QF Club vs QF J Lounge @ SYD - What's the difference?

[RooFlyer]

Unsure what you lot are talking about

Not just the barcode …. But that’s up to you

 

[AIRwin]

British Airways and perhaps even BA.

Same same but different?

 

[RichardMEL]

Dreaded 4 S.

SSSS really doesn't mean much outside of the US in my experiences at a couple of airports. Maybe an extra pat down or quick look in one's carry on. It's not really that bad... more a blip before boarding imo.

of course others' experiences and differing locations may vary.

However we disgress as this is WAY off topic for this thread. Unless SSSS might mean Showers Surely Suck in Sydney?

 

[SYD]

SSSS really doesn't mean much outside of the US in my experiences at a couple of airports. Maybe an extra pat down or quick look in one's carry on. It's not really that bad... more a blip before boarding imo.

of course others' experiences and differing locations may vary.

Unless those SSSS’s follow you across the US and every port you’re greeted with the snap of a rubber glove…

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Not just the barcode …. But that’s up to you

I doubt anyone is gonna deduce much from me taking a flight operated by Sabena (Brussels Airlines)

Same same but different?

BA referring to Bling Air (aka Emirates) where British Airways is a UK airline most notable for losing traveller's bags at a industry leading rate.

SSSS really doesn't mean much outside of the US in my experiences at a couple of airports. Maybe an extra pat down or quick look in one's carry on. It's not really that bad... more a blip before boarding imo.

That was what it was like at TXL and DUS, an extra pat down and that's it. Once I arrived in LAS I wasn't greeted by the TSA. It was the usual finger print scan at Global Entry kiosk then collect bags. On my flight the following day from LAS to KIX (via SFO) I didn't get the SSSS treatment. Now I'm not sure how much of this is random, or how much of it has to do with travel patterns. Certainly travelling TXL > DUS > LAS > SFO > KIX would raise a few eyebrows.

Unless those SSSS’s follow you across the US and every port you’re greeted with the snap of a rubber glove…

That would apply if your itinerary included segments within the US as one have to clear immigration, customs and then re-clear TSA security for their onward flights departing the US. Fortunately that itinerary stopped at LAS.

-RooFlyer88

 

[Vic]

In relation to Sydney Domestic, the current space taken mainly by the business lounge was constructed in the latter 90's - it was all Qantas Club.

Until then the QP was located in most of the space of the gate 16 waiting area.

A few years later, in the early 00's, the lounge was extended to the West (where the QP ends now) - the entire upper area was Qantas Club.

Maybe late 2007 the lounge was partitioned with the area from the Eastern end to the Business entrance designated as the "Business Lounge" - remaining was QP. About two years later the divide between the lounges was shifted about 20 metres West to make for more business lounge space (and less QP).

So, the last real renovation was about 15 years ago.

Well aside from when they added Island Dining with the plate of the day, there was a bit of work in the business lounge then. Added the long table.
A short lived experiment...

 

[1022]

Well aside from when they added Island Dining with the plate of the day, there was a bit of work in the business lounge then. Added the long table.
A short lived experiment...

Those were the days! (Late noughties/early 2010s right?) Some of those dishes of the day were pretty decent and the table service was often very sharp and on point, especially in Melbourne. Did QF staff their own lounges then? I feel things have been on a slow but noticeable downhill slide since Accor took over. Initially they were pretty good, they were using the Sofitel label and seemed proud to do so. These days it’s Ibis at best.

I was in the SYD QP last week for about an hour. Early to mid afternoon on a weekday. Not super busy but far from deserted. I was sitting over in the western end by the big windows. When I sat down I had to shift someone else’s old plates and cups to another table as no vacant tables had been cleared. In the hour I was there not a single table was cleared and those that remained vacant had more and more plates piled on them as new people arrived and had to make space. Pretty ordinary…

 

[RooFlyer]

I doubt anyone is gonna deduce much from me taking a flight operated by Sabena (Brussels Airlines)

No worries “Jim-Bob”.

 

[RichardMEL]

BA referring to Bling Air (aka Emirates) where British Airways is a UK airline most notable for losing traveller's bags at a industry leading rate.

In a forum full of acronyms and the generally standard use of IATA airline codes, the use of "BA" will almost always be accepted to mean British Airways by readers - no matter what the poster might have meant.

 

[dairyfloss]

In a forum full of acronyms and the generally standard use of IATA airline codes, the use of "BA" will almost always be accepted to mean British Airways by readers - no matter what the poster might have meant.

AA on this... sorry, I mean Absolutely Always

 

[Vic]

Those were the days! (Late noughties/early 2010s right?) Some of those dishes of the day were pretty decent and the table service was often very sharp and on point, especially in Melbourne. Did QF staff their own lounges then? I feel things have been on a slow but noticeable downhill slide since Accor took over. Initially they were pretty good, they were using the Sofitel label and seemed proud to do so. These days it’s Ibis at best.

