Rockpool Bar and Grill Lunch with QFF confirmed attendees

[Pushka]

So most importantly ... who was the lucky SYD participant who got to represent my snotty self?? And did you eat extra dessert as ordered?!

Well, they did an excellent job. Not sure about two deserts but certainly she enjoyed the dinner. I also have her signed menu if she'd care to PM me. And fess up. .

 

[djfuzz]

Congratulations to everyone that got upgrades on the way home courtesy of the CL (and I believe that may have been close to everyone except me). I offered my boarding pass when I entered but was told it wasn't necessary. Pity, there were 9 empty seats in J on my flight as well ...

These appeared to be points upgrades that were also available at the kiosks. So no special treatment at the special lounge.

I wish I'd taken it up myself - had a horrible ride on a packed 738 home feeling tired and full. Would have been much nicer to sleep it off in a refurbed 767 J seat.

 

[JohnK]

At least a delightful lunch in great company might lighten your mood JohnK...

And it did.

I had a very enjoyable time. The venue was great and I think the format of the discussion was excellent and I believe covered most of our questions/concerns.

Good to meet fellow AFFers and those from Qantas loyalty as well as Neil Perry and some insight into how meals are designed.

Thank you to Red Roo(s) and Qantas for giving us the opportunity to attend.

 

[oz_mark]

I might just add, that since we were given the chance to compare two different sourced Rib-eyes, I preferred the Cape Grim

 

[samh004]

Did anyone comment on the limited Australian wines chosen or were you all too polite ?

I'm surprised awilcockson survived without a Shiraz

 

[JohnK]

So most importantly ... who was the lucky SYD participant who got to represent my snotty self?? And did you eat extra dessert as ordered?!

Posted earlier in the thread.

Thanks so much for generously including me today. It was great to meet some others from the AFF community and to speak with QF staff who live and breathe the program.

Neil is a wonderful ambassador for food on the ground and in the air, as well as for Qantas.

While there was not much 'news' today, hats off to QF for engaging members in this way. From the members will come ideas, issues and opportunities. As this small group showed, frequent flyers are an opinionated lot, and there is no way to please everyone on virtually any issue.

My card says I've been a QF frequent flyer since Nov 1988. I think it's longer than that but it doesn't matter. I've seen the QFF program change in ways that would have been unimaginable 25 years ago. No reason to think it won't keep evolving at a similar pace, and evolution usually brings mixed outcomes. Engaging with members will help the good outweigh the bad.

 

[Pushka]

Posted earlier in the thread.

Sprung by JohnK.

 

[Deleted member]

I'm surprised awilcockson survived without a Shiraz

He went with the Pinot. And was very gracious about it

 

[awilcockson]

He went with the Pinot. And was very gracious about it

It wasn't bad, for Kiwi plonk

 

[samh004]

It wasn't bad, for Kiwi plonk

So the Amisfield Rocky Knoll has changed you

OK, I'll stop going off topic!

 

[smit0847]

So attendees were invited into the hallowed Chairmans Lounge after the lunch? Reports please!!

Assume you were not allowed to take any photos? A TR of a CL would be something very, very special!!!

 

[anat0l]

So attendees were invited into the hallowed Chairmans Lounge after the lunch? Reports please!!

Assume you were not allowed to take any photos? A TR of a CL would be something very, very special!!!

I'll get back to you on that one

Just want to add my thanks to Qantas, Lesley, Red Roo and the rest of the Qantas Loyalty team for organising this event. It was a great experience to get a bit of an insiders look into what's going on, as well as get our questions answered about QF and QFF.

Lunch was fantastic - my first time at Rockpool. It was fresh produce, cooked simply sensationally - couldn't really ask for more than that.

Admittedly, 2 hours is not enough time to really knuckle down for an in depth discussion, so detail was more or less thin on many fronts, except where people had more in depth conversations with the Qantas reps at each table (and at 2 reps per table, this was well organised!). However, for a "working lunch", Qantas did a great job.

Access to the CL was the cherry on the cake. Then the ODU for the flight home was the sprinkles on top Probably still waiting on someone from Qantas to send me an electronic "tsk tsk" for getting away with that.

It was great to meet many new faces at this function. I've made a suggestion to Qantas that next time maybe the function should be held out at the Qantas Service Centre of Excellence, or Coward Street. Either way, hope I can make it to the next one!

