The disgraceful state of the MEL Lounge with no end in sight

[jetlagger]

They were also in OOL last week!

The VA lounge at OOL is a welcome reprieve at any time though.
Hot Dog 'cuisine" or not..

 

[bass_ke]

The VA lounge at OOL is a welcome reprieve at any time though.
Hot Dog 'cuisine" or not..

Absolutely! Even though our delayed VA76 was keeping the staff from going home they were still the friendliest I've come across.

 

[lovestotravel]

I'll be sure to give a report how how busy the lounge is next week as I have a few MEL-PER flights in J booked to burn up the VA points I have!

Matter of time before a big enhancement to the FF program! VA can only bleed cash and ask for more money for so long

EY/SQ/NZ are just waiting waiting waiting.........

 

[samas]

Anyone have any experience for Sunday afternoons recently? I'll be there next Sunday for a 1730 departure so curious how it is from about 1600-1715. I've never been in the MEL lounge before so at least I don't have anything to compare it to!

 

[Bofter]

Anyone have any experience for Sunday afternoons recently? I'll be there next Sunday for a 1730 departure so curious how it is from about 1600-1715. I've never been in the MEL lounge before so at least I don't have anything to compare it to!

Haven't been at that time for a month or two but it was busy enough - pretty much every seat taken (some by bags) in normal area but with only short waits for food or drinks.

 

[PLANT]

Many years ago I went in the original lounge that had the POOL table take up 20 metres by 10 metres of space and then the cinema area that had black curtains floor to ceiling.
I think I went in a few years back when it had the cafe service(alcohol) where the old cinema was, a self service food area next to it and seats along the window where pool table was.
Interesting to see the new lounge.......

Anyone been in the VIrgin International lounge?
Looking for a guest in on the 26th Nov if you know anyone please!

 

[quick_dry]

Anyone have any experience for Sunday afternoons recently? I'll be there next Sunday for a 1730 departure so curious how it is from about 1600-1715. I've never been in the MEL lounge before so at least I don't have anything to compare it to!

was there last weekend, quite busy but there were delays out of Melbourne due to the storm in Sydney. It wasn't 'standing room only' there were a few seats free, but definitely felt busy (possibly more so due to lack of space with construction)

 

[Sprucegoose]

It seems VA is just not a premium airline!!

 

[fersea]

I was there on Friday too. Admittedly it was my first time in there and I have only been in CBR virgin lounge and Brisbane for about 5 mins but we found a seat, the beer was cold and the view of the runway interesting.

 

[samas]

Haven't been at that time for a month or two but it was busy enough - pretty much every seat taken (some by bags) in normal area but with only short waits for food or drinks.

was there last weekend, quite busy but there were delays out of Melbourne due to the storm in Sydney. It wasn't 'standing room only' there were a few seats free, but definitely felt busy (possibly more so due to lack of space with construction)

Cheers for that.
I'm guesting in friends who are dropping us off at the airport so fingers crossed it's not an embarrassment at the time

 

[Lowjhg]

Cheers for that.
I'm guesting in friends who are dropping us off at the airport so fingers crossed it's not an embarrassment at the time

Hopefully it isnt peak hour when you/your friends travel, otherwise it'll be standing room only. Ever since they closed off the 'library' area ive noticed a sharp increase of patrons in the elevated part of the lounge. With this circumstance i now sit at the newly opened sitting area that used to be the IT area and meeting rooms. The only saving grace of the lounge is its white wine collection.

 

[bullerdude]

The new glass façade extension seem moderately complete when coming in tonight. It look massive so the new lounge view to the runway could be pretty decent!

 

[Jamesl]

It seems VA is just not a premium airline!!

And rome(qantas) wasn't built in a day!

 

[Jurahn]

Hopefully it isnt peak hour when you/your friends travel, otherwise it'll be standing room only.

Doesn't even have to be peak hour ... I was in the MEL lounge on a Saturday morning early November from around 6am to 10am - by around 9am, it was getting extremely crowded and by the time I left to head for the International terminal, it was almost impossible to find a seat. On the return trip on Thursday, arrived in the lounge at around 11am to find it again almost impossible to find a seat - not what I'd hoped to find after domestic flights in the US followed by the long haul on VA24 to MEL then another flight to catch to PER. Finally managed to find a seat in the raised area, only to end up wearing most of the cup of tea I was drinking thanks to a guy who was carrying his toddler and his carry-on luggage through the upper area and with it being so crowded, he was barely able to squeeze between chairs, hence knocking into me quite heavily. Obviously hoped to have a shower after that but the water in the shower in the women's toilets was barely lukewarm (the cleaner told me she had already reported it early that morning and would report it again) and what appeared to be the only other shower available, in the hallway between the men's and women's toilets, was in constant use. Most of the same areas appeared to be still boarded up (and some even more so in the toilet area), and there was constant hammering and drilling, but it didn't appear much progress had been made in the month I'd been away.

 

[maninblack]

Hmm. I was feeling pretty patient about it until I was back there the other day and it really does look like there is still a looooong way to go and yes it was pretty chaotic and unpleasant. Perhaps a worse experience than the Perth lounge which, I actually walked out of last week to sit in the public area which at Perth is really a pretty major condemntation of the lounge.

 

[hummel]

Hmm. I was feeling pretty patient about it until I was back there the other day and it really does look like there is still a looooong way to go and yes it was pretty chaotic and unpleasant. Perhaps a worse experience than the Perth lounge which, I actually walked out of last week to sit in the public area which at Perth is really a pretty major condemntation of the lounge.

Haven't been in the MEL lounge for a while but doesn't sound great, will be there on on Christmas Eve...

 

[straitman]

I have sent an email off to the Lounge Manager to see if we can get an update.

 

[day_mee]

Quelle horreur! Virgin is working on creating a larger lounge for guests! That is just plain shocking and unacceptable! haha

 

[serfty]

The problem is I am thinking is this change is past of a far wider terminal redevelopment and I don't think all blame can be directed at VA.

 

[straitman]

I have sent an email off to the Lounge Manager to see if we can get an update.

The following is the answer I received this afternoon from the Melbourne Lounge Manager. Hopefully that will satisfy people for a while.

Next week! Saturday morning - the North wing will be open and we are very excited. This raises the current capacity by approximately 250-300 seats. By the time the South Wing opens early next year our capacity will be an impressive (approx) 720. We understand the pressure points we have all faced during these renovations... and the end is in sight! We can't wait to show you around.