pepsi1336

Hey,

Are Airpoints Gold allowed to use partner airlines lounges if there is an Air NZ lounge at the airport?
For example, if i was flying SYD-AKL on NZ am i entitled to use the SQ SilverKris Lounge or because Air NZ has a lounge at SYD do i have to use that?

Cheers

LinoNAC

You can but the staff try to discourage you by saying there is a Airnz lounge , the Airnz flights are not announced (so you may miss the plane) and the lounge may close before the airnz flight board

jeremykjtan

I've had no problem using other *A carrier lounges with my NZ*G card, you are entitled to use either lounge as shown on the Star Alliance Lounge Finder tool.

Last time we were in Sydney flying to Singapore in Y we stopped by the SilverKris lounge for a bit first - We were asked for the boarding pass, *G card and passport. After having some food and using the wifi for a bit we decided to change to the NZ lounge (just down the hallway) which is far larger with lots of seating, had more food/drink options, and had a better view IMHO.

JANZFlyer

Thats good to know, I have been curious to see what the lounge was like inside, thought it may be better.

I was in Sydney a few weeks ago and tried to see what the Singapore lounge was like but got the same "your on an AirNZ flight" I knew I could push it but decided it was too much effort.

poopbunny

If you wanted to, you could. I was told the same thing, but I politely asked if I could use the SQ one for a change. They will most likely allow it and would make a copy of your boarding pass and *A G card (presumably to recharge AirNZ).

I found the lounge more intimate and less of a "zoo" I hear many others here have complained about (NZ SYD).

From memory the following food and refreshments can be found at the SQ lounge (not available at NZ lounge).
- Tiger beer
- delicious steamed prawn dumplings.
- better cheeses, eg. blue cheese. (very strange since NZ is land of milk is it not?)
- better desserts/cake
- you don't have to peel/cut your own fruit.

If I had time, I would start at NZ and finish off at SQ (with the desserts and cheese).

pbl22

Except for many of the NZ flights, the SQ lounge may not be open before the flight and, if they were, they don't do boarding calls for NZ flights.

poopbunny

SQ has 4 flights ex SYD spaced approx. 3 hours apart. so I can't see it closing for much in-between (if at all).

It seems to be generally open when I pass by it. Then again I am usually there for work and take the late afternoon / evening flights back.

I could see them kicking me out early if I was on the last NZ flight out during winter, but in summer, the last NZ flight out would depart before the last SQ flight.

I generally do not bother with announcements since I like to be one of the first on the plane.

jeremykjtan

Unfortunately I didn't take many photos on our last trip (back in June last year) but here's a bit of an idea of some of the food that is available in the SYD SilverKris lounge.


Hot food warmer


Mini muffins, cheeses, cup noodles and capsules for Nespresso coffee machine


View from the lounge

We were flying on an award ticket with a boarding pass for SYD-SIN on SQ so no questions were asked - On the other hand though, later when we wanted to go into the NZ lounge, we didn't have any problems; the staff just made sure everything was valid and welcomed us in.

Susiew237

Yes the sydney Airnz lounge is a bit of a zoo, good terminology here. If there are more than 2 of you flying find a seat is a problem. The food is poor, and frankly I think the lounge is always in a mess. Having said that, it's not that I have been in it that often, but each time the same impression.

I did think next visit I might try the Singapore lounge.

poopbunny

I can't take credit for the "zoo" terminology, that would go to the previous postings by other FT members.

NZ SYD lounge accommodates nearly every non-SQ *A traffic, which makes their lounge large. At times it does not feel that different to the general airside lounge (just minus the free food). This is a consequence of a wide open area, just like a large open plan office. They could mitigate it somewhat by dividing that open area into smaller sections. NZ has one up on SQ in the furnishings and fittings designwise, but it has starting to show its age.

The food is edible, not that poor when you compare it with AKL lounge (NZ's so called hub). It's just that asian carriers, SQ, MH, CX do a better job. It is a shame when they do better job on non-asian food offerings and sacrilegious when SQ can do cheese better than NZ. Cheese has next to zero preparation time at the lounge, all that has been done at the cheese factory.

The cheesecake at SQ SYD lounge are nice (vs cold muffins at NZ). Tough choices...

mad_atta

I think NZ's meal-time food offerings at the SYD lounge are sometimes quite good, and better than typical SQ food. Then at other times they can be awful, it just seems to be very inconsistent. Overall, however, the quality is definitely lower than it was 2-3 years ago (and far below what it was a bit longer ago).

The lounge does feel very unloved these days. It's a huge open space, the furniture hasn't been refreshed in the 12 years I've been using the lounge, the bathrooms always have at least something out of order, and they didn't bother to do anything interesting with the extra space around the corner that used to be the first class lounge.

Given how much traffic there is through there, both NZ and partner flights (all of which must be earning NZ some healthy lounge use revenue), you'd think that they could see their way to a bit of an upgrade.

At least it's still much better than the WLG international lounge, which has always been the runt of the litter, but was particularly woeful yesterday afternoon. The fridge was out of order so the cold drinks hardly merited the description, and there was only one variety of red wine on offer, a couple of haphazardly arranged bottles of a cheap and mediocre NZ pinot noir.

Xiaotung

I notice China Southern (with their A380) is no longer using NZ lounge at SYD. VA and EY will shortly get their own joint lounge. I wonder if it will mean upgrade or further downgrade to that lounge.

robbau

Pinot has been getting progressively worse for a while.

You know its getting bad when you start hoping to see the Brancott...

mad_atta

Ha! That would be funny if it wasn't such an accurate description of how bad things have become...

robbau

Sydney Koru Lounge today: NO New Zealand Pinot Noir (or Pinot Noir of any kind).

Bleak.