What is the attraction of lounges?

[Deleted member]

How does that work ? international, you need to be checked in 2 hours before hand, how much exploring can you then do?

I'd rather be exploring the city rather than spending some luxury on lounge..

 

[leadman]

Lounges are just part of my virtual office. Work stations, internet, Tea/coffee/food quite simple really and one of those no-brainers. Unfortunately the status of being there disappeared long time ago, just another office. BTW i generally find OW lounges far better to work out of than SA.

 

[pauly7]

How does that work ? international, you need to be checked in 2 hours before hand, how much exploring can you then do?

Haven't checked in 2 hours before anything in about 5 years now

 

[harvyk]

<snip> Unfortunately the status of being there disappeared long time ago, just another office. <snip>

Disagree. (Most) of us are so used to heading straight for the lounges after check-in that we've forgotten that they are still pretty special places to be.
For most of those people whom sit firmly on the other side of the glass doors there is always an air of mystery about how the other half fly.

If you ever want proof of that simply spend a few hours sitting outside the lounges without going in. Although not quite the same as being unable, you soon remember just how nice they really are, and how ordinary out in the main terminal is.

 

[leadman]

Each traveller is different and how we see things, so your call to disagree; for me the absolute minimum i spend at airports and lounges the better. Status is not one of my drivers in life.....

 

[Pushka]

Each traveller is different and how we see things, so your call to disagree; for me the absolute minimum i spend at airports and lounges the better. Status is not one of my drivers in life.....

Clearly you dont live in Adelaide then where transiting through the International lounges is compulsory for those flying with Qantas.
Of course no one wants to spend more time in lounges than necessary but life doesn't always work out that you can simply minimise the time getting to airports, esp Tullamarine where a crash on the freeway can delay you for ages.

 

[dk4]

Disagree. (Most) of us are so used to heading straight for the lounges after check-in that we've forgotten that they are still pretty special places to be.

Except where the (domestic) lounge is part of check in... lookin' at you VA BNE & SYD plus QF BNE!

 

[harvyk]

Each traveller is different and how we see things, so your call to disagree; for me the absolute minimum i spend at airports and lounges the better. Status is not one of my drivers in life.....

Lounges don't have to be a destination in their own right, but the "absolute minimum time in airports" is not something you always get a choice in, for example in transit, or during a delay / cancellation.
Of course it's very easy to say "lounges? pft! I'd rather spend no time at the airport" when you have access to them and the opportunity to use them as you desire. You also state that status is not a driver in your life, but you seem to have access to both OW and *A lounges, so obviously you have some degree of status on multiple airlines (or fly J or better every time).

If you really want to regain an appreciation of the lounges, cancel your current FF memberships and any CC's which provide lounge access to put you outside the door again (without the opportunity to enter), fly only Y for a few months and then state that the lounges are nothing special.

 

[Austman]

I agree with keeping lounge time to a minimum.

Anything more than 21 hours (continuous) is too much.

I did 21:40 last year in a 1st class lounge and it was definitely about 40 minutes too much. I mean meals (dining room with à la carte menus), drinks, showers, beds (slumber rooms were available in this lounge), massages, waiter service etc etc.

It was better than some resort hotels.

But a tad too long.

 

[Archphoto]

I will no longer pay for QF lounge access. I've held it in various forms for almost 20 years. The rot started for me, when they changed the rules for access in HKG, then for those flying Jetstar Asia and the final straw was the closure of the lounge in BKK.

Being based in Asia, and trying to loyally fly QF whenever I could (failing for obvious reasons on all intra-Asia flights), I actually ended up switching my allegiances and saved wasted cash in the process.

I'm happy to pay for individual visits where I don't have access, certainly better than $500 for one visit/yr. Previously when I was shooting in SIN, HKG etc, I could use the QF lounge if I was able to fly Jetstar or EK, so I feel that I definitely got my money's worth. Once they pulled the pin though, I might as well have been smoking those $100 bills, which I actually am, but they are now smoked in the form of fine cigars. :mrgreen:

 

[leadman]

If you really want to regain an appreciation of the lounges, cancel your current FF memberships and any CC's which provide lounge access to put you outside the door again (without the opportunity to enter), fly only Y for a few months and then state that the lounges are nothing special.

