Personally I think there's a lot more than just the view that makes the SYD Flounge special. Sit-down table service (rather than help yourself), an excellent menu (rather than sandwiches and carrot sticks), a day spa (not just a bathroom), impeccable service, a library (not just a magazine rack) and extra touches ("gimmicks" if you like) such as the flight notification boards and greenery. All adds up to an excellent Flounge experience IMO..
My thoughts exactly. I could have a comfortable day there just curled up in the library, stocked with some excellent books.
The meals I've had there - breakfast both times - have been superb. Food cooked to order and served with aplomb. My last omelette came with the cherry tomatoes they serve in heaven. Plastic knives aside.
I'll have a couple of hours there on Saturday (travelling alone, happy to guest a fellow traveller) around 9:30 on. Looking forward to it immensely.
LAX Flounge in T4 is fine, but then again my experience is limited to the QF108 late evening stopover, where most of my time was taken up with a shower and hassling with the internet.
BA's Flounges are nothing special IMHO, though I've never had the experience of the Concorde Room(s) so I reserve judgement there. Cathay Pacific's two flagship lounges in Hong Kong, both F and general, are first rank so far as lounges go, and I cherish my time there. However, I believe Sydney has the edge. In design as well as service, and that's saying a lot.
Lounges vary in quality and style around the world, but in most cases I'd rather be in the lounge than out in the general terminal eating chicken salad sandwiches on plastic chairs.
And yes, for a great dining experience, a really good restaurant will beat any lounge. But that's not the point. It's like comparing your own bed to a lie-flat airline seat and complaining about the light and noise you get in an aircraft cabin.
We look for comfort and convenience, value and efficiency in our travels. For those travelling economy, little things count for a lot in making the experience more pleasant (or less unpleasant). For those at the top end, QF009's hunt for the perfect champagne exemplifies the sort of things these travellers look for - the details that mark out a great airline from a good one.
Hence the discussion on seats. When you park your bum on something for hours on end with little opportunity for relief, limitations on space or padding become very important indeed. It's not like sprawling on your couch at home watching your widescreen. And given that business/first travel can cost as much as first rate examples of both couch and widescreen, why shouldn't we discuss value and comfort, style and substance endlessly in these forums?
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