My first international flight as WP is later this year

[JohnK]

Agree re the bus in Sydney. Its a real downer but obviously Sydney siders dont have to worry about that.

This Sydneysider is going to connect via SYD on Saturday and then return same way a week later although on return I will go home first then come back to domestic.

I really don't see the big issue. My wife certainly didn't see the issue when she did transfer last year. Each of these trips is an experience. I would rather transfer terminals in SYD than transfer terminals in say MNL. But that's for another discussion.

 

[PaulST]

I look forward to these doors! I'm visiting the MEL Flounge this coming Saturday for the first time.

 

[RichardMEL]

"QANTAS International First Lounge Melbourne - come for the food and spa, stay for the loo doors!"

re transfers at SYD. I don't mind it too much myself if I have a light carry on. It can be entertaining watching the ramp action going to/fro and if time isn't too much of an issue not too bad, though it is irritating being dumped outside security and having to go on through again, but of course departing oz you need to do that anyway for passport control, but returning it and transfer at least you clear the small security on the international side.

the only time when it can be stressful for me is if you have a small-ish connection and you have to rush, or you have a late inbound (far more an issue when going dom-int at SYD). There are times though, when getting off a 12+ hour flight that dealing with all that can be a royal PITA but the extra SC's can be worth it after recovery

 

[Chalkie]

If you have a chance of re-qualifying but no certainty then take the connecting flight if there is minimal or no price difference.

I personally much prefer the SYD lounge to MEL but if both flights leave earlier than midday then I wouldn't go out of my way to do a domestic connection unless I needed the SC.

If I didn't need the SC at all, then brekky in the MEL lounge would be my pick.

EDIT: IMHO Flounge preference here on AFF is very tribal. Most if not all of the MEL fans are based in or near there, likewise with SYD. Most of the top posters here are from MEL/VIC so bear that in mind when you read about which is the best F lounge

I've spent almost equal time in SYD and MEL, so can't be accused of tribalism. The best F (oneworld) lounge right now is the Pier F in HKG...

The SYD and MEL F lounges are quite different in some respects. The SYD lounge is larger, and architecturally more impressive (the living plant wall, curving design and the wing interior "struts"). It of course gets more visitors than the MEL lounge. It is definitely worthwhile taking a look at the SYD lounge, if isn't too inconvenient. The MEL lounge has some of the same soft design elements (carpet and furnishings) as the SYD lounge, but I think has a cosier feel than the SYD lounge. To me, going to the SYD lounge is like "going out", whereas the MEL lounge is like "staying in". Now that the gangway at gate 9 in MEL is sorted, getting to your gate and into the F cabin on an A380 is very untraumatic and requires virtually no engagement with the outside world!

 

[mviy]

I may be a WP now but I don't think I will be travelling F any time soon unless I fly on an A380 route and QANTAS provides me with an op-up from J. I'm dreaming...

Hoping to get to HKG and try out the Pier F lounge sometime whilst I'm a WP. A WP can use the Pier F Lounge before a QF flight, right?

 

[RichardMEL]

Hoping to get to HKG and try out the Pier F lounge sometime whilst I'm a WP. A WP can use the Pier F Lounge before a QF flight, right?

Yes, you can.

I did this in May - flew in on AY, went to the wing for a shower and drink (dang Cabanas full with waiting list of course) then went over to the Pier for dinnr and finally to QF lounge for some espresso Martinis and awesome service before QF to MEL. No issue at any lounge.

 

[drewbles]

Whilst i've largely had excellent experiences at the MEL lounge, my last visit the other week left me very much so 'meh' about it.

I was travelling with some friends and we asked for a refill on our Taittinger (it's always after lunch time somewhere in the world!).

When the waiter re-filled (to half what they usually would) the glass, my friend asked him back to fill it up more (it was around 1/4 of the Champagne glass full; definitely not a regular glass). The waiter then proceeded to ARGUE with my friend saying 'oh your first pour was too big, we fill it to this line usually' and pointed to around half way on the glass (where there is clearly no line). After much arguing they filled it to the half way point.

Service was sloppy and unprofessional. We had to ask multiple times for water refills and just to get a coffee. Quite possibly the worst experience i've ever had in the MEL F Lounge (in fact I really need to write QF a 'FYI' letter about it).

Noticed a big slip in service in the SYD lounge as well since Sofitel was dropped as the provider, but it's still been generally better than MEL.

And depending on where you're flying, the MEL spa doesn't open when the lounge does, excluding the New Zealand travellers, opting to open for QF93/95.

