RSA MEL F Lounge Qantas Official Response (Refused Drinks)

[Austman]

Yes it is....have used them at least 10 times,...mostly Sydney International....and the wine is in two positions next to the food and soft drinks...I am guessing the RSA thing is about serving alcohol...helping yourself may come under a different law.

That's not the case in MEL Flounge. They might put some wine out in the self serve area at busy times, but in quiet times they take it away. Then it's beer only that's self serve.

 

[blaz]

I will be in the Syd one on 10 April and will take a photo. I guess having had a meal in the dining room, one doesn't tend to look at the food area, which at a quick glance has always just looked like a few cakes and things....

Yes, next to the breakfast/nibbles/ glassware...after 11 am or 12pm (whatever their policy is)...Yes this whole RSA makes no sense to me either....and last time I was there ,I had at least 2-3 glasses of champagne (ordered with breakfast) and a couple of chardies (help yourself)...no problembo !

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Seems to be a lot of confusion amongst you QF lover folk as to whether or not alcohol is self serve / waiter service / where it's located in lounge etc - are you sure most of you aint pickled on most visits which has led to such confusion?

Me tinks the QF fun police might just be onto something here ....

 

[Ansett]

Ok

For those that consider that we were intoxicated we would like to assure you that NONE of us were so. We had 3 drinks which were champagne or wine for 3 of us, with one having 2 of the daily coughtails, and that had been poured to around 1/3rd full or 2/3rds empty.

In the past one could certainly help them selves to some nice red and white wines in the lounge however there was none available in the usual location near the fridge and towards the entry of the lounge.

Again we fully agree with RSA to prevent loud and drunken passengers on aircraft or indeed anywhere. To suggest or think that we would condone or partake of such irresponsible actions is laughable.

We have been on board flights and in situations with the said loud and disorderly types and have to say I had not seen them in the lounge prior to the flight.

Red Roo has been in contact today and has assured me that they are looking at this in detail and will have a response to us by end of the week so lets see what happens.

I have enjoyed the Melbourne F lounge on many occasions and have gotten to know a number of the staff and until this trip always been greeted and treated extremely professionally and with respect and friendliness.

I will add the general Qantas lounge staff were excellent and very welcoming.

 

[pagingjoan]

Seems to be a lot of confusion amongst you QF lover folk as to whether or not alcohol is self serve / waiter service / where it's located in lounge etc - are you sure most of you aint pickled on most visits which has led to such confusion?

Me tinks the QF fun police might just be onto something here ....

Well, we seem to have only one person who has been observant enough - and enterprising enough? - to use self-service in MEL F, at least. The rest of us are just keeping the waiters employed.

 

[blaz]

Seems to be a lot of confusion amongst you QF lover folk as to whether or not alcohol is self serve / waiter service / where it's located in lounge etc - are you sure most of you aint pickled on most visits which has led to such confusion?

Me tinks the QF fun police might just be onto something here ....

I suspect the confusion is the timing....only waiter service before 11am(or whatever time the wines come out ) and self/ waiter service after that time....I was often the first to ask for champagne at 9.30am....but after that, it is on for young and old..

 

[TomVexille]

Hmmm. If that is the case (And I'm not saying it's not. I've simply never used self-service for food or drinks in the MEL or SYD F Lounges, so had no need to take note.), then why has it been an issue for people being refused service? Why could they not have served themselves - other than for Champagne? That does seem to make nonsense of the whole RSA thing. Or am I missing something obvious?

It is the International lounges you are referring to, blaz?

Because the food and beverage manager threatened to kick us out and said that he would make sure we were not allowed to board if we did.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I suspect the confusion is the timing....only waiter service before 11am(or whatever time the wines come out ) and self/ waiter service after that time....I was often the first to ask for champagne at 9.30am....but after that, it is on for young and old..

Only ever been in MEL F Lounge twice - once on QF in F / once on CX in J - and twice had champagne in hands around 7am - later than that and I start to really shake.

