New Lounge in CBR

[ajw373]

So no business/plat lounge to get VA on par with Qantas's offering?

Why do they need to copy Qantas? Maybe they are quite happy doing their own thing their own way.

 

[totd]

You've probably hit on VA's biggest hurdle right there. QF is perceived by some as the "Business" airline in Australia, and VA is just playing catch-up. It is this perception that VA need to overcome. Sadly the only way I can see for them to achieve this is to offer comparable services and facilities to Qantas. Yes, they need to offer points of differentiation to be able to get out of Qantas' shadow, but they're going to continue to be compared to Qantas for some time yet.

 

[bullerdude]

Why do they need to copy Qantas? Maybe they are quite happy doing their own thing their own way.

Lets suppose you are Platinum on VA and Platinum on Qantas flying to Canberra. If there fares were similarily priced (which they generally are due to competition) then I would fly Qantas becuase I know that I would get a better offering in the Business Class lounge which would make the trip a little better.

Similar situation for international travel out of Sydney and Melbourne - QF Plats get access to the first class lounge which is outstanding and leaps and bounds ahead of the AirNZ offering that VA use. (Now I am aware that VA may be developing a new combined business/first offering with Etihad - but that will take some time)

Domestically, VA need to be on par with QF if they want to get the high-status passangers to come accross. Internationally, they have a long way to go.

My father has been a QF Plat for 12+ years and will not be moving to VA anytime soon - he thought about it last year (I even offered to give him the partner gold sitting in my account) but he decided against it because he believed that VA could not offer what QF currently offers him, both on domestic and international.

I am guessing that there are many QF people with similar thoughts.

 

[samh004]

Why do they need to copy Qantas? Maybe they are quite happy doing their own thing their own way.

I'm not sure they are... they revamped nearly everything about their business (yes, it did need to be done and pretty much could only be done one way) to more or less identical nature with Qantas. Not going to list them, I'm on a rush out the door, but they didn't need SC's in their FF program for instance, of a Platinum tier, The Club, celebrity chef to partner with.. it's all been very much a copying game. Yes, they made their own of what they copied, but they still went down the same road initially.

What they've done isn't unique, what they've evolved from that is getting there, but why stop half way?

 

[etops1]

In lounge now.
Lovely Tarmac views but similar downstairs. Food average, a dozen wines available, beer and mineral water behind glass,
cant find any still water. Three tvs on different channels and asx ticker.
Quiet atm here for another hr in the far corner, say hey!

 

[etops1]

Argh can't get pix to post, ah well

Sorry, 9 wines; 4 white, 3 red, 1 rose, 1 sparkling which you can pour to your hearts content but beer cider and mineral water you need to ask for.

Flight delayed 30 min so being here not unpleasant.

 

[ajw373]

Lets suppose you are Platinum on VA and Platinum on Qantas flying to Canberra. If there fares were similarily priced (which they generally are due to competition) then I would fly Qantas becuase I know that I would get a better offering in the Business Class lounge which would make the trip a little better.

But what if what Virgin is offering in their one class lounge is the same as what Qantas is offering in their business lounge but better than the standard Qantas club?

Domestically, VA need to be on par with QF if they want to get the high-status passangers to come accross. Internationally, they have a long way to go.

My father has been a QF Plat for 12+ years and will not be moving to VA anytime soon - he thought about it last year (I even offered to give him the partner gold sitting in my account) but he decided against it because he believed that VA could not offer what QF currently offers him, both on domestic and international.

I am guessing that there are many QF people with similar thoughts.

Yes they need to be on par or better. Doesn't mean they have to be a carbon copy in every way shape or form, though yes in some cases VA has copied Qantas.

 

[Ewing]

I'm looking forward to checking out the new lounge in CBR on Sunday!

When are you there?

I'll be there on Sunday afternoon until shortly before 5pm

(note that I'll have access to both the QF J lounge and the DJ lounge so might even do a little bit of lounge hopping. 2 and 1 guest spots respectively).

 

[LiamR]

Goss? Well Borghetti said outright he has no plans to introduce a J/Plat lounge. Yes I had some cake, it was lovely.

Not the most flattering photo of me, but I'm surely more colourful than the flying lady!

If you are ever in CBR, look up to the right shortly after you've cleared security

 

[LiamR]

Also, after security walk forward and look out for these holes in the floor. Currently filled in with marble but shortly to be replaced with glass.

