They had all this money to spend and it all went on luxury stores….nowadays, I hunt around for cheap lounge access so I can avoid the bad seating and overpriced food outlets there. Thoughts?
Melbourne Airport International Is Still Rubbish
NotAnAudiophile on 12/07/2019 - 08:54
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this is why I love Narita Airport. the food prices there are the same as in the real world.
The Japanese have that right. They don't have the same attitude of gouge the customer whenever they can. Can you imagine an Australian zoo you could enter for less than $8 like Ueno Zoo?
Yes but Ueno zoo is horrible
Yokohama city zoo is free.
And Italy. Well, for coffee and alcohol.
All airports in Japan. Taiwan too, they have one of those cheap bread shops, a great way to finish your spending money.
It contributes to a much friendlier mood of the place too having no extortion on the menu.
Hungry jacks medium meal for $12? Come on….I'd rather pay $30 for lounge access - free food, alcohol, coffee, wifi, peaceful time to spend a couple of hours ( i tend to go to the airport early).
I'd rather just buy $1 water and then chill, so yeah…matter of perspective relax.
Thats a good one. After my previous experience with the throngs of tourists claiming GST returns I now avoid the public areas like the plague.
That's what the TRS is for… Residents aren't suppose to use it.
Not sure if it’s nationally but Hungry Jack’s at Perth International accepts vouchers.
I am flying out of Melbourne Airport tomorrow night - which lounge has access for $30?
try getting a dragonpass membership - run a search.
The cheapest Dragonpass membership I can find costs $A140 a year and that includes just one free lounge visit. Thereafter it is $44 per visit?
It’s an Australian airport, what do you expect? We’re not Singapore you know!
Sadly its a poorly run business that is targeting travelling tourists and trapped aussies, plan ahead and you’ll be fine.
it's not poorly run business.
It's a business purely run for profit. this applies to all australian airports.why would you want to invest in something so heavily when you know you're never going to really compete against the likes of Changi, Chek Lap Kok (Hong Kong) and Pusan? Better off just to give the min and get some profits out of it. Melbourne and Sydney aren't exactly the most central locations of the world map.
im still aghast that 4 timtam packs go for $22 there!
Why would you buy them at that price?
Because you forgot to buy them in a supermarket and are flying home to China in 2 hours
But if you buy 8 Tim Tam packs for $44 you could get a free bottle of water! Bargain /s
You should go away then, either Domestically or Internationally… :D
Sorry I cannot hear you from the lounge.
That I got free with my Qantas economy flight*
Like, how?
@iforgotmysocks: Nah, Qantas is like my last choice for any international economy flight. Rude cabin crew, poor entertainment and poor food. Asian or ME3 airlines beat them hands down.
@NotAnAudiophile: From the deal iforgotmysocks mentioned. Qantas are good for direct flights and if you have a lot of FF from the frequent deals.
@Clear: On my own coin, Qantas, never unless they are significantly cheaper than Asian or ME3. Melb Domestic terminal for Qantas is rubbish. Jetstar is doable for budget flights as food and entertainment aren't a factor there.
@NotAnAudiophile: For me I'm not concerned about the food or entertainment. As long as there is somewhere to sit I'm happy.
@Clear: Which is the reason why I steer clear of Brunei airways - they changed my seat to all the way at the back of the aircraft, with no recline and next to the toilets - small things like that cost airlines customers.
My wife put it best: In Singapore and Hong Kong airport they treated us like valued customers, in Australian airports they treat you like you are a potential criminal and a burden and we should stop annoying them.
Last week I flew out of sydney airport. Standard miserable long line for security screening. Take everything out of my pockets, get told to put my walking stick on the scanner and literally 'hop through the metal detector, but slowly'. Then get told to hop over to the porno scanner and stand there while I get scanned. After that, I'm free to hop over to pick up my walking stick and all my gear. I asked the guy as he was pushing my stuff out of the way on the scanner 'what would happen if I couldn't walk without my stick?' His reply - 'we'd take you into a private room and manually screen you'
Flying out of Hong Kong airport. Security was the total opposite experience. First thing that was different, the customs/security/whatever say me approaching the line and came to meet me. Sir, you need assistance, come this way to the express line so you don't need to stand so long. Let me take you bag sir, here is a tray for your other things. Please walk though the scanner, of course you can take you walking stick. Please sit here while I go get your things. Have a nice day sir.
I did a day trip from Hong Kong to mainland China and got the same courtesy at the border there too, so it wasn't a one off.
Doesn't seem like much, but when you are disabled the way you are treated really makes a difference.
I've always said Melb airport treats disabled passengers extremely poorly. Having to escort my husband after he injured his foot, Melb airport was by far the worst experience. Not surprised at your treatment it is piss poor and I would not want to send disabled or elderly family through it if at all possible.
Last week I flew out of sydney airport…
You're experiencing what I'd like to coin as the bravely fearful phenomenon. I have travelled a lot pre Sept 11 and airport security around the world were very pleasant.
Recently, places that claim that "terrorism will not change us", will generally have airport staff of your described attitude - genuinely insincere.
Our airports are not so bad. Yes, they're stacked with luxury stores and the food is a rip off, but you expect that kind of service from an airport. Cheap lounge access would be excellent but then everyone would be in there, making the whole experience miserable for everyone.
I agree with above posters that places like Japan and Singapore have it right (but still no lounge access for anyone at all). If you really want a miserable experience then try hanging around Kuala Lumpur airport for 5 hours, or an LAX domestic terminal where there's one set of toilets for well over a thousand people and they haven't been cleaned in a very very long time. Airports in India won't even let you in the front door if you don't show a flight itinerary to the man with the big gun.
Sorry to sound ignorant, I am Qantas Club lifetime member, elderly (okay old) and want access to Qantas lounge in Melbourne and Denpasar but will fly economy. Any advice please.
In MEL aok. In Bali as the lounge is not a Qantas lounge probably will have no access.
My suggestion is take your own snacks, put in your earphones and zone out until your flight. Melbourne is not so bad compared to a bunch of American terminals.
This^. Just pack a Vegemite sandwich, a banana, a little pack of sultanas, a 250ml plastic bottle of apple juice and a small pack of Messy Monkeys Cheese Bites. Or just fly overseas to Tassie.
Aussie airports are some of the worst in the developed world. Run down, crowded,cramped, and rip off parking fees. Plus in the case of Melb airport, no airport train, and disgraceful drop off and pick up points.
It is always a grave mistake to privatise airports.
Yeah, no airport train from the CBD to Tullamarine is a shocking bit of short-sighted mismanagement by previous govts.
Too scared to commit the funds for such a lengthy development (longer than the 4-year election cycle). Disgraceful.
Tullamarine airport opened way back in 1971, and now has more than 25 million domestic passengers and 10 million international passengers a year.
However, a rail service (to be financed by state and fed govts) is now in the early stages of planning, but it will be at least another 10 years before completion.
Most airport have overpriced food. It's because the rent cost. Just enjoy the holidays. Don't think too much about money