Perth domestic lounge - woeful

[simongr]

OK - doing my fourth DJ/VA flight in Biz (which ALL of the staff refer to as Premium NOT business) and currently sat in the admittedly empty lounge. Apart from not being full there isn't much else going for it:

- Stupid low cushion stools at the "work desks" that are progressively compressing my spine
- Limited power outlets - one of three work in this section and none where I was sitting before
- No real food - soup and maybe some cheese
- No self service wine (maybe I am a little to used to the MEL J lounge)

This feels like an Admirals club... That is not a compliment.

I heard a lot about the fantastic lounges that DJ/VA offered and so far havent been inspired:

- SYD crowded and not that nice
- MEL - v. swish looking but a little style over substance (and I couldnt find English Breakfast tea yesterday)
- PER - only the lack of people is the redeeming feature

If i was flying regularly from here I wouldnt be flying regularly from here...

 

[Ansettaddict123]

The current lounge in T3 was revamped late 2009 from memory, under BG's leadership.
VA will be moving to the first phase of the Dom/ Intl amalgamation in early 2014 with their own spur from the existing international terminal, in which a Melbourne inspired lounge will be built. It makes sense to not spend all the money refitting, only to have it stripped 2 years later when they move. You could say we all have something to look forward to

 

[simongr]

I assumed something like that was the case - wouldnt make flying out of here any better for the next few years though

 

[markis10]

But you do have WiFI that works and Barista all day coffee, something that has improved the old Golden Wing lounge. Given QF dont have much better in Perth and often battle for seats, on a local basis the comparison with a J lounge is hardly on topic! I take it the power point issue has been reported by you to the lounge angels, chances are it hasnt been by prior unhappy users given its still faulty.

 

[simongr]

Fair call about what the other side of the fence is like as I haven't been there. The power points are known to the angels given that there is a METAL "temporarily out of order sign" on them...

The wifi isnt good - it connected quicker than a QF lounge but once connected is not slower than a QP. I find the QP to be painful to connect but once connected it works ok.

 

[Reggie]

OK - doing my fourth DJ/VA flight in Biz (which ALL of the staff refer to as Premium NOT business) and currently sat in the admittedly empty lounge. Apart from not being full there isn't much else going for it:

- Stupid low cushion stools at the "work desks" that are progressively compressing my spine
- Limited power outlets - one of three work in this section and none where I was sitting before
- No real food - soup and maybe some cheese
- No self service wine (maybe I am a little to used to the MEL J lounge)

This feels like an Admirals club... That is not a compliment.

On top of this, none of the staff are actually employed by Virgin, all are contractors, in fact I am lead to believe there is only one "true" Virign employee based at the airport, and they are rarely there.

I can't remeber the terminology, but the PER lounge is classed as a tier 2 lounge, so no barrista, but the cleaning/bar/food service staff make the coffee, where as BNE, SYD and MEL are classed as tier 1.

We in Perth are used to being treated as second class pax by both QF (no DOM J lounge, No INT F lounge, No F seats, No A380) and DJ (No DJ staff, small lounge, no priority boarding last time I flew)

 

[markis10]

We in Perth are used to being treated as second class pax by both QF (no DOM J lounge, No INT F lounge, No F seats, No A380) and DJ (No DJ staff, small lounge, no priority boarding last time I flew)

But they still dont charge you second class fares! At least we have a J lounge and DJ staff in BNE.

 

[Noob]

I don't like that they are refering to Business as Premium......

Got to agree Simon, pretty poor! I honesltly don't care about what Qantas is offering, if you have a standard it should be consistant across your network. I read that they will be doing a expansion of the current lounge by 100+ seats for the time being - then they are moving across to their own new pier connected to the International terminal, apparently Qantas Domestic will remain at the old terminal for a while.

Virgin Australia to expand Perth airport lounge - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

 

[simongr]

Lounge now 80% full. Wifi not usable. Have to ask barman for a bowl of chips...

 

[Ansettaddict123]

I don't like that they are refering to Business as Premium......

Got to agree Simon, pretty poor! I honesltly don't care about what Qantas is offering, if you have a standard it should be consistant across your network. I read that they will be doing a expansion of the current lounge by 100+ seats for the time being - then they are moving across to their own new pier connected to the International terminal, apparently Qantas Domestic will remain at the old terminal for a while.

