$500 million later, has Sydney Airport improved?

[YQY]

Sydney Airport $500 million renovations

I'm not impressed with the renovation to T1. My major bugbear is that they removed the secret entrance to QF J/F lounges and they make me navigate through duty free.

The new restaurants don't impress me either - they are over priced equivalents of non airport restaurants.

It would be interesting to know how many premium travelers who have access to F lounges etc patronize these restaurants.

 

[samh004]

I'm not impressed with the renovation to T1. My major bugbear is that they removed the secret entrance to QF J/F lounges and they make me navigate through duty free.

That would happen at any airport that went through an upgrade now though, if they don’t put it in front of your face they’re going to make far less off you.

It’s like renovating an RSL… should we add the room with a thousand power sockets, or believe in good old fashioned hospitality Of course they’d choose the pokies.

 

[simongr]

Couple of observations.

1 - I haven't noticed any appreciable improvement or adverse change (I never used the short cut)

2 - I have a route through DF that is pretty direct now. Turn right at one of the perfume stands and walk through the bulgari/tag heuer section. A straighter line would require me to climb over display cabinets... which has been considered...

3 - One significant improvement is the quick access from QF F check in to epass immi/security - now that is an improvement - no more pushing past families farewelling their loved ones... (I never do in airport goodbyes - drop off at the front or pick up from the house).

 

[anat0l]

No use playing the blame game about the 'secret staircase'; in any scenario we knew it was going to get plugged anyway. I don't know whether QF jockeyed at all to have that staircase there, but in any case it seems MAp has the final laugh and now we all have to pass through the duty free. Just to make things interesting of course they've made the path small and windy.

If they were more sadistic..... argh, never mind.

The new terminal looks refreshed, especially passport control and screening looks cleaner and more streamlined.

I don't patronise the shops as I hardly shop in an airport and know that the food is going to be pedestrian and overpriced, but I guess they are there for a reason.

 

[Flashback]

No use playing the blame game about the 'secret staircase'; in any scenario we knew it was going to get plugged anyway. I don't know whether QF jockeyed at all to have that staircase there, but in any case it seems MAp has the final laugh and now we all have to pass through the duty free. Just to make things interesting of course they've made the path small and windy.

If they were more sadistic..... argh, never mind.

The new terminal looks refreshed, especially passport control and screening looks cleaner and more streamlined.

I don't patronise the shops as I hardly shop in an airport and know that the food is going to be pedestrian and overpriced, but I guess they are there for a reason.

Yep! "them people" have got to eat too

 

[markis10]

Wish they would put the pokies back in, much better value than some of the shops.

 

[serfty]

Overpriced food certainly.

One of the main issues now if for those passengers who need to check in at areas H/J/K who's carriers normally use Gates 50+ now have the distance they need to walk after check-in markedly increased. See this post from nearly a year ago:

Are you kidding!

This will add around 400 metres to the path required for someone using the J check-in simply to get the the base of the C pier. It's ~6 times the distance merely to get to the travelators.

Look at the following image. Check-in is at J for a pier C flight. The base of pier C is marked with the Blue Cross.

The current/old direct path is in RED, the new direct path is in BLACK:

Here a link to the original .Pdf

http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SAC.../T1 International Departures_Map_17-09-09.pdf

 

[harvyk]

I'm going to go against the grain and say I quite like the changes to SYD T1.

Whilst I do use the J lounge every time I'm there (hoping a WP will guest me into the F lounge, has not yet happened)

I'll often buy duty free booze on the way in as part of the airports pick up on return service, so I don't mind walking through a DF store. (100 proof SoCo, can't seem to find it anywhere other than at DF stores).

Also I do like to go for a walk around prior to flying out of SYD T1, as every flight I have done from SYD means at least 8 hours (oftan more like 13 to 14 hours) seating in a seat I don't mind stretching the legs. (I traditionally use BNE \ MEL for TT's), so it has given me a chance to explore the dark side (aka non-QF side) of the terminal.

 

[cove]

Who is meant to be keeping the toilets and taps working? Is it the landlord or the tenant or is there a big argument between both parties?
About half the toilets are faulty all of the time yet the landlord releases profit figures.
So that Melbourne don't giggle their airport toilets are just as bad plus an escalator not working last night.

 

[JetLagged]

Whilst I do use the J lounge every time I'm there (hoping a WP will guest me into the F lounge, has not yet happened)

Any time, Harvy - going to be there PM on the 20th instant?

(100 proof SoCo, can't seem to find it anywhere other than at DF stores).

Same goes for overproof Southern Comfort - many friends who find the normal SC too sweet are bowled over by this beauty!

 

[kamchatsky]

The long walk for *A passengers for departure does not impress me, apart from having an excuse of doing more exercise.

Also the lack of free efficient transportation between the terminals is still a turn off. They should look at Singapore Changi for good example how it should be done.

But one positive point, the renovated relaxation area is good for anyone who doesn't have lounge access. of course you have to buy your own food/drinks.

 

[harvyk]

Any time, Harvy - going to be there PM on the 20th instant?

Thanks for the offer... Don't know when my next int trip will be. I've got one dom trip arranged for next Wednesday (day trip to MEL) but nothing else in the pipeline. I do post up when I'll be next travelling on the planned travel pages, but to no avail.

Same goes for overproof Southern Comfort - many friends who find the normal SC too sweet are bowled over by this beauty!

Yeah I never really liked SoCo until a friend of mine brought back the 100 proof from OS...

For a little while there I would bring him back one each time I went OS until I decided to get a bottle for myself to see what was so good about the stuff...

But one positive point, the renovated relaxation area is good for anyone who doesn't have lounge access. of course you have to buy your own food/drinks.

Yeah I was pretty impressed by that area... It looked like a fairly pain free way of waiting for your flight if you didn't have lounge access...

 

[thewinchester]

I've not experienced SYD T1 before the renovations, but I must say from my single visit there I'm not its greatest fan.

Couldn't agree more that the walk to security from the far desks is just way too long for even my liking.

The duty free setup is a nightmare, and makes it an absolute prick to navigate.

Directional signage is also nothing short of dreadful. As a first time visitor I walked right past the QP, and there wasn't anything clear that pointed me up the escalator.

On the positive, I will give it points for the use of light in the expanded areas as it does make it more hospitable and comfortable.

 

[samh004]

I’ll experience it all at the end of the month when I fly Pacific Blue to ZQN and have to checkin at counters K, which look to be the furthest away from anything.

 

[NYCguy]

It would be interesting to know how many premium travelers who have access to F lounges etc patronize these restaurants.

Methinks that the lounge-patronising, high-yield traveler is probably not their key demo.

 

[Dave Noble]

I think that the new design is good. Airside seems a lot nicer than it was before the renovations. It would be nice if there was a separate entry point to the 50+ gates , but thats a fairly minor thing imo and still a lot less walking needed than a lot of airports I have used

The only negative is the enforced navigation of duty free, but they had already implemented that concept well before the completion

Dave

 

[brett-au]

Again I wonder why the premium carriers like Singapore Air, Thai, Air NZ, etc don't ask to be moved from check in H-J-K to E-F-G. Surely the idea of making people who pay for J and F walk all that distance is a bit silly esp when those counters are currently occupied by Air PNG/Vietnam/etc.

I initially disliked the changes as it took me more time to get from check in to the SQ/NZ lounge. With the short cut out of duty free and the moving walkways, I can put up with it. I was less impressed with HKG and BKK the other day and the crazy long distances involved.

When flying outside of my lounge access, having the combined area is a positive change to kill time before a flight.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

They should look at Singapore Changi for good example how it should be done.

+1
I think that SIN is a great airport too.

 

[docjames]

No use playing the blame game about the 'secret staircase'; in any scenario we knew it was going to get plugged anyway. I don't know whether QF jockeyed at all to have that staircase there, but in any case it seems MAp has the final laugh and now we all have to pass through the duty free. Just to make things interesting of course they've made the path small and windy.

That means you "accidentally" knock over a few items on your way through.....

 

[gumpy]

+1
I think that SIN is a great airport too.

Yeah Singapore or Incheon would be good blue prints to use to improve upon.

The only reason I enjoy going to the Int Syd airport is for the QF FLounge... otherwise i'd get there as late as possible...