No room in Auckland Lounge
Oct 12, 2018, 12:40 am
#61
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: NZ GE, QF
Posts: 390
That's sad, it's not their fault.
Whatever they did on Thursday worked. We got there about 0820, deliberately just after the busiest time period, and it was the quietest I have seen it in a very long time, it was actually pleasant for once.
Whatever they did on Thursday worked. We got there about 0820, deliberately just after the busiest time period, and it was the quietest I have seen it in a very long time, it was actually pleasant for once.
Oct 12, 2018, 12:54 am
#62
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,320
not so sure what this suppose to mean?
the only thing was the location and may be the floor area
but it is not a fair comparison on other front - facilities, food options, seats etc.
I must say NZ has improved on food selection, but it is still way below when compared to SQ and food selection by TG
the only thing was the location and may be the floor area
but it is not a fair comparison on other front - facilities, food options, seats etc.
I must say NZ has improved on food selection, but it is still way below when compared to SQ and food selection by TG
Oct 12, 2018, 1:07 am
#63
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: NZ GE, QF
Posts: 390
Oct 12, 2018, 2:15 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: NZ EP
Posts: 184
Is this just for school hols or permanent?
I can understand voucher holders being turned away, but if you or your company had paid for Koru benefits, and lounge entry was denied, isn’t that a breach of contract?
Oct 12, 2018, 2:44 am
#65
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,645
just to be clear, is there a chance that Koru members are being turned away from the lounge / sent to another lounge?
Is this just for school hols or permanent?
I can understand voucher holders being turned away, but if you or your company had paid for Koru benefits, and lounge entry was denied, isn’t that a breach of contract?
Oct 12, 2018, 2:53 am
#66
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Programs: NZ *G
Posts: 412
SQ is using the NZ lounge in Auckland. On my recent trip to London in J, I thought the NZ lounge was far superior to the SQ lounges in SIN and LHR. The SQ business facilities were especially poor, but I found the food underwhelming too. YMMV.
Oct 12, 2018, 12:05 pm
#67
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ Gold, BA Gold, QF Silver, IHG Platinum Elite Ambassador, Accor Diamond
Posts: 1,048
Oct 12, 2018, 1:56 pm
#68
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ*GE / EK*GOLD
Posts: 2,510
My understanding is they are telling people on select flights to use the Strata lounge, looks to be the islands as far as i could tell. I don't know if that affects Elites
Oct 12, 2018, 6:37 pm
#69
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,115
No issues before NZ8 on Friday night. Plenty of space in there.
I was going to head to the Strata lounge as well to compare the two but had a bad day and didn't have time.
I was going to head to the Strata lounge as well to compare the two but had a bad day and didn't have time.
Oct 12, 2018, 9:46 pm
#70
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: NZ Airpoints GE, Qantas Platinum, Accor Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 965
I retain elite status the hard way, crawling up the tiers flying NZ mostly regionally and on trunk routes. The attempt at culling the regional qualifiers by halving the status point earn a year ago has clearly not worked, or more likely that was not the cause of the crowding. A relatively buoyant economy keeps us travelling (and adding to the NZ record profits) - we have had three years of Jetstar regional operations and NZ regional lounge use is climbing.
Part of this is also NZ's JV mania (which actually might get some respite from the VA divorce, though QF could replace some of them). Cathay, Virgin and to some extent Aerolineas' and Etihad passengers have right of entry.
This looks like the loyalty and alliance team have exceeded their targets with little consideration as to the impact on other bits of their business.
And whilst the schools might head back next week, I can assure you plenty parents take their kids out of school to 'enjoy' the cheaper fares. My Wife is a primary school teacher and attendance gets a little sloppy either side of the official holidays.
Part of this is also NZ's JV mania (which actually might get some respite from the VA divorce, though QF could replace some of them). Cathay, Virgin and to some extent Aerolineas' and Etihad passengers have right of entry.
This looks like the loyalty and alliance team have exceeded their targets with little consideration as to the impact on other bits of their business.
And whilst the schools might head back next week, I can assure you plenty parents take their kids out of school to 'enjoy' the cheaper fares. My Wife is a primary school teacher and attendance gets a little sloppy either side of the official holidays.
Oct 12, 2018, 10:20 pm
#71
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 748
I agree. Having heard great things about it for so many years, the actual experience was "meh". It's yuge, but super busy. Hot food was variable in quality. Coffee was not great. I think the NZ international lounge at AKL is streets better--even when busy.
Oct 13, 2018, 2:06 pm
#72
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: CX, NZ, EK, SQ
Posts: 8
Air NZ's AKL International Lounge (including past) only has a "wow factor" if Air NZ lounge are the only lounges you've ever experienced. Even Iberia's flagship, and similar "1960's public cafeteria" concept, Business Lounge leaves Air NZ's unimaginative and grubby (food and drink strewn floors, toilets awash in urine puddle ... as, generally, are all Auckland Airport toilets) in the dust.
Oct 13, 2018, 4:08 pm
#73
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: NZ*E
Posts: 808
Fair enough, I am thinking that the SQ lounge in SYD is a lot better than the NZ lounge in terms of food selection, the one in HKG is good too and much better than UA one, and even CX on some occasions.
Oct 13, 2018, 4:18 pm
#74
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
My question would be, at the time they are rejecting passengers from there own lounge. How manny passengers from other contracted airlines will be using the NZ loubge? One would hope they got bounced to the Strata Lounge first.
For one I really think in the mean time they need to make it an non-star allowance Gold lounge.
For one I really think in the mean time they need to make it an non-star allowance Gold lounge.
NZ lounge will always be *G lounge as long as NZ remains in *A. AFAIK the only instances of *A-operated lounges not being *G lounges are where they are F/top elite status only (eg LH F/HON lounges), or where there is a backup *G lounge available (eg SQ Silver Kris lounges at SIN T3).
Oct 13, 2018, 4:37 pm
#75
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 646
I am sure some would be happy for NZ to contact them with a Strata Lounge alternative during busy periods plus x APD / x SC compensation.