MEL Business Lounge open

superchris · #1 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 07:06 AM

It opened about 2 hours ago and seems quite busy.Aisling the barista is doing a fantastic job

jamesatfish · #2 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 09:57 AM

Gee - when they said 'late July' they really meant 'LATE July'...

Is it actually finished, or only a half-finished job like Brisbane? (where I noticed they had tradies working at 11:30pm on Sunday night trying to get the new toilets finished, which they still hadn't done by Wednesday morning)

Typical timing though - I've spent a total of about 5 hours in the MEL QP over the last week thanks to various delays and I really would have appreciated the (slightly) nicer food served in the Business lounges to a (slightly) smaller crowd of flyers. On Sunday night with plenty of delays due to weather in SYD there was a line of vultures in the QP hovering over the empty hot food trays, such that as soon as a new plate of warmed-up party pies was delivered it was devoured in no time.

Hopefully the new lounge split goes someway to resolving this problem (at least for those in the Business lounges - I can see the QPs getting busier with smaller areas and less attention as Qantas focus their efforts on the premium of the two lounges.

Batesy · #3 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 10:26 AM

I was in the SYD business lounge last week. Can anyone tell me where the signature food offer is as I couldnt find it there thats for sure???

jamesatfish · #4 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Batesy

I was in the SYD business lounge last week. Can anyone tell me where the signature food offer is as I couldnt find it there thats for sure???

Last Saturday afternoon they had some nice italian meatballs (like the ones they put in the Subway sandwiches) at the end of the food area closest to the door. It's in the spot where the crappy soup would have been in the QP so you might have walked past it. They also had a nice (cold) steak sandwich with caramelised onions where the 'ham and cheese specials' would sit in the QP.

'Signature' food might be taking it a bit far - it's just a little bit nicer (and more readily available) than the food in the QP.

Batesy · #5 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesatfish

Last Saturday afternoon they had some nice italian meatballs (like the ones they put in the Subway sandwiches) at the end of the food area closest to the door. It's in the spot where the crappy soup would have been in the QP so you might have walked past it. They also had a nice (cold) steak sandwich with caramelised onions where the 'ham and cheese specials' would sit in the QP.

'Signature' food might be taking it a bit far - it's just a little bit nicer (and more readily available) than the food in the QP.

Yep, I had the meatballs, its just a soup with tiny meatballs in it. Qantas have not delivered on a better lounge, the only real difference is who can and can't access the lounge. I would have thought that a "signature dish menu" (as quoted on the QF website) would have a significant difference to the standard fight for party pies in the QP.

serfty · #6 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesatfish

Last Saturday afternoon they had some nice italian meatballs (like the ones they put in the Subway sandwiches) at the end of the food area closest to the door. ...

That would actually have been "Italian meatball Soup"; I had some at Noon.

It was very nice ...

jamesatfish · #7 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serfty

That would actually have been "Italian meatball Soup"; I had some at Noon.

It was very nice ...

I suppose it was intended to be a soup - I just fished out the meatballs and put them in some bread...

serfty · #8 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesatfish

I suppose it was intended to be a soup - I just fished out the meatballs and put them in some bread...

I guess that's why it was "in the spot where the crappy soup would have been".

comint · #9 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesatfish

Hopefully the new lounge split goes someway to resolving this problem

I have heard (can't verify the accuracy) an estimated daily usage/capacity for the two lounges - 4000 Club/Sapphire & 2000 Business/Emerald.

jamesatfish · #10 (**permalink**) 31st July 2008, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serfty

I guess that's why it was "in the spot where the crappy soup would have been".

I suppose so.

I also suppose that the people who used the business lounge after me might have considered it to be a 'poorly labelled crappy soup' after I did my bit to remove the meatball part from the soup part.

In my defence, I'm pretty sure the sign just said 'Italian meatballs' as I hadn't even considered it should be eaten as a soup until you pointed that out.