Improvements to the Qantas Lounge Access Policy for families

[Deleted member]

Is that because you can now hand the children back?

Probably, but somehow I think I am less worried about the outcome. Grandchildren are a reward for having children !

 

[kempvet]

Maybe the F lounge should have the one child rule and the J lounges any number of children, but then again, if you are capable of attaining F lounge status, probably you are capable of controlling the kids, maybe the powers to be, have also seen this, and decided why not, make the changes official, I know that my toddler has been welcomed more than ignored by others in the lounge.

 

[samh004]

My preference would definitely be no kids in the J lounge as a compromise. That way families get to keep together and the business traveller gets his/her "sanctuary".

I looked at this two ways, on the one hand you’re saying that the business travellers in the J lounge are more important than the business travellers in the QP (which may or may not be true, but that just depends on your companies budget surely), so one set can work undisturbed while the other set has to deal with a lounge full of kids.

But the the other way is perhaps you were talking about the Business class traveller, well that rule makes some sense until there’s a family who have bought Business class travel for their kids. Qantas can’t kick them out after having bought the ticket.

I think a partitioned off area, especially for sound proofing is a better idea for a kids zone. Jetstar had a good idea with their movie theatre (and Virgin used to have one in MEL didn’t they?), but agree it gets more complicated with two lounges and a sense of entitlement to one, so not wanting to step down to the other by some.

And of course they’re unsupervised areas, so you can’t just drop your child off and pick them up when it’s time to catch your flight.

 

[juddles]

My personal experience in J and F lounges is that almost all children have been very well behaved and no issue at all. Actually I cannot remember a single circumstance when they annoyed me.

 

[TonyHancock]

But the the other way is perhaps you were talking about the Business class traveller, well that rule makes some sense until there’s a family who have bought Business class travel for their kids. Qantas can’t kick them out after having bought the ticket.

Actually it would be quite easy for QF just to deny access if the rule was very clear that Children were not allowed in the J lounge. If it is clear when the ticket is purchased then I don't see that as being an issue. (I'm certainly not advocating that.)

Having said that I had moved on from there.

Perhaps a better solution might be to have a child free zone in the lounges in the same way there are mobile free zones? (Funnily enough I have never seen the mobile free zones enforced.) That way miserable old gits like me can go and shelter there!

 

[kempvet]

My personal experience in J and F lounges is that almost all children have been very well behaved and no issue at all. Actually I cannot remember a single circumstance when they annoyed me.

Agree, but there have been plenty of times when you feel like saying to someone that the whole world does not need to hear their phone conversation!

 

[juddles]

Agree, but there have been plenty of times when you feel like saying to someone that the whole world does not need to hear their phone conversation!

Funny you say that. Imagine if there was an enforced prohibition on mobile phones in a lounge! I know that would bring far more improvement for me than a child ban. I am just a believer in everyone trying not to impinge on the peace of others. I cringe when I turn on my laptop and the silly windows intro sound rings, before I can mute it. But some people (all these important business types) think nothing of having their loud conversations. To repeat myself, mobile phone users interrupt my peaceful retreat to the lounge far more than kids ever have.

 

[TonyHancock]

To repeat myself, mobile phone users interrupt my peaceful retreat to the lounge far more than kids ever have.

Just out of interest do people using their mobile phones annoy you? I don't think you'll get many arguments against that. I wish they would enforce the mobile free zones. (Do they still exist in the QP's?)

I find loud conversations annoying too, and it is not just "business types", I also find children screeching and running around the lounge with parents in hot pursuit a little on the annoying side too. I'm not overly keen on trying to find a path through toys strewn around the lounge either. (I have experienced this on multiple occasions over the last year.) These were not "bad" parents or "bad" children. They were just small kids doing what small kids do when placed in, what I can only assume is a boring to them, adult environment. The parents were mortified and very apologetic. I certainly did not complain and I wouldn't if I experienced it again.

Just because I don't have children it does not mean I don't sympathise with families traveling and wanting to get away from the general hubbub of the terminal. I think QF is taking the right approach here. All I would ask is that if the QP's, and J & F lounges, become kindergartens there are some areas that would be child free for grumpy middle aged folk like me!!!!

 

[juddles]

Just out of interest do people using their mobile phones annoy you? ....

Yes they do. Some, anyway. There is just a peculiar human trait that as soon as they plug a phone into their ear the rest of the world disappears. Lounges are usually fairly quiet places, so when the loud mouth in the seat near you starts debating business, trying to resolve marital problems, etc, it just grates on me. I have never witnesses a parent changing a nappy of their chhild during brekky in the Flounge, which would be appaling behaviour, but I have rarely been in a lounge without someone loudly discussing their private life (sometimes less appealing than a soiled nappy) as if the rest of us present were not there.

