Varying (Decreasing?) Levels of Service at the MEL/SYD First Lounges

[katiebell]

Re the SYD service I have always found the Accor staff quite indifferent (in both lounges). Certainly not what I would expect. ...

This has been my disappointing experience in the SYD Flounge. Last time I arrived with enough time for a leisurely meal. I left without eating anything: could not get seated (despite space available), could not get menu, could not get drinks, could not get order taken; could not get served. In the end i asked for some ice-cream: even that came so late I did not get to eat it.

I do not doubt the veracity of the OP but (perhaps fortunately) I have not had a bad experience in MEL FLounge

 

[Heidi71]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Our family (2 adults, one child aged 13) used the QF First Lounge in Syd back in June of last year, thru the use of 3 QF lounge passes.

We were disappointed with the service provided, from the moment we arrived at the lounge desk. It was very evident from the body language and general attitude from the lounge host, that we were not platinum FF or travelling in first. We were simply told to take a seat in the restaurant! No tour of the lounge, no we can offer you a massage will you wait for your flight! We found our own seat, approached the desk to order our food, waiting for food, school holidays in Syd so the lounge was very busy, food came out cold! Ordered drinks again by approaching the desk. After the lounge only had a handful of guests, a waiter came to us to take our order. Went directly to the spa to book a treatment, only to be told they have to be booked thru the front reception desk. Went there and reluctantly three treatments were booked( I had asked at reception when we first arrived about spa treatments, told to book later!

We spent a total of 4.5 hours at the First lounge, but were left disappointed. Customer service was not present

 

[Heidi71]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

And we travelled on the first morning flight from Mel to enjoy the QF First Lounge

 

[MrJetset]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Our family (2 adults, one child aged 13) used the QF First Lounge in Syd back in June of last year, thru the use of 3 QF lounge passes.

We were disappointed with the service provided, from the moment we arrived at the lounge desk. It was very evident from the body language and general attitude from the lounge host, that we were not platinum FF or travelling in first. We were simply told to take a seat in the restaurant! No tour of the lounge, no we can offer you a massage will you wait for your flight! We found our own seat, approached the desk to order our food, waiting for food, school holidays in Syd so the lounge was very busy, food came out cold! Ordered drinks again by approaching the desk. After the lounge only had a handful of guests, a waiter came to us to take our order. Went directly to the spa to book a treatment, only to be told they have to be booked thru the front reception desk. Went there and reluctantly three treatments were booked( I had asked at reception when we first arrived about spa treatments, told to book later!

We spent a total of 4.5 hours at the First lounge, but were left disappointed. Customer service was not present

What does this have to do with this thread?

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

What does this have to do with this thread?

I guess we need a general F lounge complaint thread.


FWIW, I will be visiting the SYD F Lounge next month, so will be looking at the service with much interest.

 

[blackcat20]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

I guess we need a general F lounge complaint thread.


FWIW, I will be visiting the SYD F Lounge next month, so will be looking at the service with much interest.

Me too! (Filler....)

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Me too! (Filler....)

Really! I might see you there.

 

[cmon0005]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

FWIW, I will be visiting the SYD F Lounge next month, so will be looking at the service with much interest.

I was there at the end of November and the service was perhaps the best I have had there in my opinion.
Hope it's the same for your visit! Even managed to get 2 spa appointments!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

And then I had very poor service in F lounge melb in mid January. A real struggle to get a drink at all in the restaurant area

 

[opusman]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Maybe I'm jaded but I tend to agree, when I think back to when I first visited the F lounge in 2011 or so, the service was significantly better than it has been on my last two visits (both MEL & SYD).

 

[blackcat20]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Maybe I'm jaded but I tend to agree, when I think back to when I first visited the F lounge in 2011 or so, the service was significantly better than it has been on my last two visits (both MEL & SYD).

In 2013 it was fantastic, in August last year it was still pretty good (SYD being better than MEL). But November it was terrible.

 

[legroom]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Our family (2 adults, one child aged 13) used the QF First Lounge in Syd back in June of last year, thru the use of 3 QF lounge passes.

We were disappointed with the service provided, from the moment we arrived at the lounge desk. It was very evident from the body language and general attitude from the lounge host, that we were not platinum FF or travelling in first. We were simply told to take a seat in the restaurant! No tour of the lounge, no we can offer you a massage will you wait for your flight! We found our own seat, approached the desk to order our food, waiting for food, school holidays in Syd so the lounge was very busy, food came out cold! Ordered drinks again by approaching the desk. After the lounge only had a handful of guests, a waiter came to us to take our order. Went directly to the spa to book a treatment, only to be told they have to be booked thru the front reception desk. Went there and reluctantly three treatments were booked( I had asked at reception when we first arrived about spa treatments, told to book later!

