Air New Zealand Air Points - MEL Lounge opening hours?

Hmmm.. Have searched the NZ website (thought they used to include that info?) AND searched here with no luck.. although I did find some interesting snippets which lead me to ask:

Am I correct in assuming the MEL Lounge is still used for TG's 2330-ish departure?

If so, can I assume I will have access if flying out on SQ's post midnight flight? (NZ GE in Y) At least until the TG flight boards?

(Posts in other threads indicated no problems like different Terminals etc.. never flown from MEL so I had no idea!)

I would like to head to MEL straight from work here in CBR - which is 7-8pm in my case...... which means I REALLY want a shower before the MEL-SIN-BKK flight... and I would much rather fly SQ via SIN than TG direct...

Fussy, ain't I? :rolleyes:

lounge directory (http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/resources/koru_lounges.pdf) just says open 3 hours prior to departure

SQ lounge is certainly open for the SQ flight. I'm not sure if NZ lounge is.

Yes all the international lounges are near each other - QF F and EK on top floor, then departures level, all other lounges except NZ on lower floor, NZ on ground floor.

I think SQ lounge has a shower - at least I remember using one there.

trooper I have used the NZ lounge for the evening SQ departure in the past, since it is open for the TG departure. I don't think this has changed.

The agent on duty looked confused when I tried to use the lounge but eventually let me in after a bit of thinking. The lounge has a fairly reduced set of food and beverage for the TG departure over when it's operating as a full NZ lounge, but if you're just after the showers I guess it would work.

Since they closed the lounge around 2310, you will probably end up in the SQ lounge for a while before SQ starts boarding.

Thankyou both! ^

It would certainly make life easier if the SQ Lounge has showers.. and if I can get in there when travelling in Y.. I assume there are none of "SQ's little games" in MEL... and that it IS a *G Lounge...:rolleyes:

On the other hand I have heard good comments about the NZ Lounge... and would like to see for myself..:D

The trip I am planning will work MUCH better if I can acccess the midnight departure from MEL.. rather than the 8 AM-ish from SYD!

P.S> After MUCH digging I found an SQ Lounge directory... KF - your memory hasn't played you false...according to it there are definitely showers there... Good stuff.

I prefer the earlier departure on TG, connecting better with TG flights to Europe. But for good connections to Asia, then the midnight flight is the one to use.
I did this flight years ago and if I remember, I had access to the Qantas lounge, which I thought was a bit odd at the time.

On the other hand I have heard good comments about the NZ Lounge... and would like to see for myself..:D


yes i can remember the lady at the lounge is very nice and friendly. which is a huge contrast with the one at check-in. rude and grumpy from QF.
plenty of food and drinks, altho may be because our flight was delayed and was the last nz flight, so they want to keep us happy.
nice interior and environment, one of the air nz featured lounge.

OT...what time does the SYD lounge open? The guide says 6am but there is NZ700 to AKL at 7am?

Immigration used to only open about 5:45-6am in my experience. IIRC soon (or perhaps already) the immigration for the non-OW pier is soon shutting permanently forcing passengers to go through the OW immigration, through shops half-way down the pier, then back past more shops to get to the non-OW pier. The OW immigration opens slightly earlier.

Immigration used to only open about 5:45-6am in my experience. IIRC soon (or perhaps already) the immigration for the non-OW pier is soon shutting permanently forcing passengers to go through the OW immigration, through shops half-way down the pier, then back past more shops to get to the non-OW pier. The OW immigration opens slightly earlier.

I think it is now shut now. I though the closure date was something like the 28/9/9.

Yes it is. I flew out of SYD on 7 Oct - it was the new arrangement then... and it seemed a surprisingly long walk back to the "*A" side of things... bit unimpressed with that actually....

By the time you CAN get through immigration the Lounge seems to be open and ready... we were the first two in one morning (yup, that 7am departure) and we did NOT catch the staff unawares...

Surely Immigration is open prior to 6am as there is a 6.15am QF flight to AKL?

Plus, commencing Dec 1 EK have a 6am (god forbid) flight to DXB.

We're now talking about SYD right? If you don't want the long walk, isn't there a shuttle bus service across the tarmac from the end of the OW pier over to the "other side", i.e. from one side of international to the other. In fact I recall that there is some signage for those higher gate numbers that actually directs you to where the shuttle bus leaves from.

We're now talking about SYD right? ...I suggest you read this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/995786-syd-retail-renovations-complete-after-over-year.html

Thankyou both! ^

It would certainly make life easier if the SQ Lounge has showers.. and if I can get in there when travelling in Y.. I assume there are none of "SQ's little games" in MEL... and that it IS a *G Lounge...:rolleyes:
They're fine with *G access (I've entered both as UA*G and NZ*G) - they're friendly and I think they see a lot of other carrier *G. The lounge isn't big and gets crowded (particularly on the 1550 departure), but it's reasonable in terms of amenities... although last time I was sitting between two Loud Cellphone Talkers.

I haven't showered there so can't comment (and wasn't sure if there were showers).

I think it is now shut now. I though the closure date was something like the 28/9/9.

Yes it is shut and you walk through the new DF shopping plaza through the glass tunnel being watched by all those people in the landside food court.