New international lounge arrrangements from 28 Oct 2018

[RAM]

Hmmm... I wouldn't agree.

The reason why you got the use the Lufthansa lounge is because that's EY's contract lounge. EY allows partner elites to use their contract lounges which is probably where the good news ends.

If you were flying SQ from a port without an SQ branded/operated lounge then you'd have no access at all because SQ doesn't want to pay for VA (and VS) elites to use the contract/third party lounges they use.

Whilst the EY deal is great, once you fly Delta, Singapore, Hong Kong Airlines, SilkAir etc then you'll realise that the VA partner lounge deal is quite poor in comparison to Star Gold, Oneworld Emerald/Saphire or SkyTeam Elite Plus.

May be true at some other places, I do not know.

However in this case on the VA web site it clearly states you have access for VA booked codeshares as a VFF gold. Which, just in case, I printed out and had with us.

The trainee asked if VFF Gold (which the boarding pass stated along with the VA flight code) were allowed in and the supervisor said yes of course. The Munich Lufthansa supervisor knew all about the deal and asked (as she walked across towards us) for the VFF gold card which she promptly swiped and showed the trainee what to press on the screen. Etihad was never mentioned.

You MUST have the gold card to swipe as the Lufthansa system cannot use the Gold VFF member's boarding pass for some reason whilst they can use the guest's boarding pass once the gold member's card has been swiped. Seems the card has more information in its's strip than the barcode on the boarding pass although she did not know what it was.

 

[serfty]

The lounge access differs by 'partner airline' and what VFF status you have.

That is correct. "The Lounge" members who have no status only get lounge access before flights operated by VA. In this case. @cuttsy96 was asking about an SQ operated flight as a "The Lounge" member.

 

[AIRwin]

Virgin Australia's new Brisbane international lounge to open May 2019

 

[henrus]

Virgin Australia's new Brisbane international lounge to open May 2019

Hmmm... I've got a VA flight out of Brisbane booked on the 4th of May. Would be nice to have a new lounge but I won't hold my breath.

As another question - are gold card holders in Brisbane still getting vouchers and would a gold and platinum traveling together get both vouchers and lounge access?

 

[stm1sydney]

once you fly Delta, Singapore, Hong Kong Airlines, SilkAir etc then you'll realise that the VA partner lounge deal is quite poor in comparison to Star Gold, Oneworld Emerald/Saphire or SkyTeam Elite Plus.

I would not agree that it is "quite poor". Not quite as good, but still pretty decent, would be my summary. One recent trip on SQ/Silk, three sectors out of four I had access to SQ lounges, including the excellent SilverKris SYD lounge. In SIN, I only had access to the Krisflyer Gold lounges (which are good but not great), but that is exactly the same as for Star Golds. In Yangon, no access to the SQ contracted lounge but I'm pretty sure I missed out on very little!

Given the relatively modest number of status credits required to achieve/maintain VA Gold, the benefits are quite remarkable.

 

[samh004]

Virgin Australia's new Brisbane international lounge to open May 2019

Per that article, I like the styling of the lounge. Very nice.

 

[AIRwin]

Per that article, I like the styling of the lounge. Very nice.

You have good taste!

 

[dajop]

Whilst the EY deal is great, once you fly Delta, Singapore, Hong Kong Airlines, SilkAir etc then you'll realise that the VA partner lounge deal is quite poor in comparison to Star Gold, Oneworld Emerald/Saphire or SkyTeam Elite Plus.

It works poorly in reverse too, if I was flying as Krisflyer Gold Elite or PPS member on VA out of a port where VA don't operate a lounge (eg, I assume LAX) then you don't get lounge access either. Pre-breakup, I was SQ elite flying on NZ code operated by VA - and because flight was operated by VA I couldn't access the NZ lounge in NZ. That should change now post-breakup.

In Yangon, no access to the SQ contracted lounge but I'm pretty sure I missed out on very little!

Depending on time of day, you probably missed out full bar, with bar tender mixing and serving coughtails, and a buffet with decent spread of food, with good views over the apron and runway. Nevermind. Probably better than the KF Gold lounge in SIN.

