When is the new Air New Zealand lounge opening at Melbourne Airport?

When is the new Air New Zealand lounge opening at Melbourne Airport?

AirNZ hasn't set a date as yet.

See also: Air New Zealand’s big plans for Aussie airport lounges

I see they are moving the location when they refurb - presumably it will be 3 levels up near the new EY lounge? While that will make the transition easy because they wont have to have a temporary lounge (and can simply close the old lounge one night and open the new one the next day) I actually quite like the location of the current lounge - there's something quite unique about being at tarmac level in an intl terminal.

I believe the new space has been secured and the build starting shortly, so based on similar build times for the new SYD and AKL lounges, my guess would be around September/October.

I feel that AirNZ is somehow like a budget airlines (B777s with a 3-4-3 layout, charges for food, beverage and watching movies).  The AirNZ lounges in AU and NZ are usually crowded (I even couldn't find a place for two, at 6pm on a working day at Wellington Airport) and nothing is offered better than $3-beers, supermarket wines, not-so-good spirits and "coffee".  Yes it is indeed better than a gate area but nothing is compariable to SilverKris lounges. I don't expect it to be changed soon.