General Virgin Australia Lounge Discussion

[ChrisFlyer]

Having Status at Virgin still does now exclude the absolute Zoo in the early morning at kerbside entry, and used to all the time, DODGE the zoo. So there should be no need to join it.

Why anyone defends this nickel and diming, mystifies me. The facility is in place, Virgin pays mightily for it, gets only partially used, and should be a huge selling point for Club Membership, and paid Biz travellers, and an Elite benefit advertised perk - as they used to do.

I never find the food offering in SYD lounge an issue - it is not advertised as a Michelin capped fine Dining Restaurant, or a wine connoisseurs Paradise, and never pretended to be one, and having made 100s of visits to United Airlines Clubs in America, can confirm it is far better than all of them.

As an absolute haven for flight delays, or a quick visit on arrivals to send some emails, it works fine for us.

Adelaide still has a separate line for Business and High status pax at security, and Sydney used to in the Zoo area too.

For what it's worth, I agree that the opening hours should be broader, but VA Lounge members have never had access to Premium Entry. It's been exclusively biz class and Gold+ with Velocity and partner airlines. The only exception is Lifetime Lounge members, because you have to get something decent for your $10k subscription when there are only now 7 lounges where it works!

 

[ozstamps]

How about paid Biz Class?

 

[ChrisFlyer]

How about paid Biz Class?

Mentioned in my last comment, Premium Entry is available to biz class, Gold+ (Velocity and partners) and Lifetime Lounge.

 

[Layslow]

Sydney VA lounge is appalling on many levels - the crowding, the crowd, the lack of cleanliness, the space and lack of seating - but the catering deserves special mention with treats such as potato in a wrap (carb on carb anyone?) so unappealing it means they never have to worry about running out... Someone mentioned why the VA lounge menu has an aversion to meat. Cost? Not sure. My favourite VA lounge is Canberra. Spacious, great views, never crowded and lounge staff that walk round and offer iced sparkling water with lemon - a small gesture but a thoughtful touch.

 

[Brissy1]

Either add the extras, or when they have the chicken wraps, take out the contents and use to top a salad!

Good idea, my tuna salad today

 

[PERLHR]

Had curl

Sydney VA lounge is appalling on many levels - the crowding, the crowd, the lack of cleanliness, the space and lack of seating - but the catering deserves special mention with treats such as potato in a wrap (carb on carb anyone?) so unappealing it means they never have to worry about running out... Someone mentioned why the VA lounge menu has an aversion to meat. Cost? Not sure. My favourite VA lounge is Canberra. Spacious, great views, never crowded and lounge staff that walk round and offer iced sparkling water with lemon - a small gesture but a thoughtful touch.

Curled up at the edges processed cheese today...a speciality I guess. ,...really in general all the VA lounges serve up the same .sometimes the pasta in lounge is also what they serve u on board. ..it's the soup that seems to be different ....

 

[kamchatsky]

Sydney VA lounge is appalling on many levels - the crowding, the crowd, the lack of cleanliness, the space and lack of seating - but the catering deserves special mention with treats such as potato in a wrap (carb on carb anyone?) so unappealing it means they never have to worry about running out... Someone mentioned why the VA lounge menu has an aversion to meat. Cost? Not sure. My favourite VA lounge is Canberra. Spacious, great views, never crowded and lounge staff that walk round and offer iced sparkling water with lemon - a small gesture but a thoughtful touch.

Whilst VA lounge food is not inspiring, QF Club lounges are even worse ... I concur with you on VA CBR lounge, loved the views from there and great service in general.

 

[ozstamps]

Mentioned in my last comment, Premium Entry is available to biz class, Gold+ (Velocity and partners) and Lifetime Lounge.

As it should be, and those poor schmucks on their Honeymoon etc at $700 a ticket, who read about the wonderful experience of walking from their limo or Taxi near direct into the lounge etc.

Or a corporate guy buying Biz who wants a fast coffee or wine before his flight, now gets bought back to Mother Earth lining up with 100 yelping and squawking basketball kids in the Zoo line.

It makes zero sense. like many things at Virgin. They have a killer of an asset that they choose to barely use - to save a few bucks.

'COVID' was the excuse some years back when they cut it back.

'The facility is in place, Virgin pays mightily for it, but gets only partially used, and should be a huge selling point for Club Membership, and paid Biz travellers - as they used to do.'

 

[PERLHR]

Yhe

Whilst VA lounge food is not inspiring, QF Club lounges are even worse ... I concur with you on VA CBR lounge, loved the views from there and great service in general.