 

[pagingjoan]

I suspect the confusion is the timing....only waiter service before 11am(or whatever time the wines come out ) and self/ waiter service after that time....I was often the first to ask for champagne at 9.30am....but after that, it is on for young and old..

Sorry - but I don't think that does explain it. Not in MEL, at least.
But we will all be more observant on future visits. (Not that I've ever needed more than one refill on a standard Lounge visit, as far as I can recall. It's a long trip onwards! )

 

[pagingjoan]

Because the food and beverage manager threatened to kick us out and said that he would make sure we were not allowed to board if we did.

Good grief. Was it as extreme as that?
And was there self-service available at the time?
Apologies if you have covered this aspect but I can't check back, just now.

 

[blaz]

Because the food and beverage manager threatened to kick us out and said that he would make sure we were not allowed to board if we did.

this sounds suspiciously like somebody in your group was showing signs of overindulgence ...I have never experienced this ever in any Qantas lounge, and I have been known to put a few away...

 

[TomVexille]

Good grief. Was it as extreme as that?
And was there self-service available at the time?
Apologies if you have covered this aspect but I can't check back, just now.

In our case it was that bad. It was rude and not handled well. The only self service available was the beer, which wouldn't really go well with a pav

this sounds suspiciously like somebody in your group was showing signs of overindulgence ...I have never experienced this ever in any Qantas lounge, and I have been known to put a few away...

I can assure you that we were all very well behaved. None of us had more than four drinks in four hours despite the F&B manager claiming that we had had at least 7 drinks each. It was far more likely to be retaliation as well as the staff confusing us with friends who had already left the lounge.

 

[blaz]

In our case it was that bad. It was rude and not handled well. The only self service available was the beer, which wouldn't really go well with a pav



I can assure you that we were all very well behaved. None of us had more than four drinks in four hours despite the F&B manager claiming that we had had at least 7 drinks each. It was far more likely to be retaliation as well as the staff confusing us with friends who had already left the lounge.

This could have been the problem.....was it before 11am ?....as after this time, I'm pretty sure that the help yourself wines come out...and they are very good...even with the pav dish...

 

[blackcat20]

This could have been the problem.....was it before 11am ?....as after this time, I'm pretty sure that the help yourself wines come out...and they are very good...even with the pav dish...

It was after noon as we'd taken a seat at a table for lunch.

 

[pagingjoan]

<snip>
I can assure you that we were all very well behaved. None of us had more than four drinks in four hours despite the F&B manager claiming that we had had at least 7 drinks each. It was far more likely to be retaliation as well as the staff confusing us with friends who had already left the lounge.

Retaliation for what, TomVexville? (Tried to find the earlier posts to catch up on the detail but without success.)

 

[TomVexille]

Retaliation for what, TomVexville? (Tried to find the earlier posts to catch up on the detail but without success.)

Solicited feedback to the front desk that the service was a bit slow and was lacking.

Getting cut off wasn't that big of a deal since we couldn't get any service anyway.

 

[serfty]

Retaliation for what, TomVexville? (Tried to find the earlier posts to catch up on the detail but without success.)

See the link back in post #34 of this thread.

 

[pagingjoan]

See the link back in post #34 of this thread.

Thanks, Serfty.
Will stagger back to that.
Speaks volumes, does it not? Now at post 450+!

 

[blackcat20]

Solicited feedback to the front desk that the service was a bit slow and was lacking.

Getting cut off wasn't that big of a deal since we couldn't get any service anyway.

I even had to go up to the bar to order dessert, and was snapped at and told to go back to the table. I wouldn't have gone up if someone had actually bothered to come to the table and see if we wanted anything.

 

[blaz]

Solicited feedback to the front desk that the service was a bit slow and was lacking.

Getting cut off wasn't that big of a deal since we couldn't get any service anyway.

yes, this can always go pear shaped....I have a policy of not complaining when it all comes at no extra cost (I often was flying on an international domestic leg paying as little as $150....so french champagne, and freshly cooked breakfast is all a bonus...no matter how slow the service)