MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

[MrJetset]

It seems that the MEL First lounge is learning from the QF PER domestic lounge.

I have enjoyed 4 drinks in the QFi lounge in MEL in the last 4 hours and have been told that I have been cut off due to RSA regulations. The F&B manager had been advised that we have had "7 rounds" and could not serve us any more as we may be refused boarding. As I hold an RSA myself, I could see this was stretching the boundaries.

Actually the drinks were as follows:

Champagne, coffee, champagne, champagne, red wine. A considerable amount of water has also been consumed along with food. The two friends accompanying I am with and I have also been quite reserved in our behaviour.

Now I am not normally a conspiracy theorist, however this occurred about ten minutes after I made a comment to the front desk about the level of service of the Accor staff.

Some time after QF93 left and the lounge had quietened I took the time to chat to the First host and the other front desk attendant. I told them that the food and beverage staff seemed disinterested with providing the appropriate level of service to anyone in the lounge regardless of how busy it was. The First host spoke with the F&B manager. The F&B manager then cut us off.

Red Roo, are guests who complain to be treated like little children and told they can't have any more? I would have thought polite critiquing would be welcomed.

You have the RSA rules, and I bet the staff's opinion is enough to cut you off, and also QF who may also deny boarding.

Why wouldn't one just take it on the chin and say c'est la vie? What, exactly, did you say about the staff? How do you know it wasn't both of the staff denying your group further alcohol.

I would complain after I had left as suggested, rather than let it spoil a trip. For future reference look at the FT threat on Mystique Santorini and see what happened when a guest complained while still on property.

One of the greatest lessons I have learnt in life is to let things go. It makes it, so much easier.

 

[anat0l]

...say chest la vie?

Saying that to a woman - particularly if she is well endowed - would likely elicit a slap. :mrgreen:

Sorry for the O/T remark.

 

[yohy?!]

You have the RSA rules, and I bet the staff's opinion is enough to cut you off, and also QF who may also deny boarding.

Why wouldn't one just take it on the chin and say chest la vie? What, exactly, did you staff about the staff? How do you know it wasn't both of the staff denying your group further alcohol.

I would complain after I had left as suggested, rather than let it spoil a trip. For future reference look at the FT threat on Mystique Santorini and see what happened when a guest complained while still on property.

One of the greatest lessons I have learnt in life is to let things go. It makes it, so much easier.

Maybe so but this is the Qantas First lounge not the local RSL, a higher standard should be expected from staff.

 

[serfty]

I have been using the First lounges at MEL and SYD since they opened in 2007.

The only time i was refused alcohol was on Anzac Day in MEL - apparently due to licencing laws none can be served prior to midday.

Anyway, I digress - in recent years I have really only experienced reduction in the normal service standard, and this more than once, in the situation when dining with a group.

This should not be. Why? I can only conject but these days I am not in a rush to do a group thing if am looking for the normal service.

I post this as a pointer to what I believe may have been the genesis of the poor service experienced by the group.

Knowing all the travelers, including those off to the USA I can only surmise that being "cut off" was retaliation.

 

[anat0l]

Purely speculation, but would the situation have been possibly different if the OPs were on bona fide international flights?

 

[amaroo]

Must be a MEL thing... no issue at SYD.

 

[blackcat20]

I have been using the First lounges at MEL and SYD since they opened in 2007.

The only time i was refused alcohol was on Anzac Day in MEL - apparently due to licencing laws none can be served prior to midday.

Anyway, I digress - in recent years I have really only experienced reduction in the normal service standard, and this more than once, in the situation when dining with a group.

This should not be. Why? I can only conject but these days I am not in a rush to do a group thing if am looking for the normal service.

I post this as a pointer to what I believe may have been the genesis of the poor service experienced by the group.

Knowing all the travelers, including those off to the USA I can only surmise that being "cut off" was retaliation.

They were long gone when we were cut off. There were only three of us there...

 

[serfty]

They were long gone when we were cut off. There were only three of us there...

Did you share a table at any stage?

 

[JessicaTam]

Did you share a table at any stage?

Only in that there were six of us to start with, but they were gone after a couple of hours. Before they left we had moved to the lounge area in any case.

