Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [No longer "Mid 2014" - maybe never!]

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Tuddy

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Updates on Virgin Australia's lounge plans and rollout schedules - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

"Oh, yes!" Borghetti is quick to assure us. "Eventually what you'll see is a network of them, similar to our route network, effectively. But you can't do them all in one year, of course, and we're going as fast as we can in not only renovating existing ones but opening other ones."

"You will see them in more regional ports as we go along," Borghetti promises. "As I've said, we've already done Mackay, and you will see one in Hobart. So the lounge program for the next 18 months is quite extensive."

It'll be nice to see a Lounge open in Hobart - the next few questions are..where will it be in the terminal? Will Hobart see similar improvements to air services to what Mackay did? For those in the know...how does J class sell on the Hobart flights?

Also, where else does the populus expect to see Lounges open in the nearish future...?
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

Updates on Virgin Australia's lounge plans and rollout schedules - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller



It'll be nice to see a Lounge open in Hobart - the next few questions are..where will it be in the terminal? Will Hobart see similar improvements to air services to what Mackay did? For those in the know...how does J class sell on the Hobart flights?

.?
"I am so excited, I just can't fight it"
can get that song out of my mind with this fantastic news!

I have to say that J HBA to MEL and SYD is generally at least half full .... Even on the weekend. Generally I find it busier than MEL SYD. What I have noticed is the large number of Gold FF ex HBA.....especially on the CBR flight.

This news has just negated my plans to build QF status now, as I will go for partner Platinum instead. It has only taken 5 months to get partner Gold, and whilst I know a lot of people are Family pooling, I am thinking long term that DJ might introduce another tier, so am happy accruing into my account!
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

You have no idea how super, super, super excited I am to hear this! Any idea on the roadmap of completion, location, etc. of this? I would love it to be post security, but then again, I'd be happy to have a lounge per security than none at all... I'm very, very, very, very excited about this news and will be watching this with excitement generally reserved for something far more appropriate!
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

The sooner the better! Flew HBA-BNE on Sunday. Only one in J. Lovely flight and undivided attention of a lovely cabinet attendant.
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

I note CNS is still a WIP
"However, a spokeswoman said no decision had been made on a business lounge at Cairns to compete against the Qantas Club, although airport management has put a business case to the airline."
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

I am struggling to believe this is a sound commercial decision if factual if it ever goes ahead.
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

I am struggling to believe this is a sound commercial decision if factual if it ever goes ahead.

You don't think a regional style lounge would work in Hobart?
 
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re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

Yeaah munitalP - Shh.... At least until they've started and can't stop!

Hahahaha...

I *may* be biased, but I think it will, for a start QF has one there, so it must work on some level, and I would imagine this would be part of their strategy to have "a" lounge every in every port, be it regional or not. It also adds value to the membership, which will probably go up as a result, not that I want it to, but things can't stay the same level forever I guess?
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

I am struggling to believe this is a sound commercial decision if factual if it ever goes ahead.

Business is always a risk. Others have made this decision, and traveling the Route, believe it would be a sound one. Virgin has a taste for business blood!!
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

Virgin has 79 flights/week out of Hobart. 57 of these are 738-800 with full J configuration and the rest are E190s. This gives a total J capacity of 428 seats on the 737s and anther 88 so called J seats on the E190s until they are upgraded.

Qantas has 78 flights/week out of Hobart. Only 23 of these are QF. The rest are J*, giving a capacity of only 276 J seats out of Hobart. Also QF have a habit of putting old 737-400s on this route to annoy people. Their lounge is always busy.

It seems to me that Virgin has made a commercial decision to compete with Qantas.
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

I am struggling to believe this is a sound commercial decision if factual if it ever goes ahead.


How can a observer with no actual data, knowledge of route profitability or demand make a statement regarding the commercial viability of such a decision?

Factual? Well according to the article quoted at the top of this thread it was stated by the CEO in an interview with Australian Business Traveler.
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

I am struggling to believe this is a sound commercial decision if factual if it ever goes ahead.

Personally i think routes like Hobart that have strong business and government traffic that have largely been punted to Jetstar are the soft spot to attack QF corporate (and particularly Government) contracts on. Need not be too expensive to do and potential value in picking up Tasmanian and Federal government fliers is quite high.
 
Personally i think routes like Hobart that have strong business and government traffic that have largely been punted to Jetstar are the soft spot to attack QF corporate (and particularly Government) contracts on. Need not be too expensive to do and potential value in picking up Tasmanian and Federal government fliers is quite high.

