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

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

We're on an 0730 departure from SYD tomorrow morning, whilst returning a hire car as well. Will be interesting to see how much of a zoo T2 is and whether the Premium Entry is a boon or not.

 

[Brissy1]

Flew out of syd T2 this morning. Arrived at 9am for a 10am flight (precovid would have arrived at 9:20). No queue.

 

[klymen]

Flew out of syd T2 this morning. Arrived at 9am for a 10am flight (precovid would have arrived at 9:20). No queue.

Exactly the point I was making in my post which was hived off into a new thread. I arrived 08:40 for an 09:30 - no queue at all.

Longer wait for coffee in the SYD lounge this morning than for (regular) security. Maybe we need a premium coffee cart. WP benefit?

(some better than mediocre coffee would be nice too)

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Entered T2 just before 0600 - took one look at the Premium Check-in line (as we had one bag that was borderline for checking) and decided to just carry on. Actual security line looked like it was about a 5 minute queue.
Straight through lounge entry security and enjoying my coffee <5 minutes later.
VA needs to get this feature back full time ASAP.

 

[RickyT84]

Was talking to a check in agent SYD earlier this evening and she noted premium entry is now also open in the afternoon from 3 to 6.

Sounds like there are slowing reinstating this feature which is good news.

 

[antycbr]

Was talking to a check in agent SYD earlier this evening and she noted premium entry is now also open in the afternoon from 3 to 6.

Sounds like there are slowing reinstating this feature which is good news.

Excellent news as it covers the peaks when you’re most likely to be delayed at security.

VA recently surveyed me about the airport experience and the lack of priority access in Sydney was top of my list.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

VA recently surveyed me about the airport experience and the lack of priority access in Sydney was top of my list.

I received the same survey. I believe I described T2 security as a massive clusterf11k.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I received the same survey. I believe I described T2 security as a massive clusterf11k.

The key thing about security at airports in general and at T2 in SYD specifically is passengers arrive at the airport at the wrong time. I mean if you arrive at the airport when there are long security queues, don't be surprised if you'll be waiting in line for some time. What is crucial is to travel when those queues won't be there. Makes all the difference in the travel experience!

-RooFlyer88

 

[ozstamps]

What is crucial is to travel when those queues won't be there.

-RooFlyer88

That same very cunning logic applies to swimming at Bondi Beach etc.

Visit it in June as crowds are a ton less than Xmas time. Why don't the public figger that out????

For 95% of business travellers, who need to fly in mornings and not your suggested 2pm, the bog simple answer is for Virgin to spend the minor extra money and have the Premium entry open all day.

Virgin are spending a fortune courting mall business to use them, and not Qantas.

20 minutes in the Jetstar/Rex Zoo downstairs, even with no checked baggage, as I experienced last week, with ZERO priority lines, and they'll not stay long with Virgin.

Yes there is a truly modest cost to this, but selling even a dozen or two more $799 Biz tickets a DAY pays that in SPADES for folks to dodge the bogan zoo downstairs. The super expensive, paid airport space is already there, the belts and scanners are there, a few hours of added staffing costs is the only extra needed - EASILY covered by 10 or 20 extra Biz tickets sod - bog basic economics.

Get out of cab - walk 20 metres to agent for BP, whisk thru the adjoining near empty scanners and then 20 metres into a coffee in MINUTES, not a half hour. THAT is how to steal a lot of busy biz pax off Qantas.

 

[jakeseven7]

Virgin are spending a fortune courting mall business to use them, and not Qantas.

They are spending a very small amount of money tactically to try and pick up some small business / cost conscious small business…by leveraging the backbone of a system that already existed... I’m not sure I’d call that spending a fortune Jayne knows if they try to be too bold with corporates -business it will be game on with QF again and we know how that story ends

 

[pangwen]

That same very cunning logic applies to swimming at Bondi Beach etc.

Visit it in June as crowds are a ton less than Xmas time. Why don't the public figger that out????

Maybe next time I'll go to Bondi at 10pm in the evening to avoid the crowds!

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Our through SYD again this morning, but a touch later at 0830 into the building, 1000 departure. Minimum queue although still had to wend our way through the ropes and bollards. Pleasantly surprised to say the least.

 

[ChrisBNE]

SYD 5PM and the premium entry was roped off. Zero queues through the standard security.

 

[RickyT84]

Just to add further from my experience last Thursday, there was no queues at security all when I arrived at the airport just before 6:30pm so no complaints from me.

Guess priority security would be most useful during Friday evenings and school holidays when there are lots of people travelling.

 

[MooTime]

Just to add further from my experience last Thursday, there was no queues at security all when I arrived at the airport just before 6:30pm so no complaints from me.

Guess priority security would be most useful during Friday evenings and school holidays when there are lots of people travelling.

Will be going thru MEL Friday 2-3pm so see what the hoopla all about.

Now what were those burgers Thur/Fri arvo's about. hmm can taste one already.

 

[AIRwin]

Will be going thru MEL Friday 2-3pm so see what the hoopla all about.

Now what were those burgers Thur/Fri arvo's about. hmm can taste one already.

You may miss out as it's served only from 5 pm on Wednesdays to Fridays..

 

[dairyfloss]

Went through with no delay at all on Sunday 13-Nov for our flight from SYD to MCY. Arrived to the airport at 0700 for an 0810 departure time. No premium entry, but premium check-in was open. No queue for us in premium, and were on our way to security within a few mins (needed to check a child seat, so that added a little time). The general bag drop queue was fairly long, probably 3-4 turns (?) deep from the counters.

Also had good fortunes at security, as it was quiet enough already, and then we were directed to a newly opened screening lane and so didn't have a wait for even a single pax ahead. Happy days!

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[sudoer]

SYD premium entry open today at 4:10pm. Overheard one of the staff saying it was opening all mornings but only Thursday & Friday arvos. Lounge is packed the rafters, dozens wandering in circles looking for a seat.

 

[RickyT84]

SYD premium entry open today at 4:10pm. Overheard one of the staff saying it was opening all mornings but only Thursday & Friday arvos. Lounge is packed the rafters, dozens wandering in circles looking for a seat.

Agree that the SYD lounge is pretty packed in the afternoon peak especially if/when flights are delayed which was my experience last Thursday.

The bright side is that upstairs (level 4) is open (maybe during peak times only) which is an oasis compared to downstairs. There was hardly anyone up there during my last visit and it was a good place for plane spotting.

Only downside is the need to walk downstairs for food and drinks but thats fine for me as I prefer the peace and quiet upstairs.

 

[ferntree]

Agree that the SYD lounge is pretty packed in the afternoon peak especially if/when flights are delayed which was my experience last Thursday.

The bright side is that upstairs (level 4) is open (maybe during peak times only) which is an oasis compared to downstairs. There was hardly anyone up there during my last visit and it was a good place for plane spotting.

Only downside is the need to walk downstairs for food and drinks but thats fine for me as I prefer the peace and quiet upstairs.

Gee thanks for posting! I'm fairly new to Virgin (a Virgin virgin haha) and hadn't realised there is an upstairs!