 

[RooFlyer]

In a real RSA complaint or even a situation like this, such evidence would help very little, and furthermore would also not assist the complaint at hand.

I was being facetious; maybe should have provided a wink.

<snip>

One of the greatest lessons I have learnt in life is to let things go. It makes it, so much easier.

Ah, I admire a person that lets others unfairly steamroll over them, without a care.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Purely speculation, but would the situation have been possibly different if the OPs were on bona fide international flights?

That's a very interesting question

 

[anat0l]

I was being facetious; maybe should have provided a wink.

No, I was just playing on your facetious remark at face value.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Why wouldn't one just take it on the chin and say c'est la vie?

because very few people like being told what to do. Especially if there is no good reason.

And if you have ever been incorrectly denied the service of alcohol, it can be confronting and embarrassing.

 

[JessicaTam]

Purely speculation, but would the situation have been possibly different if the OPs were on bona fide international flights?

Good point.

The majority of my visits to the lounge are when travelling QFi (and the occasional JQi), with the minority being JQd. I believe I am well known and liked be the staff, and am always warmly welcomed. In fact this time when I arrived and said I would like breakfast the host showed me to the dining area whilst saying that I probably knew the lounge better than him.

I have been treated exactly the same regardless of airline or where I was travelling. The other host at some time during the initial service conversation said that once you are through the doors, everyone is a guest and is treated the same. (Well, except for the obvious celebs).

 

[JessicaTam]

<snip>
What, exactly, did you say about the staff? How do you know it wasn't both of the staff denying your group further alcohol.

<snip>

I stated that the serving staff seemed "disinterested" and other words to that effect. I believe that I also said that the service when provided was excellent. Very low key comments.

 

[samh004]

I stated that the serving staff seemed "disinterested" and other words to that effect. I believe that I also said that the service when provided was excellent. Very low key comments.

Which is a fair call if you had to approach the bar to order, because they avoided your table.

I'm not the person to leave a comment in person, but generally ask for a comment card to pass my time on the next flight... and praise/otherwise where due, before handing it in at the next lounge.

 

[N860CR]

I've found the service in MEL to be generally average compared to SYD. The staff as a whole seem disinterested and either haven't been trained on the value of the customers in the lounge, or aren't sufficiently monitored by Qantas to ensure they are upholding a decent standard.

Complaints regarding alcohol service are difficult. Companies love to hide behind RSA laws and the staff providing this average service know that and know it's their one safe way of really "getting back" at a customer who they've taken a dislike to.

Years ago I lodged a complaint with Qantas about the beer/wine service not being offered on QantasLink flights out of Rockhampton for the brief period that alliance airlines was operating some of them. I basically got a lecture from customer care about how the flight "really isn't long enough to have a drink" and that there are issues with alcohol on planes.

Unfortunately, it's a hard one to resolve.

 

[Kangol]

From memory I have never been refused service of alcohol in a lounge. I have been warned that I had too much to drink but that because I'd had 6-7 drinks in <1 hour.

Haha, which lounge and prior to which flight?

Kinda reminds me of this:
8 bottles of Dom from LAX-BKK on SQ in F - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[JohnK]

JohnK, I took the opportunity to chat to the lounge manager/first host at the time I was giving them some chocolates (as I do). When he asked how our experience was I felt it appropriate to reply honestly. I was not overly critical, merely saying that the staff seemed "disinterested" and not as attentive as we were used to.

I should note that the QF staff member I spoke to changed shift with the staff member who advised us that we would not be served any more alcohol soon after I had spoken with him.

I think you have misunderstood my point.

I don't for one minute doubt your story and that you did not have too much to drink. Remember I was with you in HKG during lounge crawl in June over 6-7 hours and we had a drink in each lounge. I do agree that staff got it wrong and appear to have been vindictive.

All I said was the I didn't think it was the right to mention poor service in the lounge. The lounge staff won't see it your way and more than likely are going to stick together.

If you remember I was on a flight not that long ago where staff decided to stop alcohol supply very early in the flight using RSA as the excuse and we saw how that ended. Staff don't always get it right but their decision is final.

 

[amaroo]

Whenever I complain about service/food/attitude - I make sure I've completed the consumption stage....