The veg curry right now at VA MEL is sauce!! Yuck. Yes but the QF business lounges tend to be better don't they....at least they are when I fly QF. Oh and not a chicken wrap in sight at VA MEL.....just as bad a a SYD frankly.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

VA would only be paying for the extra security detail for the time that they deem as being peak, as I'm pretty sure that Sydney Airport would be quite happy to charge them for the (at least) 4 security staff required to run the additional check point at Premium Entry. If the "zoo" upstairs is a problem, try the downstairs security point adjacent to the REX gates/other side of the Jetstar baggage carousels.

Whilst Premium Entry was a great benefit, the fact of the matter is that VA isn't going to spend money on things that they don't need to.

Now as for the food and drink in the Lounge...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But VA elites would rather have 2 baristas employed than the money being spent on other things! All a matter or priorities I guess.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

But VA elites would rather have 2 baristas employed than the money being spent on other things! All a matter or priorities I guess.

If you'd like to get your coffee in a timely manner in the AM peak, 2 baristas is the bare minimum in BNE, SYD or MEL

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If you'd like to get your coffee in a timely manner in the AM peak, 2 baristas is the bare minimum in BNE, SYD or MEL

Priorities! People want coffee over quicker security?

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Priorities! People want coffee over quicker security?

Most people who want their coffee quicker will cause problems for security if they don't get it in a timely manner

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh dear!!!

First time in a VA lounge for a few months. It really *has* gone downhill!

See what people mean about the carb on carb wraps… today’s offering is spiced potato in a wrap.

The green curry looks like tea.

Gone are all the salads and replaced with just three bowls of carbs.

And the sandwich bar? Just bread, sliced tomato and cheese slices.

Errr… and yes, the cheese is starting to dry out. The cheese has ZERO flavour! Hiw is that even possible?

I cannot see how anyone would want to renew status based on the lounge offering. Economy X is like $15 and gives you all the other benefits except the lounge… legroom, priority boarding, and priority disembarkation.

 

[PERLHR]

Oh dear!!!

First time in a VA lounge for a few months. It really *has* gone downhill!

See what people mean about the carb on carb wraps… today’s offering is spiced potato in a wrap.

The green curry looks like tea.

Gone are all the salads and replaced with just three bowls of carbs.

And the sandwich bar? Just bread, sliced tomato and cheese slices.

Errr… and yes, the cheese is starting to dry out. The cheese has ZERO flavour! Hiw is that even possible?

I cannot see how anyone would want to renew status based on the lounge offering. Economy X is like $15 and gives you all the other benefits except the lounge… legroom, priority boarding, and priority disembarkation.

Yep. Awful isn't it? It was the veg green curry yesterday (it being just as you say tea, , that was possibly the worst thing I have seen for a long time in any lounge. A nice salad set even with cold meats surely is not asking for much. Pathetic and all the lounges of VA are the same.

 

[ozstamps]

Annoy Lounge visitors by more nickel and diming, annoy existing Elites by decimating the Velocity program starting this week, and THIS is Bain's year to try and have an IPO and make MONEY by bailing out at vast profits.

Genius forward planning!

The new American CEO has bought 'Trump thinking' into the mix.

 

[MooTime]

Sandwich bar had toasties on weekend on my visit.
Ham cheese tomato. Classic trifecta.

Unless you eat the cheese outright on its own and not in a toastie form with other condiments, not sure how to tell it's zero flavour.

Was a nice curry with couscous on weekend also.

There's those that will complain about the sun rising in the morning.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sandwich bar had toasties on weekend on my visit.
Ham cheese tomato. Classic trifecta.

Unless you eat the cheese outright on its own and not in a toastie form with other condiments, not sure how to tell it's zero flavour.

Was a nice curry with couscous on weekend also.

There's those that will complain about the sun rising in the morning.

I didn't see anywhere to toast the bread! and yes I had the cheese plain on a slice of cold white bread.

as someone who praised the food and promoted the Virgin lounges last year, this year it is a real disappointment.

VA lounges are now well under QF's offering. A flip from last year.

 

[MooTime]

I didn't see anywhere to toast the bread exclamation mark and yes I had the cheese plain on a slice of cold white bread.

as someone who really enjoyed and promoted the Virgin lounges last year, this year it is a real disappointment.

VA lounges are now well under QF's offering. A flip from last year.

Yeah big flat toastie machine there in mel.

Cheap n tasty option.