as they recently showed with the additional BNE flights) - more business-friendly schedule to MEL and perhaps an ADL flight wouldn't go astray (research has indicated there are ~150 connecting passengers/day travelling NTL-ADL whether via SYD or MEL) after which time a Lounge in some form could be considered - but not with present schedule.