Relaxed Access Rules for J Lounge

[JohnK]

I had an interesting conversation with the lovely lady at the service desk at SYD T3 J lounge a few minutes ago after some advice I was given in the SYD T3 Qantas Lounge on Friday night.

I was paging dot, who was in the J Lounge (earlier I think), from the Qantas Lounge on Friday night when the person at the service desk came over to where I was sitting and said that I could go into the J lounge anytime I wanted. I did not take too much notice as I was about to leave the lounge as dot did not answer the page.

So I asked the question in the SYD T3 J lounge today. Apparently Platinums have any time access to the J lounge as the J lounges have not been utilised fully. This new policy has been in place for ~2 weeks.

I should have taken notice in BNE during the FT AGM last week when I presented my Platinum card at the service desk with serfty behind me and the lady took offence when we walked into the normal Qantas Lounge. She stopped me and said "Sir, your lounge is on the other side".

 

[moa999]

Useful to know.
Not a massive benefit however.

Certainly no 'lack of usage' in peak periods

 

[Grooba]

I don't understand - you have never needed a BP to access SYD T3 J lounge if you are WP. Just flash the card and thats it.

Always been that way for me anyway.

 

[2muchplastic]

I had 3 very similar experiences at the BNE DOM lounge in early Jan and Feb, walked in flashed the plastic (no BP as I was flying DJ), and was directed to the J lounge and not the QP.

 

[moa999]

Per the access rules, as WP you were meant to be travelling on a QF, JQ flight.
That said I had managed to flash in BNE where I did not have a boarding pass, and get it at the desk inside - obviously not possible in SYD and MEL due to the different setup

 

[Homer]

Four weeks ago Marge and Maggie were flying from SYD-BNE for the weekend. I "escorted" them to the J lounge at T3, pulling their rollaboard and flashing my WP card while engaging in conversation with Marge and attempting to appear to be in a hurry.

I now know why "The Academy" hasn't yet recognised my talents. The person at the J lounge reception desk obviously spotted my feeble attempt at deception, stopped me, swiped my card and asked if I was flying that day. I replied that I wasn't and we were directed to the QP.

So this policy change is good news!

 

[2muchplastic]

Per the access rules, as WP you were meant to be travelling on a QF, JQ flight.
That said I had managed to flash in BNE where I did not have a boarding pass, and get it at the desk inside - obviously not possible in SYD and MEL due to the different setup

Yep, anytime access for WPs is into the DOM QP and not the J lounge, unless flying that day on a QF or JQ flight number.
No-one was more surprised than me!

 

[dot]

I had an interesting conversation with the lovely lady at the service desk at SYD T3 J lounge a few minutes ago after some advice I was given in the SYD T3 Qantas Lounge on Friday night.

I was paging dot, who was in the J Lounge (earlier I think), from the Qantas Lounge on Friday night when the person at the service desk came over to where I was sitting and said that I could go into the J lounge anytime I wanted. I did not take too much notice as I was about to leave the lounge as dot did not answer the page.

Sorry John, My flight in from SIN was late, then they held the transfer bus until everyone coming in on QF32 was though the transfer checkin - so I had about 10mins in the J lounge before they called our flight (the last QF one for the night) and closed the lounge. I guess you were there earlier...

As for the anytime access to the J Lounge, that's a new one on me...

 

[JohnK]

I don't understand - you have never needed a BP to access SYD T3 J lounge if you are WP. Just flash the card and thats it.

I have had as much time as anyone else in J lounges but I have been asked for boarding pass a number of times even when flashing Platinum card. This appears to be an about turn about anytime access and it is the first I have heard from staff.

Sorry John, My flight in from SIN was late, then they held the transfer bus until everyone coming in on QF32 was though the transfer checkin - so I had about 10mins in the J lounge before they called our flight (the last QF one for the night) and closed the lounge. I guess you were there earlier...

No problem I had someone waiting to pick me up anyway. I just wanted to say hello if we happened to cross paths.

As for the anytime access to the J Lounge, that's a new one on me...

Definitely hot off the press. In fact I am in the BNE J lounge after getting off QF544 from SYD. As I mentioned earlier the reasons I was given was the J lounge is not being used often enough and I assume this is outside of peak periods.

Anyway guys enjoy anytime access to J lounge as long as it lasts....

 

[holdenvxman]

I went to pick up v8statesman the other day at BNE, my partner and I had an hour to kill before his flight landed, I thought I would try my luck getting into the QP, I flashed Qantas Club card in just walked in no questions asked.

 

[JohnK]

Same for me. My father and I were travelling DJ BNE-SYD last week and I went to the J Lounge and asked if it was still anytime access. The guy behind the desk said "Business Class and Platinum members"! So in we went.

Met up with munitalP later and he could not believe that the J lounge has anytime access....

 

[Evan]

When picking up passengers in MEL i have always got it... but being told only because it was not that busy at the moment. They seem pretty relaxed about it.

 

[Cyclogenesis]

So what does the J lounge have over the QP?

 

[NM]

The guy behind the desk said "Business Class and Platinum members"!

So what does the J lounge have over the QP?

It has Business Class and Platinum status passengers .

 

[simongr]

I have never had to queue for a drink at peak hour in the J lounge in MEL and frequently the queue was 6 deep in the QP when I was using that.

I also I have had not issue getting hot food and not had the "flock of seagulls" descending on the hot food like the QP.

 

[Cyclogenesis]

So it's pretty much numbers... Unlike Int J vrs Flounge where the offerings are premium...

Just out of interest does the Syd Dom J lounge bar open before 2pm?

 

[djfuzz]

I have never had to queue for a drink at peak hour in the J lounge in MEL and frequently the queue was 6 deep in the QP when I was using that.

I also I have had not issue getting hot food and not had the "flock of seagulls" descending on the hot food like the QP.

Is sheer size / reduction of queuing the major benefit of the J lounge?

Hmm, maybe we were there too late to appreciate the benefits of not queuing, but I found the J lounge in SYD pretty oversized, with no really comfortable seats, no self service bar and no hot food - so premium/WP or not, it wasn't all that great. Found the loos pretty average too.

Had they been serving hot food, barista coffee and had some couches, I may have been singing its praises a bit more.

 

[notzac]

Is sheer size / reduction of queuing the major benefit of the J lounge?

I'd say the major benefit (at least in SYD and MEL) is a greater likelyhood of being able to find seats and a better selection/larger quantity of food. Otherwise, not much different. The J lounge in BNE is a waste of time, no real difference I'd say.

 

[serfty]

I'll check it out this weekend but ISTR the J lounge bars still open at Noon while the QP bars opening time has recently been moved back to 2pm (on the east coast at least).

 

[simongr]

Hmm, maybe we were there too late to appreciate the benefits of not queuing, but I found the J lounge in SYD pretty oversized, with no really comfortable seats, no self service bar and no hot food - so premium/WP or not, it wasn't all that great. Found the loos pretty average too.

Oversized? Why is that a problem?

There are no couches but there are the recliners overlooking the main check in area.