Ignoring the clowns who attack anything said against VA (not meant to dis you!).. If I was the decision maker, Launceston would be the action capital of TAS at the moment and for the foreseeable future. Massive expansion by Gunns at Bell Bay as well as long term commitment from BHP and Rio Tinto, New power stations and easy access to most of Tasmania mines and primary industry.
As much as most of us hate it, the new designer clothing worn by the Hi Viz brigade is a sign of where the corp dollar actually is in AU. Ignoring that and building a legacy lounge is silly IMHO
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

Ignoring the clowns who attack anything said against VA (not meant to dis you!).. If I was the decision maker, Launceston would be the action capital of TAS at the moment and for the foreseeable future. Massive expansion by Gunns at Bell Bay as well as long term commitment from BHP and Rio Tinto, New power stations and easy access to most of Tasmania mines and primary industry.
As much as most of us hate it, the new designer clothing worn by the Hi Viz brigade is a sign of where the corp dollar actually is in AU. Ignoring that and building a legacy lounge is silly IMHO

There would need to be 2056 extra FIFO HiVis crew a day to make LST reach HBA pax numbers, cannot see that happening especially as numbers have been on the decline as a trend over the past 5 years, ARPU on corporate accounts like RIO is actually less than VFR traffic ARPU thanks to rebates on contracts, anything up to 60% of indicative fare:

LST Nov 11
43,281 pax in
43,801 pax out
87,082
total pax

HBA Nov 11

76,169
pax in
76,725 pax out
152,894 total pax
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

I know one Virgin Australia fan in HBA who will be very happy to read this news, despite it being just an idea for now. Though by the time it’s complete he might have left :(
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

There would need to be 2056 extra FIFO HiVis crew a day to make LST reach HBA pax numbers, cannot see that happening especially as numbers have been on the decline as a trend over the past 5 years, ARPU on corporate accounts like RIO is actually less than VFR traffic ARPU thanks to rebates on contracts, anything up to 60% of indicative fare:

LST Nov 11
43,281 pax in43,801 pax out87,082
total pax

HBA Nov 11

76,169
pax in
76,725 pax out152,894 total pax

markis10 ..Thanks for the sanity & data to back up such a decision to put a lounge in Hobart . It will be a long time before LST ever gets one.
 
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re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

There would need to be 2056 extra FIFO HiVis crew a day to make LST reach HBA pax numbers, cannot see that happening especially as numbers have been on the decline as a trend over the past 5 years, ARPU on corporate accounts like RIO is actually less than VFR traffic ARPU thanks to rebates on contracts, anything up to 60% of indicative fare:

LST Nov 11
43,281 pax in43,801 pax out87,082
total pax

HBA Nov 11

76,169
pax in
76,725 pax out152,894 total pax

Yes a fact sadly missed by the airlines. I have frequently flown staff into devonport and hobart only to drive to sites where access into launceston would be easier. As I also pointed out, the long term commitment into northern TAS by some very blue chip companies is astounding! As with the rest of Australia, the mineral and mining sector is the growth sector - the BC's know this hence the massive investment into the likes of Bell Bay and companies like Grange Industries.

As I said - my opinion only
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

The sooner the better! Flew HBA-BNE on Sunday. Only one in J. Lovely flight and undivided attention of a lovely cabinet attendant.

Grog cabinet??
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

Your right munitalP, but at the end of the day, HBA is the capital, it does have more people around it, so I doubt LST will have one in the near future. The mining etc. companies would've taken that into account with there feasibility studies so if they have to fly into Devonport or HBA, I'm sure it's catered for. I personally am stoked Bell Bay went ahead - there needs to be more of it, if only Bob Brown could see the forest for the trees (like that pun?) he'd see it's good for the economy, even if a few trees/rivers/whatever need to go...
 
re: Virgin Lounge to open in Hobart! [Now "Mid 2014"]

Any idea on the roadmap of completion, location, etc. of this? I would love it to be post security, but then again, I'd be happy to have a lounge per security than none at all... I'm very, very, very, very excited about this news and will be watching this with excitement generally reserved for something far more appropriate!

So note that the following is speculation, I can't find a current floor plan of the terminal building-- the most recent one I can find has International and Domestic still as separate buildings. When the terminals were renovated, the old Ansett Golden Wing lounge was removed, so that is no longer an option.

I currently think there are two options here. Not sure how palatable each is.

The first is that Federal Group stop using the International Terminal[1] lounge space ("Saffire" Lounge) for their $1500/night hotel guests, and turn that into the new Virgin lounge. That location has the nice advantage of fronting the apron, so you could run a dedicated security line inside the lounge, and have a separate gate operating out of the lounge (given that Virgin only ever uses one at a time in HBA). If you couldn't have dedicated security, it would be the single worst lounge location imaginable (there won't be priority security, and it's ~2 mins walk to the end of the line.

The second is that a combination of the "car raffle" area in the check-in hall, and the airside souvenir shop near the VA gates get converted into a lounge. It strikes me that that area in the check-in hall is sitting rather idly, and could be converted quite easily. Alternatively, there may be a bit of extra space next to the baggage screening facility, but I've no idea how big that actually is. This would be an airside lounge, which would be nice.

Thoughts?



[1] we have flights to Antarctica, OK?
 
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