VA 7 BNE-LAX Lounge access

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jordanva

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Jul 23, 2013
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Hey guys

Just a quick question. I am a regular on VA1 and 2 from SYD to LAX in J but for an upcoming trip on Wednesday, I will be connecting through BNE on VA 7. I have never traveled to BNE before and was after some advice from travellers who regularly go through the airport. I have a 2 hour stop over in BNE and was wondering if it would be a better option to stay at the domestic terminal for longer and go to the VA lounge there after my flight or would it be better to transfer straight away and go to the Air NZ koru lounge in the Int. terminal? Or is there another option?

I am a VA Platinum member and flying J so im guessing transfer shouldn't take to long and I thought if the Air NZ lounge is anything like the Sydney Int. lounge then I am no rush what so ever to get there and probably the VA domestic lounge might be nicer.

Thanks. Happy New Year!
 
With a mere 2 hours at BNE, you're better off going more or less straight to the International terminal.

I haven't been to the BNE I Koru Club before and I don't know if it's been given a face lift, but with only two hours between flights, you may want to pop into the VA lounge maybe for a drink and a shower but after that just get to the international terminal.

Mind you, if you had asked the same question about going through SYD, I would have given much the same answer.
 
You will probably have about 40-50 min in the international terminal before boarding commences if you head more or less straight access.

The AirNZ lounge is fairly average given it hasn't had a facelift, but the drinks and food aren't too bad, certainly better than the toasted sandwiches as the VA lounge.

If your in J i guess a comfy place to wait is the more important element, the AirNZ lounge has some OK couches.
 
NZ's lounge in BNE isn't the best, although it meant to be getting an face lift & extension this year. The man upgrades that its had in the past 10 years, was removing the Ansett Logo & recovering the chairs out of Ansett Blue.

Food isn't to bad, they tend to have an warm option all day long. At times space in the lounge is very cramped when you have up 10 flights from VA/NZ using it.

Best to head straight to Intentional though, in October it took be 25minutes to get airside from check-in & this was with an express pass! (make sure you drop by VA check-in to get an express pass)
 
Having done this from MEL on Thursday I'm glad i got there early and used flyahead to turn a 115 minute transit/transfer into one of 175 minutes.

You use the train and it only departed every 30 minutes - checking the time table i knew i had 15 minutes to wait in the Domestic lounge before heading out to catch the train 10 minutes before it was scheduled.
 
Having done this from MEL on Thursday I'm glad i got there early and used flyahead to turn a 115 minute transit/transfer into one of 175 minutes.

You use the train and it only departed every 30 minutes - checking the time table i knew i had 15 minutes to wait in the Domestic lounge before heading out to catch the train 10 minutes before it was scheduled.

On a normal weekday as opposed to a public holiday, there is a service every fifteen minutes during the day.
 
I did VA7 a year or so ago as VA1 was full in J and wound up paying for a cab from Dom to Int due to the 30-minute wait for a train; agree that 2 hours isn't a whole lot of time.
 
I am a VA Platinum member and flying J so im guessing transfer shouldn't take to long and I thought if the Air NZ lounge is anything like the Sydney Int. lounge then I am no rush what so ever to get there and probably the VA domestic lounge might be nicer.

Thanks. Happy New Year!

Security at BNE Intl can be a jungle mid-morning so I would be heading immediately from the domestic terminal down to international.

Not sure whether VA have express passes or not & whether you'd be given one by VA in SYD or if you need to swing by the VA counter at BNE before clearing customs.

I wouldn't be able to relax until I'm through customs & in the NZ Lounge. Any lounge that has macaroons can't be that bad.
 
Last Thursday on check in for international connections at MEL I was given an express pass for use at BNE.
 
+1 to moving from domestic to international as quickly as possible.

I had a 90 minute connection booked but flew ahead to give me 2hrs- I ended up with about 15 minutes in the Koru Club in International before it was time to board.
It's not a great lounge, but if you're only there for a half hour or so it definitely has everything you're going to need/want.
 
Check the train schedules here:

Brisbane's Airtrain - Timetable

It will take around 10 minutes to get from the far reaches of the domestic terminal to the train station.

