QF domestic lounges - less relevant nowadays?

[Nightwatchman]

Years ago, the airport lounge was a significant step up from the terminal, and lounge membership had clear benefits.

These days, however, I find myself rarely going into the QF lounge at domestic airports, and there are several resons for this;

1. The food is no where near as good as it was - try having a 'meal' in a domestic lounge, it is nearly impossible. 20 rice crackers, an apple and a plate full of mixed nuts does not constitute a meal.

2. The coffee is much better outside in the terminal.

3, Wireless broadband means I don't need the lounge to check my email.

4. Most newer terminals (e.g. Syd / Mel / Bris) have nice areas where one can sit in comfort, with a view which are reasonably quiet (I have preferred spots in all terminal).


I don't pay for Qantas Club membership, but if I had too, I reckon I may not.

Internationally it is different - where showers are a godsend.

 

[acampbel]

... 1. The food is no where near as good as it was - try having a 'meal' in a domestic lounge, it is nearly impossible. 20 rice crackers, an apple and a plate full of mixed nuts does not constitute a meal.

But it does an adequate job of soaking up the beer, and once in a blue moon you just happen to be passing the bain-marie when it is re-stocked, and you can play happy hooker in the scrum that forms behind you.

2. The coffee is much better outside in the terminal.

Coffee ?!? Did they run out of beer ??!!??

3, Wireless broadband means I don't need the lounge to check my email.

But a proper table is far more comfortable than your lap .... and there's always space to rest your beer.

4. Most newer terminals (e.g. Syd / Mel / Bris) have nice areas where one can sit in comfort, with a view which are reasonably quiet (I have preferred spots in all terminal).

They have toilets in the QC too ... and if someone tidies away your beer in the meantime you can just go get another!


Fine. There's more to the QC than just free beer - when they run out I switch to Shiraz.

 

[JohnK]

I don't pay for Qantas Club membership, but if I had too, I reckon I may not.

I don't think I would be paying for QC lounge access either.

I don't know what it was like years ago but I am quite happy with what is on offer today at most domestic QC lounges. I am only a recent addition to the ranks of QF Gold and so far I have enjoyed the amount of time I have spent in the QC lounges. Last week the 1 hour in the DRW QC instead of finding a seat in the full terminal outside was great and the 2 hours in the ADL QC with free beer and internet access was great as well.

 

[bravoecho1]

I still find the benefits of the QP applicable, mainly the meeting rooms to meet with clients, but also the HP's and quiet areas and obviously the international benefits

 

[coco50]

I reached QF Plat six months after deciding to fly with Qantas post-AN, and held that status for a couple of years. I was reduced to gold a couple of years ago and that could be under threat this year. If that happens, the last 6 months of the fee I paid on joining the QP will kick in. I think that I will continue to belong, even if I have to pay, for the following reasons:

• There is food and tea/coffee available - especially the breakfast option (which is the best food available in QP)
• The price charged for beer/wines is really good (despite upfront membership)
• It can be a haven from the scrum of the terminal concourses
• The option for a shower when needed is really good (I remember once travelling from ABX -SYD on the XPT overnight - why did I do this? Arrived at Central combuggerlypleted at 0620. Since I was flying to BNK at 1400 that afternoon,got the train to T2, checked in, went to the QP and had a shower and shave and then feeling refreshed had a good breakfast and was ready to face the world. This made the rest of the day tolerable).
• When travelling overseas there is the opportunity to access lounges where eligible - this is far preferable to mixing it in the departure lounges or rip-off shops.

Having said that, I do wish QF would improve the quality and range of the food it provides in lounges. Am I dreamin' or is my memory gone or was the food better in the Ansett Golden Wing Lounge?

 

[Mal]

The ability to shower in a decent environment is great.

Although I don't use the QF showers much, this would be one of the perks I like.

The alcohol is great - when it's served.

As for food, I wish the selection was better and that they had real food at Lunch as well as dinner. Alas I don't think my wish will come true.

I do think the lounges are getting more and more crowded. I wonder if it's now easier to earn Gold/Plat, and that's causing the issue, or whether it's the sheer amount of "discount" corporate memberships being sold.

 

[Nightwatchman]

I do think the lounges are getting more and more crowded

Melbourne and Brisbane lounges (and Sydney also I dare say) are fairly packed between 1600-1830 during the week - queue for a beer and struggle to find somewhere to sit sometimes.

