Qantas Lounge Pet Peeves

[Seat0B]

Airport: All
Lounge: All
Issue: "Loud Phonecall Guy"

I think this could be extended to include those people who just have to do (without headphones) phone calls, speaker phones, games, watching tv/video, facetimes and the like. Bonus points for the "Look I'm in the "First" Class Lounge!" people in the QP.

Yes! This guy is in every lounge I have ever visited. And they often pepper the conversation with a lot of F Bombs. Total DYKWIA behaviour. It is very annoying, that's for sure. I don't really know how any lounge operator could deal with this. Maybe instead of a quiet zone, have all lounges quiet, with a phone zone for those who absolutely must....

And people who let their kids watch Baby Shark or Peppa Pig or even Bluey at full volume - on repeat as only kids can do until it drives you totally insane. Headphones, please! For anything that makes more noise than quiet conversations. Actually, there have been a few memorable loud in person conversations too. I think I will just file these all under people who do not care at all about how their behaviour impacts on others.

 

[Seat0B]

Also some attention should be spent that the largest growing verticle in alcohol consumption is non/low alcohol beverages. Having some of these choices would be great to see.

Yes I agree this would be an excellent addition to the offering.

 

[offshore171]

Yes! This guy is in every lounge I have ever visited. And they often pepper the conversation with a lot of F Bombs.

And Loud Phonecall Guy is often seen pacing around the lounge while on his loud call, ensuring they share the love with everyone.

 

[RooFlyer]

These are the types who run a small business in Port Macquarie but think they're running a business on the ASX 200. Like, dude, we don't care if you closed a sale for one box of paper to some business in Townsville. And yes it's always a dude that is doing this.

In that case, you might like to do what I’ve done a couple of times. That is, after the call you go up to them and say “excuse me mate I missed a few details of your deal there. Can you repeat them for me?”

Reactions can be entertaining.

 

[mviy]

Someone flying cheapest Y to NZ with a one off lounge invitation is in the same J lounge as someone with a fully paid J fare to LHR who doesn’t have WP, whereas someone with WP and cheapest Y fare to LHR gets into the FLounge.

 

[sudoer]

Someone flying cheapest Y to NZ with a one off lounge invitation is in the same J lounge as someone with a fully paid J fare to LHR who doesn’t have WP

I don't disagree that the $20k LHR fare bronze flyer deserves better than the abysmal SYD and MEL J lounges, but what is your proposed solution? A third lounge tier for international? (i.e. Qantas Club, Business Lounge, First Lounge?)

whereas someone with WP and cheapest Y fare to LHR gets into the FLounge.

I think this is reasonable - they're being rewarded for their loyalty to the airline/alliance. Making WP on Y fares is a bloody tough slog.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

In that case, you might like to do what I’ve done a couple of times. That is, after the call you go up to them and say “excuse me mate I missed a few details of your deal there. Can you repeat them for me?”

Better yet, answer your mega-phone around them:

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't disagree that the $20k LHR fare bronze flyer deserves better than the abysmal SYD and MEL J lounges, but what is your proposed solution? A third lounge tier for international? (i.e. Qantas Club, Business Lounge, First Lounge?)



I think this is reasonable - they're being rewarded for their loyalty to the airline/alliance. Making WP on Y fares is a bloody tough slog.

Couple of options….

(a) have a first class lounge for first class, and upgrade the other lounge to business class standard. CX does this rather well. The base level of lounge has champagne as standard for example.

(b) repurpose the first class lounge to business class, given the tiny number of actual F pax, and carve out a separate experience within that lounge for F… separate area, dining room etc. Like AA had for flagship first dining at JFK until recently. The Flagship liu gel was already excellent quality, the separate dining added the extra for F. Spa treatments could also be a distinguishing factor.

 

[justinbrett]

If you recognise fare type and not status, you effectively free your pax from the golden handcuffs - which then are much more likely to go to the competition and buy BFOD.

If QF adopted QR's mantra of recognising J/F pax and relegating frequent flyers to sub standard lounges, I really don't think that would work out well for them.

I'd argue the system as a whole isn't broken, it's just the J lounges that need to be fixed.

