Sydney Lounge feedback wanted regarding meeting rooms and kids area

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Our flagship lounge expansion and upgrade in Sydney is due for completion later this year, which will double the original seat capacity.

Now the team are reviewing design options for a ‘kid’s zone’ plus meeting rooms, and we want to hear your thoughts!

Things we’d like to know:


  • Do you currently use the meeting rooms in VA SYD or other lounges? If so, how often, and how important are they to you? Do you pre-book or try your luck on the day?
  • Do you feel that meeting rooms are necessary in a lounge, specifically in Sydney? If there were meeting rooms, would you use them?
  • How important is it to have a children’s area in a lounge? (this is for both people with and without kids)
  • Where do you think the best place for a kid’s area is in an airport lounge? Is a dedicated children’s area better being close to the food and beverage offerings, or ‘tucked’ away out of sight & earshot?

Thanks everyone!
 
1) I use meeting rooms on an ad hoc basis, booked in advance. I think the Brisbane option works well where they are external to the lounge.

2) yes, kids areas are desirable, but they must be sound proof. Best one i have used is BA Galleries at T3 in Heathrow - glass walls so you can see the kids with glass doors, but sound proof. Parents sit outside and watch, but in silence. Fantastic.
 
I never use the meeting rooms except to make a quiet phone call (discovered they're great if you need to do a live radio interview). I would definitely welcome a kids area though. I travel with my own 2.5 year old quite a bit and the difference in amenity for me AND everyone else in the lounge is massive if there's a dedicated kids space. The problem is even worse when it's other people's kids :)

As a general rule, in sight but out of earshot (well sound proofed but visible from at least part of the general area) is the best of all combinations. There's no need for it to be particularly near the F&B but where one parent can see in while sitting in the lounge is ideal.
 
I don't use the VA meeting rooms but I do use the private suites in the QF F Lounge. These are fantastic and particularly good when traveling with the family. Equally as useful for a meeting with colleagues.
I think a dedicated kids area is a good idea. Sound proofed and central. The BA kids rooms are good although the wait staff often need reminding that they need to go in there and remove the dirty crockery.
 
A kids room would be great for parents with children, other guests and of course the actual children. It does not have to be huge, just some toys and some tables where they can colour in etc. We were able to use the kids room in the Koru Club lounge is Sydney a couple of weeks ago which was good. My nearly 3 year old son is excited when flying, has done over 60 flights and also likes to watch the planes coming and going so if the kids room had a bit of a view that would also be good but not necessary. If you want to go all out, a TV, but not sure if you have access to kids content, a train table or some type of little playhouse all go down with the kids and relax them before the flight. As Boris spatsky said, you would want to have it so you could see into the room and have some seating nearby outside for the parents to supervise nearby.




Our flagship lounge expansion and upgrade in Sydney is due for completion later this year, which will double the original seat capacity.

Now the team are reviewing design options for a ‘kid’s zone’ plus meeting rooms, and we want to hear your thoughts!

Things we’d like to know:


  • Do you currently use the meeting rooms in VA SYD or other lounges? If so, how often, and how important are they to you? Do you pre-book or try your luck on the day?
  • Do you feel that meeting rooms are necessary in a lounge, specifically in Sydney? If there were meeting rooms, would you use them?
  • How important is it to have a children’s area in a lounge? (this is for both people with and without kids)
  • Where do you think the best place for a kid’s area is in an airport lounge? Is a dedicated children’s area better being close to the food and beverage offerings, or ‘tucked’ away out of sight & earshot?

Thanks everyone!
 
I second view, or at least something flight related to see & touch - Mast almost 4 now delays our entry to Brisbane lounge to see the planes at each gate we pass. We're yet to see the new Canberra lounge but loved the view from the old.
Our local GP also does the small glass front room with toys & colouring well, with seating just outside similar to the Melbourne lounge benches.
 
A little persons area would be a very welcomed addition. I occasionally travel with a 3yo and other times my wife and little guy come to the airport to see me off.

