SYD Business Lounge - ''this is not an arrivals lounge'

[JohnPhelan]

There is no need to show a boarding pass when entering the lounge.
It can only lead to confusion when dealing with new or inexperienced 'angels' as mentioned by the OP.

That's certainly not QF's view. The boarding pass is actually more important than the card.

 

[boomy]

That's certainly not QF's view. The boarding pass is actually more important than the card.

I disagree. The idea behind the smart cards is that you can check in online and use the card to board the flight.

I really don't understand pax that are still printing boarding passes for domestic flights. It's a thing of the past.

 

[Timsboot]

To some extent that is correct....
The lounge used to be "Anytime Access" - ie could be used anytime, even if not travelling.

Oh how I miss Anytime Access. An "enhancement" that really hurt. I have a theory as to why it was removed. The enhancement that removed Anytime Access happened about 3-6 months after Sydney Airport was upgraded/downgraded (depending on your view) from two departure gate areas to one. Used to be that the the One World and Star Alliance branches of the international terminal had different immigration and security clearance areas. Now it is all funneled through one. When there were two and I was flying *A or Virgin Atlantic in J, I would go to the *A lounge (SQ or NZ). But when the airport consolidated into one gate - that exited right at the QF lounges - I would jump on the elevators and go straight into the QF J lounge using my Anytime Access rights. My theory is that I was not alone. That suddenly the QF J lounge in Sydney was awash with *A Anytime Access WPers that could not be bothered (like me) to walk all the way around the terminal, especially when the QF J lounge was better than anything else on offer. This prompted QF to enhance the program and take away another benefit. Fast forward to 2013 and as the OP points out, now start are nit picking and nickle and diming the people that make QF the most money.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Oh how I miss Anytime Access. An "enhancement" that really hurt. I have a theory as to why it was removed. The enhancement that removed Anytime Access happened about 3-6 months after Sydney Airport was upgraded/downgraded (depending on your view) from two departure gate areas to one. Used to be that the the One World and Star Alliance branches of the international terminal had different immigration and security clearance areas. Now it is all funneled through one. When there were two and I was flying *A or Virgin Atlantic in J, I would go to the *A lounge (SQ or NZ). But when the airport consolidated into one gate - that exited right at the QF lounges - I would jump on the elevators and go straight into the QF J lounge using my Anytime Access rights. My theory is that I was not alone. That suddenly the QF J lounge in Sydney was awash with *A Anytime Access WPers that could not be bothered (like me) to walk all the way around the terminal, especially when the QF J lounge was better than anything else on offer. This prompted QF to enhance the program and take away another benefit. Fast forward to 2013 and as the OP points out, now start are nit picking and nickle and diming the people that make QF the most money.

Was there ever such as thing as "Anytime Access" for international lounges? I thought it only applied to Domestic Lounges. And QF has never had *A access..

 

[dfcatch]

Was there ever such as thing as "Anytime Access" for international lounges? I thought it only applied to Domestic Lounges. And QF has never had *A access..

IIRC - yes (for Int J lounge).

Naturally you "had to be traveling", but "not necessarily on QF".

Whereas for Domestic there was no requirement to be "traveling".

 

[JohnPhelan]

Was there ever such as thing as "Anytime Access" for international lounges? I thought it only applied to Domestic Lounges. And QF has never had *A access..

Yes there certainly was Anytime Access for international lounges - and in my opinion, that was the problem that caused the whole thing to be canned. There were people on this very website who 'boasted' about buying tickets to fly in SQ First between SYD and LHR - but using the QF lounges rather than the SQ lounges!

I don't think QF was concerned at all about people using Anytime Access in the way it was really intended (e.g. for Plats going to the airport to collect people and waiting for them in the lounge); what was the problem was people flying on other airlines but choosing to use the QF lounges! Timsboot's post above reflects exactly that.

 

[leon_rex]

On a more positive note, I thought I should add that Manfred is fantastic at Sydney J lounge (and very funny), and so is that Alistair fellow [CL?] and most others! Domenic who does Island Dining is also A+ and a really nice guy. Hoping the QantasLink people fade discreetly away to man gates somewhere down on the concourse.

 

[Austman]

Arrivals access for international lounges (for WPs and above) would be a welcome return. It's allowed domestically. Is internationally such a big ask?

 

[amaroo]

Arrivals access for international lounges (for WPs and above) would be a welcome return. It's allowed domestically. Is internationally such a big ask?

CL never lost ATA - or am I mistaken?

 

[Hvr]

Arrivals access for international lounges (for WPs and above) would be a welcome return. It's allowed domestically. Is internationally such a big ask?