 

[jase05]

I'd argue the system as a whole isn't broken

Whilst JQ pax get lounge access I’d argue it is broken

 

[justinbrett]

Whilst JQ pax get lounge access I’d argue it is broken

*QF customers who have probably spent in excess of 10K pa to be there

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Someone flying cheapest Y to NZ with a one off lounge invitation is in the same J lounge as someone with a fully paid J fare to LHR who doesn’t have WP, whereas someone with WP and cheapest Y fare to LHR gets into the FLounge.

Or worse still a WP flying JQ from SYD to MEL in Y out of the INTL terminal has access to the Flounge whereas the LHR bound passenger in J merely has access to the international QP.

I don't disagree that the $20k LHR fare bronze flyer deserves better than the abysmal SYD and MEL J lounges, but what is your proposed solution? A third lounge tier for international? (i.e. Qantas Club, Business Lounge, First Lounge?)

I think moving the quality up slightly would help a lot. Sure keep the Vegas style buffet but the catering needs to improve (and no I'm not just talking about the Australian champers they have on offer either). Seating could be improved too, particularly at the SYD lounge (this is arguably one of the areas where the MEL dungeon beats the SYD lounge hands down).

I think this is reasonable - they're being rewarded for their loyalty to the airline/alliance. Making WP on Y fares is a bloody tough slog.

Correct. This is one of the few things where loyalty comes in. If you can just buy Flounge access whenever you want with your ticket, why bother staying loyal to an airline? Loyalty programs only are valuable when they provide benefits you cannot get elsewhere.

(a) have a first class lounge for first class, and upgrade the other lounge to business class standard. CX does this rather well. The base level of lounge has champagne as standard for example.

What does business class lounge standard even mean? Have you been to business class lounges elsewhere in the world? At major hubs like DEN (for UA), PHX (for AA) and MSP (for DL) you are lucky if you find sandwiches at their international business class lounges. Heck if you are travelling a major airline out of a non-hub airport (i.e. FRA for AY) you'll be lucky if you get lounge access at all!

(b) repurpose the first class lounge to business class, given the tiny number of actual F pax, and carve out a separate experience within that lounge for F… separate area, dining room etc.

The problem is there are a ton of F passengers that use the lounge. Sure they are flying coach but they have the World Platinum status (or better). If the goal of these lounges is to award loyalty, in that regard the Flounge does a very good job indeed.

Like AA had for flagship first dining at JFK until recently. The Flagship liu gel was already excellent quality, the separate dining added the extra for F. Spa treatments could also be a distinguishing factor.

Not just AA but also British Airways as well. The idea is you have one large lounge for everyone, and then depending on what's on your ticket you get access to other areas of the lounge. So as a Qantas Gold I could access the Flagship lounge in LAX flying Alaska (which might I add is pretty nice), but if I wanted to access the dining room, I'd need to either pay extra for it ($250 USD I think?) or be flying GlobalFirst with AA or a partner. A similar setup can be seen at the British Airways lounge at S'pore.

-RooFlyer88

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Another pet peeve that is related to lounges whilst I'm here. Why is it that elites and those travelling in Premium cabins don't get a Premium lounge experience at major airports Qantas operates from? At BNE domestic there is a premium entry area where you can not only check in and clear security away from those without status, but also be dumped directly into the lounge. A similar thing I am told can be found with AA's Flagship First check-in area at select airports (like LAX).

Another thought: some airlines have an entire terminal dedicated to premium passengers (for instance Lufthansa's First Class Terminal dedicated to First class passengers and HON Circle members travelling in coach), why can't Qantas offer such a premium lounge experience? Such an experience would enable passengers to entirely bypass the riffraff at the airport and provide the opportunity for chauffeured drives to the plane.

 

[p--and--t]

(but don't even get me started on Nespresso - water "inspired" by coffee)

Nespresso is as close to real coffee as "Vegan inspired patties" is to a real steak

 

[jase05]

*QF customers who have probably spent in excess of 10K pa to be there

Absolutely they have but doesn’t mean I have to agree with it.
I don’t agree with the whole JQ/QF and much prefer how others do it but not much I can do about it

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Another pet peeve that is related to lounges whilst I'm here. Why is it that elites and those travelling in Premium cabins don't get a Premium lounge experience at major airports Qantas operates from? At BNE domestic there is a premium entry area where you can not only check in and clear security away from those without status, but also be dumped directly into the lounge. A similar thing I am told can be found with AA's Flagship First check-in area at select airports (like LAX).