The holes will look down on a conveyor belt with a constant stream of bags running along. A modern take on watching your bags being loaded at the gate.

 

[LiamR]

Lounge looks good and I much prefer the floor rather than than grubby white rubbish they tried in BNE.

Oh. Well this is awkward then. The floor is incomplete. It'll look the same as previous lounges but will be improved as there was a lot of problems with the BNE lounge.

 

[Fifa]

In the lounge now.
Average food - usual hotdogs and toasted sandwiches, soup, a few salads, ordinary cheese, grapes and red & green apples. Chips, popcorn (how many people eat it?), rice cakes and nuts. Mini quiches were brought around the lounge earlier.
There are 2 types of little biscuits with coffee. Please bring back the pistachio nougat and biscotti!
The cold water dispenser is not working and atm there is an urn for hot water.
Drinks as mentioned above.

As someone else noted the toilets are really dark with lots of black tiles and the paper towel is hidden under the shelf under the mirror. I checked out the shower and there is no shower screen and no shelf to put your bag/s on. My husband checked out the mens for me and it's the same. Maybe these are coming later?

Not many newspapers but if you want yesterday's Age it's there.
The staff are mostly very pleasant and when our empty glasses and bottles were removed from our table we were asked if we would like refills.

Great view but overall I think I'd rather the QC. (It's a shame the QF J lounge doesn't have a tarmac view)

 

[KCMil]

In lounge now.
Lovely Tarmac views but similar downstairs. Food average, a dozen wines available, beer and mineral water behind glass,
cant find any still water. Three tvs on different channels and asx ticker.
Quiet atm here for another hr in the far corner, say hey!

hiya etops1, the distilled water is from a tap to the right of the espresso machine, which is manned by a barista during all opening hours. Bottled water is available upon request.

LiamR, absolutely fantastic to meet you! Hope you had a pleasant day and didn't have nightmares about your gristle pie on the flight home!

 

[MH_fan]

When are you there?

I'll be there on Sunday afternoon until shortly before 5pm

(note that I'll have access to both the QF J lounge and the DJ lounge so might even do a little bit of lounge hopping. 2 and 1 guest spots respectively).

I should be there at the same time! I'm catching the 5:05pm flight to SYD, so aiming to get there around 4pm so I can check out the new lounge.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Oh. Well this is awkward then. The floor is incomplete. It'll look the same as previous lounges but will be improved as there was a lot of problems with the BNE lounge.

No. not awkward. Unfinished floors seems to be a specialty of VA. Are you sure they're ripping up those nice looking tiles (they are tiles aren't they, looks like it in the photos) for that boring white finish?

 

[LiamR]

LiamR, absolutely fantastic to meet you! Hope you had a pleasant day and didn't have nightmares about your gristle pie on the flight home!

Lovely to meet you too KCMil, great discussion on the flight home. Keep in touch!

 

[MarkD]

hiya etops1, the distilled water is from a tap to the right of the espresso machine, which is manned by a barista during all opening hours. Bottled water is available upon request.

LiamR, absolutely fantastic to meet you! Hope you had a pleasant day and didn't have nightmares about your gristle pie on the flight home!

HOLY cough - DISTILLED water Im gonna get some top ups for my batteries next time I go through... Seriously, I doubt its Distilled water, more than likely chilled, filtered tap water, much the same as you get from a bubbler.

 

[Ewing]

I should be there at the same time! I'm catching the 5:05pm flight to SYD, so aiming to get there around 4pm so I can check out the new lounge.

Same flight then!

 

[KCMil]

HOLY cough - DISTILLED water Im gonna get some top ups for my batteries next time I go through... Seriously, I doubt its Distilled water, more than likely chilled, filtered tap water, much the same as you get from a bubbler.

Ah yes, well spotted, I missed that detail myself. Definitely not distilled, filtered. Or in response to etops1's OP, still water!!! Maybe I was too busy thinking of a distillery, better than water.

 

[Fruitcake]

HOLY cough - DISTILLED water Im gonna get some top ups for my batteries next time I go through...

This is a clear indication that VA will be ordering 787s for long haul service direct from Canberra, using new generation lead acid batteries (topped up before each flight) rather than their troublesome lithium ion counterparts.