Will Virgin's Premium Lounge Entries open back up at some point?

[Digicola]

MEL lounge priority exit was open today. Now if only Sydney could follow suite.

 

[antycbr]

MEL lounge priority exit was open today. Now if only Sydney could follow suite.

I asked yesterday afternoon - shortage of screening staff was used as the reason by the Plat check in agent.

The lines for screening stretched all the way behind the VA checkin desks and wrapped around at the left hand end back towards the service desk.

 

[MH_fan]

Got caught up in the massive queue for security last Friday morning at T2. I've never seen it that bad before! Took 45 minutes to get through. Got same reason for VA premium entry not opening that they can't get staff but there's talk that it should be open sometime next month. Here's hoping!

 

[oldmatejeff]

Just had a quick chat to the Sydney lounge desk, similar situation to Melbourne. They say reopening is under review by Sydney airport and delays are mostly due to a lack of security personnel.

 

[RickyT84]

Think its about time VA considers the reopening the priority entry/exit at SYD, MEL and BNE as flights seem to be pretty full these days and the regular security lines can get pretty long.

The lines at SYD were pretty long last Thursday but at least they had all lanes open so people moved fairly quickly.

Was (pleasantly) surprised there was no queue when I returned from MEL Monday afternoon where all three lanes had only a handful of pax.

 

[ozstamps]

Just had a quick chat to the Sydney lounge desk, similar situation to Melbourne. They say reopening is under review by Sydney airport and delays are mostly due to a lack of security personnel.

All it takes is PAYING to have them there!

Clearly no appetite for that.

 

[Ewing]

This was security in Sydney last week. It took an hour to get through and I made the flight just as I was about to be offloaded.

I'm not sure how many people missed the flight, but given they had to find new pax for the exit rows (I was in 1F and overhead the crew organising for people to be moved) I'd say a few.

Despite the very tempting business fares right now I'm avoiding booking VA until they re-open the premium entry. I'm flying about every 3 weeks now.

 

[Mattg]

This was security in Sydney last week. It took an hour to get through and I made the flight just as I was about to be offloaded.

I'm not sure how many people missed the flight, but given they had to find new pax for the exit rows (I was in 1F and overhead the crew organising for people to be moved) I'd say a few.

Despite the very tempting business fares right now I'm avoiding booking VA until they re-open the premium entry. I'm flying about every 3 weeks now.

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Out of interest, did you check to see if the downstairs security checkpoint was open in T2?

 

[MH_fan]

Out of interest, did you check to see if the downstairs security checkpoint was open in T2? ...

When I was there a week and a half ago, where the security queues were huge, it wasn't (I checked out of desperation when I left my travelling companion in the main queue).

 

[Ewing]

Out of interest, did you check to see if the downstairs security checkpoint was open in T2?

The escalators were out of action and it was a 10 minute wait for the elevator to get up to departures (everyone was sent out to queue for the carpark elevators - stairs were not available). If I went down to check and it was closed, I would have missed my flight.

 

[Matty F]

I would have missed my flight.

Should they not have process in place for when security lines are through the door?

In the past I've seen Virgin staff come through the line and shout out flights leaving soon, and taking pax to the front. To be fair, this was pre-covid when they didn't have the current situation with staffing.

I've also seen flights being delayed to accommodate. It's rare to see pax offloaded when you have an abnormal security queues.

 

[Ewing]

Should they not have process in place for when security lines are through the door?

In the past I've seen Virgin staff come through the line and shout out flights leaving soon, and taking pax to the front. To be fair, this was pre-covid when they didn't have the current situation with staffing.

I've also seen flights being delayed to accommodate. It's rare to see pax offloaded when you have an abnormal security queues.

I made myself known to staff when my flight came up as Final Call, especially when they started funneling ground crew in front of me when I was close to the front of the queue.

Their response (and I quote): "I don't care".

I eventually had to push past the ground staff myself.

 

[kpc]

Their response (and I quote): "I don't care".

I eventually had to push past the ground staff myself.

that's bad!

 

[ozstamps]

Not today in MEL sadly.

Asked why at desk, and she said it 'depends on the security staff.' I said - 'you had it working well yesterday, correct? and she agreed.

Nearly missed the flight as security was a total zoo at 7.30am, gate was #9 down the end, and no-one was policing the alleged 'Priority' line, and everyone with a pulse was in that as it was tad shorter.

Why even have it there it if no check is made? The Security at MEL Domestic has been like Cattle Pens for years. Yes it has to be somewhere, and BEFORE lounges and gates is the obvious place.

We totally avoid MEL for connections as getting to the arrival gate, getting to Lounge, and back to departure gate is a total time lottery.

Why MEL airport did not finally join the 21st Century, and put all security upstairs BEFORE lounges in the quiet 2 year COVID break, only they would know. Huge opportunity lost. Welcome to www.HillBillyAirport.com

Desk lady told me 'that issue is being worked on.'

So is global warming apparently!

Both MEL and SYD can be real messes, where you can near miss fights as I posted above recently and others are reporting.

Jayney and The Cost Cutting Posse should focus on real world issues like this as a priority. They are paying for all that mega expensive kerbside space in SYD, and have not used it at all for 2 years. And MEL is clearly a lottery depending on the Phases Of The Moon

 

[Harrison_133]

Jayney and The Cost Cutting Posse should focus on real world issues like this as a priority. They are paying for all that mega expensive kerbside space in SYD, and have not used it at all for 2 years. And MEL is clearly a lottery depending on the Phases Of The Moon

How exactly is short-staffed security a result of Jayne’s cost-cutting? VA don’t employ their own security screening staff…. it’s more the issue of the security providers at SYD/MEL/BNE etc, and it’s not as if JQ/QF/ZL are immune from this…

 

[andye]

How exactly is short-staffed security a result of Jayne’s cost-cutting? VA don’t employ their own security screening staff…. it’s more the issue of the security providers at SYD/MEL/BNE etc, and it’s not as if JQ/QF/ZL are immune from this…

The separate VA Premium entry is currently closed at SYD as per thread title

 

[Harrison_133]

The separate VA Premium entry is currently closed at SYD as per thread title

Well aware…. the main screening point is short-staffed, so where are they getting staff for the premium entry? Not exactly in VA’s control….

 

[ozstamps]

VA paid for the security staff at SYD. If they agree to pay again, it will re-open. Simple.

Clearly the recent vicious cost-cuttingPosse means they are not so keen now, but still pay massive rent on the empty kerb side area that was used for this. Like a Monty Python script.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Why do you even frequent the VA forum? All you seem to do is whinge and carry on about problems that are usually not in the control of Virgin, or things you think should be done differently (but no one else does..)

 

[ozstamps]

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Why do you even frequent the VA forum? All you seem to do is whinge and carry on about problems that are usually not in the control of Virgin, or things you think should be done differently (but no one else does..)

I started this thread. which I remind you is headed -

''Will Sydney lounge direct check-in door open back up at some point?''​

Do you have any relevant input you'd care to add to it, rather than your regular dreary off-topic personal attacks, on my perfect right to ask relevant questions of this Airline that I give a large sum of money to each year, and have done for 10 years as a Platinum member.

This issue re SYD kerb entry security station, is ENTIRELY in the control of Virgin.

Your ONLY post on this entire thread is to swoop in and make your usual personal ad hominem attack, and not address the topic in any way.

Customers are missing, or near missing planes, due to the current security backlogs in the main terminal in MEL and SYD, and I am not the only one with this issue by any means, if you had bothered to read this thread.

The Virgin staff response when asked this week was 'I Do Not Care''.