Qantas Lounge Gold Coast

[Beano]

Maybe more appropriate in the Qantas forum, but I'm pretty sure all Qantas domestic lounges have always opened "One hour before each Qantas operated service", so this is nothing new unfortunately.

Wellington international it is 2 hours.

 

[justinbrett]

One positive thing I will say about the OOL QP, if you do get there when it's open and it's about to close (ie, you're on a JQ flight), they'll invite you to grab a coffee and snacks and take them with you to the terminal. At least, that happened to me recently.

Anywho, when the lounge did finally open I asked the reception staff if this was a permanent thing. They said that management was supposed to be looking into changing the operating hours to something like pre-Covid. The lounge receives passenger complaints about it everyday and the staff encourage sending feedback to QF.

I checked the website on wayback machine and in 2019 it had the same policy of opening 1 hour before each QF flight. Like now though, if there's a small gap between flights (ie a 1200 flight and a 1400 flight) they'll just stay open in between.

Obviously the problem is JQ flights out number QF flights nearly 5:1 and JQ doesn't contribute to lounge funding. That's not a problem anywhere else, not to that extent anyway.

 

[Beano]

The last 3-4 times I’ve been to the Goldie, I’ve come and gone through BNE, and I don’t think I’ll bother with OOL anymore, unless I’m staying quite a bit further south (like Kingscliff, perhaps).

I’ve found there’s not much of a difference (20-30 mins - assumes driving) to transfer in & out of BNE, which opens up a heap more flights, cheaper and better car rental options, and of course; much better lounges, airport F&B and more. But if you’re starting from south of Surfers it can start to add more time than you might like, for the sake of those benefits

Just some food for thought, if your schedule change alternatives don’t work out.

Cheers,
Matt.

I would agree with that. I have business on the GC from Tweed Heads to Southport and often thought about flying OOL-SYD, which I have done in the past and used the lounge, but the posts here have put me right off. I would rather drive to BNE and will arrange to end in the north of the GC.

 

[Lynda2475]

Making me think twice about my Jan flight dilemma if I move to the evening flight I would have 3ish hours to spend at OOL before boarding. Might be better to stay the night.

This a pain becuase my syd-ool-syd flights are on a different pnr to my ool-mel-akl-mel-ool and the latter pnr schedule changes are what is making me need to change the flight on the first. Think there is any chance QF will waive the change fee due to their schedule change even though separate PNRs?

 

[dairyfloss]

Think there is any chance QF will waive the change fee due to their schedule change even though separate PNRs?

I’m sure there’s a chance… it’s just not a good one

 

[justinbrett]

Making me think twice about my Jan flight dilemma if I move to the evening flight I would have 3ish hours to spend at OOL before boarding. Might be better to stay the night.

This a pain becuase my syd-ool-syd flights are on a different pnr to my ool-mel-akl-mel-ool and the latter pnr schedule changes are what is making me need to change the flight on the first. Think there is any chance QF will waive the change fee due to their schedule change even though separate PNRs?

You could leave the terminal and go to Kirra beach for a coffee, it's practically walking distance from the terminal (certainly a cheap Uber).

There's worse places in the world to spend three hours.

 

[Lynda2475]

You could leave the terminal and go to Kirra beach for a coffee, it's practically walking distance from the terminal (certainly a cheap Uber).

That is probably what I will end up doing, it will be summer after all and nice to stretch legs after an ungodly early departure from AKL.

There's worse places in the world to spend three hours.

True.

 

[Digicola]

QF’s schedule out of OOL is minuscule outside of holidays. I flew OOL-ADL on Alliance a few months back and got my first look at the lounge and others have said not much to write home about. You get toasties, pancakes, barista coffee, light breakfast, the usual club spread. Only problem is there is absolutely no natural light and you’re basically in a closet.

Virgin really has a much better lounge with sweeping views of the tarmac and the terminal so you can look down upon the peasants lining up at hungry jacks.

Your pick.

 

[stm1sydney]

Have QF really stooped this low ?

Yes. But you knew this before you chose Qantas for this trip!

 

[ric_melb]

When you see the Qantas lounge then visit the Virgin Lounge at OOL, it really makes you want to fly Virgin to OOL doesn’t it?