 

[MrPlow]

Thought this may be the best place to ask this question given the knowledge shared above. I'm VA Gold and am flying from Wellington to Melbourne with Singapore Airlines in a months time and just wondering whether i will have lounge access in Wellington?

I've checked the VA worldwide lounge access by departure city but there is nothing showing for wellington flying with SQ. However when i look on the SQ website i can see they use the AirNZ lounge. Just wondering whether as VA Gold and the partnership with SQ i'll be allowed in the AIrNZ lounge as i looked on the star alliance website and can see it is an SQ contract lounge. I feel i may be being a bit optimistic here.

 

[stm1sydney]

Correct, you are being optimistic. When flying SQ Y, as a VA Gold/Plat, we have access to all* of SQ's own lounges, but not any of their third-party contracted lounges. Which is great when SQ has a SilverKris lounge in a port (eg Sydney, London) but (*) not so great in SIN itself where we get the down-market no-showers Krisflyer Gold lounge (same for Star Alliance Gold members) instead of the very nice flagship SilverKris lounge.

 

[stm1sydney]

you probably missed out full bar, with bar tender mixing and serving coughtails, and a buffet with decent spread of food, with good views over the apron and runway. Nevermind. Probably better than the KF Gold lounge in SIN.

Bugger. Who would have thunk that, in Yangon! (Actually, now that I think about it, RGN is a generally nicer, more efficient airport than SYD.)

 

[cliche_flying_kiwi]

For the 6 other people who fly in and out of Wellington on Virgin, I asked last Sunday at check in and was told that the new lounge is not expected to be completed until mid-year at the earliest now. Now hit with the double whammy that 2 of the 4 voucher options in Bean Hive and Red Rocks they offer will be shutting down.

Wellington Airport refurbishment will see five food outlets close leaving some without work

Joy.

 

[cityloop]

Looking for some help with HU (Hainan Airlines) flights and Velocity Platinum status. Looking at a HU return flight from HKG to the UK. The advice over the phone was a bit ambiguous but I was assured I would receive additional baggage and lounge access due to my status but the Velocity website appears to indicate this is only the case with HU flights between Australia and China. Has anyone had experience with this?

 

[Must...Fly!]

Looking for some help with HU (Hainan Airlines) flights and Velocity Platinum status. Looking at a HU return flight from HKG to the UK. The advice over the phone was a bit ambiguous but I was assured I would receive additional baggage and lounge access due to my status but the Velocity website appears to indicate this is only the case with HU flights between Australia and China. Has anyone had experience with this?

Pretty clear online.

Velocity Platinum Membership

T&C #1.

 

[cityloop]

Pretty clear online.

Velocity Platinum Membership

T&C #1.

Thank you. 2 times I called the Platinum call desk they said YES lounge and extra baggage included, then 1 time I was told NO. It's a lucky dip.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Thank you. 2 times I called the Platinum call desk they said YES lounge and extra baggage included, then 1 time I was told NO. It's a lucky dip.

That it is unfortunately...certainly many on this forum knows more than the average agent that's for sure.

 

[serfty]

FWIW i aaw reference that BA are inviting thier lounge eligible PAX to the House at SYD.

 

[henrus]

Whilst some might have seen this... an AUSBT reader has posted a photo of the new Wellington lounge entrance:

Virgin Australia Wellington lounge seems almost ready

Looks almost ready at creates a lot of questions...

- No lift (or in a different spot)?
- Self entry only (doesn't even look to have help button/phone like CHC Koru Express)?
- Will SQ switch to this space or even VA allow Gold/Plat flying SQ access?
- Wonder how big the space is up there (number of seats)?

 

[henrus]

Was at Brisbane international this morning.

The Plaza Premium Lounge was a joke with not enough seats. I then went searching around gate 77 (the supposed location of the new lounge) to see what I could find...

The answer : Nothing

Unless the lounge will be downstairs on the arrivals level accessed by existing stairs and an escalator (that were previously used as transit security) that area shows no sign of use/activity with the carpet at the bottom every worn and no signs of works on going.

 

[MH_fan]

The Brisbane lounge has now been further delayed to July. This is turning into the next Hobart lounge...