The complication with this is the separation of arriving and departing passengers. Of course at MEL AP there is nothing to stop you walking around to the domestic J lounge and using it as required. Would be an embuggerance at other airports like SYD/BNE/PER where the terminals are a long distance apart.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Arrivals access for international lounges (for WPs and above) would be a welcome return. It's allowed domestically. Is internationally such a big ask?

And how exactly do you get to the SYD international lounges as an arriving pax?

 

[Austman]

The complication with this is the separation of arriving and departing passengers. Of course at MEL AP there is nothing to stop you walking around to the domestic J lounge and using it as required. Would be an embuggerance at other airports like SYD/BNE/PER where the terminals are a long distance apart.

At many airports true. But there are airports where there is no separation (eg SIN) and there is the case of transit flights, especially when the next on-ward flight is to somewhere that QF/OW/JQ doesn't even fly to.

 

[Austman]

And how exactly do you get to the SYD international lounges as an arriving pax?

See above. Not talking necessarily about Australian lounges here.

 

[farstar]

That's certainly not QF's view. The boarding pass is actually more important than the card.

I use my card as my boarding pass and just showing my card always allows me entry, in fact they just glance at it as I pass.

 

[samh004]

CL never lost ATA - or am I mistaken?

That appears to be the consensus.

 

[amaroo]

And how exactly do you get to the SYD international lounges as an arriving pax?

QF19 to BNE was a sweet transfer SYD Flounge is a great arrivals lounge. Didn't need ATA though!

But I imagine that you could connect to say NZ after arriving on QF.

 

[Timsboot]

Yes there certainly was Anytime Access for international lounges - and in my opinion, that was the problem that caused the whole thing to be canned. There were people on this very website who 'boasted' about buying tickets to fly in SQ First between SYD and LHR - but using the QF lounges rather than the SQ lounges!

I don't think QF was concerned at all about people using Anytime Access in the way it was really intended (e.g. for Plats going to the airport to collect people and waiting for them in the lounge); what was the problem was people flying on other airlines but choosing to use the QF lounges! Timsboot's post above reflects exactly that.

let's break this up into domestic and international.

Domestically it made no sense at all to cancel Anytime Lounge access for WPs and above. The savings cost in F&B at the lounges would be minimal. As pointed out the parking costs make the journey to the airport not that worthwhile for just a drink. And given how much you spend (or have spent on your behalf) to make WP it was a fair reward for loyalty.

Internationally I agree there is a arguable story here. That allowing people who are flying another airline - especially those who have access to another lounge - to use a QF lounge does sound on its face to be a big benefit. But in cancelling it here too QF missed out on a huge opportunity. In earning WP you make a lot of money for QF. A lot. QF should celebrate the chance to having you somewhere in the QF world, even if just a lounge. They should use the chance to come over to you and talk to you about why you are not flying QF that day. To bathe you in a glow of QF love and goodness to try to woo you. They should drown you in love and thanks to build up the emotional connection to the brand by rewarding past behavior to influence future. But that is not QF style. Instead they "enhance" and penny pinch. Cancel all Anytime Access and push you back into the hands of other airlines or embarrass you at domestic airports by treating you like a cheater.

I think they should immediately reinstate Anytime Access. Certainly for domestic but arguably for International as well.

 

[NM]

SYD busy on a Friday night? Nah. Friday afternoon maybe but not Friday night. What time are you arriving? I should be there around 5:30pm-6:00pm if my flight from BNE is on time.

John, its great to see you being optimistic about Friday afternoon on-time performance

 

[medhead]

There is no need to show a boarding pass when entering the lounge.

How do you figure that? Given access requires either a same day flight or onwards flight; of course there is a need to show a BP or otherwise have your eligibility checked if the staff insist. Staff not checking does not mean there is no need.

A QFF card is effectively a BP. Also remember that not everyone can use their QFF card to board.

 

[serfty]

'Til the opening of the Domestic Business Lounges and the New First lounges in 2007, Any Time Access was available for WP domestically and a modified version (had to be travelling [on any carrier]) was available for international QF lounges - this included such First Lounges as were available (MEL/SYD/BNE/AKL/SIN etc).

In 2007 with the opening of the "Exclusive" First lounges at SYD and MEL and the Domestic Business lounges at MEL, SYD, BNE & CBR) the rules were modified to permit ATA only to domestic QP's and international Business Lounges. No ATA for the Dom. Business and international First lounges was to be available (although domestically it made little difference due to lack of enforcement).

Then, announced latish 2010, in early 2011 ATA as a WP privilege was to be replaced with Departures (on QF/JQ/*O) only access thus spawning this long (1.7Kpost) thread:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....tinum-anytime-lounge-access-ceases-25773.html

Comments in that thread (and I presume) elsewhere resulted in a retraction to "Same Day Access" with several variations promoted by Qantas before what exists today.