What New Lounges Do You Think VA Needs?

[Deleted member 29185]

As a VB Lounge member, one gripe I have is the limited number of lounges. There are many busy regional airports that could really do with this facility......even if only fairly basic.

What regionals do you think a VB Lounge would be well patronised?

I say:
Coolangatta - definite
Mackay - yes
Rockhampton - yes

An not so regional........Auckland. What's the go with that? I was wondering if my membership would allow access in Auckland, only to find no PB lounge at all :shock:. It's the largest City in NZ for heavens sake :-|.

 

[Deleted member 9370]

As a VB Lounge member, one gripe I have is the limited number of lounges. There are many busy regional airports that could really do with this facility......even if only fairly basic.

What regionals do you think a VB Lounge would be well patronised?

I say:
Coolangatta - definite
Mackay - yes
Rockhampton - yes

An not so regional........Auckland. What's the go with that? I was wondering if my membership would allow access in Auckland, only to find no PB lounge at all :shock:. It's the largest City in NZ for heavens sake :-|.

Agree with Coolangatta

 

[im.daniel]

Townsville

 

[Princess Fiona]

What New Lounges Do You Think VB Needs?

NTL, please Crazy Dave tell me it's on your list

 

[antycbr]

NTL, please Crazy Dave tell me it's on your list

OOL, as a point of difference over the competition (JQ). Even though I know OOL has a JQ lounge, it's annoying to Qantas Club members who are denied entry. The flight I was on back to CBR last night had about 5 Gold members on an E70 so there is some business travel from OOL.

Qantas has the following lounges - (bolded where virgin has a lounge)
Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Townsville; and Regionals at Broome, Coffs Harbour, Devonport, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Launceston, Mackay, Port Hedland and Rockhampton - in total 20.

I'd suggest in order for Virgin:
Gold Coast (~19 flights a day)
Townsville (~9/10 flights a day)
Cairns (~9 flights a day)
Hobart (~9 flights a day)

There's a pretty big decrease in flight numbers (and increase in E90/E70 services) when you look at Rockhampton at about 6 a day.

Anything below that is either not served yet by DJ or doesnt have the numbers to justify. Gold Coast is the standout. Of course if you are competing for government business then you'd consider DRW if you are looking for Defence contracts.

 

[N860CR]

Something that could work (for only Gold members) would be an arrangement with airport cafes at the ports that DJ serve but only have QP's.

I do a lot of regional Qld travel and DJ service a few of the ports (ROK & MKY), however just having the regional QP there is almost enough to get me to book QF (I generally split between the two). I'll often end up finishing early and arriving at the airport 1-2 hours before the flight so the QP is a nice little benefit. If DJ could provide Gold members with a voucher for the airport cafe (even just two drinks and something to eat) then they'd basically be matching the QF offering (and the regional QP's are pretty average, so it wouldn't take much).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'll often end up finishing early and arriving at the airport 1-2 hours before the flight so the QP is a nice little benefit.

That's my angle as well. I mostly do same day in/out and to make sure I don't cut myself short, it's usually a long day and time at the airport before the return can go from a few minutes (where Virgin beats Jetstar with the check-in flexiblity) to a few hours so a lounge to relax or catch up on business before the fight back would be very welcome.

 

[Meggsy]

Gold Coast is an obvious choice. It may be my home port but the frequency of flights makes it an obvious standout as previously mentioned. I also fly to most of the large regional QLD ports and the QP is a nice little haven sometimes and does sway my choice when booking flights. It will be interesting to see the direction DJ go in once all the enhancements are out there.

 

[antycbr]

Gold Coast is an obvious choice. It may be my home port but the frequency of flights makes it an obvious standout as previously mentioned. I also fly to most of the large regional QLD ports and the QP is a nice little haven sometimes and does sway my choice when booking flights. It will be interesting to see the direction DJ go in once all the enhancements are out there.

Gold Coast can also serve Air NZ flights to AKL and CHC, and Pacific Blue to AKL, assuming that passengers can clear Immigration and International Security in a fairly quick manner prior to departure.

 

[dk4]

Gold Coast can also serve Air NZ flights to AKL and CHC, and Pacific Blue to AKL, assuming that passengers can clear Immigration and International Security in a fairly quick manner prior to departure.

Something that Jetstar already offers it's OOL departing passengers!

 

[sydstar]

Obviously OOL should be seen as a priority for DJ, however, I think NTL could also work quite well, though don't know about space/location. QF have pretty much left NTL (with still a few Dash 8s to BNE) but now is primarily a DJ/JQ hub. With the 'Jestarisation' of QF at NTL, surely DJ could be hoping on an increase in future 'J' (or equivalent product) class pax? Although a regional centre, I do believe there is a steady flow of 'business' travel in an out of NTL, along the likes of coal/mining companies, as well as your national firms/chains with Newcastle as a regional office (think Finance, Law etc..)

