Gold Coast (OOL) Airport Review

[coyote25]

Date 16 August 2013

OOL has one terminal that serves all airlines including International.

They have additional screening for international flights. Tiger, Virgin, Jetstar dominate here but a couple of QF flights (I was on one) and Air New Zealand.

One screening area hitch moves reasonably fast. There is a priority line but it was unmanned today which caused a few problems as some people in general line (I noted Tiger tickets) thought priority PAX were pushing in.

Post screening last range of shops and eateries. Note Hungry Jacks and Red Rooster offered same prices as normal outlets instead of mark ups I gave seen elsewhere.

Free wifi in the waiting area.

Looks and feels like a very modern airport despite not having air bridges (I'm guessing rain not as big a daal as SYD or MEL).

 

[coyote25]

Airside Pictures

 

[bass_ke]

My current home port, just like a big food court!

The VA lounge is decent at OOL

 

[coyote25]

OOL QANTAS CLUB

The lounge opens 2 hours before QF flights which seems to be twice a day. I was on 18.40 QF865 flight so opened at 16.40.

For limited use this is a very big lounge. Showers and toilets. Three Mac computers with printer. Free wifi (did use). Kids room with toys.

Bar service, self serve soft drink and coffee. Hot food (penne) and cold food which you could make sandwich.

Very modern lounge, lots of room. Staff walking around asking if I wanted a drink.

Very impressed. I'm assuming QF are looking at increasing flights here given the investment in the lounge, maybe leading into Commonwwalth games.

 

[coyote25]

My current home port, just like a big food court!

The VA lounge is decent at OOL

I'll take your word for VA lounge. Must be a big airport for VA.

I'm impressed with the QF lounge. This airport and the QF Lounge is better than some USA major airports (even if smaller).

 

[coyote25]

Gold Coast QF Lounge Photos

 

[coyote25]

First trip in 5 months after 5 months RTW.

I think I miss my trip reports from 2012-13 world trip

 

[AIRwin]

Thanks for the report! On a recent trip to BNE, I specifically booked my return flight out of OOL on VA as I have never flown through the airport (and it was cheaper on a Friday afternoon than BNE). I found out the flight was cancelled just after I boarded the train out of BNE on my way to OOL airport. In the end, I asked to be rebooked on a flight out of BNE.

But I've just booked another VA flight out of OOL on a business saver fare for a status run. Perhaps I should do a report on the lounge if there isn't already one and my flight is not cancelled again...

 

[coyote25]

Thanks for the report! On a recent trip to BNE, I specifically booked my return flight out of OOL on VA as I have never flown through the airport (and it was cheaper on a Friday afternoon than BNE). I found out the flight was cancelled just after I boarded the train out of BNE on my way to OOL airport. In the end, I asked to be rebooked on a flight out of BNE.

But I've just booked another VA flight out of OOL on a business saver fare for a status run. Perhaps I should do a report on the lounge if there isn't already one and my flight is not cancelled again...

That's a great idea AIRwin. Based on the higher number of VA flights it would be very interesting to see their lounge.

 

[samh004]

Looks and feels like a very modern airport despite not having air bridges (I'm guessing rain not as big a daal as SYD or MEL).

This year it's been very rainy on the Gold Coast so I'm sure walking in the rain has been wonderful. Never experienced more than a light shower on my regional flights, but have seen wheelie bins full of umbrellas so perhaps it's not such a big deal?

That's a great idea AIRwin. Based on the higher number of VA flights it would be very interesting to see their lounge.

It has a great view of the food court and apron!

 

[coyote25]

It has a great view of the food court and apron!

So you get a view in the VA lounge, so at least one plus on the QP

 

[markis10]

So you get a view in the VA lounge, so at least one plus on the QP

You get a very good view from the VA lounge, better than the old QP used to have before it morphed into JQ then back again whilst the terminal expanded.

 

[jetlagger]

Gold Coast QF Lounge Photos

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Thanks for sharing your review coyote25,
You must have been in the QP lounge on a quite day, with the lack of human interaction in your photos.
The mornings are usually more crowded.
Agreed, it is a nice lounge with mediocre offerings & barista is great, though I find it slightly claustrophobic due to the lack of windows.
I much prefer the outlook & ambience of the VA lounge & also IMO find that the service is a tad warmer in the VA enclave.