Check both train and T bus schedules. The difference in transit time between both modes is immaterial (unless there happens to be a severe freak traffic accident or really, really mind-bogglingly bad traffic between the terminals), but the T bus requires a shorter walk from the terminal proper.

As well, does the transfer voucher still entitle one to use the train or is it confined to the T bus now? I mean, at the Airtrain station, there may or may not be someone manning entry, so at certain times it could be quite easy just to hop on anyway...
 
Check both train and T bus schedules. The difference in transit time between both modes is immaterial (unless there happens to be a severe freak traffic accident or really, really mind-bogglingly bad traffic between the terminals), but the T bus requires a shorter walk from the terminal proper.

As well, does the transfer voucher still entitle one to use the train or is it confined to the T bus now? I mean, at the Airtrain station, there may or may not be someone manning entry, so at certain times it could be quite easy just to hop on anyway...

I have never seen the airtrain station unmanned at with domestic or international
 
Security at BNE Intl can be a jungle mid-morning so I would be heading immediately from the domestic terminal down to international.

Not sure whether VA have express passes or not & whether you'd be given one by VA in SYD or if you need to swing by the VA counter at BNE before clearing customs. ......

Totally agree, and yes VA do provide immigration express passes as noted prior, so grab one either at SYD check in (if possible) or absolutely get one from the VA plat check counter at BNE Int. Definitely don't hang around the BNE Dom terminal, the terms jungle / zoo are normally accurate descriptions of BNE Int. at the time you will be passing through. The outbound 'Rush hour' at BNE Int. is 10:00 to 11:30 am.

There is often a 'power hungry storm trouper' or two checking carry on size/weight etc. prior to security. They seem to take pleasure in giving 'novice' travellers grief.

VA8 use to be pretty much the sacrificial lamb if anything went pear shape with regard to VA2's LAX departure and that had a knock on effect fairly often to VA7.
That said, since VA7 went daily the performance record has been good (touch wood). All things going to plan they make the first VA7 boarding call around 10:25 to 10:30 with the non-priority line well and truly snaking down the concourse by them.

Image of the Koru Lounge @ BNE attached below - with VA7 (777) NZ136 (777) and a swag of VA South Pac 737 flights departing mid-morning expect it to be a bit more crowded. According to Air NZ media releases in December last year they are 'investigating locations for a new lounge at Brisbane' ...... that doesn't sound like anything very concrete in the short term.

KK Lounge.jpg
 
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Hells bells - love the 6 pieces of "carry on" luggage the couple in the foreground of the lounge pic have.
I assume they are holding it for someone else while they are in the bathroom or something :-|

If not, this is the type of thing the FA's really need to crack down on, as some people are taking the concept of "carry on" a bit too far
/rant
 
Hells bells - love the 6 pieces of "carry on" luggage the couple in the foreground of the lounge pic have.
I assume they are holding it for someone else while they are in the bathroom or something :-|

If not, this is the type of thing the FA's really need to crack down on, as some people are taking the concept of "carry on" a bit too far
/rant

Errrr no ....they were not holding items for anyone ..... I recall this well as they made their presence in the lounge clear to all and sundry. The couple were natives of the LOTFAP with surprisingly, a very much a we rule the word attitude. Can only assume the carry on storm trooper pre security had gone to morning tea.
 
Hells bells - love the 6 pieces of "carry on" luggage the couple in the foreground of the lounge pic have.
I assume they are holding it for someone else while they are in the bathroom or something :-|

If not, this is the type of thing the FA's really need to crack down on, as some people are taking the concept of "carry on" a bit too far
/rant

NZ Gold are allow to take 2x carry-on bags, plus an personal item each. So technically they are within the rules if they are NZ Gold or above, although this rule really needs not to apply to the A320s
 
Ok So if I have understood this thread correctly here is my summary :

There is no Virgin Australia International Lounge and BNE Int Airport
VA shares with Air NZ Lounge. As we are travelling J access to lounge for all will be available.
We should get an Express Immigration pass at the Plat/J Checkin in the Virgin terminal

Did I get this all right?
 
doczim - You are on the money 100%

What day are going ? My next VA BNE to LAX is on Saturday March 7 (J also) ........ which for some mystery reason is not VA7 on that day ......on that day and that day only VA7 is going to be VA5 ............

VA5.JPG
 
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