You missed my point, i said i use lounges as a virtual office. I use them to work out of so the question "What is the attraction of lounges?" Answer; i use them as virtual offices.
To worry about what the people on the other side of the glass think is pointless

 

[kermatu]

I always arrive early for flights and try to leave enough connection time. So for me lounges are very valuable. A guarantee (almost) of a decent seat and usually quiet. Food and beverages (even if just a soft-drink) are valuable to me. Choice/option is key.

While the novelty of some lounges has definitely worn off, and I can be quite critical here of some, at least I know what to expect and can plan a trip a bit better, and know which lounges to just avoid.

Obviously the top F lounges which offer finer dining and spa treatments etc are a cut above, but to me even your standard regional Qantas club is appreciated.

 

[jastel]

Having your first vegemite on toast in 3 months as you get back to Oz after a long overseas holiday.

 

[kermatu]

Having your first vegemite on toast in 3 months as you get back to Oz after a long overseas holiday.

Many, many years ago for me it was getting a nice glass of fresh milk in a lounge in London!

 

[love_the_life]

It's funny but I have just lost SG after many many years (sob). As I have been accustomed to lounge access I made the difficult decision to pay to keep my QP going for another year to see what use I make of it, For me its is somewhere a little less frenetic to go when travelling but we shall see. WP days are long gone now

 

[donovan301]

It's funny but I have just lost SG after many many years (sob). As I have been accustomed to lounge access I made the difficult decision to pay to keep my QP going for another year to see what use I make of it, For me its is somewhere a little less frenetic to go when travelling but we shall see. WP days are long gone now

Prolly a good time to buy some charity tickets for Multi Million Apartments(Best Odds generally, spread your ticket buys apart though for likelyhood amongst the field)

......or at the very least, just a random Lotto ticket.

Can't hurt, Could make your day, year , Decade, Life ;-)

(5 % comm is fine with me ;~)

 

[ermen]

I will no longer pay for QF lounge access. I've held it in various forms for almost 20 years. The rot started for me, when they changed the rules for access in HKG, then for those flying Jetstar Asia and the final straw was the closure of the lounge in BKK.

Being based in Asia, and trying to loyally fly QF whenever I could (failing for obvious reasons on all intra-Asia flights), I actually ended up switching my allegiances and saved wasted cash in the process.

I'm happy to pay for individual visits where I don't have access, certainly better than $500 for one visit/yr. Previously when I was shooting in SIN, HKG etc, I could use the QF lounge if I was able to fly Jetstar or EK, so I feel that I definitely got my money's worth. Once they pulled the pin though, I might as well have been smoking those $100 bills, which I actually am, but they are now smoked in the form of fine cigars. :mrgreen:

What happened with the HKG lounge and Jetstar Asia?
As far as I am aware, you have access to the QF HKG Lounge when flying Jetstar Asia (on Qantas status, and Qantas Club)

 

[cmon0005]

I will no longer pay for QF lounge access. I've held it in various forms for almost 20 years. The rot started for me, when they changed the rules for access in HKG, then for those flying Jetstar Asia and the final straw was the closure of the lounge in BKK.

Being based in Asia, and trying to loyally fly QF whenever I could (failing for obvious reasons on all intra-Asia flights), I actually ended up switching my allegiances and saved wasted cash in the process.

I'm happy to pay for individual visits where I don't have access, certainly better than $500 for one visit/yr. Previously when I was shooting in SIN, HKG etc, I could use the QF lounge if I was able to fly Jetstar or EK, so I feel that I definitely got my money's worth. Once they pulled the pin though, I might as well have been smoking those $100 bills, which I actually am, but they are now smoked in the form of fine cigars. :mrgreen:

According to Qantas's own lounge access rules you should still be allowed access on jetstar https://www.qantas.com/travel/airli...-lounge-the-qantas-hong-kong-lounge/global/en

 

[JohnK]

But a tad too long.

LOL.

I try to minimise time at airport but sometimes it is unavoidable. I have ~6 hours in transit in BNE Sunday night. I could have booked the last SYD-BNE flight of the night which would have left me ~3 hours in transit but I don't want to risk the last flight of the night. I have seen too many cancellations to take that risk.

It is good that I have the option of spending the time in the QF or EK lounges.

 

[casanovawa]

Most of my travel is private and i think that the holiday has started when i enter the lounge...

do quite a few transits internationally so some nice food good and I love the showers, nice to freshen up when leaving/in the middle/or sometimes on arrival...

But i don't spend practically any money chasing status... Maybe did one sort of status run in my life...