VA lounges becoming sporting clubs

[henleybeach]

Finally got a seat in the BNE VA lounge after being inside for 15 minutes.
There are currently 3 sporting teams in here :
- Southport sharks men’s football team
- Carlton AFW team
- Tigers NRLW team

A few weeks ago in Adelaide it was the Hawks men’s AFL team and the South Australian cricket team in the lounge at the same time.

With all these sporting teams and their Entourage in the lounges, there isn’t enough seats, the athletes come in and decimate the food offerings and it’s quite loud.
As I type half the Carlton AFLW team is standing and half a dozen “normal travellers” have to stand as well.
Obviously it’s gotten worse over the last few years due to the introduction of national women’s competition. It’s a straight doubling of sporting teams inside the lounges.

This can’t be sustainable by VA? If they are going to allow all the sporting codes to come in, they need to expand the lounges.

It really does feel like you are sitting inside a sporting club

Thoughts ?

 

[knagelli]

I guess those teams give more business to VA than the plebs like us.

 

[ThatMrBlake]

To be fair - not that much different to the Qantas Clubs which often have sporting teams passing through

 

[Human]

Last time I encountered this was in the Sydney lounge which was standing room only and -- very annoyingly -- they didn't open up the upstairs section. However, my annoyance was soothed somewhat by the fact that one of the teams was on the same flight as I was, and as a result the flight was so full that I was upgraded to Business!

 

[Cloud9]

This, for me, is a good enough reason to retain OWE status...

 

[Human]

It can also be good fun if you're a fan and the team members are kind and generous enough to have a conversation with you. This happened to me in the aftermath of the basketball women's Asia Cup last year. Members of the Opals were in the Qantas Club in Sydney, going home after the tournament ended, and I had a lovely chat with a few of them including the captain.

 

[goldenhorn]

Yeah it's a pain. Had a hockey team in PER VA lounge last time I was there. They were SO loud and noisy. As soon as they left it was blissfully quiet.

 

[simmomelb]

This, for me, is a good enough reason to retain OWE status...

Even though Qantas has just as many sporting teams passing through their lounges? They don't all fly with VA that's for certain.

I've seen it on both sides (QF & VA lounges), but it doesn't personally bother me (usually only 15 - 20 pax extra).
No different to a busy lounge which happens in peak at both VA and QF.

 

[Cloud9]

Even though Qantas has just as many sporting teams passing through their lounges? They don't all fly with VA that's for certain.

I've seen it on both sides (QF & VA lounges), but it doesn't personally bother me.
No different to a busy lounge which happens in peak at both VA and QF.

Ah, mea culpa. I read above that it was the Qantas Clubs that were getting the sporting teams through. Thought the Dom J lounges might have been a sanctuary.

Then I remembered how much money gets wasted on sport, so I dare say more likely they're flying J than Y... Mea culpa, indeed.

 

[Human]

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).

 

[jakeseven7]

Last time I encountered this was in the Sydney lounge which was standing room only and -- very annoyingly -- they didn't open up the upstairs section.

This is super irritating in Sydney. So often I’m there and it’s crammed but upstairs is shut because…. Why? Cost savings?

 

[simmomelb]

This is super irritating in Sydney. So often I’m there and it’s crammed but upstairs is shut because…. Why? Cost savings?

Definitely for cost-saving reasons, although my last trip to Sydney a couple of weeks back, they opened upstairs, just no staff or bar open up there, but I was okay with that, at least it gave people more room to spread out, a better view and quite place to relax.

 

[drron]

Possibly 20 years ago
Flying QFJ SIN -SYD apart from us and 1 other couple every else in the upstairs J cabin was with the Kangaroos ( NRL). They were very friendly and well behaved.
And in the lounge pre flight they would go out side if they had a phone call unlike the suits.
Had a nice long chat with Alfie Langer as we both lived in Caloundra. He was on the coaching staff by then.
And have seen many teams in the QF lounge. Only a few visits to the VA lounge and can’t remember a sporting team there.

 

[TomVexille]

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).

I've been in the MEL J lounge at the same time as the Perth Glory Womens team

 

[serfty]

23rd I was in MEL VA lounge - the Bombers were heading to Gold Coast and Hawks to Launie.

All well behaved, quiet.

Of course, MEL is probably the biggest of the lounges (assuming SYD upstairs remains mainly closed) so can handle it somewhat better. Both teams congregated towards the South West end.

I did experience the Dee's and entourage filling the OOL VA lounge a couple of years ago.

 

[travelislife]

23rd I was in MEL VA lounge - the Bombers were heading to Gold Coast and Hawks to Launie.

All well behaved, quiet.

Of course, MEL is probably the biggest of the lounges (assuming SYD upstairs remains mainly closed) so can handle it somewhat better. Both teams congregated towards the South West end.

I did experience the Dee's and entourage filling the OOL VA lounge a couple of years ago.

Melbourne lounge has the area that used to be where the direct security exit was, they should convert this space in to a group space for sporting teams and the like. Similar Sydney, stick them upstairs…

 

[buggy00]

Don't know if it's related. But honestly would love to see if Virgin goes the route of Qantas and splitting lounges based on flight class/ status. I wonder if Virgin even has enough floor space at any of the major airports for it?

 

[lovestotravel]

If only VA had J lounges.......

 

[simmomelb]

Don't know if it's related. But honestly would love to see if Virgin goes the route of Qantas and splitting lounges based on flight class/ status. I wonder if Virgin even has enough floor space at any of the major airports for it?

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.

 

[p--and--t]

If only VA had J lounges.......

If only they had any form of lounge in lots places they fly