AFF Gathering #18 in MEL on 21-23 November 2025

Save the date! The 2025 AFF annual member gathering will be in Melbourne from 21-23 November 2025.

There will be a welcome dinner on Friday evening, a more formal dinner with two fantastic guest speakers on Saturday evening, and optional activities throughout Saturday and Sunday.

All AFF members and their friends & family are welcome to attend. Most people usually fly into the host city on Friday afternoon, and leave on Sunday afternoon/evening. Of course, if you're a Melbourne local, the flying part is optional.

You can read more about the planned activities, dinner venues and costs and post #2 of this thread.

There will be a $5 registration fee per participant, plus the cost of any activities and/or meals that you choose to join.

Registrations and payments close on 12 November 2025.

If you'd like to attend, and haven't already done so, please complete the registration form by clicking on the link below. Once you've done this, please also post your flight/hotel details in this thread!

For those unfamiliar with the AFF terminology:

• "Platinum" means your attendance is confirmed and you have booked flights/accommodation
• "Gold" means you're likely to attend but will need to confirm at a later time
• "Silver" means you're unlikely to attend at this stage
• "Bronze" means you're unable to attend.

The entire AFF team looks forward to seeing you in November in Melbourne!

Click here to register​

 

[Q Class Plebeian]

At least pants

Dare I suggest de rigueur for all such AFF meets should always be airline pyjamas.

 

[Port Power]

There are a number of us staying at Pullman and the Park. @Port Power and I wondered if people would like to communicate somehow to perhaps share transport, arrivals etc. Could be done here but not timely if people not on their device.

Maybe a Whatsapp group? If anyone wants to DM me and exchange mobile numbers with me to be added, that might work.

Interested Pullman on the Park guests can private message @RooFlyer via the envelope motif at the top of the thread. Add your name and phone number there.

 

[Tacce73]

There are a number of us staying at Pullman and the Park. @Port Power and I wondered if people would like to communicate somehow to perhaps share transport, arrivals etc. Could be done here but not timely if people not on their device.

Maybe a Whatsapp group? If anyone wants to DM me and exchange mobile numbers with me to be added, that might work.

Sounds good, I've sent you a PM.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Just checking the list I am pretty sure I had not planned on yum cha lunch as I was just going to do the MCG tour

 

[admin]

Just checking the list I am pretty sure I had not planned on yum cha lunch as I was just going to do the MCG tour

Apologies, I've got you down as MCG tour on our internal tracking, just I made a mistake putting it on the forum! Fixed now, thanks!

 

[Sprucegoose]

Can we confirm what's the dress code for the Saturday dinner?

Its Melbourne so anything in your 'understated refinement' collection would be in order.

 

[Lowjhg]

Its Melbourne so anything in your 'understated refinement' collection would be in order.

Does that include a Mankini suit?

 

[RooFlyer]

Its Melbourne so anything in your 'understated refinement' collection would be in order.

My refinement is always understated.

 

[Steph123]

Hi all, so sorry to do this but I can no longer make the yum cha lunch on Saturday if anyone was keen for a spot that would make me feel much less guilty! Otherwise, if the numbers are absolutely firm, I can send my far more entertaining conversationalist of a better half (who has benefited from many points/rewards bookings ).

If not too much of a muck around though, I could now attend the Fri dinner - but if numbers are all set and booked in then all okay and I'll just see you all on Sat night! Can't wait!!

 

[perk]

I registered another guest for the Saturday dinner a couple of days ago, under Perk Snr

 

[admin]

Thanks everyone so far who has paid! Just a note that for those who have not paid yet, we'd still love to have you along for the event! You can still pay using the link we sent you. Just a note that we cannot accommodate specific dietary requirements at the Saturday dinner if you didn’t pay by last week, as we had to send this info to the venue already.

Thanks again all, and I'm super keen to see everyone over the weekend!

