Elite Priority One

Old May 18, 2014, 4:27 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wellington
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Originally Posted by pbl22
That is a good deal. Well done.
Yes it was.
Due to NZ OTP I decided to have a look after breakfast to see what I could do with my extra 20 minutes.
50% off all stock and they would courier out the items, arrived the next day. I checked the store the next day and yes there was no equivalent sale in store so I was very happy, especially as Danielle helped me with selecting a very versatile pattern tie that would go with a variety of shirt patterns that I had.^
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Old May 18, 2014, 10:06 pm
  #32  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Originally Posted by DomesticGoddess
I'm aware that most if not all government ministers are QF Chairmans Lounge. Means the threshold for EP1 must be very high.
Apparently Chairmans Lounge privileges don't continue once you stop being an MP (maybe even a MInister). A friend who is a member is amused to see the ex-pollies loitering waiting for someone to get them in.
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Old May 18, 2014, 10:11 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: NZ*G, United.
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Keeping my expectations modest I'm not sure I would value an exclusive area unless it was exceptionally spiffy. One of the good things about Koru lounge is the people who meet there and the maintenance of relationships or work done as a consequence. It is an engineroom of New Zealand connectedness at one level. A select separate place would mean fewer chances to catch up with fewer people.
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Old May 18, 2014, 11:16 pm
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by macdo
Keeping my expectations modest I'm not sure I would value an exclusive area unless it was exceptionally spiffy. One of the good things about Koru lounge is the people who meet there and the maintenance of relationships or work done as a consequence. It is an engineroom of New Zealand connectedness at one level. A select separate place would mean fewer chances to catch up with fewer people.
True, but you are not required to use the more exclusive part.

For me it would be useful to have the choice - something quieter if I wanted to get some work done, or the main lounge should I feel the desire to connect with others.
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Old May 18, 2014, 11:22 pm
  #35  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Originally Posted by DomesticGoddess
True, but you are not required to use the more exclusive part.

For me it would be useful to have the choice - something quieter if I wanted to get some work done, or the main lounge should I feel the desire to connect with others.
It's not just the quietness.

