MEL "Lounge" Upgrades

[toowongman]

Re: Lounge expansions...

In Sydney on Monday afternoon, and the hot dog buns were all too small and seemed stale (they fell to bits when you tried to open it to put the "meat" in). Noticed a few people leave plates of half-eaten hot dogs around the place.
Those wraps seemed not much larger than the palm of my hand. Have also seen these in BNE. The cold curried chicken seems to follow me around the triangle as well.
I don't go to a lounge to eat, but after making sandwich after salad after sandwich after sandwich it's getting pretty f'ing average.

 

[LiamR]

Re: Lounge expansions...

Yep that is annoying as well, it cuts back time in the lounge, but I have never had a long wait even during peak Friday evening departures out of MEL where the VA lounge is overflowing.

A J lounge in MEL/CBR would get me a few flights on Virgin, and I was really (yes I was) hoping that VA would open a J lounge in CBR, but since they haven't it's pretty much cemented me further to QF for life now!

I was hoping to try out the MEL lounge in a month or so again, after a long absence from VA, to see if they are still serving hot dogs and chicken and rice dishes, but as they changed my flights times, I am going to cancel those flights and book with QF....

Sure, a Business Lounge will make flyers happier. But will it bring more customers? Will businesses justify switching travel to Virgin simply on the basis that Virgin have two tiers or lounges for their employees to use?

Now flip that around the other way, having a private lounge for the decision makers, the ones at the top of companies, and governments, that does influence business decisions.

Don't forget that John Borghetti worked at Qantas for a very, very long time. He set up the Business Lounges and probably knows more about then than Alan Joyce ever will and I'm sure he has a reason for not building a two tier lounge system, after all, he invented it.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: Lounge expansions...

I was invited to a focus group a couple months ago which asked us questions around Virgin lounge food and what would we want. It was related to the MEL & SYD lounge upgrades, as they upgrade the kitchen and serving areas.

Virgin really wants to have pre-prepared sandwches/wraps that are sitting there already made. Most of us doubted the ability of any airline to do this well, we had all seen skan_y dried up old sangers in other lounges before, and said if they have to do this it must be done well, consistently fresh and well made. They also want to do hawker style street food, with rotating themes. There was a lot of discussion around how often these themes should change. They seemed genuinely interested in feedback on current VA offerings versus QF. Will be interesting to see what eventuates.

That is greats news! Hopefully something comes of it!

I can make do without a J lounge if the normal lounge had more variety and more food.

Sandwiches/wraps - Meh, although the VA lounge @ LAX does this well, with bagels and rolls etc but American bread stays fresh for weeks.......

Any variety would be nice.

 

[MomoWang]

The Melbourne Lounge upgrade as at this morning from inside and outside. The increase in size/capacity should be significant.

Lounge staff said it is going to take a couple of months to finish.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: Lounge expansions...

Sure, a Business Lounge will make flyers happier. But will it bring more customers? Will businesses justify switching travel to Virgin simply on the basis that Virgin have two tiers or lounges for their employees to use?

Now flip that around the other way, having a private lounge for the decision makers, the ones at the top of companies, and governments, that does influence business decisions.

Don't forget that John Borghetti worked at Qantas for a very, very long time. He set up the Business Lounges and probably knows more about then than Alan Joyce ever will and I'm sure he has a reason for not building a two tier lounge system, after all, he invented it.

All very good points, I think the easy fix for Virgin is to spend a bit more on some decent food, again I haven't been in a VA lounge for 9+ months, but it seems not much has changed

In Sydney on Monday afternoon, and the hot dog buns were all too small and seemed stale (they fell to bits when you tried to open it to put the "meat" in). Noticed a few people leave plates of half-eaten hot dogs around the place.
Those wraps seemed not much larger than the palm of my hand. Have also seen these in BNE. The cold curried chicken seems to follow me around the triangle as well.
I don't go to a lounge to eat, but after making sandwich after salad after sandwich after sandwich it's getting pretty f'ing average.

 

[LiamR]

Re: Lounge expansions...

All very good points, I think the easy fix for Virgin is to spend a bit more on some decent food, again I haven't been in a VA lounge for 9+ months, but it seems not much has changed

I agree with you on the food point, the same menu does not really bother me, but there's certainly a set number of options that have been rotating around the various lounges for 2 years.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Lounge expansions...

I agree with you on the food point, the same menu does not really bother me, but there's certainly a set number of options that have been rotating around the various lounges for 2 years.

Yeah with the "set No," being less than the number of digits on my right hand!

 

[Tuddy]

Re: Lounge expansions...

Yeah with the "set No," being less than the number of digits on my right hand!

I think even if you were missing a few fingers that statement would remain accurate

 

[Jousams]

Re: Lounge expansions...

