MEL Lounge Hours

[Rotation]

Hey all

Long time no post, and even then, it's more on the VA board moreso than this one

I'm looking to travel in a couple of weeks to NZ for work, looking at getting the first VA flight over at 0630 - and I'm wondering what time the Melbourne lounge (albeit the temporary one) actually opens. NZ's page lists the lounge as opening 2 hours before the first departure - only I don't know if that's 2 hours before departure of the first flight in the Trans Tasman Alliance (ie - the VA flight), or specifically the flights operated on their own metal.

You'd think they're referring to their own flights, which first flight on NZ is to AKL at 0840, thus an 0640 opening. But, given the Trans Tasman Alliance, and the hope/expectation/point is that their frequent fliers may need to take the first flight out on the partner airline, you'd think that they'd open it for that market.

So - I'm wholly confused - any info you may have would be greatly appreciated

Also - has anyone been through the temporary lounge during the refit? How does it compare?

Thanks!!

Rotation

 

[cavemanzk]

Its two hours before the first Tasman Alliance flight, so should be open around 0430 (subject to MEL Airside hours).

Most of NZ's lounges Intl open at 0430, with the Domestic Lounges at 0500.

 

[Rotation]

Thanks caveman!!

I thought that would make sense, it just wasn't super clear on the site.

Cheers for that looking forward to getting back to NZ, albeit somewhat briefly.

 

[Rotation]

Another question for the helpful community - how strictly do they enforce the "guest must also be travelling on NZ or VA" rule? I'm travelling with a colleague for work - I'm VA Gold, she's QF Silver - obviously she doesn't get lounge access but wants to travel QF. We have comparable flight times, I was going to bring her into the NZ lounge, but I was wondering how strict they are on the rule.

Out of interest, it's a rule for NZ Koru members, but it's not a rule for VA Lounge, reading their separate terms and conditions. I figure that NZ probably charges VA for any of their members using the NZ lounge, so it'd be better to not care and charge VA for 2 pax instead of 1.

Thanks team!!

 

[Rotation]

Oh - on the VA website it does say that guests to NZ lounges are to comply with Koru rules, so maybe i don't have a leg to stand on...

 

[NZflygirl]

Yeah I don't think that one would work with the NZ lounge. Its different even from the QF lounge where I took my +1 in who was flying NZ home and was flying SYD-BNE.
The influences on the NZ carrier and Oz carriers are very different and they cater to significantly different sizes of populations and I think this is reflected in their respective lounge areas.

 

[Rotation]

Thanks NZflygirl When I saw the line at the bottom of the Virgin page about adhering to Koru terms, I'm like well yes, now that I've posted on a forum, of course I find the answer

It's all good - like a great work colleague, I'll be ditching her and meeting her on the other side hahaha. It's all good, she'll just get herself a QF Club membership - which works well for me because I always like to be super early to enjoy the lounges, and she prefers to be a bit more... close to the time stuff has to happen.

Thanks again!

 

[Jack_OC]

Hijacking an old thread here, but can anyone confirm that the MEL Koru lounge is open prior to the 06:30 VA departures? And also any comments on what the temporary Koru lounge is like?

Is it true that it's located where the old United lounge was? If so, IIRC, that was one of the smallest lounges I've ever been in, and I'm struggling to imagine how it would cope with the number of people that I typically saw in the old Koru lounge. Although perhaps at 5.30am that won't be such an issue?

 

[clifford]

And also any comments on what the temporary Koru lounge is like?

Is it true that it's located where the old United lounge was?

I've heard it's in what was the old MH lounge. Is that the same place? I'll be flying out of MEL in a couple of weeks in TG J and am also wondering about lounges.

I'm thinking of using the dom QF lounge first (I'm arriving on QF from CBR) and then maybe going to the SQ lounge. I've been to NZ temporary lounges before and it's not an experience I would be looking forward to.

 

[Jack_OC]

I've heard it's in what was the old MH lounge. Is that the same place? I'll be flying out of MEL in a couple of weeks in TG J and am also wondering about lounges.

I'm thinking of using the dom QF lounge first (I'm arriving on QF from CBR) and then maybe going to the SQ lounge. I've been to NZ temporary lounges before and it's not an experience I would be looking forward to.

Yeah, I'm expecting the worst! I don't think the old MH lounge is the same as the old UA lounge, but I could be wrong. I'm travelling at the weekend so I will let you know how it goes. I'm flying with VA, so I won't have any other feasible lounge option - I'm not sure if they'd let me in to the VA dom lounge, but in any case with a 6.30am departure I'm not going to have enough time to go to the wrong terminal just to get a half decent lounge, so it will be either NZ temporary lounge or the public area!

 

[NZflygirl]

Hijacking an old thread here, but can anyone confirm that the MEL Koru lounge is open prior to the 06:30 VA departures? And also any comments on what the temporary Koru lounge is like?

Is it true that it's located where the old United lounge was? If so, IIRC, that was one of the smallest lounges I've ever been in, and I'm struggling to imagine how it would cope with the number of people that I typically saw in the old Koru lounge. Although perhaps at 5.30am that won't be such an issue?

I've never flown out that early from Oz:shock:.
NZ website only says its open 2.5hr prior to departure but given VA/NZ partner TT I would expect this to include VA flights.
I can't see you having any issues with crowding at that time of day. Go in expecting 'basics' of the temporary lounge.

Sorry I can't provide a more firm answer but I'm hopeful!

 

[Jack_OC]

Ok, so the lounge was open when we got there about 5.15am, and it didn't appear to have just opened. It was quite spacious actually - definitely not the old UA lounge unless my mind is playing tricks on me. Not exactly a luxurious feel to it but it was ok. Food was pretty ordinary, but it was never that great in the proper Koru lounge at MEL anyway. They had the usual selection of drinks, including bubbles, other wine, beer and spirits, if you really wanted any of the above before 6am! The coffee was undrinkable though.

 

[clifford]

Glad it wasn't the old UA lounge then. Where exactly was the temp lounge and did it have any windows?

 

[clifford]

I can now answer my own question having just transited the temp NZ lounge.

It is indeed the old UA lounge complete with the old NZ lounge furniture. Not too bad actually, but no windows.

 

[jpk]

Is it still dodgy machine coffee and no barista? What was the breakfast food like? I'm on the 845am to AKL tomorrow, and wondering if it's worth going down to the dungeon for, or if I should just pay for something decent upstairs...

 

[jpk]

In here now and it's not too bad to be honest. Basically all the furniture and food options from the old lounge have been moved into a large shell - feels like an unused office space with harsh fluro lighting, seems to be a mix of the UA & MH spaces. Loads of seats though and same food options as before - sausage eggs beans pancakes, bircher, yoghurt, cereal etc. Coffee from a machine which is dreadful. Took a couple of pics, look for the guy with his shoes off and feet up on the couch.

 

[PDog]

Does anyone have a date for the opening of the new lounge? I read March, and we're passing through on the 3rd so am not hopeful :-(

 

[sven89]

Passed through the temp lounge yesterday. Both the agent at the premium check-in counter and the lounge assistant were pretty forthcoming about the new lounge being slightly delayed. Anticipating another month before it's ready (so mid-April). Obviously could just be staff rumours, but I thought it was interesting that two separate staff gave the same answer when asked "when's the new lounge opening?".

 

[DavidFlynn]

We're told AirNZ's new Melbourne lounge is likely to open by May.

 

[NZflygirl]

We're told AirNZ's new Melbourne lounge is likely to open by May.

Getting close to a year!

Oh well better late than never.