We spent a total of 4.5 hours at the First lounge, but were left disappointed. Customer service was not present

I know it's off topic but ranting like this needs to be placed in perspective.

Many items of your laundry lists apply to WPs and F pax too, perhaps not the spa booking for F pax.

Never heard of 'tour of the lounge' - ever. Are you the next Miranda Kerr ?

You should be grateful to have three spa sessions on lounge passes. Many times on paid J (and WP), they could not accommodate me but that's life (and normal).

It's only a lounge, not a 5-star resort where you are the VIP guest !

4.5 hrs !!!!

You were intent on 'enjoying' the lounge passes .... despite the alleged slights. Without those, would you stay from opening to closing ?

 

[Princess Fiona]

MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Maybe I'm jaded but I tend to agree, when I think back to when I first visited the F lounge in 2011 or so, the service was significantly better than it has been on my last two visits (both MEL & SYD).

I had wondered the same myself. Familiarity does tend to breed contempt. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh. Visit last month to SYD F Lounge had uninspiring service including asking for a table for 4 and being told none available, take a seat in the lounge- not even taking names. On a previous visit the poached eggs were hard in the middle, didn't eat any of the eggs benny. Waiter didn't even ask me anything about it. Not what you'd call proactive service.
I'm in MEL FLounge next month for a fairly lengthy visit - much longer than I'd like but the booking is a FASA and I don't want to touch it. Will be interesting to see what the service is like over a longer time period. I'll report back..

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

I had wondered the same myself. Familiarity does tend to breed contempt. <snip>k..

I reckon that's a lot of it ... or being over expectant .. such that pretty good service and experience can be disappointing.

I was in the SYD F lounge a couple of weeks ago, for lunch (first time for me for a midday visit) and it was all round fantastic.

 

[clazman]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Having never been in the f lounge and aspiring to visit ...my dreams are now shattered... whats next Santa Clause dosn't exist.

 

[opusman]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

It's hard for it to be truly awful when you have (usually) great food and fine wines on tap, all for free. But I remember my first few visits to the F lounge mainly for the fantastic service:

- warmly welcomed right at the start and escorted to a seat
- a pro-active waiter who made sure my glass was never empty and, even when I said I would wait until after my spa treatment for some food still insisted on bringing me the squid
- someone from the spa came and found me for my appointment
- friendly service in the restaurant afterwards, again with glass never empty
- etc, etc.

It was just all-round a first class experience, whereas my past few visits it has really been more like the J DOM lounge with better food + drink.

The service wasn't *bad* but it just didn't have that pro-active first class feel about it.

 

[serfty]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

...
Never heard of 'tour of the lounge' - ever. Are you the next Miranda Kerr ?
...

That a little harsh ... FWIW, when the lounges first opened in 2007 (yes, nearly 8 years ago), I was offered a tour or an escort to my first place of repose (lounge/desk/table/seat) with drink orders taken nearly every time I visited - it was the norm.

So, yes, one did not need to be Miranda Kerr to get such attention.

 

[legroom]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

That a little harsh ... FWIW, when the lounges first opened in 2007 (yes, nearly 8 years ago), I was offered a tour or an escort to my first place of repose (lounge/desk/table/seat) with drink orders taken nearly every time I visited - it was the norm.

So, yes, one did not need to be Miranda Kerr to get such attention.

I stand corrected !

Genuinely not aware of such tours being on offer, at least not since I could access F lounges.

Escort to seats, yes I have had that offered but never been suggested to have a tour.

 

[Kangol]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

I guess we need a general F lounge complaint thread.

Haha.. I'd be interested to see the frequency and severity of such anecdotes.
Sure, there are going to be instances of unsatisfactory service but for most, it probably sounds too good to be true.

 

[Hvr]

Re: MEL First lounge joins PER RSA push

Never heard of 'tour of the lounge' - ever. Are you the next Miranda Kerr ?

<snip>

I've been offered lounge tours several times at both MEL and SYD.

Having never been in the f lounge and aspiring to visit ...my dreams are now shattered... whats next Santa Clause dosn't exist.

Just don't even think about the Easter bunny.