Early 2010s from my memory, but I can't remember exact years (maybe 2012 onwards?). I do remember in Syd Domenico did all the serving for a while. But then left when they didn't make him qantas staff. I think he had a sofitel name badge.

 

[PineappleSkip]

This thread has done my head in. Surprised noone has mentioned that the lounge was better/worse when it was Flight Deck. I can't recall what that was like inside, but I can recall you could sneak in when it was busy by holding up a credit card and a boarding pass as you walked very quickly past the short sighted dragons at the entrance when it was really busy mid afternoon. You can't do that now you have to scan your BP and see what computer says..

Have a dummy spit and catch the train because the domestic lounge is not up to the same standards as the NH lounge at NRT or EK lounge at DXB

Nooooo! Don't catch the train. The closest thing to a lounge at Sydney Terminal is the Eternity "Bar and Grill" where you can pay $9 for a cold meat pie. Last time we were there we decided "Eternity" was a reference to how long you wait to be served.

Cheers skip

 

[SYD]

This thread has done my head in. Surprised noone has mentioned that the lounge was better/worse when it was Flight Deck. I can't recall what that was like inside…

A bit like the REX lounge…. It wasn’t particularly big either! But that whole section of the terminal was bulldozed in the mid/late 90s(?).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

A bit like the REX lounge…. It wasn’t particularly big either! But that whole section of the terminal was bulldozed in the mid/late 90s(?).

The REX lounge frankly ain't that bad. Yeah it's not as spacious as the QF lounge but it is also a much more exclusive lounge in that you either must be a REX customer or hold one of a couple of credit cards that grants REX lounge access regardless of carrier (i.e. AmEx Platinum). In addition, I would go so far as to say the lounge offers better food than QF lounge at SYD:

 

[jpp42]

Nooooo! Don't catch the train. The closest thing to a lounge at Sydney Terminal is the Eternity "Bar and Grill" where you can pay $9 for a cold meat pie. Last time we were there we decided "Eternity" was a reference to how long you wait to be served.

I thought "Eternity" restaurant would have done better if they had set up in Mortuary Station, where the funeral trains used to leave.

That said, the situation is even more dire now as "Eternity" has closed a few months back - there is almost nothing at all for food at Central today; just the even worse premade sandwich place where Hungry Jack's used to be. Even the kebab shop on the ground level at Eddy Ave is closed as they redevelop that area. Fortunately, you don't have to arrive very far in advance of your train. On the actual point of taking the train, I recently took the overnight sleeper car to Melbourne and can actually recommend it (at least with a partner, wouldn't want to share a cabin). Even with the sleeper surcharge, it was considerably cheaper than last-minute flights in economy, avoids airport transfer costs at either end, and we slept surprisingly well.

 

[Daver6]

The REX lounge frankly ain't that bad. Yeah it's not as spacious as the QF lounge but it is also a much more exclusive lounge in that you either must be a REX customer or hold one of a couple of credit cards that grants REX lounge access regardless of carrier (i.e. AmEx Platinum). In addition, I would go so far as to say the lounge offers better food than QF lounge at SYD:
View attachment 311717

Yup, that food looks more appealing than the SYD dom J lounge.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Yup, that food looks more appealing than the SYD dom J lounge.

It's sad to say but a bunch of prepackaged wraps, sandwiches, and yogurt is leagues ahead of what QF domestic lounges have to offer (at least in SYD).
I should also point out that the snack selection was more notable too:


The addition of the TimTams was a good choice as was the Dairy Milk (albeit it would've been nice to have Caramilk, then again that's only sold in Canada).

The coffee on offer was of the Nespresso Pro variety. I know some coffee snobs on here will say that this is a step below what's on offer at the Virgin/Qantas lounge, but I would counter with saying that you actually have a choice on what type of coffee you want instead of the one size fits all blend:

-RooFlyer88

 

[RichardMEL]

Caramilk is all the rage here these days. I just saw caramilk ice creams at woolies hmmm.

Anyway full credit to kf88 for flying all the airlines and using many of the lounge options!

I

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Caramilk is all the rage here these days. I just saw caramilk ice creams at woolies hmmm.

Australian Caramilk isn't Caramilk and frankly is disgusting. It's like this white chocolate thing. Proper Caramilk is milk chocolate with a nice thick caramel filling that provides both a sweet and savoury tasting experience:

Anyway full credit to kf88 for flying all the airlines and using many of the lounge options!

I explore the lounges so you don't have to!

 

[dairyfloss]

Australian Caramilk isn't Caramilk and frankly is disgusting. It's like this white chocolate thing. Proper Caramilk is milk chocolate with a nice thick caramel filling that provides both a sweet and savoury tasting experience:
View attachment 311836

I explore the lounges so you don't have to!

That's just a Caramello! Readily available in regular and Koala formats, for your bingeing enjoyment.



Cheers,
Matt.