 

[kempvet]

Just out of interest do people using their mobile phones annoy you?

yes they do, mainly because I have shown the courtesy to move away from people who may be working or reading or relaxing to an area where I will not disturb them, and then lower my voice to the minimum where the caller can still easily hear me, and it annoys me when the respect is not returned. Also annoys me when dining out as well, I simply go to an area of the restaurant or even outside to take the conversation. It may just be me, but how can parents let their eight year old simply continually text when they are supposed to be dining with friends and family, I need my phone (on vibration) as I am on call sometimes, but what emergency does an eight year old have? and are they simply serving an apprenticeship to be the future annoyance in the airport lounges!

We have a small cottage in Pine Mountain Club community is California, best thing is that there is no mobile phone coverage by design and the place is so relaxing when socialising and dining out without having to listen to other peoples dirty laundry. With airport lounges, they need to really be mobile free to have same feel, but maybe I am in the minority!

 

[medhead]

Maybe it's just me but the subject of the phone conversation also annoys me to varying degrees. Had one person in the J lounge discussing something loudly one night, but it was clearly important/urgent to their business. Another time there were 2 guys sit there talking, everytime the "boss" got a phone call, the other guy took that as a sign to ring someone as well. Trouble was each time this happened he loudly discussed pouring test batches of concrete, it was obvious from his end that the other party was saying words to the effect of WTF! Not only loud, it was clearly pointless. That's what annoyed me the most - the pointlessness.


Sent from the Throne

 

[TonyHancock]

Yes they do.

Really. I didn't get that impression from your earlier posts.

 

[harvyk]

Not only loud, it was clearly pointless. That's what annoyed me the most - the pointlessness.

I don't really think you can judge the importance of a phone call when you're not really privy to the full details...

That said I do agree that people who seem to have little consideration for others in the lounge should really be asked to leave... Be it people who are not looking after their kids (which I have yet to actually see in the lounge), be it people "working" to loudly, or be it a group of mates who have had way to much to drink and thus think yelling obscenities is a good idea... Basically a local RSL would not tolerate any of this behaviour (and I have seen people kicked out of RSL's for such behaviour) so why does the QP (esp PER) allow this to happen?

In some ways QF really should look at the "riff raff" they do let into the club these days (and I don't say that lightly, I am usually of the opinion that I don't care what people do \ act \ wear). I remember when I first joined, and the first time I wore civvies (aka jeans and a clean T-shirt) I was quite concerned that I would not be allowed in due to dress standards. These days I almost feel I would not look out of place coming straight off a building site, and acting in the same way I would on a building site.

As for parents taking kids into the QP, well I tell my kids to quieten down if they go anything over a dull roar, and I have seen most other parents do the same thing. So honestly I think kids are really not the problem, it's adults behaving badly who need to be watched by QP staff...

 

[JohnK]

This is never an easy debate but it would appear that people who cause noise expect others to be tolerant and be considerate of their needs.

Actually it is the other way around. If I am in the lounge I want some quiet time. I do not need your problems and that includes you running your business or trying to control your family.

Am I being harsh?

 

[Paddy55]

Just out of interest do people using their mobile phones annoy you? ...

I find the noise from from the mobile phone users out there is a far larger issue from any kids in lounges.

Agree with others in the thread that kids in lounges I find are well behaved.

On the other hand I find too many mobile phone users seemingly oblivious to the level of noise they make... and equally unconcerned. :evil:

I'd love to see mobile usage restricted to specific parts of lounges!

 

[kempvet]

On the other hand I find too many mobile phone users seemingly oblivious to the level of noise they make... and equally unconcerned.

Next time I hear Mr A from company B, telling Mr C not to mention their conversation to a Mr D, it is time to google Company B. and ask for Mr D and tell him that discussion are underway between Mr A and Mr C behind his back, and by the way tell Mr D to thank Mr A for his loud mouth in the J Lounge.

 

[11sjw]

Next time I hear Mr A from company B, telling Mr C not to mention their conversation to a Mr D, it is time to google Company B. and ask for Mr D and tell him that discussion are underway between Mr A and Mr C behind his back, and by the way tell Mr D to thank Mr A for his loud mouth in the J Lounge.

Get Mr T to sort them all out. He'll pity the fools!

 

[Deleted member]

In The QP biz lounge in SIN last night two loud Aussies decided to have a conversation from different parts of the lounge, rather than get up , move closer to each other and keep it real.
It wasn't as though they were even interesting. The kids In The lounge were quiet and well behaved.

 

[medhead]

I don't really think you can judge the importance of a phone call when you're not really privy to the full details...

Generallly, I'd agree with you.. But the bit I missed out was the conversation was at about 5:30pm on Friday. So not only did the conversation lack a specific instruction to order concrete of various "grades". It wasn't actually possible to order anything that would be acted on in the next 2 business days. That is there would no one available in the concrete company to take an order for 3 batches of XYZ concrete. At the earliest the concrete could be ordered Monday for delivery tuesday. So the guy on the phone had half an idea that could have been arranged next week. That's totally and completely pointless. I think it is fair to say ringing someone in the construction industry late on a Friday afternoon, about work, is completely and absolutely pointless. And I have family who work in the construction industry.

 

[misstam]

There are no limitations for infants under 3 years of age.

Holy procreating, Batman! Surely 3 would be the limit... not withstanding twins, triplets etc :shock: