Originally Posted by
subject2load
Had a (somewhat concerned ....
) double-take as I read the opening line of the OP's query, "departs 2.40am...." because I'm booked to fly the same sector next month, the flight number looked the same, yet I felt sure MY ticket quoted a departure time of 22.25. But in fact I'm on
409, which is a non-stop......
As for the lounge/food issue .....this will be my first time out of MEL (normally leave from SYD) and I was planning to check-in just before 8pm, have dinner in the lounge, and then try to get some sleep on-board.
Was a little concerned by a recent comment by eightblack on a status-run thread where, in reference to EK Australian lounges, he said that "
the one in MEL is very very tired and cramped..."
There are not many things I prefer about QF over EK, but I might now consider using the QF lounge in MEL before my flight. The QF business lounge will be no better than the EK lounge, but all indications are that the QF First lounge will be.
Happily, being Gold with EK, plus booked in F on the 409, will allow me access to both lounges ; and perhaps that's the case for the OP too.
Trust me, you'll take one look in the tired old EK lounge and then high tail it to the QF lounge right beside it. Not even remotely close in comparison. I used to fly SIN-MEL twice a month in F and as soon as the deal went down with the flying Kangaroo, I was never to be seen again in the EK lounge. I was in the EK lounge a few weeks ago and man it is a sorry sight. Staff were apologising to me for the state of it and complaining that EK Australia didnt want to invest in the refurb, the view of the airfield has been obliterated by the new extension (and apparently which EY are building the mother of all lounges).
I was in F to AKL and was faffing about in the EK lounge looking for a place to plug my laptop in when I had that Eureka moment and realised I could be in total tranquility next door. So I took off next door. A la carte dining, Spa, a range of decent champagnes, great workspaces and plenty of places to sit, work and plug your laptop in. Lounges are the one thing that QF run rings around EK on.
And just wait until you see the crowd in there prior to the 409 pushing. You wont be able to swing a cat in the place...