V-Flyer

Ok, DB will be heading home tomorrow and I'm just looking for her lounge options on the VS08. I haven't flown out of LAX since AC moved into the old NZ lounge. My understanding is that AC don't have an alcohol licence ( ) so can DB request entry to the VX Loft ( different terminal I know) or is this is what is now offered as standard for both the 08 and 24?
Anybody been in there lately who can advise on food / drinks as she'll no doubt be famished and in need of a nice liquid tonic ( she'll have endured 5+ hours in economy back from Hawaii with AA poor dab.... ).?
Lastly earliest check in time for her - flight leaves at 17.50 ( I normally travel on the VS24 where the desks are open from the VS08)?
Many thanks,
DL

Don't know for sure when check-in opens I'm afraid (though the website says 4 hours before departure) but until the new Clubhouse opens VS are using the VX Loft. I've not been in it but it doesn't get great reviews - there is alcohol but the food is very limited and I don't believe it's very big.

Memory is from our trip in 2012 we beat checkin opening arriving at at 1 and it opened 1:30-2. But the flight times have changed slightly since then so I can't be 100%. Do let me know about the lounges as we will be there in but 25 days on our UC return. Hope Dragonbabys pictures came out good.

starquake wrote:Memory is from our trip in 2012 we beat checkin opening arriving at at 1 and it opened 1:30-2. But the flight times have changed slightly since then so I can't be 100%. Do let me know about the lounges as we will be there in but 25 days on our UC return. Hope Dragonbabys pictures came out good.

Thanks both .
Starquake she's taken some fantastic photos (not that I'm biased ). Very proud of her and her work-I wish I was artistic ( I'm sooo not lol). International travel alone at 50 can be daunting, never mind when you're 22 .She's met some great people and has definitely decided to go travelling next year when she's graduated and has some cash ...
Will let you know about the lounges.

DL

gumshoe wrote:Don't know for sure when check-in opens I'm afraid (though the website says 4 hours before departure) but until the new Clubhouse opens VS are using the VX Loft. I've not been in it but it doesn't get great reviews - there is alcohol but the food is very limited and I don't believe it's very big.

In early February before the VS008 I was offered either the AC lounge (no alcohol and limited snacks) or the VX "The loft" - I went for the "The Loft" having been in there previously when it was good. It was depressing.

The food was very small chunks of cheese and some crackers, cereals (yes Cereals), some bread for toasting and some pretzels and nuts. That was it. The bar was manned and was ok. I left feeling disappointed and wished I had tried the AC lounge. The CH cannot come soon enough.

Jon

horburyflyer wrote:

gumshoe wrote:Don't know for sure when check-in opens I'm afraid (though the website says 4 hours before departure) but until the new Clubhouse opens VS are using the VX Loft. I've not been in it but it doesn't get great reviews - there is alcohol but the food is very limited and I don't believe it's very big.

In early February before the VS008 I was offered either the AC lounge (no alcohol and limited snacks) or the VX "The loft" - I went for the "The Loft" having been in there previously when it was good. It was depressing.



The food was very small chunks of cheese and some crackers, cereals (yes Cereals), some bread for toasting and some pretzels and nuts. That was it. The bar was manned and was ok. I left feeling disappointed and wished I had tried the AC lounge. The CH cannot come soon enough.

Jon

Thanks Jon - she's used to the sanctuary (and decent grub) that the Koru club used to offer ( before they moved ) .
Oh well, sure she'll survive
DL

I've recently used the VX Loft and it's all right ... No CH by any stretch ... Food is disappointing but the apron and runways view is fantastic !
Full serviced bar is good. See my February VS8 TR for more details.

I agree the loft is a bit gloomy and a bit of a trek as it is another terminal.
You might get cheese and biscuits but thats about it.
I have used the AC lounge in T2 a couple of times recently and apart from the booze it is still good. The environment is much brighter, larger and bigger than the loft.
The food is not quite as good as when NZ ran it but they do have salad, soup and that sort of thing. Plenty of soft drinks but as of last week still no booze.
It is very close to the VS gate though and going all the way to T3 just to get a drink is not really worth the effort in my opinion.

The new VS LAX lounge will open early May.

Thanks gentlemen .
Could she use both ? She'll be heading to LAX fairly soon ( so will have 4 hours to kill) and would like some drinks ( I still can't believe AC don't have an alcohol licence....).She would however also like some reasonable food and a shower

DL

Don't think she could use both as one is post security in T2, the other post security in T3 (with a bus to the aircraft) so it's one or the other depending on which terminal she clears security in.

I hadn't realised AC had taken over the Koru Club space - I assumed VS were taking that - so where is the new CH going? In the old AC lounge presumably?

gumshoe wrote:Don't think she could use both as one is post security in T2, the other post security in T3 (with a bus to the aircraft) so it's one or the other depending on which terminal she clears security in.

I hadn't realised AC had taken over the Koru Club space - I assumed VS were taking that - so where is the new CH going? In the old AC lounge presumably?

Ah - hadn't thought about security . Being my daughter I think it'll be TheLoft then .
Thanks again all.
DL

VS are having a totally new lounge (not the ex AC) - and it will be a proper clubhouse.

The verdict on The Loft is that it's rubbish ( with a great view ) .
DL

Don't forget that the Loft is primarily a domestic lounge as VX do not fly internationally.
On that basis it is far better than most domestic lounges.

JCBR wrote:Don't forget that the Loft is primarily a domestic lounge as VX do not fly internationally.
On that basis it is far better than most domestic lounges.

Being pedantic they do - they serve 3 Mexican destinations including Cancun from LAX.

But yes, your point is valid. The Loft was never meant to be a long-haul international lounge - VX competes with DL, AA and UA whose US lounges are, on the whole, poor compared to what Brits are used to from VS, BA, the ME3 and the far east carriers.

gumshoe wrote:The Loft was never meant to be a long-haul international lounge - VX competes with DL, AA and UA whose US lounges are, on the whole, poor compared to what Brits are used to from VS, BA, the ME3 and the far east carriers.

That's true, but when the Loft opened it seemed to set its sights rather higher. I had the impression that there was a particular moment when the offering was downgraded significantly.

at240 wrote:

gumshoe wrote:The Loft was never meant to be a long-haul international lounge - VX competes with DL, AA and UA whose US lounges are, on the whole, poor compared to what Brits are used to from VS, BA, the ME3 and the far east carriers.

That's true, but when the Loft opened it seemed to set its sights rather higher. I had the impression that there was a particular moment when the offering was downgraded significantly.

Indeed, if you remember the hype on opening, with food options, styling, bar et al, it did aim above only to be ground down to the miserable norm.

OMG!!!!!!
Just flew back on VS8 from LAX yesterday - arrived today.

What ever you do, make sure you eat, drink and enjoy LA before passing through security as once through there is nothing apart from Starbucks, a hot dog shop and some fridges located against a wall with some disgusting sandwiches and salads priced FROM $12.

My friend bought a caesar salad and noticed half way through eating it that there was a couple of ants crawling around inside the box.....

They would not give a refund as she had not kept the receipt and would only reluctantly offer something else to the same value.

No apology - nothing.

An absolutely disgusting way to spend time waiting for your VS flight.

Is there a definitive opening date for the LAX clubhouse yet?

Not that's been announced, no. "Early May" seems to be the latest guesstimate.