Thanks Flying duck! And thank you for such a generous offer I live only ten minutes away from ADL airport, so I was quite keen on taking you up on your offer until I realised that I'll be in Queensland at that time. What's the VA lounge like in Adelaide? Do you think it's just as good as the Qantas Club?
I took a friend not long ago who had never been in a loungeand I recount the conversation below.
Him: How much is the beer here?
Me: Free mate
Him: No the crown largers not the tap stuff
Me; Free
Him: really wow. What about the food?
Me: Free
Him: No not the nuts the whole buffet thing?
Me: yeah mate all part of it, free
Him : I am never leaving here ever. if I miss my flight I just don't care.
Me: grab me a beer please while you are there
Him on return: I reckon I should have my daughters 21st here, would save me a fortune, the guests could come in one at a time with the extra pass.
Me: It doesn't work that way
Him: sigh, its a shame, I am off to get some of those cheese and salami things. Say isn't that the bloke off the TV? Oh wow I love his show
and on it went for the next hour and 6 beers later. It was like seeing my kids open their Xmas gifts
For non lounge people it is awesome and I remember those days.
ADL VA lounge is ok without being great. Can get a little busy and in the afternoons in summer the heat coming through the windows can be a bit too much. The beers are probably close to the coldest ones you will get though which is always goodThanks for your enthusiasm @Nat Z. Keep an eye on the lounge meetup sub-forum and there is a good chance you can share your enthusiasm with other AFFers. Lounge Meetups
Oh, I haven't been to the ADL VA lounge, but I hear it is very underwelming. So best to stick with the QP.
Good luck with the study, and see you in a lounge somewhere.
Edit: The ADL barista* is at the other end of the long bar away from the windows.
*Not to be confused with an ADL AFFer.
Blatant plugI don't get excited about our domestic lounges per se, but I appreciate them and miss them when I end up flying with an airline where I don't have status.
On the other hand, I very much do get excited about some of the international lounges. In fact, I still arrive early for my CX flights so I can spend a few more hours in the Pier whenever I can. A few rounds of coughtails and noodles, a hot shower and my own little corner (because there's almost always still a corner free)... One of these days, I'll even make it to the F lounge and I'm sure my mind will be blown!
As others have said, the VA lounge in Adelaide is in my view inferior by a fair way to Qantas lounge. The ADL Qantas lounge is better than most other domestic club lounges in fact. As also mentioned above, VA lounge in ADL does have greater beer selection (if that's your thing), but food selection is always a long way behind Qantas, whilst not fantastic is still good. If I go at lunch or dinner times, I'd prefer to get something outside to eat and then go into the lounge...or just have too many chicken wings or spring rolls in the lounge (QAN).
I don't get excited about our domestic lounges per se, but I appreciate them and miss them when I end up flying with an airline where I don't have status.
On the other hand, I very much do get excited about some of the international lounges. In fact, I still arrive early for my CX flights so I can spend a few more hours in the Pier whenever I can. A few rounds of coughtails and noodles, a hot shower and my own little corner (because there's almost always still a corner free)... One of these days, I'll even make it to the F lounge and I'm sure my mind will be blown!
Having just had two Jetstar flights in NZ with no lounge access I was not happy Jan. Clean toilets make lounges worthwhile
Clean facilities is pretty much one of the best things about lounges.
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The CI lounge in T2 is pretty average but the one in T1 is excellent IMO. Had a large assortment of dim sum and and a top notch noodle bar. It’s about a 15 minute walk from T2 but it’s worth itI’m not the frequent flyer in our family, I got involved in this forum primarily for info for my better half.
I’ve got no status at all, pretty much, but she’s Platinum ... I’ve managed to fly with her internationally 3 times now, and as a pleb there’s definitely some Wow Factor involved in a good 1st lounge & in clean dedicated toilets & in showers when you’ve got a 4hr wait in an airport!
Plus we flew my mum & sister down to Melbourne last year for Mum’s birthday; it worked well having the business class lounge as a place to pass some time & even grab lunch on the way, especially as travelling with people who don’t travel often can be full of unexpected delays so you want to be there a tad earlier than usual. And as first-timers, they thought it was pretty cool too, even though that lounge isn’t a patch on the international QF J lounge let alone F.
Unfortunately, I believe her Platinum membership disappears at the end of May; I’ve not had a chance to do the CX thing in HK, she said even the London CX lounge was pretty nice.
We’re taking a J trip on China Airlines to the UK next month (thanks to AFF for the heads-up on J fares that cost the same as SG Premium and cheaper than QF!) ... even though I know Sky Team lounges are pretty lame & the CI lounge in Taipei ain’t so great (dunno why Asian airlines don’t do noodles & dumplings & the like - surely that can be done cheaper than sangers & taste way better!), I’m still going to be enjoying myself in said lounges & the fact that our 4hr-ish waits in Taipei will have somewhere to sit around & shower.