 

[coyote25]

Thanks for sharing your review coyote25,
You must have been in the QP lounge on a quite day, with the lack of human interaction in your photos.
The mornings are usually more crowded.
Agreed, it is a nice lounge with mediocre offerings & barista is great, though I find it slightly claustrophobic due to the lack of windows.
I much prefer the outlook & ambience of the VA lounge & also IMO find that the service is a tad warmer in the VA enclave.

It got busier later, about 30 minutes before flight had a good number of people but still lots of room. Maybe not many QP/SG/WP members at the Gold Coast. The plane was about 85% full.

 

[Noob]

It got busier later, about 30 minutes before flight had a good number of people but still lots of room. Maybe not many QP/SG/WP members at the Gold Coast. The plane was about 85% full.

I think we'll continue to see good investment in the premium experience for both VA & QF now they are both operating on the route.

 

[Major]

Qantas basically dismissed OOL from their business model and handed it over to Jetstar. Virgin enters the LCC market and has flights from OOL to SYD/MEL/NTL/TVL/CNS.

Still no Qantas

JB takes over the reigns at VA and amongst the changes he targets the business sector. VA soon realise the potential at OOL and build a lounge to concentrate on the SYD/MEL sectors for their Velocity gold/plat and J customers

Someone at Qantas suddenly wakes up to this, finds a spare 737 to do a couple of SYD flights a day and kicks Jetstar out of their lounge. A coat of paint, some new chairs and hey presto...QF are back at OOL

I have news for you QF...you should never have left. You have a huge task ahead of you to claw back lost business

The VA lounge at OOL is one of the best around. Very friendly, great view and pro active staff

 

[samh004]

... and kicks Jetstar out of their lounge ...

To be fair, JQ never really tried. They half heartedly opened some lounges in NZ as QF pulled out there too, said they'd offer a lounge membership and never did, and whenever I was in the lounge it was almost vacant. Perhaps it would never have been a success, but the half attempt certainly didn't help.

 

[jetlagger]

Qantas basically dismissed OOL from their business model and handed it over to Jetstar. Virgin enters the LCC market and has flights from OOL to SYD/MEL/NTL/TVL/CNS.

Still no Qantas

JB takes over the reigns at VA and amongst the changes he targets the business sector. VA soon realise the potential at OOL and build a lounge to concentrate on the SYD/MEL sectors for their Velocity gold/plat and J customers

Someone at Qantas suddenly wakes up to this, finds a spare 737 to do a couple of SYD flights a day and kicks Jetstar out of their lounge. A coat of paint, some new chairs and hey presto...QF are back at OOL

I have news for you QF...you should never have left. You have a huge task ahead of you to claw back lost business

The VA lounge at OOL is one of the best around. Very friendly, great view and pro active staff

Well said Major..
Though VA to/from CNS, TSV, NTL is via SYD/MEL nowadays..
Additionally as you well know, QF originally had a lovely lounge overlooking the apron before the terminal refurbishment.
Even though VA @ OOL is more favoured, I do hope QF looks at the long term view of maintaining the OOL QF lounge.
It is a welcomed reprieve from the 'Westfield Food Court".

 

[Dino84]

Thanks for the review. I experienced OOL a couple of years ago but had no lounge access at the time (not that there would've been one back then). Will be interesting to try it when I'm there again in a few weeks.

Scott.

 

[JohnK]

Very nice review on OOL airport.

I have been there a number of times and can confidently say on some days it resembles a zoo. Very similar to Sydney T2. Security queues are too slow and too long on some of the busier times. It seems to attract a lot of people that do not fly very often and have no idea what they should do once they get to airport.

In my opinion the Qantas lounge is better than the Virgin lounge. Yes the views of the hinterland are nice but the atmosphere in the Qantas lounge is better.

I can say though that sometimes it can also be nice to just sit at the bar in the terminal and watch all the people go about their business.

Back there again for a few flights September-November on both Qantas and Virgin.