Etihad cuts Melbourne lounge entry fee, now sells access to VIP room
By David Flynn, January 8 2018
Etihad Airways has dropped the price for walk-up access to its Melbourne Airport lounge, while also making the private VIP room – previously reserved for high flyers on the Airbus A380's extravagant three-room Residence suite – available for a flat $40 fee.
Members of the airline's Etihad Guest frequent flyer scheme will now be charged $75 per person, down from $99, to visit the lounge if they're not flying in business class or first class.
Silver-grade Etihad Guest members will see that further reduced to $65 per passenger.
The VIP Room is also up for grabs for an additional $40, regardless of its you're a solo flying looking for privacy or a group of corporate travellers with important business to discuss or conference calls to make before the flight.
The VIP Room has reportedly seen little use since Etihad axed its Airbus A380 service between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi.
Etihad advises that would-be lounge guests can pay on the day of their flight at the lounge, with availability of the VIP Room on a first-come, first-served basis.
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.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1205
The rent on this lounge would be huge in addition to the significant fitout and operating costs. VA already use it for LAX and HKG services though really do need a branded lounge in MEL Int'l and SYD Int'l. Maybe EY will seek to reduce the overall costs by eventually dual branding their lounges in both these ports as both VA and EY.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Jul 2016
Total posts 108
Yes, that is a great idea to have the dual brand lounge. It is atrocious that VA has an international base in Melbourne and Sydney and not have a lounge... this is where QF really has VA falling behind.
05 Sep 2017
Total posts 5
If it was dual branded, it would have to be available for all VA international ops - including trans-tasman. It would suddenly become a crowded lounge.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1205
If EY are flogging paid entry to non-tier customers, it is safe to say there is lots of capacity available. Remember the 2 main VA int'l services are already using the EY Lounge so the only addition from those 2 services would be non-tier Lounge members.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
02 Jul 2015
Total posts 15
That's good news for those VA Platinum and Gold members who are travelling with family and are only permitted one guest. Simply sign up the other adult to an Etihad
membership ahead of the flight.
08 Jan 2018
Total posts 4
I am a VA platinum member and I am soon going to HK with my cousin and his wife on the new VA direct flight from Melbourne.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
02 Jul 2015
Total posts 15
@Gordonaus1 You don't have to sign them up but by doing so you save $24 which will help to cover the cost of your luggage trolley and taxi to the airport. Probably won't take longer than 2 minutes to complete the online application.
23 May 2014
Total posts 119
Probably a dumb question - but does the Etihad Guest member have to be flying Etihad that day, or can use ahead of other flights (eg Virgin TT)? $75 is pretty reasonable..
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2018
Total posts 1
Hi Everyone - hoping you can help me with a query about the Etihad lounge in Melbourne. I'm going to be flying to LAX with VA in June 2018, and as a Velocity Platinum member I am entitled to access the Etihad lounge. However, as my flight departs MEL at 11.40am, I don't know whether the Etihad lounge will be open, as their first flight for the day leaves at approx 4.00pm, and the lounge only opens approx. 3 hours prior to departure. Has anyone encountered this before, or can give me any guidance? Thanks!
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
The lounge will be open for this flight: you'll be fine.
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 176
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
26 Feb 2016
Total posts 97
I took the first couple of flights of VA to HKG in last July, and used EK's lounge at MEL. The flight was at late night, and there were only VA pax in the lounge. Everyone seemed so unfit -- just like we entered a upper-class party by mistake -- it was much more luxurious than the SQ lounge at MEL, and we can even seat down and order an ordinary meal.
After all, I feel much more comfort in VA's lounges because everyone there is from the semilar class.
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