Those ADL late night international departures

[GoldCanyon340]

I know this is not a new subject but....:

I’m currently in the ADL QP with my arrivals access waiting for a family member to arrive on a later flight. The lounge, apart from hangers on like me, is for the EK and QR departures (EK with a First cabin) and the food consists of deep fried samosas, a penne and heart attack cream rose sauce and, wait for it, white bread tuna sandwiches.

Really good way to showcase the Australian state with the best food and wine.

Just sayin.

 

[Franky]

Really good way to showcase the Australian state with the best food and wine.

Just sayin.

Who says?

 

[VPS]

I know it's just awful - I flew EK F in May and it was a very underwhelming way to start my holiday

 

[Pushka]

Who says?

Sarcasm. It’s not great.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Who says?

Well, um, I did.

 

[kermatu]

Sounds woeful.

Not necessarily defending QF here, but if the lounge at this time is mainly for other airlines, wouldn't it be within EK and QR's domain (if not their responsibility) to stump up for better quality?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I guess they can't have anything too substantial, as there are only those 2 flights going, and nothing else.
They have to keep cost down.
Not so bad if there was another (say) a direct QF flight ADL - SIN for eg, departing just before curfew, ((yeair, dream on mate)).
Seriously though, even during the daytime, the ADL QP is nothing to "shout" out about, nothing real wow.
The ambience is good, but the food has never had a wow factor for me, compared to EK's own lounge in SYD/AKL.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Sounds woeful.

Not necessarily defending QF here, but if the lounge at this time is mainly for other airlines, wouldn't it be within EK and QR's domain (if not their responsibility) to stump up for better quality?

I agree in principle. But it really is the same food selection for the late QF/JQ departures too. Someone paying $13k for an F return ex-ADL has to expect more than this.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I guess they can't have anything too substantial, as there are only those 2 flights going, and nothing else.
They have to keep cost down.

I depart from SYD or MEL F lounges 30 times a year on average and they’ve never kept the costs down on those lounge visits. Why do it in ADL?

 

[kermatu]

I agree in principle. But it really is the same food selection for the late QF/JQ departures too. Someone paying $13k for an F return ex-ADL has to expect more than this.

I guess if EK did pay for a better experience the JQ flyers would get a nice bonus!

At least for EK F flyers they will get a good meal onboard. The savvy traveller should know the ADL lounge is not the place for good food at that time of night.

Not a very frequent traveller through ADL, but in the half dozen visits this past couple of months I have always enjoyed the space and very friendly and proactive service there.

 

[kermatu]

I depart from SYD or MEL F lounges 30 times a year on average and they’ve never kept the costs down on those lounge visits. Why do it in ADL?

Whoa, big difference in lounges. The ADL lounge is for QF a domestic lounge only (for better or worse). To compare with MEL and SYD international F lounges, where QF operate the majority of international flights, is a bit of a stretch.

And in any event, they too keep costs down in non-peak periods (spa hours most obvious, the food stations close, the number of staff in lounge plummets etc).

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Probably not the best comparison but Mrs340 was sitting with me tonight saying, “this is what I’m getting before my EK flight in January??”

 

[kermatu]

Probably not the best comparison but Mrs340 was sitting with me tonight saying, “this is what I’m getting before my EK flight in January??”

Hopefully travelling in J or F! And no bad thing to be forewarned.

I like to get to an airport a bit early / leave plenty of connection time, so lounges are important to me. Obviously for those in ADL it is a downer. Being CBR based I've never thought of flying OW out of anywhere but SYD or MEL to date. SQ out of CBR is a different story given the convenience, of course.

 

[davidj]

When they invent the Qantas Restraunt and serve the same then I'll bite.

 

[Anna]

Someone paying $13k for an F return ex-ADL has to expect more than this

They should be expecting it from EK though, not from the QP. EK could have its own lounge at ADL if it wanted. There was lounge space in the design for the int section that was originally set aside for QF, who chose not to use it.

 

[justinbrett]

I`m not sure this problem is restricted to ADL - QCs on the East Coast are no better.

Lack of a lounge in international departures area is probably more the issue.

 

[Pushka]

I`m not sure this problem is restricted to ADL - QCs on the East Coast are no better.

Lack of a lounge in international departures area is probably more the issue.

Travelling in F means access to F lounges not QP.

 

[mannej]

Travelling in F means access to F lounges not QP.

I take the comment to refer to the F&B offerings in the domestic lounges, and not necessarily the flights being referred to here.

 

[justinbrett]

Travelling in F means access to F lounges not QP.

Access - where they exist. There`s no obligation to provide a lounge. I`ve done plenty of flights in J where there`s no lounge at all (outside of Australia).

And yes, my comment was in regards to the F&B offerings.

 

[Pushka]

I take the comment to refer to the F&B offerings in the domestic lounges, and not necessarily the flights being referred to here.

Mmm. Not sure what you mean. People traveling in F get access to business lounges or higher where available but there is no such beast in Adelaide.