Melb airport only just open for business

[BCons]

observations on our first Intl departure for A Few Years.

Off tonight on EK 407 from Mel which departs 2115h and posting this from the convivial surrounds of the Q F lounge. Fortunate Qantas have a Dreamliner to LA leaving tonight around the same time, otherwise the lounge would not be open. That’s the upside of our trip so far.

we came up from Hobart this arvo with VA, just beating the rain on boarding, and knowing we had time to kill once we got here, collected bags etc and re-checked with Emirates.

Fortunate then VA have apparently relaxed the ‘no arrivals’ lounge access rule so we could cool off there, because EK opened for checkin 4 hours before the flight. That’s fair enough, only 45 mins wait and then we are quickly sorted by EK, only to find Intl Departures was closed - so you couldn’t go airside, could not be harangued about your coat belt liquids etc and could not even pay thru the nose for DuFree..

Closed. so we wait another 45 mins until the Intl airport actually opens for business at 6.15pm. Am I alone in finding that a strange experience?

naturally there’s a big bulge of people to process thru security, no priority lane, a BFarce E gate continues to accept passports until it doesn’t, and nobody does anything to stop the next punter trying to use it, and thus finally eventually we are thru to the world of DuFree..

plenty of cosmetics, grog available and the Melb shop is open but there’s so much dark and empty retail on the walk to the gates. None of those high-end shops, little of the former fast food and knicknack shops, and not many people, soit was a relief to find the Qantas F lounge open, kind staff and good smells from the kitchen..

this much, at least, is as it shud be !



thank heavens for the cool friendly and professional welcome upstairs at the lounge.

 

[Peanutbladder]

observations on our first Intl departure for A Few Years.

Off tonight on EK 407 from Mel which departs 2115h and posting this from the convivial surrounds of the Q F lounge. Fortunate Qantas have a Dreamliner to LA leaving tonight around the same time, otherwise the lounge would not be open. That’s the upside of our trip so far.

we came up from Hobart this arvo with VA, just beating the rain on boarding, and knowing we had time to kill once we got here, collected bags etc and re-checked with Emirates.

Fortunate then VA have apparently relaxed the ‘no arrivals’ lounge access rule so we could cool off there, because EK opened for checkin 4 hours before the flight. That’s fair enough, only 45 mins wait and then we are quickly sorted by EK, only to find Intl Departures was closed - so you couldn’t go airside, could not be harangued about your coat belt liquids etc and could not even pay thru the nose for DuFree..

Closed. so we wait another 45 mins until the Intl airport actually opens for business at 6.15pm. Am I alone in finding that a strange experience?

naturally there’s a big bulge of people to process thru security, no priority lane, a BFarce E gate continues to accept passports until it doesn’t, and nobody does anything to stop the next punter trying to use it, and thus finally eventually we are thru to the world of DuFree..

plenty of cosmetics, grog available and the Melb shop is open but there’s so much dark and empty retail on the walk to the gates. None of those high-end shops, little of the former fast food and knicknack shops, and not many people, soit was a relief to find the Qantas F lounge open, kind staff and good smells from the kitchen..

this much, at least, is as it shud be !



thank heavens for the cool friendly and professional welcome upstairs at the lounge.

Thanks for this info, I had my suspicions that this would be the case, I am travelling through there on EK407 with no lounge access early June.

One burning question did you notice if the pub was open in T2 post security (Two John's) ? The airport web site says "no" but e-mails from their customer services team (the airport not the pub say it is open.

Thx

Chris

 

[AIRwin]

One burning question did you notice if the pub was open in T2 post security (Two John's) ?

Don't drink too much before your long flight given your AFF handle...

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

One burning question did you notice if the pub was open in T2 post security (Two John's) ? The airport web site says "no" but e-mails from their customer services team (the airport not the pub say it is open.

It was open 6 weeks ago when I flew intl from mel.

 

[Peanutbladder]

Don't drink too much before your long flight given your AFF handle...

That is why in why it is always an aisle seat !!!!

 

[BCons]

Thanks for this info, I had my suspicions that this would be the case, I am travelling through there on EK407 with no lounge access early June.

One burning question did you notice if the pub was open in T2 post security (Two John's) ? The airport web site says "no" but e-mails from their customer services team (the airport not the pub say it is open.

Thx

Chris

yes, I remember seeing a pub on the L just after security and it was open..

 

[Peanutbladder]

yes, I remember seeing a pub on the L just after security and it was open..

If that was after duty free that may have been Movida ? Two John's is after the second little duty free near to the lounge escalators. But thanks, at least I know I can get more overpriced alcohol and Spanish snacks.

 

[dajop]

Closed. so we wait another 45 mins until the Intl airport actually opens for business at 6.15pm. Am I alone in finding that a strange experience?

You probably could have gone to the QF domestic lounge in that time (allowed on EK tickets? I'm not sure). When I went through in Feb, after checking in for JQ flight, immigration and security didn't open until 2 hrs before the flight. Didn't matter to me, as QF lounges were closed anyway so I went up to domestic QP and waited it out, going through security/immig about 50 mins before departure.

 

[BCons]

If that was after duty free that may have been Movida ? Two John's is after the second little duty free near to the lounge escalators. But thanks, at least I know I can get more overpriced alcohol and Spanish snacks.

think Movida was on the R walking towards gates. Place I vaguely recall was on the L

 

[AIRwin]

think Movida was on the R walking towards gates. Place I vaguely recall was on the L

Opposite Gate 15B?

https://www.melbourneairport.com.au/getattachment/Passengers/Passenger-information/Maps/T2-T3-Level-1-Map.pdf.aspx?lang=en-AU&ext=.pdf

 

[Peanutbladder]

think Movida was on the R walking towards gates. Place I vaguely recall was on the L

Thanks it is a a few years since I left T2 so I am sure it has changed a bit !!!

 

[Peanutbladder]

Opposite Gate 15B?

https://www.melbourneairport.com.au/getattachment/Passengers/Passenger-information/Maps/T2-T3-Level-1-Map.pdf.aspx?lang=en-AU&ext=.pdf

Cheers it looks like a little move around since I was last there, Two John's is still in the same place. It is a shame they put all those posh shops where there used to be a great view and pizza place/bar.

 

[flyingfan]

One burning question did you notice if the pub was open in T2 post security (Two John's) ? The airport web site says "no" but e-mails from their customer services team (the airport not the pub say it is open.

Definitely open now

 

[Melburnian1]

If Melbourne claims to be a city equal to Sydney, its airport has to do better than this.

The OP's story was amusing, but also troubling.

Pre-COVID-19 once, I had to wait for security outside the gates but that was because only limited lanes were open and there was a large queue.

Maybe Melb Airport is trying to minimise expenditure on, and shifts for, security staff given recent claimed 'COVID' shortages and the general poor financial perfomance of the airport for the last couple of years with far fewer passengers and flights.