Another thought: some airlines have an entire terminal dedicated to premium passengers (for instance Lufthansa's First Class Terminal dedicated to First class passengers and HON Circle members travelling in coach), why can't Qantas offer such a premium lounge experience? Such an experience would enable passengers to entirely bypass the riffraff at the airport and provide the opportunity for chauffeured drives to the plane.

They do. It’s called Chairman’s Lounge!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What does business class lounge standard even mean? Have you been to business class lounges elsewhere in the world? At major hubs like DEN (for UA), PHX (for AA) and MSP (for DL) you are lucky if you find sandwiches at their international business class lounges. Heck if you are travelling a major airline out of a non-hub airport (i.e. FRA for AY) you'll be lucky if you get lounge access at all!

The problem is there are a ton of F passengers that use the lounge. Sure they are flying coach but they have the World Platinum status (or better). If the goal of these lounges is to award loyalty, in that regard the Flounge does a very good job indeed.



-RooFlyer88

AA and UA do do proper business class lounges with Polaris and Flagship. Air Canada does it with their signature lounges.m

Not sure a hub at Phoenix is a good example.

There aren’t a ton of F passengers using the lounge. They’re platinums who have the benefit of accessing the F lounge. There’s a distinction.

 

[justinbrett]

Another pet peeve that is related to lounges whilst I'm here. Why is it that elites and those travelling in Premium cabins don't get a Premium lounge experience at major airports Qantas operates from? At BNE domestic there is a premium entry area where you can not only check in and clear security away from those without status, but also be dumped directly into the lounge. A similar thing I am told can be found with AA's Flagship First check-in area at select airports (like LAX).

I think the individual airports have a lot to do with it, and who owns the terminal. BNE got theirs during a major revamp; I always thought SYD would get one eventually especially as the floor plan would easily accommodate a security point where the J lounge escalators are.

For every person going through the premium entry is a person who skips the shops. Allegedly BA has to pay LHR a per pax fee for every pax using its First wing that bypasses the main terminal area. This is because airports make a lot of money from these shops.

Absolutely they have but doesn’t mean I have to agree with it.
I don’t agree with the whole JQ/QF and much prefer how others do it but not much I can do about it

There's many QF customers flying JQ against their will - it's the dual brand strategy that is to blame. Unless and until QF & JQ compete, and JQ isn't gifted most of the leisure routes, QF has to accommodate JQ pax. They've done pretty well making JQ domestic lounge access not worth it in SYD & MEL.

 

[sudoer]

(a) have a first class lounge for first class, and upgrade the other lounge to business class standard. CX does this rather well. The base level of lounge has champagne as standard for example.

CX First lounge access is exactly the same as Qantas lounges though, i.e. oneworld standard with Emeralds allowed?

(b) repurpose the first class lounge to business class, given the tiny number of actual F pax, and carve out a separate experience within that lounge for F… separate area, dining room etc. Like AA had for flagship first dining at JFK until recently. The Flagship liu gel was already excellent quality, the separate dining added the extra for F. Spa treatments could also be a distinguishing factor.

I believe this is already the case in the Sydney First lounge with a dedicated dining area at the far end of the lounge for F/P1/CL pax. F pax also get pre-booked spa treatments, which are near impossible to nab as a status pax unless you arrive 5+ hours early. I think there's also been reports on AFF of P1s getting better champagne options at some ports (possibly HKG/LHR, I don't recall exactly)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

CX First lounge access is exactly the same as Qantas lounges though, i.e. oneworld standard with Emeralds allowed?



I believe this is already the case in the Sydney First lounge with a dedicated dining area at the far end of the lounge for F/P1/CL pax. F pax also get pre-booked spa treatments, which are near impossible to nab as a status pax unless you arrive 5+ hours early. I think there's also been reports on AFF of P1s getting better champagne options at some ports (possibly HKG/LHR, I don't recall exactly)

So option could be, F lounge for F pax, with business class also entitled to access (reflecting fare paid).

Business class lounge gets upgraded, or separate section for platinums.