VA lounges becoming sporting clubs

[lovestotravel]

They do have their Beyond lounges in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, which could be used for business class passengers in the future, instead of just, invite-only, but I don't see that happening under the current direction.
Given they don't offer a lounge to any passengers flying direct with VA to Bali, Fiji, Queenstown etc, I think this would be the last thing they would consider at this point.

I do always chuckle when checking in for a Fiji flight and the disappointment in business class passengers when they are told they don't have lounge access.

These people have furiously bid up to $1,000 each for that seat

 

[simmomelb]

I do always chuckle when checking in for a Fiji flight and the disappointment in business class passengers when they are told they don't have lounge access.

These people have furiously bid up to $1,000 each for that seat

Yeah, many would just assume they get a lounge, I would imagine, and Fiji isn't a budget destination so it would usually attract a different type of passenger to say, Bali.
But on a serious note, even Jetstar offers lounges for business class travellers and they are a budget airline, yet a "mid-market" airline doesn't :/

 

[Beano]

I saw the Wellington Phoenix in the Wellington Qantas International recently. They were a very well behaved bunch., hardly a squeak. Though it surprised me they were flying Qantas as representing NZ I thought they might have been flying Air NZ. Strangely not all were in the loung some were in the general boarding area.

 

[Saab34]

The AFL contract is up for renewal next year for the 2026 season and beyond. Wonder if QF might try to nab it back?

 

[serfty]

The AFL contract is up for renewal next year for the 2026 season and beyond. Wonder if QF might try to nab it back?

Of course they'll bid. They may or may not win.

 

[ThatMrBlake]

Of course they'll bid. They may or may not win.

Considering Virgin is a major sponsor of the AFL - unless that is going away (unlikely as it stuck around during the administration), then I don’t see them moving

 

[exceladdict]

I've never witnessed a sporting team flying business class ... though I understand that the Australian men's cricket team does? But the vast majority of club-level teams playing national competitions are in economy (and therefore, I guess, in the Qantas Club rather than the Business lounge when they fly Qantas).

Yep. Met Steve Smith on the way out of QF Syd dom J on their way to PER last year. We were in Y on that flight if I recall correctly so I can't recall if the whole team was in J