QANTAS Club Lounge - Alice Springs

[Robmn]

Have just returned from a trip the Alice Springs and visited the Qantas lounge for a quite sit down and a drink and nibble snack - not the grog. This was so disappointing and not up to any Qantas standard. (I have visited a few others BTW)

Arrived about 1 hour prior to boarding to find it packed as there were two flight shortly departing (MEL ADL) These flights did clear from the lounge, but our table did have plates cup and empty cans left from previous pax.

Food consisted of sandwiches, dry fruit, biscuits, cheese and the like, simple not elaborate, which is OK and I was not looking to pig out. But there was a 1/4 of sandwich remaining, this meager sandwich remained on the plate for 1/2 an hour before a new tray was brought out, The new tray contained dried out bread sandwiches, and the other bits well down.

I did try a sandwich off the new plate, not what I would call lounge standard. I think the shop outside would have presented fresher sandwiches.

I think worst of all our table was not cleared the whole hour we were in the lounge.

Images showing out table, we only had the two glasses, one cup and saucer, the other bits remained there for over an hour still uncleared before boarding.

So a very disappointing journey into this particular lounge.

Other wise all the other staff members from check in to flight crews were very pleasant.

r

 

[RWJ777]

Yes, this was exactly my experience too when I last used the Alice Springs 'lounge' about a year ago. Appalling. You forgot to mention too, unless they have since fixed the problem (but I very much doubt so), that the red cloth chairs were so worn that the padding was spilling out of the arm rests.

I completely understand that QFF needs to put its efforts into the ports that generate its yield, but gosh this lounge is a bad advertisement for the company.

 

[wingspan]

the red cloth chairs were so worn that the padding was spilling out of the arm rests.

I was in the lounge on Thursday, and this has definitely been rectified.

The lounge is not too bad. Similar to the lounge in Hobart. Alice doesn't have CityFlyer flights, so the lounge product probably matches the in-flight product. It's not great but it's ok. Certainly with no other competition flying out of ASP, the lounge is unlikely to improve. There certainly weren't many seating areas available!

I don't drink alcohol, but I did notice that there were several spirits and wines available at the lounge bar, which is probably nice for those who like that sort of thing.

 

[airbridge]

Same experience last year but I wasn't able to use the lounge at all and went out to terminal. There were paxs in the lounge entry standing waiting for seats to become available and had no chance.

The airport isn't all that big so I suppose it is difficult to find enough space for a larger lounge.

In relation to cleaning up and refreshing food, being low volume port does mean it is hard to staff it but given paxs come in waves for each flight I would have thought they could be prepared when they do arrive with a little planning. It was a shame we couldn't use it but I suppose you have to give QF credit for providing lounges at these airports for so many years when others didn't.

 

[Robmn]

Yes, this was exactly my experience too when I last used the Alice Springs 'lounge' about a year ago. Appalling. You forgot to mention too, unless they have since fixed the problem (but I very much doubt so), that the red cloth chairs were so worn that the padding was spilling out of the arm rests.

I completely understand that QFF needs to put its efforts into the ports that generate its yield, but gosh this lounge is a bad advertisement for the company.

I'm glad that it was not just me that had these thoughts. I have sent an email to QANTAS about my experience as well.

Found there were quite a few businesses that send reps to ASP on a regular basis.

Attached another pic of lounge note table in foreground with empty can on table not collected. Looks like some red chairs still in there.

r

 

[JohnK]

From memory it is a small lounge with limited offerings similar to ROK.

I don't think there are any staff solely responsible to cleaning lounge only and someone comes in every 30-60 minutes to stock up fridge, take things away.

I think it still beats waiting outside in terminal....

 

[miclyn111]

Similar experience last month, mainly over crowding not enough seating available.
Also poor food choice- glad I had some lunch prior going to airport.
I decided to sit outside and enjoy the vitamin d/sunshine.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

It's about what I would expect in Alice Springs to be honest.

 

[Longrass]

I believe the lounge was originally only available to the yanks and later taken over by QF, remember the airport was built by the yanks as part of there spy base etc...

It is the NT, it has nothing to do with QF and the problem lies with the staff.

 

[samh004]

From memory it is a small lounge with limited offerings similar to ROK.

ROK is a lot smaller, looking at those pics!

It's about what I would expect in Alice Springs to be honest.

Exactly. For starters, it’s a regional lounge, not one of their bigger ones, and in those sorts of lounges there’s generally no staff in there all the time, so someone will come round at certain times, but not constantly. If you expect more than that, be prepared to start paying more as it’s going to cost etc…

I’d have stacked the plates on a side/another table and put the rubbish in a bin, then sat down and used the table for my own things.

 

[Austman]

I'm glad that it was not just me that had these thoughts. I have sent an email to QANTAS about my experience as well.

Found there were quite a few businesses that send reps to ASP on a regular basis.

Attached another pic of lounge note table in foreground with empty can on table not collected. Looks like some red chairs still in there.

r

Actually this is a big improvement on what it used to look like! Perhaps a visit to the BME "lounge" would be worthwhile?

 

[Jada]

I believe the lounge was originally only available to the yanks and later taken over by QF, remember the airport was built by the yanks as part of there spy base etc...

I think you meant 'Communications' base, it wouldn't be like the Americans to Spy

 

[serfty]

Well I used it several times as a QP in the latish 90's - used to appreciate the availability of Guinness.

 

[Simo]

I have been to both lounges and ASP is bigger than ROK.

QP's in regional areas are like day and night between some of them and it is the staff/management that makes the difference to cleaning and the like. The old QP in Mky when a flight left one of the staff would run in and clean up and top up the fridge if needed.

 

[samh004]

I have been to both lounges and ASP is bigger than ROK.

QP's in regional areas are like day and night between some of them and it is the staff/management that makes the difference to cleaning and the like. The old QP in Mky when a flight left one of the staff would run in and clean up and top up the fridge if needed.

That’s pretty much what happens at ROK. With the new lounge in MKY I’m not sure they’ll ever get rid of someone on the door, due to the relatively easier access by those perhaps not allowed to be in there. So should generally be a bit cleaner