Despite only having an hour to transit SYD-AKL-LAX (and being worried about fierce new security for US-bound flights) I insisted on going to check out the refreshed AKL lounge. Only had time for a quick look around, and although it does look better, I was kind of underwhelmed. A lot of the furniture somehow looked old already. I liked the big wooden tables, but apart from those it didn't really feel like they had properly committed to the bach theme, in the same was that they have done so well at AKL domestic or CHC international, for example. I'll reserve complete judgement until I have the chance for a better look; for now it gets a B- grade from me. The one great thing that did happen to me there was, to my amazement, being handed a J boarding pass for AKL-LAX - I totally thought I had no chance of my upgrade clearing.

We also chilled out in the SYD lounge for a bit the same day as well. Despite it remaining fundamentally unchanged for years (except I see they have opened up the former first class side as a quiet zone now - nice idea!), it really still is holding up pretty well. With one big exception: the toilets are looking a bit tatty and dated now - there's always something out of order in the men's bathroom, and the overstyled taps and granite/greenstone basins do look like they're out of some mid-90s vision of an 'executive bathroom'. The black leather recliners in a row by the window near the corner are a nice addition, too - are they the ones that used to be in the first class lounge?