Exactly - couldnt have said it better myself ;). Otherwise I would travel QF or NZ etc.

Yep have to agree, now this raises my point that with UA giving out so many upgrades profitbility on this route is questioned. The further cutback to the RCC lounge may be another sign that UA will pull out from this route in a few years ?

That sounds positive! :eek:

Hmm well maybe its time I learnt about the NZ Airpoints upgrade system then ;).

Not much point continuing to bank miles with UA if they will no longer be flying from my home town. Its hard enough as it is for me to keep status here.

BTW, I have heard that SYD LAX/SFO was an extremely profitable route for UA and not just for pax, but for freight! The planes are generally full to the brim, especially in Y. How often do you get that empty middle seat free in Y??

As I said before I thought the SYD RCC was good. It served its purpose for me, it was better than waiting at the gate. Yes it is smaller than LAX and (possibly) JFK but it had better food choices than both of those USA lounges IMHO. The only other lounge I have been in was QF SIN and that was out of this world in comparison ^:-::-::-::-::-:. Actually there really is no comparison at all.

Well the NZ lounge will require more staff as the closure of the RCC will mean another few hundred or so people through the lounge everyday!

Yep I am thinking that I may not bank my upcoming trip on AC to UA.

Looking closely at the NZ program or the AC program.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Unless you're going to be flying Paid C or F in QF/NZ, it's going to be very difficult getting status with them.
Also, Award flights and upgrade redemption levels are "high" (QF/NZ) comparable to UA. (Obviously not possible to make direct comparison given the variables, just generally speaking)
I think its very premature to think UA is pulling out of Australia. Airlines share and jointly operate lounges all over the place, not necessarily a sign of 'giving up'.
Personally I would prefer loosing a dedicated lounge rather than another experienced UA staff member with the ability to assist with the more complex queries and requests at the airport...

Correct on all counts!

Just find it "interesting" that with 1000 people a day coming through SYD they choose to close the lounge. Maybe its a refurb as the announcment isn't offical! We can start that rumor :p Oh wait this isn't airl*****.net

While up to 1000 people might fly UA from SYD each day, only a small portion has access to the lounge. When you take into account those that arrive late or go to other lounges instead, you might be closer to the 100 per day. :)

Yes of course sorry, should have made that more clear :(

Assuming that 3 flights are 100% full in First/Bus then that's 261 people per day.

Added to that some *G and RCC members so yes a few hundred per day!

Even so a big step to close a lounge

True. It wasnt that crowded when we were there last - we had nice seats, and plenty of food. It didnt seem small or crowded at all.

UA-SYD ah dont burst my illusion just yet ;). I have not looked into NZ FF program or ugs, but one of my FTer friends on this board does very nicely getting his ugs to clear on NZ :). He raves about NZ.

Yes QF for ugs is impossible basically (my B.I.L is Plat on AA and he cant get near a C/J seat on the transpacs he flies to SYD - the award seating is always gone. I have no illusions re the ugs possibilities on QF :td:.

Well,

I am back Stateside and interested to read your replies to this thread.

A couple of answers:

1. Yep, this is rumor only - offered to me voluntarily by a NZ lounge staffer. I too am looking for it to be substantiated by another FTer (esp one who gets the information from Annie) or by a UA announcement.

2. Is there WiFi in the NZ Lounge? Most definitely. For at least the last 4 months I would say.

Please keep us informed any of you who hear more about the truth of the info I received.

Lurker :)

1,000 people? If that's the guide, that means that any domestic station with, oh, 7 A320 flights should get an RCC too.

QF doesn't have a lounge in LAX or SFO, and they have more flights to LAX than UA has in SYD.

UA is just cutting something that's not so efficient. And after my recent experience with teh SYD club staff, good riddance.

The NZ arrangement will work just fine.

QF does have a lounge in LAX, actually 2. The T4 admirals club and flagship lounge is actually a joint AA/QF lounge (and there are QF staff in the lounge much of the day). In TBIT there is a shared one world lounge (prior to this QF had their own lounge).

In SFO (which QF has less flights to/from than UA does for SYD) they use BA lounge (and JL lounge).

I've used the SFO BA lounge (photos here)for both Cathay and Qantas flights. Pretty sure those flights are timed to not interfere with BA flights (the Cathay HKG flight goes out after midnight, and the Qantas SYD flight around 10pm). Plenty of room in the lounge around those departure times. There is a new daytime HKG flight at noon, but, again, that's far enough from the later afternoon/evening BA flights to avoid capacity issues there.