General VA Lounge Discussion (2021 onwards)

[sykoticx]

I’m flying out of Brisbane on VA again this Friday so will be interesting to see if that’s still the case. The sign says “next few days” ?

Flying in and out of BNE today. Can confirm plastic cups and plates are still here, though wine glasses are available.

 

[bullerdude]

Bit a rumour but there is a suggestion that both Cairns and Darwin lounges are to reopen. Some type of construction occurring in the former Darwin space today.

That would be great as Cairns has a nice and bright little VA lounge.

 

[mel-world]

That would be great as Cairns has a nice and bright little VA lounge.

Would have been appreciated today as I sit thru a 5 hour delay (so far) for VA 1292 to MEL.

 

[FishFood]

Bit a rumour but there is a suggestion that both Cairns and Darwin lounges are to reopen. Some type of construction occurring in the former Darwin space today.

Not saying I don't believe you, but does anyone have anything more tangible?

 

[MooTime]

Bit a rumour but there is a suggestion that both Cairns and Darwin lounges are to reopen. Some type of construction occurring in the former Darwin space today.

You starting this rumour based on construction going on in the former VA lounge location?
Anything else to go by?

It could just be turning into a back of house area or Starbucks, I hear they are expanding.
Possibilities are endless.

 

[ThatMrBlake]

You starting this rumour based on construction going on in the former VA lounge location?
Anything else to go by?

Not saying I don't believe you, but does anyone have anything more tangible?

If I had anything more concrete it wouldn’t be a rumour?

 

[MooTime]

If I had anything more concrete it wouldn’t be a rumour?

I saw some construction at Melbourne airport last week ...... Could be an airport train, not sure.

 

[ThatMrBlake]

I saw some construction at Melbourne airport last week ...... Could be an airport train, not sure.

Didn’t know a forum, and particularly this was 100% based on fact .

No where did I say the source of the rumour was the fact there was construction. The presence of construction lends some (only a little) credibility to the potential possibility.

 

[henrus]

Well the VA Darwin lounge was used as a staff rest area for the NT Health department during the COVID era checks and as far as I’m aware didn’t suffer the mould outbreak the QF lounge did.

 

[Catweazle]

For those with lounge access passes from VA credit cards, do they email you or do you find the link once you log in to your account like the QFF website? If the latter, where's the link? I'm not sure if I have one or not.

 

[FishFood]

For those with lounge access passes from VA credit cards, do they email you or do you find the link once you log in to your account like the QFF website? If the latter, where's the link? I'm not sure if I have one or not.

I see my lounge vouchers from my Westpac credit card at Benefits

 

[Ains]

Hi all,
Haven’t posted in a very long time.
I am a Platnium VA member.
I’ve taken quite a few flights the last few months and have relaxed in the VA lounge across Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. One thing for sure, the food on offer has been very basic.

Breakfast - looks like powered scrambled eggs with baked beans. Seriously? Avocados are cheap atm, how about adding some smashed avocados as an option too?

Lunch - looks like the packaged salads you can buy at Coles and Woolies.

Also, what happened to Betty’s burgers? Not that they were great either.

I know should be grateful I can access the lounge and I am. But the food used to be way better.


Sorry if somebody has already posted this already. I just had to vent somewhere.

 

[Digicola]

Hi all,
Haven’t posted in a very long time.
I am a Platnium VA member.
I’ve taken quite a few flights the last few months and have relaxed in the VA lounge across Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. One thing for sure, the food on offer has been very basic.

Breakfast - looks like powered scrambled eggs with baked beans. Seriously? Avocados are cheap atm, how about adding some smashed avocados as an option too?

Lunch - looks like the packaged salads you can buy at Coles and Woolies.

Also, what happened to Betty’s burgers? Not that they were great either.

I know should be grateful I can access the lounge and I am. But the food used to be way better.


Sorry if somebody has already posted this already. I just had to vent somewhere.

Yeah, what happened to the full eggs and avocado toast of months gone?

 

[simmomelb]

Hi all,
Haven’t posted in a very long time.
I am a Platnium VA member.
I’ve taken quite a few flights the last few months and have relaxed in the VA lounge across Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. One thing for sure, the food on offer has been very basic.

Breakfast - looks like powered scrambled eggs with baked beans. Seriously? Avocados are cheap atm, how about adding some smashed avocados as an option too?

Lunch - looks like the packaged salads you can buy at Coles and Woolies.

Also, what happened to Betty’s burgers? Not that they were great either.

I know should be grateful I can access the lounge and I am. But the food used to be way better.


Sorry if somebody has already posted this already. I just had to vent somewhere.

Betty's and Boost was never permanent, it was just a promotion and only during limited hours.

But yes, the food (and wine) used to be better in The Lounge, although they let all and sundry in nowadays, which I think has devalued it a lot and is probably partly the reason for the tight menu options.
The Hardy's wine option is equivalent to cask wine.

 

[Bagpuss]

Hi all,
Haven’t posted in a very long time.
I am a Platnium VA member.
I’ve taken quite a few flights the last few months and have relaxed in the VA lounge across Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. One thing for sure, the food on offer has been very basic.

Breakfast - looks like powered scrambled eggs with baked beans. Seriously? Avocados are cheap atm, how about adding some smashed avocados as an option too?

Lunch - looks like the packaged salads you can buy at Coles and Woolies.

Also, what happened to Betty’s burgers? Not that they were great either.

I know should be grateful I can access the lounge and I am. But the food used to be way better.


Sorry if somebody has already posted this already. I just had to vent somewhere.

Well at least there was food and drink.

It's called a lounge because it's lounge / snack food.

Go to a basic buffet and you'll notice similar there.

 

[stm1sydney]

Yeah, it's been a bit average, but to be fair, on my last visit to the SYD lounge, they had a chicken korma and rice for lunch, and the korma was nice (although too mild for my taste) and packed with chicken, which was great. I was expecting three or four lonely pieces swimming in lots of sauce, but was pleasantly surprised.

 

[simmomelb]

Didn’t know a forum, and particularly this was 100% based on fact .

No where did I say the source of the rumour was the fact there was construction. The presence of construction lends some (only a little) credibility to the potential possibility.

The Darwin Lounge is not reopening and no plans to do so at this stage. The renovations are not for VA, unfortunately.
This is directly from someone in the know I've just spoken with.

As for Cairns, let's watch this space.

 

[mel-world]

You could make a commercial case for Cairns. The Tokyo flight arrives early so quite a long wait for connections if you don't want to route via BNE. You could even allow passengers transferring onto the Japan flight to wait in a domestic lounge before going to the International terminal.

I'd surmise that there would be high value pax flying in and out of Cairns/Port Douglas area to maybe justify a small lounge.