I've seen in one of the travel papers there is going to be a dedicated VA / EY lounge at SYD international terminal. Will be interesting to see which space this lounge will occupy and whether the look will be more Virgin or Etihad. Some people think it will be the current Malaysian lounge or whether they take over the existing Air NZ lounge, given cost cutting at Air NZ, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case.
That lounge is extremely well patronised, especially before the departures of the UA transpacific flights.
Playing the devil's advocate here for a moment - might that not be the exact reason VA take it over? NZ pax would still have access under the existing arrangements between NZ and VA, but UAs pax would have to find somewhere else.
Also, don't most of VAs partners already pay to use this lounge? SQ have their own lounge of course, but DL, EY, VS, HA all appear to use the NZ lounge in SYD.
I personally don't think it'll happen - but I do kinda like the idea of VA taking over the NZ lounges in BNE/SYD/MEL.
When I spoke with Etihad PR last month regarding this lounge (for the article at http://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-austr...ourne-airports) they stressed this would be a joint venture between Virgin and Etihad, with no other airlines directly involved in that up-front commercial side.
This of course doesn't preclude AirNZ paying on a monthly or per-passenger basis, of course.
The Virgin/Etihad team have already sussed out the 'space' being offered to them by Sydney Airport but would not reveal which particular space that was.
Playing the devil's advocate here for a moment - ...
I personally don't think it'll happen - but I do kinda like the idea of VA taking over the NZ lounges in BNE/SYD/MEL.
It's unlikely, I have come across anecdotes that NZ find their International Sydney lounge quite the profit centre with all the partner / associated airline use of it, especially with *A.
IMHO, it's probably below the stand EY would normally be looking for, hence the DJ co-operation.
Playing the devil's advocate here for a moment - might that not be the exact reason VA take it over? NZ pax would still have access under the existing arrangements between NZ and VA, but UAs pax would have to find somewhere else..
Rather, that would be the exact reason that they would NOT take it over. AirNZ makes a killing on the other airlines pax in that lounge specifically. Profitable individual lounges are typically those that have quite a bit of of guests who are not of that airlines lounge membership, since their airline pays the carrier who operates that lounge "x" amount per pax (typically around $20-$30). That will be one of the last lounges that AirNZ would ever divest. Typically when airlines start to close lounges - the first ones they close are those that serve mainly domestic passengers which don't yield as much revenue.
When I spoke with Etihad PR last month regarding this lounge (for the article at http://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-austr...ourne-airports) they stressed this would be a joint venture between Virgin and Etihad, with no other airlines directly involved in that up-front commercial side.
This sounds like it's going to be more along the lines of the Skyteam lounge at LHR where its not truly a lounge for either of the airlines, but rather a contract lounge which only allows passengers from the member airlines only, irregardless of partner agreements that they have for access at their own individual lounges (i.e. VA has recirprocal benefits with Delta for lounge access but VA passengers/lounge members cant access the Skyteam/Delta lounge at LHR, and I imagine the same would occur at this lounge where Delta passengers would not be eligible for entry).