I don't know too much about regional QLD hubs, but TSV and CNS would seem logical for a national business network, as would DRW for said defence links.

Internationally, does anyone know about the tie-up between DJ and NZ, possibly recipoical access between The Lounge and Koru out of AKL, WLG, CHC and of course SYD, BNE, MEL etc? DJ might also want to look at some form of international access for Lounge members through partner airlines as well

Well, my 2 cents worth...

I agree with the OP about benefits of 'The Lounge', however when considering a hefty annual/join fee when compated to QP, for access to only 6 lounges vs QPs 130, the package doesn't look overly attractive

 

[Princess Fiona]

What New Lounges Do You Think VB Needs?

Obviously OOL should be seen as a priority for DJ, however, I think NTL could also work quite well, though don't know about space/location. QF have pretty much left NTL (with still a few Dash 8s to BNE) but now is primarily a DJ/JQ hub. With the 'Jestarisation' of QF at NTL, surely DJ could be hoping on an increase in future 'J' (or equivalent product) class pax? Although a regional centre, I do believe there is a steady flow of 'business' travel in an out of NTL, along the likes of coal/mining companies, as well as your national firms/chains with Newcastle as a regional office (think Finance, Law etc..)

I don't know too much about regional QLD hubs, but TSV and CNS would seem logical for a national business network, as would DRW for said defence links.

Internationally, does anyone know about the tie-up between DJ and NZ, possibly recipoical access between The Lounge and Koru out of AKL, WLG, CHC and of course SYD, BNE, MEL etc? DJ might also want to look at some form of international access for Lounge members through partner airlines as well

Well, my 2 cents worth...

I agree with the OP about benefits of 'The Lounge', however when considering a hefty annual/join fee when compated to QP, for access to only 6 lounges vs QPs 130, the package doesn't look overly attractive

There's no button but I like your post NTL is a desert as far as lounges go.

 

[scibo10]

As an OOL local, I am definitley joining the chorus for OOL. It is a bit embarrassing that JQ have a lounge and DJ doesn't. Please don't read this as a round of applause for the QF group either. QF replacing ALL services with JQ, along with the QP was a sure fire way to drive GC business travellers into the arms of DJ.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

OOL, as a point of difference over the competition (JQ). Even though I know OOL has a JQ lounge, it's annoying to Qantas Club members who are denied entry.

Most annoying and been reported on AFF many times over. CL's + WP's have access, but not SG or QC members.

However, with JQ joining Oneworld, it could all change.

 

[LiamR]

As an OOL local, I am definitley joining the chorus for OOL. It is a bit embarrassing that JQ have a lounge and DJ doesn't. Please don't read this as a round of applause for the QF group either. QF replacing ALL services with JQ, along with the QP was a sure fire way to drive GC business travellers into the arms of DJ.

I'd like to join the party, I definatley think as a local to Gold Coast, that DJ should definatley have a lounge at OOL. With QF rumored to come back to OOL, I suspect a Virgin lounge at OOL is already in the pipeline.

Fingers crossed. It'll definatley make me choose DJ out of OOL over QF out of BNE.

 

[777]

There's no button but I like your post NTL is a desert as far as lounges go.

+1 for NTL. Not sure the frequency of flights justifies a full scale lounge but a room with a well stocked drink fridge, some snacks and internet/ wifi would be a big winner for DJ.

OOL and NTL are both great candidates as QF has abandoned both - making DJ the premium airline by default. I've seen an awful lot of pollies and business leaders on the DJ NTL-MEL / NTL-BNE flights who i imagine travel up front on the red rat on a lot of other routes.

marcus.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I agree with the OP about benefits of 'The Lounge', however when considering a hefty annual/join fee when compated to QP, for access to only 6 lounges vs QPs 130, the package doesn't look overly attractive

Though I'm not whining about the annual fee. I'd prefer the relatively higher fee and having space to relax, rather than a lower fee and shoulder to shoulder bodies :shock:.

 

[PlutekPlutek]

Re NTL I would say it is almost exclusively a JQ fortress. I travel a lot to Brisbane and if it is a day trip, then the only option is JQ. DJ's schedules to/from BNE or MEL are woeful compared to jetstar for a business traveller. If you want to fly DJ to BNE you have to fly the afternoon before ~5pm, and stay the night. Can't justify this with all the frequencies JQ offer. Conversely the last flight of the day from BNE to NTL with DJ is around 3pm. Once again pretty average timings if you have meetings in BNE in the afternoon. Leaves JQ or QF the only options back and I prefer JQ for 50 minutes over 1h30+ on a Dash8.

lP

 

[clarkkent]

Agreed, the BNE <-> NTL times are terribly inconvenient.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Agreed, the BNE <-> NTL times are terribly inconvenient.

Not as inconvenient as NTL-OOL :shock: