I'm over (most) lounges

[SeatBackForward]

Going to say what I've said on AFF before - You don't HAVE to go into a lounge.

 

[n7of9]

We don't HAVE to talk about travel either, yet here we are.

 

[PumaPilot]

As someone just said, it depends on the lounge. I was in Scotland last month visiting the oldies and a radio add came on saying "book a flight with XYZ airlines and we'll throw in free lounge access." This was aimed at the "tourist" market for flights to the Mediterranean. Personally I HATE the early morning VA lounge in Perth. Most times I'm in the lounge in the morning, I'm the ONLY person not in grease soaked High Viz. Very often I'll have a bit of break then leave the lounge. The Qantas Biz lounge is getting a bit silly and needs a re-fresh, the "wood fired Pizza" has now run its course and needs up-dating.

 

[Forg]

As someone just said, it depends on the lounge.

Indeed! As an example from over a decade ago, the QF domestic J lounge at ... y'know I've forgotten whether it was MEL or BNE, but as per QF domestic J normality there wasn't really any food or drink to get excited about ... HOWEVER it was probably the best view you could get over the tarmac and excitedly watching the 'planes taking off & landing than going out to the observation deck (assuming there are still observation decks).

By comparison I had a flight from SYD up to Tamworth (too lazy to look up the code ) a couple of years ago, there was a cafe selling pints of a nice boutique beer right next to a window which had me overlooking the runway and the gate my QantasLink Dash-8 was leaving from. Quieter & more convenient & better beverages available than trying to share the domestic J lounge with all the high-viz burning my eyeballs ...

 

[Beano]

Such first world problems! Crowded lounges = happy customers. Someone must like lounges, free food and drink, and perhaps away from the Madding Crowd, what's not too like!

 

[SeatBackForward]

We don't HAVE to talk about travel either, yet here we are.

Indeed, but the posts about disappointment and sufferance in the lounges - no one is forcing you into a lounge just because you are entitled to use one.

I'll often prefer the ambiance of a quiet gate, or just people watching (as others have posted) than being in a glorified waiting room. Especially if there's some loudmouth next to me on speakerphone announcing that they're In a lounge loudly in case their neighbours were teleported thorough a wormhole into the adjacent space.

 

[Kimliddiard]

The Cathay lounges in Hong Kong are better than most

 

[Steady]

the "wood fired Pizza" has now run its course and needs up-dating.

Wood fired?

 

[Daver6]

Wood fired?

Yes. They fired the wood (well outsourced it) and use gas instead

 

[Beano]

I sometimes leave lounges very early and enjoy the ambience of the general lounge, but not before I have enjoyed a few nibbles and a wee drop of the cratur!

 

[Steady]

Most times I'm in the lounge in the morning, I'm the ONLY person not in grease soaked High Viz. Very often I'll have a bit of break then leave the

Quieter & more convenient & better beverages available than trying to share the domestic J lounge with all the high-viz burning my eyeballs ...

Indeed, the business flyer should have their own lounge - oh wait, they do…. They named it the business lounge. I’ve not noticed any complaints about the dreary drab beige flyers here or in a lounge - maybe a beige cotton shirt is evidence of a superior being.

I’m not a high vis business traveler, just bemused at the indicated superiority of some cotton wearing frequent flyers. A lot of flights I take are on routes fifo business traveler's are on, and they are way more respectful and polite than others in row 4 IME

 

[Forg]

I’m not a high vis business traveler, just bemused at the indicated superiority of some cotton wearing frequent flyers. A lot of flights I take are on routes fifo business traveler's are on, and they are way more respectful and polite than others in row 4 IME

I don’t have any Row 4 experience, but in the J lounge it was the constant loud ‘phone calls and the boots on the seats to ensure nobody sat near them in the busy lounge wot got up my nose.

 

[AuSammy]

There is no status associated with lounges because if everyone has status no one has status and they are all overcrowded and food choices are questionable.

Think you hit the nail on the head.

As indicated in some articles, the sharp uptick / clamour for upfront seats since Covid has been very noticeable with some airlines reducing Y and increasing forward cabins.

Perhaps planning /budgets have not been prioritised to match the increasing traffic in lounges.

I wonder if planners have been blindsided by the FIFO phenomenon.

My take (which will get howled down) is that if Im flying J I want to be treated with a much better lounge experience than a lifetime gold on a discount Y ticket.

 

[Speedbird001]

/rant

I'm sitting in the La Valette lounge at Malta International and I'm about to decamp into the terminal. I'm doing that more and more often domestically and around the world.

Right now, the lounge is very crowded (hard to find seats). I got one, but the guy beside me is making gross noises while eating and also talking loudly on his phone and the person on the other side is talking goo-goo noises to someone, of course on the speaker. The Italians over there are having a very loud discussion and some where an infant is grizzling. The wait-people come by with their trolly and make incredible clattering noise. If I could move to another seat most of these would still be in play. There is a nice outside terrace, but its a hot day and too warm out there.

Many lounges I go to these days are crowded - Virgin lounges in MEL and BNE are usually zoos. QF MEL international; ANZ MEL. SQ lounges in SIN except for First and TPR. It was about midnight last time and although nearly empty, the cleaners made constant revolutions with their clattering trolly.

HBA QP. I don't think I need say anything? SYD QF First gets crowded and I've commented before how tatty some of the armchairs are.

The QR Al Morjan lounge was frequently a zoo and very difficult to get a shower, but at least they have remedied that with the monster North lounge. I'm know Im a bit of a QRfan boi but I really like how they do their lounges. The business lounge are for business class passengers. First class lounge is for first class. Other loungers are provided for those of other ranks.

General lack of charging points, almost everywhere.

Buffets subject to unhygienic practices, almost everywhere.

Trying to get the damn wifi to work - or having to give your life story to get connected.

Noisy and crowded in many/most cases.

Wines are usually cheap +/- nasty and coffee questionable.

LH Senator lounges are really pretty basic, as are even the upgraded AC lounges.

I travel business internationally, so will get fed and watered much better than what most lounges can offer (esp on QR), so that's another reason why I can abandon a lounge.

There are still lounges I can use with pleasure (and I don't mean be able to plonk down and have a cheap wine) - QR in LHR, DOH, SIN that I've been to; ADL dom expansion sounds nice; VA ADL is good too. AA's Flagship lounges are usually OK, if you go in with low expectations; I haven't been to the Chelsea etc types of their lounges. QF's SYD and MEL F lounges until they get crowded. And others.

But in general, I'm quite prepared not to use a lounge and sit or wander around the terminal - you can usually find a quiet spot and make a coffee or juice last a while.

/rant - but I'm serious about many lounges not worth attending.

The hygiene at QC SYD seems to make an art out of filthy cutlery and petrie dishes. Perhaps there’s a competition. They win annually for at least the past fifteen years.

But it’s a zoo so what should one reasonably expect. Oh, yes, the millions spent on slick language and images on its website.

 

[elanshin]

Think you hit the nail on the head.

As indicated in some articles, the sharp uptick / clamour for upfront seats since Covid has been very noticeable with some airlines reducing Y and increasing forward cabins.

Perhaps planning /budgets have not been prioritised to match the increasing traffic in lounges.

I wonder if planners have been blindsided by the FIFO phenomenon.

My take (which will get howled down) is that if Im flying J I want to be treated with a much better lounge experience than a lifetime gold on a discount Y ticket.

It's not so much FIFO or anything like that. 2022 saw status extensions galore. 2023 for QF saw free SCs everywhere (I counted 325 free SC's I earnt that year before I even consider DSC etc). VA status matching QF like mad and with multiple double SC offers. Other Star Alliance and Skyteam airlines also offering status matches constantly.

Even rolling back a bit more you could buy Finnair OWE in 2021 for a pretty reasonable price and it rolled over and wouldve only expired around 2023. Then it also doesn't just drop you to nothing, but has soft landings.

All 3 US majors have status tied to Credit cards as well. So it's just been easier overall to earn. I think we're starting to see many airlines globally pull back a bit whether it's direct or indirect ways.