Emirates MEL Lounge Opening Hours

[Kiwifruit]

I'm flying on QF 29 next week on QF J class ticket (and QF Gold FFlyer). I understand that technically this allows me to access the Emirates Lounge (which I much prefer to the QF lounge) but not sure what the opening hours are since the EK flight to AKL ceased. Does anyone with recent experience know the opening hours of the EK lounge in Melbourne? The website suggests it is open 24 hours but I suspect this is incorrect.

 

[serfty]

What day?

Tomorrow, EK's departures from MEL are at 5am (DXB), 6pm (SIN) & 9:25pm (DXB).

If it only opens for EK departures then with QF29 departing 9:25am it would be closed.

 

[Kiwifruit]

I fly out on Thursday, I know that timing of QF 29 does not coincide with any departing EK flight. I guess my question is whether the EK lounge has broader opening hours to cater for the trans-tasman flights to which EK attaches it's flight numbers. Just wondering if anybody has any recent first hand experience. Very much a first world problem but prefer the EK lounge where possible.

 

[serfty]

Emirates typically close their lounges when there are no flights departing for a few hours or more. They used to do this in Melbourne and I cannot see that that would have changed.

 

[dajop]

Emirates typically close their lounges when there are no flights departing for a few hours or more. They used to do this in Melbourne and I cannot see that that would have changed.

Correct, when I last checked the lounge opened about 3 hrs before departure of EK405 to SIN. This gives about 40 mins in lounge before boarding QF 37 to SIN (well it did at the time of year I was travelling, timing of both flights does change seasonally)

 

[Kiwifruit]

Thanks Guys, that's pretty much as I expected. Will just have to make do with QF Lounge

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would QF29 allow access to the EK lounge? I know DPS for example doesn't. I thought it was only to destinations jointly served?

 

[Kiwifruit]

My understanding is that Qantas Gold, Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers + Business and First Class travellers can access Emirates lounges in Australia, Europe, Asia, North Africa and Middle East when travelling on a Qantas marketed and operated flight. I have done this sucessfuly in the past in Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore and don't think these rules have changed but occasionally EK lounge staff will cite capacity restraints (particularly in Auckland) and refer you back to the Qantas lounge.

It's particularly beneficial in Singapore where the QF lounge is often overcrowded since the QF1/2 reverted to transiting Singapore.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My understanding is that Qantas Gold, Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers + Business and First Class travellers can access Emirates lounges in Australia, Europe, Asia, North Africa and Middle East when travelling on a Qantas marketed and operated flight. I have done this sucessfuly in the past in Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore and don't think these rules have changed but occasionally EK lounge staff will cite capacity restraints (particularly in Auckland) and refer you back to the Qantas lounge.

It's particularly beneficial in Singapore where the QF lounge is often overcrowded since the QF1/2 reverted to transiting Singapore.

This is what I thought, too. But then I read that someone flying SYD-DPS was refused entry, the reason being that QF/EK had no arrangements with each other on that route, so no lounge. (Unfortunately one of the reasons I cancelled my QF flight to DPS was lack of a good lounge in MEL, as well as no curtains on a 737!)