When you see the Virgin Lounge in Hobart it really makes you want to fly Qantas.

 

[encryptededdy]

Wellington international it is 2 hours.

Yeah, I'm referring to domestic though.

My point is the advertised opening hours have always been "1hr before QF flight" for every domestic lounge for ages, even if in practice they may open earlier.

 

[justinbrett]

This is why QF doesn't build lounges in smaller ports - they build one that's scaled appropriately to the number of QF pax and people can't stop coughing about it... . Having just moved from NTL where I spent 12 years with an airport that didn't have any lounges, I'm not complaining.

I do question how many here have actually been inside - it's a very standard cookie-cutter QP that barely warrants a mention. Main complaint is the opening hours (possibly would be better if they just made a carve out to exclude JQ pax), and not a lot of hot food options (but then, that's not that unusual for a QP).

When you see the Virgin Lounge in Hobart it really makes you want to fly Qantas.

Or the VA lounges in CNS & DRW... (which reinforces my point, be grateful you have a lounge!)

 

[jase05]

When you see the Virgin Lounge in Hobart it really makes you want to fly Qantas.

Or the opposite.
If you have been in the utter disgrace that is the HBA lounge you should never want to fly QF again

 

[RichardMEL]

Gold Coast buses already take contactless. So buses, light rail and heavy rail all on contactless - no need for Go Card anymore here. I think Brisbane still has some services which don't take Contactless. GC was the first to transfer.

I have taken 3 full size suitcases on the 777 - it is possible!

oh, they must have got it working in the last month or so since I was last up there. sweet!

 

[justinbrett]

oh, they must have got it working in the last month or so since I was last up there. sweet!

I might have jumped the gun as @henrus pointed out, they have the equipment but apparently not activated for contactless yet. Lots of signs promoting it though. Shouldn't be much longer.

I don't actually pay for buses, I have a free pass as a local resident.

 

[RichardMEL]

I might have jumped the gun as @henrus pointed out, they have the equipment but apparently not activated for contactless yet. Lots of signs promoting it though. Shouldn't be much longer.

I don't actually pay for buses, I have a free pass as a local resident.

noice!

I thought about moving up there for various reasons, but decided not to for various other reasons. nice deal though

I reckon the bus drivers in the main don't worry too much about people who touch on or not from what I've noticed. My view though is that it's cheap enough I'd rather do it (and have experienced a lot of inspectors on the tram relatively speaking). The price point is sweet enough that it works (and I have a Go card, so I'm not worried if contactless works on the busses yet or not, but for visitors this will be fantastic when it does finally get done).

 

[RichardMEL]

having used both VA and QF lounges at OOL multiple times, I'm not so sure I'd be rushing right to VA tbh. The lounge is not much bigger than QF imo (given the split level and curved design of the place it's a bit hard to tell without actual dimensions) but the thing for mine is that because VA has a much superior schedule of mainline out of OOL to QF (as discussed up thread) I've found it as crowded at times as QF and I wouldn't say the F&B blew away QF. A little better perhaps, and it may depend on time of day, but view aside (and I get it, it's much nicer with that natural light than the QF lounge) it's not massively superior imo. Certainly given the schedules and service, it offers a better option than QF generally - but imo that's more about QF's limited hours.

but of course that's a very subjective opinion and everyone's views will vary I guess.

(I also approve in general of the terminal redevelopment at OOL as being, in general, a positive - but more so to the international and VA gaes)

 

[kangarooflyer88]

When you see the Virgin Lounge in Hobart it really makes you want to fly Qantas.

I’m not so sure! I find the Virgin lounge at HBA more spacious than the broom closet that is the QF lounge there

 

[Flyfrequently]

The QF lounge is the only lounge I can think of that gives HBA a run for its money. Thank goodness I rarely have to fly out of there!

-RooFlyer88

TSV?
It was like the Boxing Day sales stampede when we were there earlier this year!

 

[Flyfrequently]

QF’s schedule out of OOL is minuscule outside of holidays.

You get toasties, pancakes, barista coffee, light breakfast, the usual club spread. Only problem is there is absolutely no natural light and you’re basically in a closet.

Sounds like MEL QP international - just a bigger closest with plonk!