I prefer a quiet spot in the terminal with a real coffee, or even paying for my own beer.

 

[serfty]

... I prefer a quiet spot in the terminal with a real coffee, or even paying for my own beer.

I really like the brew produced by the expresso machines; certainly better than most.

As for buying a beer when I can have one 'complimentary'; my Scottish Grandfather would turn in his Grave(/Urn). :shock:

YMMV ...

 

[markis10]

The benfits of lounge access have certainly dropped since the demise of Ansett and Golden Wing, although I have noticed a change in the food quality and variety in recent weeks, I was getting a bit sick of kabana and cheese after 10 years. Wonder if that has something to do with VB offering an upgraded lounge service?

Never knock back a free beer when I can but it is hard when you are driving at the other end, maybe QF could add a new teir that gives you access to Qantas drive for free for the year for an additional subscription price, bet that would be popular (and upset the airports that like their parking revenue).

 

[markis10]

I go and say the food is improving and guess what happens, no muffins in the Syd QP this morning, how long has that been going on?

 

[Yada Yada]

The benfits of lounge access have certainly dropped since the demise of Ansett and Golden Wing, although I have noticed a change in the food quality and variety in recent weeks, I was getting a bit sick of kabana and cheese after 10 years. Wonder if that has something to do with VB offering an upgraded lounge service?

I hope that is the case. Competition is sorely needed. I agree that brekkie is best at the QP. The rest of the day seems to be predominantly cheese and crackers.

I've just purchased one of DJ's Blue Plus fares for MEL-SYD next Thursday so that I can sample the new DJ lounge. I'll report back on the food.

 

[NM]

ODU can only be done from the lounge, so that can be a good reason for some people to enter.

 

[Commuter]

Melbourne and Brisbane lounges (and Sydney also I dare say) are fairly packed between 1600-1830 during the week - queue for a beer and struggle to find somewhere to sit sometimes.

BNE lounge is pretty crowded on Sunday evenings too. Also TSV - that's pretty crowded on Friday evenings. I assume it's full of people commuting back to their place of residence.

However, the real benefit, to me, is that it's open before the coffee shops are open at BNE, and also if I forget to recharge my laptop before setting off

 

[meloz]

BNE put egg in their potato salad, no one else seems to. Can we get some standardisation please.

Meloz

 

[Commuter]

BNE put egg in their potato salad, no one else seems to. Can we get some standardisation please.

Meloz

Which way, standardise with or without?

BNE didn't have any soup the other evening. What time do they normally stop serving it?

 

[freqbugsmasher]

The ability to shower in a decent environment is great.

Although I don't use the QF showers much, this would be one of the perks I like.

The alcohol is great - when it's served.

Yup the showers have saved many a life (mine and possibly others) after some trips that I've done recently (PER-BNE, 11hrs O/N, BNE-EMD-BNE-MLB-PER was the most recent shocker in at total of ~35 hrs).

And as for the alcohol, that's just there for the fun.

 

[serfty]

Yup the showers have saved many a life ... as for the alcohol, that's just there for the fun.

More interesting to take both at once... (responsibly, of course)

 

[freqbugsmasher]

I have found that the best QP (beverage wise) is in the new ADL, where they have pints of Coopers on tap. I'm not sure if this is a new thing as I can't remember the old QP. If it is I'd like to suggest that they refit the PER QP to provide some of the better WA beers, Little Creatures Pale Ale springs to mind. The LC Rogers is not a bad drop either, for those who would like a mid. That way QF could allow some members of the forum to do not only a SC/Points run, but a "Round Australia in Eight(y:mrgreen Beers" run as well.

 

[mileagemax]

... I was getting a bit sick of kabana and cheese after 10 years...

I love the kabana and cheese. Actually what type of cheese is it at MEL? It tastes great and is the highlight of visiting the QP for me

 

[sully]

The main problem I have with lounges is that the kiddies tend to be a little unruly. Ma and pa tend to let them run wilder these days.

While the DOM food is generally poor apart from brekky the free grog, TVs and newspapers are a bit of a consolation.

The only thing that would tempt me from the lounge would be if the had a decent brewpub with real beer rather than the usual rubbish out there in non-QP land.