Virgin Australia to expand Perth airport lounge - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Next year Skywest, Strategic and Tiger will vacate T3 for TWA among the international precinct. This frees up the entirety of T3 for VA, leaving Qantas and Virgin the only operators from the existing domestic precinct (T2/T3 respectively).

When Virgin moves into its new pier at the international terminal, Qantas will expand into T3 leaving it as the only airline operating from the domestic precinct until it too moves into the amalgamated arrangement.

But they still dont charge you second class fares! At least we have a J lounge and DJ staff in BNE.

There's nothing wrong with the contractors, at least in my (limited) experience

no priority boarding last time I flew

They've got priority boarding going at their two gates as of a little while ago.

 

[simongr]

How can park at an aerobridge then make pax use the stairs?

 

[Justchecking]

Because the aerobridge is broken? There's a couple out in PER I believe. Maybe the airport authority are holding off on fixing them as they might be decomissioning them anyway? I admit though, I don't know much about the airport redevelopment.

Re: Lounge, I am surprised that they haven't at least spent a little to spruce it up a bit and fix the broken things, maybe even a food offering equivalent to that in the flagship lounges. I mean PER is their flagship destination at the moment, being one of only a few airports where you can fly J class on DJ. Given that it will be getting a fair Workout with J class pax they could at least make it nicer. :shock:

 

[MarkD]

Was going to ask where the Barista was, I cant find it when Im there
Food offering is usually pretty ordinary.

Also its a bit like SYD Lounge where you nearly have to beg for a beer.

This is all explained by the statement that contractors are running it, however, its no excuse, and perhaps said contractors need to be put on a leash

 

[777]

It's a bit OT but the state of the SYD lounge rated a mention and i'd been meaning to post this... I was in there yesterday and it was very full. No doubt that VA's numbers are up at the moment in the premium cabins and the status matches. But there has also been a couple of posts here (not from VA) hinting/ suggesting that the floor above might be getting turned into a J lounge some time soon. So i took a walk up the stairs to have a peep last night and the news is ... nothing. Looks all storage and desks in there at the moment. Maybe eventually, but no sign of a lounge coming soon up there.

As for PER, it's average but functional. Can get very crowded when you get a load of miners about to leave and as noted it's going to be expanded in the short term. I can't really see them spending much money on it until the new terminal is built though.

 

[Boeta]

Because the aerobridge is broken? There's a couple out in PER I believe. Maybe the airport authority are holding off on fixing them as they might be decomissioning them anyway? I admit though, I don't know much about the airport redevelopment.

You're correct Justchecking, both 16 & 17 are out but only temporarily (waiting for parts), but soon T3 will have two more bridges 19 & 20, which will mean not as many full standoff bays for DJ in PER

 

[Ansettaddict123]

You're correct Justchecking, both 16 & 17 are out but only temporarily (waiting for parts), but soon T3 will have two more bridges 19 & 20, which will mean not as many full standoff bays for DJ in PER

last time I was there 19 had a skywest placard on the podiumish thing they scan BPs at, so I assumes it wasn't going to VA?

Slightly OT, I'm curious as to the currently 'emergency exit' stairs at the Southernmost end of T3, of which descend directly into the arrivals hall. Anyone know if this is soon to be the way out of T3, which would mean that you will finally be able to walk off the aeorbridge and directly down into arrivals? (no more apron walking!)

 

[simongr]

You're correct Justchecking, both 16 & 17 are out but only temporarily (waiting for parts), but soon T3 will have two more bridges 19 & 20, which will mean not as many full standoff bays for DJ in PER

OK - I flew out of 16 today - frankly walking over the apron on a medium haul flight is third world.

 

[oz_mark]

OK - I flew out of 16 today - frankly walking over the apron on a medium haul flight is third world.

Welcome to Perth.

One thing you discover walking across the tarmac from a QF 767 is how much further up they are, and how many more steps to get up.:shock:

 

[Reggie]

Have to ask barman for a bowl of chips...

Same in ADL when I was there 2 weeks ago!

 

[Reggie]

This is all explained by the statement that contractors are running it, however, its no excuse, and perhaps said contractors need to be put on a leash

You can't blame the contractor as Virgin dictates who what where and when it comes to the lounge. It is Virgin who decided to not have a dedicated barista in Perth.

There is a rumour that a new menu will be coming out soon, and that PER will be offering fish and chips on a Friday evening for the HIVIS FIFO miners to keep in with their site experiences.