 

[RooFlyer]

Just a note that we cannot accommodate any dietary requirements for people who are yet to pay.

They get a Qantas economy meal?

 

[AFF Editor]

Hi all, so sorry to do this but I can no longer make the yum cha lunch on Saturday if anyone was keen for a spot that would make me feel much less guilty! Otherwise, if the numbers are absolutely firm, I can send my far more entertaining conversationalist of a better half (who has benefited from many points/rewards bookings ).

If not too much of a muck around though, I could now attend the Fri dinner - but if numbers are all set and booked in then all okay and I'll just see you all on Sat night! Can't wait!!

If anyone would like this yum cha spot, please reply to this thread or message myself or @admin. This spot could also go to someone doing the walking tour on Saturday, as the times don't overlap. (The walking tour on Saturday is 10-12.30 and yum cha is from 1.30pm.)

By the way, if anyone going to yum cha would like to come to the Saturday morning walking tour before the lunch, we do still have some spots available on that walking tour. The cost for the walking tour is $20. Just let us know.

 

[penegal]

Copper

 

[penegal]

I have a pageant on the Saturday, but Friday night and Saturday day are possibilities.

 

[n7of9]

By the way, if anyone going to yum cha would like to come to the Saturday morning walking tour before the lunch, we do still have some spots available on that walking tour. The cost for the walking tour is $20. Just let us know.

I'll go on the walking tour (I'm already going to yum cha)

 

[Tacce73]

If anyone would like this yum cha spot, please reply to this thread or message myself or @admin. This spot could also go to someone doing the walking tour on Saturday, as the times don't overlap. (The walking tour on Saturday is 10-12.30 and yum cha is from 1.30pm.)

By the way, if anyone going to yum cha would like to come to the Saturday morning walking tour before the lunch, we do still have some spots available on that walking tour. The cost for the walking tour is $20. Just let us know.

If it's still available I would love to go to the yum cha on Saturday.

 

[anat0l]

Weekend is swiftly approaching.

Bummed I can't join the F run down, let alone the first evening drinks, but work has me tied.

Now everyone arriving in can exercise their knowledge of a great way of getting from Tullamarine to the CBD. (The F run people have it easy - car pool anything except a common taxi or - even worse - a touting one). As much as it might be despised, the Skybus with its regular schedule and fairly quick transit time might be my go. Yes, I could use PT and myki, but the journey will take nearly twice as long (but for less than a quarter of the cost). Maybe PT on the way back to the airport on Sunday.

 

[Port Power]

Weekend is swiftly approaching.

Bummed I can't join the F run down, let alone the first evening drinks, but work has me tied.

Now everyone arriving in can exercise their knowledge of a great way of getting from Tullamarine to the CBD. (The F run people have it easy - car pool anything except a common taxi or - even worse - a touting one). As much as it might be despised, the Skybus with its regular schedule and fairly quick transit time might be my go. Yes, I could use PT and myki, but the journey will take nearly twice as long (but for less than a quarter of the cost). Maybe PT on the way back to the airport on Sunday.

I’m using SkyBus, as always. Very convenient and definitely reliable. Then a tram from Bourke Street to the hotel. Easy, peasy, and that’s most important to me!

 

[Lowjhg]

I have kindly rerouted myself again, now one day ahead of schedule. Coming in on QF38 on the 19th, then connecting to QF442 on the 20th to make the JQ62 Flounge run on the 21st.

The gist of the story is QF cancelled QF82 on the 20th and merged it with QF2. What was supposed to be an easy points upgrade into W then became impossible as QF2 sold out across all classes. A last minute hunt for premium economy tickets garnered a sale fare, for departure a day prior, in an upgauged QF38 (A332 to B789). Quickly booked this, cancelled the previous QF2 sector and cheekily put in a points upgrade request too!

Now that the upgauged plane has more J seats than the A332, it’s a double win for me! Also snagged a last minute points night at park Hyatt Sydney.