Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [No longer "Mid 2014" - maybe never!]

[SimonF]

re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [No longer "Mid 2014"]

Maybe put it in the car park haha.

 

[smatho10]

re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [No longer "Mid 2014"]

I have noticed the base fare HBA-MEL is now $105 (same with Sydney funny enough).

You would think a triple figure fare now requires some sought of experience leaving HBA... And by experience I do not mean $10 Boag/Cascades in the cafe

 

[SimonF]

re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [No longer "Mid 2014"]

Better chance of pigs flying.

 

[drron]

How many flights does VA have out of those ports though?

While not necessarily representative of the schedule across the week, this is for today:

HBA - 7 departures, with nothing 0600-1005, and 1330-1700
TSV - 7 departures, with nothing 0835-1120 and 1655-1940
DRW - 4 departures, with nothing 0105-0700 and 0700-1355

I'm all for more lounges but the frequency has to be there to justify them; a lounge in these ports would be a ghost town for large periods of the day and surely the capital involved can be better utilised elsewhere.

On the Townsville local news tonight TSV have said they are in talks with VA to open a lounge at TSV.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

On the Townsville local news tonight TSV have said they are in talks with VA to open a lounge at TSV.

I personally put TSV next to ROK for a lounge........that is, next to nil!

 

[mavrick9]

New lounges in Darwin DRW and Alice Springs ASP but still no Hobart.

Set to open 2013 (Delayed), 2014 (Delayed) and possibly 2015 ?
Virgin Australia delays Hobart, Darwin airport lounges to 2015 - Australian Business Traveller

I'd say the reason is that perhaps there is not a huge amount of GOLD / PLAT / LOUNGE MEMBERS originating from HBA. So there is no business case. And the QP isn't much chop anyway. But that's just my opinion.

 

[samh004]

I'd say the reason is that perhaps there is not a huge amount of GOLD / PLAT / LOUNGE MEMBERS originating from HBA. So there is no business case. And the QP isn't much chop anyway. But that's just my opinion.

They need to work on how a regional concept could be cheaper then, perhaps with a code printed on the BP like the QP in GLT.

 

[Eggsbenedict]

New lounges in Darwin DRW and Alice Springs ASP but still no Hobart.

Set to open 2013 (Delayed), 2014 (Delayed) and possibly 2015 ?
Virgin Australia delays Hobart, Darwin airport lounges to 2015 - Australian Business Traveller

I'd say the reason is that perhaps there is not a huge amount of GOLD / PLAT / LOUNGE MEMBERS originating from HBA. So there is no business case. And the QP isn't much chop anyway. But that's just my opinion.

Not being rude mavrick9 but I assume you don't fly out of Hobart much or at all. I do the Hobart trip once a month and there are times where priority boarding line is bigger than the normal boarding. It's also not unusual for the entire J to be full. I would have to say that on average I find Hobart J with higher loads than most other flights I take. The only thing I can understand is issues with the Airport but for someone who has done the majority of flying out of into and out of Hobart for the last 7 years its just not good enough!

 

[mavrick9]

Not being rude mavrick9 but I assume you don't fly out of Hobart much or at all.

I fly from MEL-HBA about 5 times a year.

But my point was about high value pax (J, Gold, Plat, Lounge Members) Originating their journey in HBA. Ie, Local's outbound.

Perhaps the heavy J Loads are mainlanders returning to MEL, SYD ?.

My point is that Lounge access in your Home port is of big value, and VA can't gain extra revenue (and profit) from building a HBA Lounge yet.

 

[777]

I think the reason for Hobart not having a lounge yet is pretty straightforward: There is currently nowhere to put it.

 

[blueturkey]

Was flying through hobart recently and there's some changes happening. They've moved security around near check-in side. Wouldn't be surprised if a lounge pops up soon.

 

[RooFlyer]

Was flying through hobart recently and there's some changes happening. They've moved security around near check-in side. Wouldn't be surprised if a lounge pops up soon.

I thought the same, but I still can't see any addition of room for a lounge. The changes are reconfiguring security, but I'm not sure if they have added lanes, or just moved the inadequate 2 that were there. Queues of 60 or more are common.

I still say a lounge would require significant capex and the airport owners are too greedy to do that, without extortionate rent to VA, which they sensible won't pay. It's only Hobart, after all.

 

[blackcat20]

Was flying through hobart recently and there's some changes happening. They've moved security around near check-in side. Wouldn't be surprised if a lounge pops up soon.

Noticed that. If you arrive then want to go back into departures you now have to leave the building, walk along the front path and re-enter further up. Then head to security on the right.

 

[rsellens]

It's only Hobart, after all.

As you live in Tasmania I presume that this remark is meant to be sarcastic.

 

[RooFlyer]

As you live in Tasmania I presume that this remark is meant to be sarcastic.

Facetious rather than sarcastic. See location on the left.

 

[smatho10]

I know this is not lounge related...

But HBA-MEL base fare is now $125 :shock:

For a family of 3 - $750 for a return trip to MEL is a bit rich now...

 

[Virgin Bart]

I know this is not lounge related...

But HBA-MEL base fare is now $125 :shock:

For a family of 3 - $750 for a return trip to MEL is a bit rich now...

This thread doesn't need to be related to the lounge... Since it seems the lounge will never happen.

 

[RooFlyer]

This thread doesn't need to be related to the lounge... Since it seems the lounge will never happen.

Especially since with the plans shown for the recent minor works for new security area, there is no hint of a 'future lounge'.

 

[SimonF]

Especially since with the plans shown for the recent minor works for new security area, there is no hint of a 'future lounge'.

It's super disappointing.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

It's super disappointing.

Given that Mrs swanning_it wants a Tassie trip around next March, I'm tending to believe we'll have to pack our own fold out camping table and chairs and set up our own VA lounge in the carpark........complete with King Island double brie with a smart chilli cranberry dipping sauce, accompanied by a nicely complex drop of Arras Grand Vintage cuvee. (come to think of it, bugger a VA lounge, that sounds almost tempting)!