Qantas Opening MEL Lounge 2nd Dec

[Princess Fiona]

Good news for the MEL Flyers. The J Lounge is opening on 2nd December
QF Opening 2nd Dec

 

[TomVexille]

Excellent. We fly out a few days later

 

[sudoer]

Good stuff - I have a trip to Melb planned for 5-7 December, assuming they don't start turning away Sydneysiders to protect their double donuts...

 

[blackcat20]

Yay!

 

[jakeseven7]

Great news, with NSW/ACT opening to VIC on the 23rd Nov and TAS on the 27th, a decent chunk of the domestic network from MEL will be active again

 

[justinbrett]

I don't get why the QP has to stay closed due to "government capacity restrictions on the number of guests at any venue ". If anything this gives them more floorspace and an extra enclosed room to allow more people - I would have thought it would be the other way around. Or perhaps easier to turn people away with a moderately filled J lounge compared to tumbleweeds in the QP.

If this really is a VIC Gov regulation than it's an example of a rule achieving the opposite effect to what was intended.

 

[sudoer]

I don't get why the QP has to stay closed due to "government capacity restrictions on the number of guests at any venue ". If anything this gives them more floorspace and an extra enclosed room to allow more people - I would have thought it would be the other way around. Or perhaps easier to turn people away with a moderately filled J lounge compared to tumbleweeds in the QP.

If this really is a VIC Gov regulation than it's an example of a rule achieving the opposite effect to what was intended.

I wonder if the two spaces are actually considered a single "venue" under liquor licensing laws, which would limit both to a total of 40 people rather than 80 people for two "venues".

The current VIC gov advice is that separate "spaces" can hold up to 10 people but an overall cap of 40 is in place per venue.

 

[justinbrett]

I wonder if the two spaces are actually considered a single "venue" under liquor licensing laws, which would limit both to a total of 40 people rather than 80 people for two "venues".

The current VIC gov advice is that separate "spaces" can hold up to 10 people but an overall cap of 40 is in place per venue.

View attachment 233173

I'm not sure the lounge is classified as a food and drink facility. They probably have their own COVID safe plan through Vic Health. 40 would fill up with the first flight to Sydney.

 

[RichardMEL]

My guess it's a bit of both Covid stuff with the changing Victorian restrictions as stated but also demand related.

MEL is just following what happened in SYD and BNE etc when they started back up a few months ago. QF may expect not a lot of initial traffic into lounges given some borders (at Dec 2, at least currently known anyway) are still closed - QLD (probably will open then tbh), SA (who knows), WA (forget it) and Tas (coming soon) so there's a number of destinations not available ex-MEL during early December.

I expect if/when QLD/SA/WA open up plus there is some more demand (and the covid restrictions for indoor spaces allow more guests) then they will open the QP.

I also imagine there's a staff cost issue too. Specially with the restricted number of folks in, table service and extra people to deal with all that it may not be worth it for them to open the QP if the J lounge can hopefully handle most people.
imo

 

[jakeseven7]

MEL is just following what happened in SYD and BNE etc when they started back up a few months ago. QF may expect not a lot of initial traffic into lounges given some borders (at Dec 2, at least currently known anyway) are still closed - QLD (probably will open then tbh), SA (who knows), WA (forget it) and Tas (coming soon) so there's a number of destinations not available ex-MEL during early December.

Actually Tas has already announced:

Tas is opening to VIC Nov 27
Act is opening Nov 23
Nsw is opening Nov 23

Widely expected that SA and NT will announce shortly and probably be similar to above.

Qld rumoured to be Dec 1 if current tracking holds.

WA Dec 1 2045 just before the next pandemic, they will have finally caught up by then

 

[MelMel]

I wonder if the two spaces are actually considered a single "venue" under liquor licensing laws, which would limit both to a total of 40 people rather than 80 people for two "venues".

The current VIC gov advice is that separate "spaces" can hold up to 10 people but an overall cap of 40 is in place per venue.

View attachment 233173

Indoor capacity is meant to be increasing on the 22nd of November, not sure if it will apply

 

[RichardMEL]

I did know Tas had announced.. my wording was just poor anyway thank you for the dates for them all. 2045 blimey.. I had 2053 on my bingo card!

 

[Bell21]

So i guess I will have the strange experience of coming back from Mel on 25th Nov without any lounge use (although ironically, since I usually fly VA, I would get access to QF lounge via Qatar Gold) I'm excited though - I'm travelling down to MEL from SYD on the morning of 23 Nov (no messing around) and then off to TAS in mid-Dec, so hopefully, everything 'stays calm!'

 

[Ado]

I wonder if the two spaces are actually considered a single "venue" under liquor licensing laws, which would limit both to a total of 40 people rather than 80 people for two "venues".

The current VIC gov advice is that separate "spaces" can hold up to 10 people but an overall cap of 40 is in place per venue.

View attachment 233173

My guess it's a bit of both Covid stuff with the changing Victorian restrictions as stated but also demand related.

MEL is just following what happened in SYD and BNE etc when they started back up a few months ago. QF may expect not a lot of initial traffic into lounges given some borders (at Dec 2, at least currently known anyway) are still closed - QLD (probably will open then tbh), SA (who knows), WA (forget it) and Tas (coming soon) so there's a number of destinations not available ex-MEL during early December.

I expect if/when QLD/SA/WA open up plus there is some more demand (and the covid restrictions for indoor spaces allow more guests) then they will open the QP.

I also imagine there's a staff cost issue too. Specially with the restricted number of folks in, table service and extra people to deal with all that it may not be worth it for them to open the QP if the J lounge can hopefully handle most people.
imo

I am very new here so do I assume the J lounge is the Qantas Club & QP is business lounge or have I missed the boat or plane altogether

 

[flyingfan]

I am very new here so do I assume the J lounge is the Qantas Club & QP is business lounge or have I missed the boat or plane altogether

Other way around, J means business. QP is Qantas Club (Pub)

This might help: Abbreviations & Explanations