 

[PaulST]

I may be a WP now but I don't think I will be travelling F any time soon unless I fly on an A380 route and QANTAS provides me with an op-up from J. I'm dreaming...

Hoping to get to HKG and try out the Pier F lounge sometime whilst I'm a WP. A WP can use the Pier F Lounge before a QF flight, right?

You definitely can! I'm flying from SYD to AKL via HKG and plan to allocate a few hours to the Pier F lounge before my A350 flight to N-zud.

A question of my own... since HKG is a CX hub and the counters will (presumably) always be open, can I check-in/bag drop for a flight more than 3hrs before departure?

*apologies I'm going off topic.

 

[JohnK]

A question of my own... since HKG is a CX hub and the counters will (presumably) always be open, can I check-in/bag drop for a flight more than 3hrs before departure?

You can use in town check-in at Central or Kowloon up to 24 hours before your flight or if you are simply transiting HKG then use the transfer desk to transfer luggage to onward flight.

 

[Anna]

Was in the MEL lounge last week prior to QF93 and wasn't much impressed. Couldn't get a spa appointment, extremely difficult to catch anyone's eye to get some tea brought to a window seat, and taking away the used crockery also took them forever. There were only 2 therapists working in the spa, which IMO is not enough for the demand on the morning flights.

I didn't have champagne on this visit but I have previously seen the half-glass trick in MEL. They'd be better off using smaller glasses rather than half filling taller glasses. It looks cheap and penny pinching to serve a half full flute of champagne.

This visit confirmed my preference is for the SYD lounge - but not enough to make me fly via SYD just for that. The F lounge would be way down my list of factors in choosing the route, after convenience, timing, price, SC earn, aircraft type and airline.

 

[RichardMEL]

WOW! I am so forewarned re MEL. I am on 93 next week so shall pay special attention though I don't know I will allocate much time given it's brekky time in lounge and brekky to start the flight so I may just want a light snack (eg egg & bacon roll) and a coffee. I'd shun the lounge bubbles for the F offering onboard, but I want to see this glass policy in action for myself so I may just order one to see (and sounds like I wouldn't get much to worry any on board consumption!)

Sounds like a real decline if this is now normal I have not been through since March.

(aside - RSA is one thing but to argue with a guest re pouring sizes of a champagne flute is really poor service in ANY kind of establishment!)

 

[alphahelix]

Melbourne FirstLounge hours
04:15 to 23:00
Melbourne spa hours
08:00 to 11:30 and20:00 to 23:30 daily.


Sydney First Loungehours
05:00 to 22:0
Sydney spa hours
08:00 to 16:00daily.

 

[RichardMEL]

Spa hours in MEL (and SYD really) not terribly good for the early LAX flights - eg in MEL in the winter, QF93 departure is 0915, so say board 0830-0845(assuming on time) which only gives a few opportunities for treatments prior. You'd think given the actual QF F cabin service so early they'd modify to say 0700 or something during the winter months to cater.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Spa hours in MEL (and SYD really) not terribly good for the early LAX flights - eg in MEL in the winter, QF93 departure is 0915, so say board 0830-0845(assuming on time) which only gives a few opportunities for treatments prior. You'd think given the actual QF F cabin service so early they'd modify to say 0700 or something during the winter months to cater.

That's a good point RichardMEL. Given there's two spots at a time and likely first appointment 0800 a lot of F pax will miss out.

 

[mviy]

At this stage I'm thinking I may fly home via BNE to maximise SCs for the trip home. Not so keen on flying the outbound journey that way as there's no F lounge in BNE and the lounge in BNE is closed at the moment I think.

 

[mviy]

In the F Lounge. The bar seating has insufficient leg room.

 

[mviy]

Had a great flight.

 

[Mattg]

Had a great flight.

Great to hear.

What did you like about it?

 

[TheRealTMA]

In the F Lounge. The bar seating has insufficient leg room.

The Way of the WP is not meant to be the easy or everyone would do it!

 

[mviy]

Great to hear.

What did you like about it?

Was a day time flight in both origin and destination time so not sleeping well on a plane hopefully wasn't a big issue.

Friendly hostesses on the plane, good food and enjoyed some films including one I waited to watch for the first time on the plane to make it even more special.

Got a points upgrade to J at about T-60. As PS and SG my previous upgrades came in after T-30. More relaxing to hear about upgrades earlier.

Oh and as well as eating a bit much in the FLounge I had a back massage.

Wish the domestic J lounge was like the F lounge. I prefer lunch and dinner food but the breakfast food in the lounge was amazing. I hope to try the dinner food on another visit.