 

[Deleted member]

Salad bar

 

[Pushka]

The CL is very green inside, (how bright a green is Shrek Princess Fiona?) and my husband tells me furnished very similarly (colour?) to the F lounge in Sydney. The thing I noticed about it most was space! Not many people inside. And people talking very quietly. Until, um, we rocked up. But mostly we behaved. I did take a couple of snaps but not to be distributed.

 

[Skyring]

The CL is very green inside, (how bright a green is Shrek Princess Fiona?) and my husband tells me furnished very similarly (colour?) to the F lounge in Sydney. The thing I noticed about it most was space! Not many people inside. And people talking very quietly. Until, um, we rocked up. But mostly we behaved. I did take a couple of snaps but not to be distributed.

Anyone who has been in the Flounge knows what the CL in SYD looks like. Very similar in decor and design. Great view out over the tarmac and runway. Same squarish leather seats, albeit in a few different shades. We sat in the green chairs in the library - same books, so far as I could tell from my last visit there.

We got to meet the manager, who was very proud of his little empire - and rightfully so - and we had a few drinks and snacks. A latte in my case, but a few were topping off the excellent Rockpool wines with some of the selections from the bar. No sit down restaurant service like the Flounge, no spa. Then again, I didn't look at the whole place. I could have happily staid on for a later flight, enjoying the afterglow of a great day in pleasant company.

 

[Pat2065]

So most importantly ... who was the lucky SYD participant who got to represent my snotty self?? And did you eat extra dessert as ordered?!

It was me - thank you for not being available! Sorry, didn't know about the extra dessert order ...

 

[love_the_life]

OK guys (and gals) - how about some information and the topics of discussion - questions and answers - (or is that commercial in confidence :mrgreen:?

 

[Kangol]

Anyone who has been in the Flounge knows what the CL in SYD looks like. Very similar in decor and design. Great view out over the tarmac and runway. Same squarish leather seats, albeit in a few different shades. We sat in the green chairs in the library - same books, so far as I could tell from my last visit there.

For those interested in some more details:

Projects Page 1 : Sebastien Segers Architecte

 

[djfuzz]

OK guys (and gals) - how about some information and the topics of discussion - questions and answers - (or is that commercial in confidence :mrgreen:?

Already posted - see #344 and a bunch of others from around that time by the other people who attended.

So attendees were invited into the hallowed Chairmans Lounge after the lunch? Reports please!!

Assume you were not allowed to take any photos? A TR of a CL would be something very, very special!!!

Yes, we self-regulated discretion on this one - but Kangol's link will give you an idea.

Anyone who has been in the Flounge knows what the CL in SYD looks like. Very similar in decor and design. Great view out over the tarmac and runway. Same squarish leather seats, albeit in a few different shades. We sat in the green chairs in the library - same books, so far as I could tell from my last visit there.

We got to meet the manager, who was very proud of his little empire - and rightfully so - and we had a few drinks and snacks. A latte in my case, but a few were topping off the excellent Rockpool wines with some of the selections from the bar. No sit down restaurant service like the Flounge, no spa. Then again, I didn't look at the whole place. I could have happily staid on for a later flight, enjoying the afterglow of a great day in pleasant company.

I was actually pretty blown away by just how good the tarmac views were - it doesn't seem like much when you get in there, or even when you're sitting down - but if you do happen to catch an aircraft just taking off, it is pretty breathtaking. The highlight for me was a British Airways 744 - almost seemed like it was doing an airshow approach for the lounge from the angle it's positioned at.

Other than the green decor (also beige and brown), the bathrooms / showers were also Flounge-like, but with black marble instead of white.

I'll be honest - I'd actually really been anticipating looking around the lounge, having been curious about it for so long, but after the lunch, the discussion and the good company, it was more icing on the cake than the highlight of the day.

 

[JohnK]

OK guys (and gals) - how about some information and the topics of discussion - questions and answers - (or is that commercial in confidence :mrgreen:?

You will find djfuzz and simongr summarised the discussion nicely earlier in the thread.

The discussion mainly focused on loyalty and where Qantas is heading. Asia was mentioned, aircraft were mentioned, the award booking engine was mentioned, status benefits when flying Emirates was mentioned (this one I am very keen on), Qantas cash was mentioned, Adelaide and Perth were mentioned, the passion for food was mentioned by Neil Perry and Jetstar was mentioned.

And no Red Roo I am not quite ready for Jetstar. Or is that Jetstar is not quite ready for me!