I agree with 777s comments. In sight out of earshot.
 
Never use the meeting rooms. Personally, wouldn't care if they disappeared or moved outside the lounge like in ADL.

A kids zone would be great! The glass sound-proof room described above sounds good. Location near food and beverage area would be ideal for those who aren't traveling as a couple (i.e. one adult, 1-2 kids), so they can have eye contact at all times.
 
Before I read it in this thread I didn't even realize it was possible/necessary to book the meeting rooms. I've never seen one in use. Then again, I'm generally traveling on my own dime so I'm not too interested in 'business facilities'. I have, however, noticed a tendency for the printer/copiers to be broken. I took a picture last time I was in CBR
ImageUploadedByAustFreqFly1365754415.375322.jpg

FWIW, SC 878 means a controller or firmware issue. That poor little machine needs a new brain (Controller board/CPU card).

On the kids play area, I cannot agree more. Last time I was in LAX there was a family in the Loft who were great, but not all parents are that diligent or want the stress of keeping the kids amused while waiting. We were waiting for VA24 back to MEL. I know I would want to go 12 rounds with a toddler just before a 14 hour flight.
 
+100 to a kids area. It needs to be sound proof and behind glass and it will be a wonderful success. A small playground would be great!

I would rather more power points and fast WiFi than meeting rooms.. Maybe some small areas or pod like spaces where you can have a phone conversation and not bother others to much and use your laptop to get some work done..
 
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Maybe some small areas or pod like spaces where you can have a phone conversation and not bother others to much and use your laptop to get some work done..

+1 I really like this idea..

Here is an idea of one from a Regus Business Lounge, but they haven't done enough to contain more of the sound from a phone call and made it to cramped in the pod, which you don't want when you are about to get on a plane!

78-82281.jpg
 
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Our flagship lounge expansion and upgrade in Sydney is due for completion later this year, which will double the original seat capacity.

Now the team are reviewing design options for a ‘kid’s zone’ plus meeting rooms, and we want to hear your thoughts!

Things we’d like to know:


  • Do you currently use the meeting rooms in VA SYD or other lounges? If so, how often, and how important are they to you? Do you pre-book or try your luck on the day?
  • Do you feel that meeting rooms are necessary in a lounge, specifically in Sydney? If there were meeting rooms, would you use them?
  • How important is it to have a children’s area in a lounge? (this is for both people with and without kids)
  • Where do you think the best place for a kid’s area is in an airport lounge? Is a dedicated children’s area better being close to the food and beverage offerings, or ‘tucked’ away out of sight & earshot?

Thanks everyone!
I have used the meeting rooms in Sydney and Melbourne, booked in advance. Easy to get together with my team who are on the road individually or as a group, as well as a great place to hold final interviews. I would be dissapointed if meeting rooms were no longer available.

Childrens area is probably a necessity and should be not so far away, so that no one would use it, but far enough away to not distract those of us who are travelling for business or are old enough to be not requiring those types of facilities anymore.
 
+100 to a kids area. It needs to be sound proof and behind glass and it will be a wonderful success. A small playground would be great!

I would rather more power points and fast WiFi than meeting rooms.. Maybe some small areas or pod like spaces where you can have a phone conversation and not bother others to much and use your laptop to get some work done..

Tell ya what - this has all but hit the nail on the head! I'd love pods... The worst thing I hate, above people hearing my conversations, is hearing others! I too have never booked a meeting room, and honestly doubt I will ever use it. However on the occasions that I do travel with GrommetGurio, she loves to play and will happily sit for hours quietly playing/drawing/etc. as opposed to running amok when bored (and before anyone asks - yes she does get 'old school' punishment, but this one has stamina and spunk!) and as said before, whilst I don't mind hearing other people's kids for a while, after that it gets on my nerves...

So in summary, another +1 to no meeting rooms, kids room and if possible, pods for us to use for phone calls.
 
This is all touchy feely rubbish isn't it?

VFF, you lot know far more than us about how many use the meeting rooms. Surely you have data........or not :shock:.

