VA calling boarding in lounge when it hasn’t started yet

[Mattg]

I’m flying VA out of MEL this afternoon. They called boarding for my flight in the lounge around 5 minutes before the scheduled boarding time. So, I headed over to the gate but boarding had not commenced and I ended up waiting around the gate area for more than 40 minutes.

The flight ended up being delayed. I would have returned to the lounge but there was no information initially that the flight would be delayed and it looked like boarding could begin any time (but didn’t).

Why call boarding in the lounge if it’s not actually close to starting? Especially now that the lounge is located after security.

 

[Bolthead]

Same thing happend to me at Melbourne the other day. The previous flight was still unloading. We only had to wait about 20 minutes.

 

[ZigZagWanderer]

They're pretty bad at this. Once at Brisbane domestic, I waited in the lounge for the flight boarding to be announced. It still wasn't listed at 10m to departure.

I decided to go anyway, 5m walk. Halfway, an announcement was made for 'final boarding call' for the flight, and shown as such on the board. I arrived just as the very last person was going through the gate. Basically I would probably have missed it if I'd waited until it was announced. I am unable to run.

I complained at the gate, got a had-waving non-answer and no real apology.

Don't trust announcements and boards.

 

[Anna]

Why call boarding in the lounge if it’s not actually close to starting?

It has happened to me at MEL too. I thought they did it to try to reduce the numbers in the lounge. The day it happened to me, as I walked out there was a line-up to get in. There hadn't been a line when I arrived.

 

[BCons]

Has happened frequently with VA. Assume its a 'flight on time, so announce boarding' thing whereas there is a delay arising at the gate.

Also had the reverse several times as well - departure board saying 'boarding', lounge desk staff having to be quizzed and realising they'd better call it .. Thats only a problem when you get to the gate to find you're near-last to board..

 

[Harrison_133]

In my experience, Melbourne has always been an outlier with this compared to the other lounges. They are notorious for calling the flights too early. Even taking the time to clear security into account, more often than not I’d arrive at the gate before boarding has even started. With security not a factor anymore, they do need to readjust when they call them in the lounge.

I’ve found the Sydney lounge do a much better job in comparison. Most of the time I reach the gate just after general boarding has commenced, and with priority boarding that actually works, the priority lane is clear to walk down. A much smoother process than Melbourne for sure.

 

[bussyboy]

Can recall the same in Perth a few months back.... arrived at the gate to see arriving passengers making their way off the aircraft - I was not at all impressed.

 

[Rnwillia]

I’m flying VA out of MEL this afternoon. They called boarding for my flight in the lounge around 5 minutes before the scheduled boarding time. So, I headed over to the gate but boarding had not commenced and I ended up waiting around the gate area for more than 40 minutes.

The flight ended up being delayed. I would have returned to the lounge but there was no information initially that the flight would be delayed and it looked like boarding could begin any time (but didn’t).

Why call boarding in the lounge if it’s not actually close to starting? Especially now that the lounge is located after security.

I always wait in the lounge until I see that boarding has commenced. I have often waited until last minute and been called - a bit embarrassing!

 

[Stevo.1702]

Not exclusively Virgin doing this too. Had some in SYD and MEL QF when boarding was announced in the lounge to find boarding had not commenced at the gate.

In both cases boarding did start within less than 10mins.

 

[jakeseven7]

I’m flying VA out of MEL this afternoon. They called boarding for my flight in the lounge around 5 minutes before the scheduled boarding time. So, I headed over to the gate but boarding had not commenced and I ended up waiting around the gate area for more than 40 minutes.

The flight ended up being delayed. I would have returned to the lounge but there was no information initially that the flight would be delayed and it looked like boarding could begin any time (but didn’t).

Why call boarding in the lounge if it’s not actually close to starting? Especially now that the lounge is located after security.

There is another thread on this buried somewhere as it has been a very very long standing issue in MEL T3 (and sometimes T4).

After several calls by members of AFF to VA and complaints to the VA lounge dragons, the excuse from VA1 and VA2 has been that MEL airport controls the flight information boards that the VA staff use and they are on timers, with limited 'real time' information put in - which is apparently 'hap hazard', so they are often inaccurate.

So VA just continues to blame MEL airport instead of fixing the issue, which of course is not helpful to customers because we don't care, we just want accurate information!

 

[clifford]

Why not just hang back in the lounge (they know you're there) until you get personally paged?

 

[BCons]

Why not just hang back in the lounge (they know you're there) until you get personally paged?

ah yes, wait for the personal invitation to board…!

 

[dandandan]

It's sometimes worth it to get there though before boarding has started if you have carry on luggage.

 

[FishFood]

ah yes, wait for the personal invitation to board…!

I had this recently before a Jetstar flight, a bit embarrassing but I was making the most of the lounge

 

[serfty]

I had this recently before a Jetstar flight, a bit embarrassing but I was making the most of the lounge

I suspect this was not at MEL.

There is another thread on this buried somewhere as it has been a very very long standing issue in MEL T3 (and sometimes T4).

After several calls by members of AFF to VA and complaints to the VA lounge dragons, the excuse from VA1 and VA2 has been that MEL airport controls the flight information boards that the VA staff use and they are on timers, with limited 'real time' information put in - which is apparently 'hap hazard', so they are often inaccurate.

So VA just continues to blame MEL airport instead of fixing the issue, which of course is not helpful to customers because we don't care, we just want accurate information!

Yes, early boarding calls from the MEL VA lounge have been SOP for years. I presume due to the lounge being, until recently, landside.

Maybe they are still doing it out of habit.

I have learned to ignore them, using various online tools to ascertain the likelihood of boarding being delayed.

 

[BNEFlyer]

I don't think I've ever been in the lounge to hear the boarding call. Usually out of the lounge a few minutes before then.

 

[Ade]

Slightly OT : I had this happen once when on a QF flight MEL-CBR. The boarding gate was one of those 30-ish ones, which is at the far end of the terminal, go down the stairs and walk to the plane types. There was a initial/first boarding call for the flight, so I left the lounge immediately. But before I could exit the lounge, last & final boarding call was announced and by the time I crossed the cafe, my name was blaring in the speakers that I'm the last person to board blah blah .. I had a carry on suit case & a backpack, so can't really run ... and when I was near the staircase, they said offloading procedures will commence .. I'm like jeez ... pretty stressful

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Noticed this at MEL both on Sunday and then a couple of weeks ago post-AFL GF. Mrs Hawk is a nervous flyer (as in, doesn't want to miss the flight) and hence I get the "pull" to depart the lounge whenever the first call is made and/or the board flashes up as "Boarding". BNE and SYD are relatively good though.

 

[marty_gc]

Can't remember if it was BNE or MEL but sat in the VA lounge and watched one of the AFL teams wait until the final boarding call before they left and headed towards the gate. Guess they travel every week and know when to time their run - plus unlikely VA will let a plane leave without 30 odd players - especially as they are major sponsors!

 

[antycbr]

Can't remember if it was BNE or MEL but sat in the VA lounge and watched one of the AFL teams wait until the final boarding call before they left and headed towards the gate. Guess they travel every week and know when to time their run - plus unlikely VA will let a plane leave without 30 odd players - especially as they are major sponsors!

If it was the Swans they’d choke on the way to the gate, delaying the departure.