Perth domestic lounge - woeful

[thewinchester]

For those as young (or old) as I am, you will know that the current DJ lounge is in the exact same space occupied by the former AN Golden Wing Lounge. Ah, memories.

And for those who remember the Golden Wing lounge there, it was a far more comfortable and accommodating facility than DJ's current offering.

The lounge lacks any windows or apron views, and the excessive use of white makes it feel like a hospital ward or fast food kitchen/dining area.

Frankly, it makes the original BNE DJ lounge (circa 2004/5) seem almost stately.

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

Confirm, excepting the timing. WAC will be hard pressed to deliver the new DOM pier as part of the existing INT terminal by 2014, considering they've only just awarded the contract for Terminal WA and they've barely started groundwork. They'd be unlikely to allow two major constructions overlapping due to the hazards and issues they'd cause, specially as they are concentrated in close proximity.

Having said that however, the emergency gate on that side of the apron has recently been moved - so I could be entirely wrong and the parallel construction could be entirely plausible.

You can reasonably expect the current or by then revised DJ lounge experience will be rolled out when they receive their new pier.

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)

I posit your concerns, especially in the case of QF, are moreso caused by the airport owner and constraints than the carrier themselves.

The constraints go to the facility space and capabilities, and these are addressed as part of the 2020 master plan building program.

And don't forget, if WAC got off their cough they could easily handle an A380 service by adding an extra bridge to either Gates 1 or 5 (don't ask me the stand numbers). The question however remains if there is the traffic demands to warrant any carrier placing such metal on their services from the port. Despite year on year traffic growth for the last 10yrs, I simply don't think there's any routes with big enough demand to justify a plane that size.

All of this could lead me to a greater diatribe on the state of Australian airports post-deregulation, but for the sake of my blood vessels I will refrain.

 

[Ansettaddict123]

The question however remains if there is the traffic demands to warrant any carrier placing such metal on their services from the port. Despite year on year traffic growth for the last 10yrs, I simply don't think there's any routes with big enough demand to justify a plane that size.

The afternoon EK420 from Dubai is commonly full, with the evening EK421 also going out full most of the time. Considering it's an ~350 seat 77W it brings the a380 into serious consideration *crosses fingers eagerly*

 

[Deleted member 29185]

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

Oh come on.......it gives that quaint "regional" feel. Just ask OOL management and they'll tell you where you're going wrong

 

[simongr]

I don't class the airport that is home to the economic engine of the country as regional

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I don't class the airport that is home to the economic engine of the country as regional

Hey??? Didn't Bondy go belly up years ago

 

[simongr]

I am also someone who complains bitterly about only using one aerobridge for domestic flights so stairs...

 

[codash1099]

I am also someone who complains bitterly about only using one aerobridge for domestic flights so stairs...

Obviously you have never enjoyed the quaint WA International experience of trooping down a few flights of stairs to board your aircraft.

 

[Justchecking]

Obviously you have never enjoyed the quaint WA International experience of trooping down a few flights of stairs to board your aircraft.

Yes! WTH is that about? Provide convenient aerobridge access via totally inconvenient stairs....:shock: yes yes they have a lift, but how will 300 pax board an aircraft via an 11 person lift? I think getting A380 to PER or indeed, getting any significant numbers of people using PER airport starts with getting rid of stairs at the entrance to an aerobridge. and while I'm on it, an Eagle Boys pizza stand and espresso machine does not a food court make. I only sat in PER intl for 45mins and felt terminally depressed within about 3.

 

[Justchecking]

The afternoon EK420 from Dubai is commonly full, with the evening EK421 also going out full most of the time. Considering it's an ~350 seat 77W it brings the a380 into serious consideration *crosses fingers eagerly*

Only if seat capacity is more important to pax than frequency. There are many routes in the world that are more successful with smaller aircraft and more flights a day than larger aircraft on a limited schedule. PER may be one of them.

 

[oz_mark]

Yes! WTH is that about?

What that is about is that the architects knew best how an airport works (despite feedback that it was a bad design)

 

[Justchecking]

What that is about is that the architects knew best how an airport works (despite feedback that it was a bad design)

The architects obviously did not own wheelie bags....

