EK409 - any advice on lounge given the v/early departure?

7 replies

justcallmeryan

VA Platinum

Member since 21 Nov 2013

Total posts 7

Hi all,

On 18.08 I am on EK409 MEL - DXB with an extraordinary departure time of 5.15am... I am curious as to others experiences, as to what to get up to at 3am at MEL? I presume the QF Flounge will be closed which is a shame, but guess EK may have their own? I'm a QF Plat flying in EK J class if that helps.

Any advice is much appreciated! Even if just where to get a good coffee at 3am at MEL? :)

Hellboy666

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 13 May 2018

Total posts 27

EK has an own lounge, its pretty good, much better than QF Business. And they open it even at such night times.

QF First class is closed, yes. I think opens 5:15 ... ?

EK's lounge is located near Qantas First class lounge, walk a bit further and you'll see another escalator going up (to EK's lounge which is upstairs left, and opposite "The House" I think - the old Etihad lounge).

Last edited by Hellboy666 at Aug 06, 10.04 PM.
Last editedby Hellboy666 at Aug 06, 2023, 10:05 PM.

rob01

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 10 Nov 2011

Total posts 110

I can't think of any circumstances that would see me catch a flight that early! Awful!

JB123

Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer

Member since 09 Jun 2016

Total posts 18

Trying to work out what is worse, this departure time or the EK departure from BNE at 250am

Meandering

Member since 07 Nov 2018

Total posts 9

I suggest you check with Melb Airport, as I recall that whilst check in opens three hours before the flight ~3.15am, the gates to security and passport control do not open until ~4.00am (possibly 4.30am - its been a while). Nothing worse than having to hang around waiting for the gate to open, with nothing else to do.

APACPete

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 09 Jun 2017

Total posts 60

I have the same recollection as Meandering from some time ago. Got to the airport nice and early but had to wait outside security in a huge line until they opened up. May have changed now? Not unlike the early QF to Melbourne in Auckland.

Theviewfrom1a

British Airways - Executive Club

Member since 06 Apr 2018

Total posts 8

Originally Posted by rob01

I can't think of any circumstances that would see me catch a flight that early! Awful!

Depending on your destination the 5am EK flight (or 6am from Sydney) are very handy - it is the only option that gets you to Europe that night. Leave Australia Sunday morning, land that evening in Europe, get a night's sleep and you are good to go Monday morning for the week ahead!

justcallmeryan

VA Platinum

Member since 21 Nov 2013

Total posts 7

Quick report now that I've returned from this trip. There was a surprising number of people at MEL int'l given the very early departure as a couple of flights leaving between 5 and 6am.

Security and passport control were open after I checked in at 245am and a short walk later was in the MEL EK lounge. Lovely lounge with full buffet, bar and tarmac views. As others have said, much nicer than the QF J lounge, which was closed at that time anyway.

And agreed, the early departure was compensated by the early summer evening arrival at LHR, which meant a good nights sleep and almost no jet lag.

I'd do it again.

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