You must know approx. how many kids enter the lounge, so on average, 99.9% of parents (bugger the kids) would love a sound proof, air-tight, locked abode for them. (BTW, I have three kids.....and they still live)

Please ask questions of us that you don't already know the answers.

Remember you had a cinema in SYD......did that work? Don't forget your past when looking forward.

To answer your questions....
1) Have I used the meeting rooms......No, but almost....once.
2) Kids area....yes of course. My local hairdresser has a kids zone. My local real estate agent has a kids zone. My local pub has a kids zone.........what's the big question? What's your market? Obviously my local small businesses have been able to figure it out without asking their clients, what's your problem?

Fair dinkum, if this is the huge hurdles VA is struggling with, then I now understand why you cannot fix the website.
 
Some people are never happy. :confused:

Moan when VA leave the boards. Then moan when they've returned and are trying to involve AFF feedback/input into future lounge projects. Guess they should just stop everything happening till Sabre is running smoothly.

The way I see it is they were after a discussion. Giving the community the chance to put forward ideas - which a number of people have taken the opportunity to do.... ie Pods, Meeting rooms outside, soundproof kids room.
 
Fair dinkum, if this is the huge hurdles VA is struggling with, then I now understand why you cannot fix the website.

Fair dinkum, if you're going to respond like that, perhaps you should have stuck to your earlier view on giving feedback to VA.
I won't put my hand up as I doubt the easy words that form on my lips are diplomatic enough, but I think an AFF task force is a good idea.....

I don't doubt they have stats on how often meeting rooms are being used at present. But what they don't know is how often they are not being used because pricing is unattractive or some other reason. A lot of feedback here suggests that space for making phone calls without disturbing the rest of the lounge would be valuable - booking room stats aren't going to reveal that. So maybe they ditch one meeting room and come up with some funky cone-of-silence zone for phone calls.

And if a kids area is such a no brainer, why do many airport lounges bar children? There must be a market for it. I don't see throwing up a few thought bubbles as a sign of incompetence.



From my perspective I don't use the meeting rooms and probably never will. Some sort of "phone call" area would be more useful to me.

Kids area - I'm not in the market for it at this phase of life but agree with sentiment that it needs to be audibly separated from the lounge, whilst allowing good visibility. However you'd need to discourage parents from dumping kids in there and then retreating to the back corner of the Lounge with their coffee whilst Jenny runs riot.
 
I prefer QF flights out of SYD due to there Domestic Lounge having a kids area.
 
This is all touchy feely rubbish isn't it?

These are EXACTLY the sorts of questions they should be consulting their customers about. They involve trade-offs between competing interests and functions and then there are a lot of gentle factors in the implementation (location, proximity ot other customers, etc - several of which are directly mentioned already). The false trade-off between making these kinds of plans and investments and fixing the website is so obviously ridiculous that it doesn't really need comment except to point out the obvious: if they redeploy the builders, designers and architects behind the lounge project to their IT team i dont think that's going to help!
 
We've taken our kids into the various VA Lounges quite a few times. When flying with the kids, it's normally midday, or early on a Sat morning, so no peak times. Often they lounges have been empty.

We've more often than not had friendly welcome from the Lounge attendants.

A Kids area - yes it's a great idea. Sectioned off yes. Sound proofed and behind glass doors ? not sure. Does that conflict with the architectural aesthetics of the "ala Marc Newson" design.
 
Its great to be able to give feedback on changes as far as I am concerned. I have used the meeting rooms and find them handy, especially for that last minute meeting before heading home, the ability to morph them into mini movie rooms at weekends might be handy, after all a DVD/Blu ray and 50" Plasmas are pretty cheap these days.

Kids area closed off, another good one, a la the Maccas playground or Ikea.

A junior flyer activity pack in a good quality reusable Virgin branded bag would also be a big winner, my son loves his Hilton Honors one, in fact I suspect you could even sell a few at $10 (a backpack with logo can be had from China for USD$5).
 
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