 

[codash1099]

The architects obviously did not own wheelie bags....

or ANY bags:!:

 

[Boeta]

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!)

You're on the money there Ansett, the new exit out of the lounge at T3 (escalator down into the reclaim area) will mean all flights from screened airports will be able to bypass the apron all together. That's due to open when the new aerobridges come online sometime next week.

As for the signage at 19, that will be going shortly I suspect. The F100's aren't tall enough to use the bridge, so the only time Skywest will use them is for the A320.

 

[Ansettaddict123]

You're on the money there Ansett, the new exit out of the lounge at T3 (escalator down into the reclaim area) will mean all flights from screened airports will be able to bypass the apron all together. That's due to open when the new aerobridges come online sometime next week.

As for the signage at 19, that will be going shortly I suspect. The F100's aren't tall enough to use the bridge, so the only time Skywest will use them is for the A320.

I've been wondering that for many months now! thanks for the confirm!
So VA will end up with both the two new gates (most of the time)? About time they had more than two bridges Are any of the new ones A332 compatible? Coming back from Sydney recently we disembarked from one of the tallest set of stairs i've ever seen...

 

[Boeta]

I've been wondering that for many months now! thanks for the confirm!
So VA will end up with both the two new gates (most of the time)? About time they had more than two bridges Are any of the new ones A332 compatible? Coming back from Sydney recently we disembarked from one of the tallest set of stairs i've ever seen...

Thats right, with the bridges coming online it will theoretically mean Virgin won't have to hold for a bay as often because the smaller carriers (Alliance, Skywest) cannot use 19 & 20 anymore, therefore saving these bays for Virgin themselves.

All of the aerobridges are A332 compatible however the only issue is when more than one of them is on the ground, not much else can come onto bay. At present with an A332 on both 17A and 19A (the offset bays of 17 & 19), the aerobridges on 16 & 20 are limited to EMB190. That leaves only 21 (non-aerobridge) for 737s.
At the moment, this scenario only occurs in the evening where at LEAST one flight a night is using a bus to arrive or depart passengers out to their 737 parked on standoff. Thats going down well with their Premium Business travellers :shock:

 

[droche2004]

Just came back from Perth and was a little worried reading this post prior. Have to say either they have improved since this was posted or I am missing something.
All was good, service was fine, plenty of power outlets, drinks were cold and they had the air bridge working.
No compaints from me.

 

[Mh4k]

It can't possibly be any worse than the Adelaide "lounge".

 

[Noob]

It can't possibly be any worse than the Adelaide "lounge".

Good point, one would think Adelaide would be in line for a full lounge revamp in the not to distant future, especially when Virgin's partner Air New Zealand is currently using the Qantas Club!

Adelaide lounge really needs a expansion...

 

[MarkD]

Good point, one would think Adelaide would be in line for a full lounge revamp in the not to distant future, especially when Virgin's partner Air New Zealand is currently using the Qantas Club!

Adelaide lounge really needs a expansion...

Really??? So we could fly a va flight number on air nz and access qantas club ?? Sounds like a novel idea, flash the gold virgin card to the qantas club staff


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[simongr]

Just came back from Perth and was a little worried reading this post prior. Have to say either they have improved since this was posted or I am missing something.
All was good, service was fine, plenty of power outlets, drinks were cold and they had the air bridge working.
No compaints from me.

Glad you had a better experience than me! Just can you confirm if all of these were addressed?

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.

So on the right hand side of the lounge there are three long wooden benches with power outlets in them (and round ball like vases/decorations on them). The middle of the three benches had signs up that the power outlets weren't working. Were these now fixed? On the first bench only a couple of the six available outlets were working. Some had nothing behind the outlet...

Was the wifi working? I assumed that to be an aberration as when I told the VA people they were genuinely surprised.

- 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)

So are low stools there?
I mentioned power outlets above.
What was the food like?
Have they started a self service wine area?

I didn't comment about the service as it was fine - the same as I would get in a QP. It was a differentiated experience overall for me - and not in a positive way.