This was published 5 years ago
No1 Lounges at Melbourne, Sydney airport open to all passengers
By Craig Platt
The former Etihad lounge at Melbourne Airport is now "The House" and is open to all passengers.
Etihad's luxurious lounges at Melbourne and Sydney airport, previously only accessible to business or first class passengers flying internationally with Etihad or Virgin Australia, are now open to everyone – for a price.
From last Friday the lounges, now run by British airport lounge operator No1 Lounges, will be open to any international travellers willing to pay the $90 entry (or $80 if you book online in advance).
Access to the lounges, dubbed "The House", is available regardless of which airline or class passengers are flying in.
Al a carte dining is on offer.Credit: SEE CAPTION INFO
The entry fee gets you up to three hours in the lounge, with the option to purchase additional hours.
Inside, passengers will enjoy all the typical trappings of an exclusive airport lounge: Wi-Fi, showers, charging points, newspapers and magazines.
The lounges offer a la carte dining, a fully tended bar featuring beer, wine and spirits and barista-made coffee. Opening menus include main dishes such as Middle East chicken musukhan, brisket burgers and mushroom gnocchi. Breakfasts include eggs benedict, custom omelettes and smashed avocado and peas on toast.
Opening menus include main dishes such as Middle-East chicken musukhan, brisket burgers and mushroom gnocchi.Credit: SEE CAPTION INFO
The Sydney lounge features 120 seats and looks out over the airport's Gate 51 and the runways beyond, while the Melbourne lounge has 140 seats and also offers runway views.
Located in the heart of Sydney Airport's international Terminal 1, this 8000 square foot lounge has 120 seats, with immediate views of Gate 51 and the runways beyond.
Etihad and Virgin Australia passengers flying business or first class will still have complimentary access to the lounges.
The lounges opened to all passengers on Friday, March 22.
No1 Lounges launched in Britain 12 years ago, the brainchild of former theatre producer Phil Cameron. Etihad has already partnered with No1 to take over its lounge at Heathrow Airport in London. The airline has flagged it is looking at extending the partnership to other lounges.
Etihad has made a number of cost-cutting measures over the past year as it struggles to stem massive losses. Earlier this month the airline announced a $US1.28 billion loss for the year ending December 2018, it's third consecutive annual loss of more than one billion.
Lounges are increasingly becoming available to passengers willing to pay an entry fee for the privilege. Marhaba lounge opened at Melbourne Airport in 2017 and can be entered for $65 for four hours, while Brisbane Airport features the Plaza Premium Lounge with entry fees of $US45 ($A63.50) for two hours or $US52 ($73) for five hours.
See also: The secret to getting into airport lounges when you're flying economy
See also: Why it's not worth paying to get access to airport lounges
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