I think even if you were missing a few fingers that statement would remain accurate

Hot dogs, soup, party pies, wraps.
Sounds like a 5 year olds birthday party, not an airline lounge.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Lounge expansions...

I think even if you were missing a few fingers that statement would remain accurate

I was being unusually generous in my estimation!

Hot dogs, soup, party pies, wraps.
Sounds like a 5 year olds birthday party, not an airline lounge.

I like five year old party food.........just not 24/7. That's the part DJ (oh sorry slip of the tongue), VA doesn't get.

I wonder if they'll actually ever use Luke Mangans abilities.....and just maybe, his recipes.....and not just his name? I know one thing....If I were LM, I'd be briefing my solicitors with a view to a defamation lawsuit.

 

[KCMil]

Re: Lounge expansions...

I suspect it is a "cheap" to provide factor here. I think the food looks drab and boring. Although, it does help to improve the appearance of the onboard meals.

 

[newmarket]

Re: Lounge expansions...

The food is bland and repetitive.

personally, I find the new lounges even worse. Uncomfortable and univiting. Most of the time I prefer to wait at an empty gate.

 

[Flywithd]

Re: Lounge expansions...

. Most of the time I prefer to wait at an empty gate.

More lounge space for the rest of us

 

[aupirate]

In Sydney on Monday afternoon, and the hot dog buns were all too small and seemed stale (they fell to bits when you tried to open it to put the "meat" in). Noticed a few people leave plates of half-eaten hot dogs around the place.
Those wraps seemed not much larger than the palm of my hand. Have also seen these in BNE. The cold curried chicken seems to follow me around the triangle as well.
I don't go to a lounge to eat, but after making sandwich after salad after sandwich after sandwich it's getting pretty f'ing average.

I was in the mel lounge last night ( Friday 6 pm) hot dogs looked disgusting. I tried the soup which was pretty average. The food in the Adelaide lounge a couple of hours earlier wasnt any better either. Its monotonous, the nuts are probably the best part when it comes to food.

 

[hgwells01]

I was in MLB lounge on Mon, didn't notice anything but the St Kilda boys everywhere which distracted me from any lounge improvements. I do only travel J class with Virgin, and whilst a J lounge would be nice I would prefer LM to get in the kitchen and come up with some more exciting food for the lounges. More space during busy times would be appreciated, perhaps just a J area partitioned off so we are guaranteed a seat but the extension might solve that problem. I think they have improved massively in the last few years and continue to improve in all areas, JB and the crew are doing just fine by me.

 

[KCMil]

There is meant to be a J class area. As you walk in the MEL lounge, on the right hand side where the glass partition walls are, the slightly different seats and tables should have reserved signs on them. As I always fly J as well I have been directed to this area as a reserved J area. The lounge angels in MEL told me that this will be expanded with the extension completion. I don't think it gets widely publicised unless their fantastic concierge gentleman "Brad" is there. He is usually very careful to direct J class guests to this area.

 

[muppet]

There is meant to be a J class area. As you walk in the MEL lounge, on the right hand side where the glass partition walls are, the slightly different seats and tables should have reserved signs on them. As I always fly J as well I have been directed to this area as a reserved J area. The lounge angels in MEL told me that this will be expanded with the extension completion. I don't think it gets widely publicised unless their fantastic concierge gentleman "Brad" is there. He is usually very careful to direct J class guests to this area.

Regularly in J. 70% Z; 20% J; 10% Y
Have never been directed anywhere in MEL.

 

[EuroFlyer]

Never been directed there.
i thought there was a "the club" somewhere but not a J section.

There is meant to be a J class area. As you walk in the MEL lounge, on the right hand side where the glass partition walls are, the slightly different seats and tables should have reserved signs on them. As I always fly J as well I have been directed to this area as a reserved J area. The lounge angels in MEL told me that this will be expanded with the extension completion. I don't think it gets widely publicised unless their fantastic concierge gentleman "Brad" is there. He is usually very careful to direct J class guests to this area.

 

[KCMil]

Yep, it seems very few know about it. It was Brad in the MEL lounge who directed me into this area and explained what its purpose is 'intended' to be. I think it is another of those loose VA things which gets let go of when they are busy, which is most of the time now.

 

[LiamR]

There is meant to be a J class area. As you walk in the MEL lounge, on the right hand side where the glass partition walls are, the slightly different seats and tables should have reserved signs on them. As I always fly J as well I have been directed to this area as a reserved J area. The lounge angels in MEL told me that this will be expanded with the extension completion. I don't think it gets widely publicised unless their fantastic concierge gentleman "Brad" is there. He is usually very careful to direct J class guests to this area.

Yes, I've seen this happen in the peak periods. And incase anybody thinks it's a made up story