Virgin Australia & Etihad to open joint Sydney Airport lounge in early 2013
By David Flynn, June 13 2012
Virgin Australia and Etihad are on track to open their long-awaited shared lounge at Sydney International Airport early next year, with a similar lounge planned for Melbourne International Airport.
A team from the Abu Dhabi-based airline will visit Sydney next week "to inspect the space proposed by Sydney Airport", a spokesman for Etihad told Australian Business Traveller, ahead of an opening "in early 2013."
"We're very pleased with the progress being made", said the spokesman, who also confirmed that a Virgin-Etihad lounge is slated for Melbourne.
While Etihad is keeping mum on the actual space and design of the lounge, it's understood to be in keeping with the premium feel of Etihad's network of airport lounges around the world.
The lounge will be built and operated as a joint venture between Virgin Australia and partner airline Etihad to host first class and business class travellers and high-status frequent flyer passengers.
Neither airline has its own facility at Australia's busiest airport, relying instead of Air New Zealand's Koru Club lounge.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
A new lounge in the same style as Virgin Australia domestic / Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse would be great. Agreed that if EY, NZ and VA will join hands and set up one "super lounge" as you call it, the airport experience would dramatically increase for travellers using the before mentioned airlines. They could use the same space as the Koru Club.TG also uses the Koru Club and although not bad I find it becoming a bit tired (UA is also a user I belive?). Since there are so many airlines making use of the lounge I mam not a fan of pay per visit customers, which only make it more crowded. Mind you, as a QF Plat I normally make use of the QF First lounge which will be hard to beat in terms of experience, but if some airlines ca do this it must be Virgin and Air NZ!
22 Jul 2011
Total posts 95
I agree - they should veer more towards VA clubhouse in design. Or something similar to Qatar's at Heathrow. Etihad lounges are OK, but they do fall on the conservative side.
QF
30 Dec 2010
Total posts 7
Given the patchy lounge access rules at Sydney for Vigin pax with partner airlines and flights to non-NZ destinations this can only be a good thing. Fingers crossed it's annouced soon!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Jan 2012
Total posts 172
Given that NZ have more flights from SYD than EY/DJ/VA combined, I don't think NZ would be that keen to give up control of their Lounge space.
It does seem a logical move however for them to combine their resources and create a super lounge.
Virgin Blue - Velocity Rewards
12 May 2011
Total posts 31
It was noted on AFF that Etihad have a current application in to build their own lounge at MEL so you would think i Sydney one can't be too far off.
Consistent international lounge access ex-Australia on VA/ DJ is definitely a weak point in their progtam at the moment.
17 May 2012
Total posts 80
The Air NZ Lounge at Sydney International Airport is terrible. Too many people from too many airlines all enjoying a third class motel buffet.
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
Wow, great news for Virgin! I hope they let their trans-Tasman flyers use this lounge instead of Koru, and not just restrict the lounge to people on Virgin & Etihad flights. I don't think this lounge would match the Qantas First Class Lounge because Qanats still has way more 'premium' travellers and frequent flyers, and also it has to cater for the people on BA and Cathay as well. But Virgin & Etihad should still be able to come up with a great 'business lounge' between them. Looking forward to seeing more on this!
23 May 2011
Total posts 33
Next is a proper lounge in LAX to the same standard as the domestic lounges.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
01 Mar 2012
Total posts 177
That appears to be the logical next step for them. The priority had to have been an international lounge in their main Australian ports and then after that LAX. With so few flights though they may be looking at a tie up with another airline to save on costs.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
Sounds good! Perhaps the NZ and SQ lounges could be combined (would this be possible?) to create a massive VA facility used by SQ, EY, NZ, DL etc. The SQ facility is pretty lacklustre from memory.
The Malaysia Airlines space will probably also be free soon given their switch into Oneworld which will probably see them move to use the Qantas facilities...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Any update on this in May 2013 ?? - past my definition of "early"
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
Yeah, it's now end of year says VA, but opening before Christmas.
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