Virgin Lounge Food

[dk4]

No change in Cairns. ...The QP in CNS at that time actually has quite a decent breakfast spread. VA can't compete with QF J lounge admittedly, but it seems to me they are not even interested in competing with the QP's.

Maybe not in terms of food, but IMO in terms of ambience and customer service - the quiet, welcoming VA lounge in CNS, is light years ahead of the overcrowded dragon pit operated by QF at that airport!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Maybe not in terms of food, but IMO in terms of ambience and customer service - the quiet, welcoming VA lounge in CNS, is light years ahead of the overcrowded dragon pit operated by QF at that airport!

But the lounges are very similar! VA is only quiet because most people are preferring to fly QF. QF lounge is larger, QF has a separated kids zone, QF have a far better selection of food, QF is closer to the terminals. Don't get me wrong, I quite like the ambience of the VA lounge, but I also want the niceties ... ie breakfast that is semi acceptable (especially if DT/H are enforcing continental only)! If I'm not mistaken, neither serve grog until midday, both have acceptable coffee, all my devices are charged and ready from the hotel, so apart from breakfast, what else would we want the lounge for?

 

[Bagpuss]

If I'm not mistaken, neither serve grog until midday,

Virgin lounges serve alcohol from 11am.
In terms of domestic lounges, if you use them regularly they will get boring no matter what they do.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

In terms of domestic lounges, if you use them regularly they will get boring no matter what they do.

Yes and no. If you just want a breakfast, that's fine. I do fly dom frequently, and Qf brekkie is fine, VA is pathetic if you aren't in the triangle.

 

[kevrosmith]

Yes and no. If you just want a breakfast, that's fine. I do fly dom frequently, and Qf brekkie is fine, VA is pathetic if you aren't in the triangle.

I don't often visit the VA Lounge in CNS early morning, but have allowed a bit of extra time the last couple weeks with the change in security requirements. First week, they were serving baked egg-in-bacon style baskets/muffin-shape things, and this week was the same corn-fritters which I've had in SYD previously. I didn't pay too much attention, but did notice a pancake machine, possibly a toaster, cereal, fruits, yoghurt etc. All the same items I've noticed in SYD before during the breakfast period. I don't think the CNS VA lounge is missing anything that was available in SYD.

 

[Bagpuss]

VA is pathetic if you aren't in the triangle.

Have no issues with Perth lounge and fine by me.
Potato chips, bread and butter makes a great chip butty ;-)

I'm always surprised how much people expect from the lounges, the lounges are a perk and aren't directly an income channel.

(Separately, I recall AusBT doing a review of SYD to LAX comparing the new business product of VA to QF's business class. QF won on the basis really of their international lounge .. Really it's like people spend 11 hours in a lounge and 45 minutes on the plane.)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I don't often visit the VA Lounge in CNS early morning, but have allowed a bit of extra time the last couple weeks with the change in security requirements. First week, they were serving baked egg-in-bacon style baskets/muffin-shape things, and this week was the same corn-fritters which I've had in SYD previously. I didn't pay too much attention, but did notice a pancake machine, possibly a toaster, cereal, fruits, yoghurt etc. All the same items I've noticed in SYD before during the breakfast period. I don't think the CNS VA lounge is missing anything that was available in SYD.

Ok so maybe it was a Saturday thing. I was unimpressed and QF does a reasonable breakfast on Saturday as well.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'm always surprised how much people expect from the lounges, the lounges are a perk and aren't directly an income channel.

Conversely, I'm always surprised how many people accept a sub-standard offering from a lounge (sorry, but chip butty just doesn't do it for me ). From what others in the know have suggested, a lounge is an integral part of a major income source for airlines, that being a loyalty scheme, not to mention the plain and simple enticement factor to fly a particular airline. There is absolutely nothing wrong in comparing one product to another and VA fall far behind QF in most (if not all) lounges from what I can see. It's a bit like the people saying it's unfair to compare the QF J lounge to the VA lounge. It's a very fair and valid comparison for all those flyers who can legitimately access the QF J lounge.

 

[Pleb Status]

Conversely, I'm always surprised how many people accept a sub-standard offering from a lounge (sorry, but chip butty just doesn't do it for me ). From what others in the know have suggested, a lounge is an integral part of a major income source for airlines, that being a loyalty scheme, not to mention the plain and simple enticement factor to fly a particular airline. There is absolutely nothing wrong in comparing one product to another and VA fall far behind QF in most (if not all) lounges from what I can see. It's a bit like the people saying it's unfair to compare the QF J lounge to the VA lounge. It's a very fair and valid comparison for all those flyers who can legitimately access the QF J lounge.

I am surprised that you continue to 'accept a substandard offering' by flying VA. Feel free to move all your travel to QF...

 

[serfty]

I am surprised that you continue to 'accept a substandard offering' by flying VA. Feel free to move all your travel to QF...

I believe swanning_it is actually doing that when and where they can.

Myself, WP in both camps works fine.

 

[pauly7]

I am surprised that you continue to 'accept a substandard offering' by flying VA. Feel free to move all your travel to QF...

Don't really think that's a constructive contribution to a discussion on VA lounge food.... keep in mind that some people have no or little choice over who they fly as well (not saying this does or doesn't apply to the post in question but certainly to others).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I am surprised that you continue to 'accept a substandard offering' by flying VA. Feel free to move all your travel to QF...

Funny thing is, I'm on the same page as Bagpuss about the overall importance of a lounge. It's but one part of the overall experience and I don't choose an airline over a lounge. I've openly stated VA have the better Dom J product and better priority bag collection, but their lounges are substandard. Why the animosity about the facts. That's what a forum like this is for. Discuss the options, advertise the positives and make people aware of the negatives. The reality is that both airlines have their good and bad points and a smart way of dealing with them is to split loyalties. I've earned WP on both whereas I was WP on just VA a year ago, so thank you for your advice, but it's a year late! It doesn't change the fact that VA lounge food (the topic of the thread) is just rubbish IMHO (oh, except the barista coffee, which is good ... but so too is QF's).

 

[kevrosmith]

Quite an event at SYD lounge this evening. Seems they've changed to Stella Artois on tap (from Peroni, wasn't it?)

Serving oysters and live music playing.

Oh, and the Chicken Penang for hot food option. Seemed to have been put out before the usual 5:30pm time frame.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Quite an event at SYD lounge this evening.

Reminiscent of when the game change first happened? Do you recall back then, the Moet being offered around Kevrosmith? I seem to remember you, DJ1D and I partaking in a few one afternoon!

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Great pics and thanks for the update kevrosmith.

PER Dom has had Stella on tap for a while now, l would have thought that they'd changed by now.

 

[lobby]

Looks like Virgin must have a contract with CUB. Peroni has just moved to Asahi with the big shake up in the brewery world, while Stella went to CUB.

 

[kevrosmith]

Reminiscent of when the game change first happened? Do you recall back then, the Moet being offered around Kevrosmith? I seem to remember you, DJ1D and I partaking in a few one afternoon!

Yeah, I remember meeting up then... was it Moet was it?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Yeah, I remember meeting up then... was it Moet was it?

I believe it was, although it was a while ago so it could of been just about anything!

 

[serfty]

MEL domestic Saturday 1pm had 'Buffalo Wings' in a sticky soy chilli source.

Finger lickin' good ...

 

[Luke B]

MEL domestic Saturday 1pm had 'Buffalo Wings' in a sticky soy chilli source.

Finger lickin' good ...

Same at 5pm on Friday in MEL.