The evening curry in the EP1 lounge would be made with gravy beef, instead of chuck.
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Old May 19, 2014, 12:31 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 52
Originally Posted by macdo
Apparently Chairmans Lounge privileges don't continue once you stop being an MP (maybe even a MInister). A friend who is a member is amused to see the ex-pollies loitering waiting for someone to get them in.
My Dad was Chairmans lounge for many years and Ansett Pass or whatever it was called at Ansett before they went under.
Back then the big advantage was you could use it whatever airline you were on. Or even if you wernt flying and just meeting family between there connecting flights you could bring the whole clan in.
He was CEO of one of the bigger listed companies at the time. When he retired he kept his access for a couple of years and after that he dropped a status level every two years till he had no status at all.
As for MPs my family knows a minister in the former Labour government. He has no status officially anymore with NZ but he is always seated in the good seats and his boarding pass always scans green at the Koru lounge.
Go figure
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Old May 19, 2014, 12:56 am
  #37  
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Originally Posted by Waipara_Sam
My Dad was Chairmans lounge for many years and Ansett Pass or whatever it was called at Ansett before they went under.
Back then the big advantage was you could use it whatever airline you were on. Or even if you wernt flying and just meeting family between there connecting flights you could bring the whole clan in.
He was CEO of one of the bigger listed companies at the time. When he retired he kept his access for a couple of years and after that he dropped a status level every two years till he had no status at all.
As for MPs my family knows a minister in the former Labour government. He has no status officially anymore with NZ but he is always seated in the good seats and his boarding pass always scans green at the Koru lounge.
Go figure
Qantas Platinum used to have anytime lounge access, in the good old days. I only used it once myself as AKL airport too far away to bother with and when flying I almost always had lounge access anyway. The exception was a flight with Fly My Sky to Great Barrier.
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Old May 19, 2014, 2:32 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Koru used to have no restrictions either. I often used to drive to chch, read the paper, drink coffee then go home! Then Sept 11 happened and security etc changed things. I have a life now by the way :-)
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Old May 19, 2014, 2:52 am
  #39  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Originally Posted by Markhm
Koru used to have no restrictions either. I often used to drive to chch, read the paper, drink coffee then go home! Then Sept 11 happened and security etc changed things. I have a life now by the way :-)
Omg that seriously sounds like almost the craziest thing I have ever heard. I know of plane enthusiasts who like hanging out at the airport, and I get that -but to go there for a coffee and go home just because is a scary thought. The more I fly the less I love the airport. The irony is the more I fly the less time I spend there. I avoid it, get there last minute, routinely bypass my 'earned benefits' such as the "relaxing lounge" etc.
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Old May 19, 2014, 2:54 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Originally Posted by Markhm
Koru used to have no restrictions either. I often used to drive to chch, read the paper, drink coffee then go home! Then Sept 11 happened and security etc changed things. I have a life now by the way :-)
Funny you say that. I got my first Koru Club card and the year following Golden Wing card when I was 15. On a friday night me and some mates from school would often dress up a little and get drunk and smoke in the lounge then head into town. We were never questioned once either over the lack of travel or our underage drinking. We would make up these ridiculous conversations to be overheard about "calling in the legal team" or firing someone to help with our silly cover story
This was funded buy my after school job at Khandallah New World and guest passes raided from the old mans collection that were never used over the preceding 10 years.
When last flight was boarding we would go back to the CBD and raid Dads works board room bar with his old swipe card they never canceled. We would fill up black rubbish bags with booze and just walk out. I remember one occasion where two mates and my self got out of the lift with our booty to be confronted with the cleaning crew to which my friend who went onto a role in broadcasting proclaimed to his audience right guys I think we have all the files we need and led us out the front door with our "file bags " going CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK
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Old May 19, 2014, 8:03 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Originally Posted by Waipara_Sam
Funny you say that. I got my first Koru Club card and the year following Golden Wing card when I was 15. On a friday night me and some mates from school would often dress up a little and get drunk and smoke in the lounge then head into town. We were never questioned once either over the lack of travel or our underage drinking. We would make up these ridiculous conversations to be overheard about "calling in the legal team" or firing someone to help with our silly cover story
This was funded buy my after school job at Khandallah New World and guest passes raided from the old mans collection that were never used over the preceding 10 years.
When last flight was boarding we would go back to the CBD and raid Dads works board room bar with his old swipe card they never canceled. We would fill up black rubbish bags with booze and just walk out. I remember one occasion where two mates and my self got out of the lift with our booty to be confronted with the cleaning crew to which my friend who went onto a role in broadcasting proclaimed to his audience right guys I think we have all the files we need and led us out the front door with our "file bags " going CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK
Hilarious! Ballsy, inappropriate, criminal even... but hilarious. Thanks for the laugh
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Old May 19, 2014, 4:09 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by cakiwi
Omg that seriously sounds like almost the craziest thing I have ever heard. I know of plane enthusiasts who like hanging out at the airport, and I get that -but to go there for a coffee and go home just because is a scary thought. The more I fly the less I love the airport. The irony is the more I fly the less time I spend there. I avoid it, get there last minute, routinely bypass my 'earned benefits' such as the "relaxing lounge" etc.
Been there and done that with the Qantas Club, even arranged meetings at the AKL QP when QF was flying domestic.

I too have started to arrive at airports closer to departure time, lounge offering decreasing in value for me. I even skipped SYD QF First Lounge to do some shopping. I was not terribly hungry and knew I would get something decent to eat in Business Class. For my frequent domestic flights I sometimes eat breakfast at home instead of the KC, but it does depend on how I feel in the morning, which all indicates I will not renew my KC membership at the end of the year.
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Old May 19, 2014, 5:57 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: New Zealand
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The ability for a Koru member to be able to go into the Koru lounge when not flying was removed in June 2002. This resulted in someone taking Air NZ to court over this removal, but without success:
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Old May 19, 2014, 8:37 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 644
Even if it was open to non-travellers, I am not certain the offerings at the lounge these days is even worth the drive to the airport, let alone the cost of parking.
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Old May 20, 2014, 12:58 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 52
[QUOTE=poopbunny;22892011]Even if it was open to non-travellers, I am not certain the offerings at the lounge these days is even worth the drive to the airport, let alone the cost of parking.

The lounge food was nothing to write home about back then. I think soup was often the only hot option. It was all about inflight service. Remember blue ribbon service on Ansett and meals designed by a leading restaurant from the city you were flying out of on NZ. It amazes me now they cant make a cup of coffee from Wellington to Christchurch but could once manage a three course dinner.

The deal was when they cut all that we were to get better offerings in the lounge... now we have neither.
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