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 a guest speaker 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 are now open! If you'd like to attend, please complete the registration form by clicking on the link below. Please feel free to let us know in this thread if you think you'll be able to make it, along with your flight/hotel details! 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​

 

[drcam]

Gold is likely. What sorts of activities during the day have been done in the past?

 

[RB001]

Gold is likely. What sorts of activities during the day have been done in the past?

If you do a search for "AFF Gathering" and tick the 'Search titles only' box - you'll get the low down.
A bunch (in whatever order) may show up at the end of this very page.

 

[Zoochick]

View attachment 417962

Save the date! We're thrilled to reveal that the 2025 AFF annual member gathering will be in Melbourne from 21-23 November 2025.

There's still almost a year until this event, so we're still finalising the details. But you an expect that there will be a welcome dinner on Friday evening, a more formal dinner with a guest speaker on Saturday evening, and optional activities on the Saturday and/or 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.

We'll update this thread over the coming months with more information about the planned activities, dinner venues and costs, which we expect to be in line with previous gatherings. (E.g. you can read about the 2024 Brisbane gathering here, or the 2023 Launceston gathering here.)

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

For now, please feel free to let us know in this thread if you think you'll be able to make it! 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 next November in Melbourne!

Gold

 

[Big John]

Look forward to seeing you there. A DSC fare in October, for flying in November will be relatively expensive.

Good point. Flights now booked.

 

[AFF Editor]

Post #2 is updated with the list of attendees who've marked themselves as Platinum (definitely coming)

By the way, for those who haven't booked flights home yet, we are planning a small optional activity in the Melbourne CBD for those who are still around on Sunday. This would run from around 11am-12.30pm on Sunday.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Post #2 is updated with the list of attendees who've marked themselves as Platinum (definitely coming)

Shouldn't that be post #3?

 

[Bundy Bear]

Post #2 is updated with the list of attendees who've marked themselves as Platinum (definitely coming)

By the way, for those who haven't booked flights home yet, we are planning a small optional activity in the Melbourne CBD for those who are still around on Sunday. This would run from around 11am-12.30pm on Sunday.

Flights booked during DSC so I am definitely coming, I had booked on the A220 both ways, one has already been cancelled.

 

[NM]

Flights booked, so I guess that makes me Platinum for the event. Alas, no Mrs NM for this one as she has other commitments.

Now waiting for accommodation prices to drop below the current ridiculous rates, which does seem to happen closer to the actual stay dates,

And I should be around for the Sunday event - departing late afternoon.

Flights booked during DSC so I am definitely coming, I had booked on the A220 both ways, one has already been cancelled.

Yes, one of my original A220 services is now a B738. Perhaps they have noted the bump in bookings and decided they needed a few more seats that day?

 

[bPeteb]

And I should be around for the Sunday event - departing late afternoon.

I'm still on a 220 home but 738 down. I'm also around for any Sunday activities with a 17:25 flight

 

[AFF Editor]

Shouldn't that be post #3?

Yes, good pickup!

Also updated the table now with the flight details of those who provided them in this thread.

 

[jswong]

Arrive Thursday 20th 17:40 NZ125 (from AKL)
Pullman CC (First night HIX)
Departure Monday 24th 18:00 NZ256 (to WLG)

 

[n7of9]

Fri 21 Nov VA836 11:30 from Syd, at hotel 2 to 2.5 hours later
Dep Mon 24 Nov VA829 10:55

Staying at Brady Hotel Central, because they have Juliette balconies and i hate rooms that are hermetically sealed

 

[Port Power]

Arriving from Perth on Wednesday 19th November, QF780 15:45.
Pullman on the Park, Nov 19-23
Depart Wed 26 Nov QF775 15:10.
I’m visiting family and friends before and after the weekend.

 

[msam95]

Platinum and a (+1) local to melbourne so no issues with flights.

 

[LinaLee]

Just a quick update to say I’m local

 

[RooFlyer]

I thought locals were supposed to fly out somewhere so they can fly in for the event?

 

[AIRwin]

I thought locals were supposed to fly out somewhere so they can fly in for the event?

Status run?

 

[LinaLee]

I thought locals were supposed to fly out somewhere so they can fly in for the event?

Status run?

I’ve spent enough for membership year. Time to spread the love

 

[FishFood]

Gold - will be just before my review date for Virgin so we'll see how desperately I need the SCs

Platinum, managed to jump on the double SC promotion as well as using my platinum upgrades to business for both legs

 

[Human]

Have upgraded from Gold to Platinum -- yay!

I'm local but will book a hotel somewhere in the CBD.