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 Air New Zealand Koru Club food in the Auckland lounge |
Air New Zealand have International Business Class lounges in NZ at Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington. There are also lounges at Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne & Los Angeles. They are known as the Koru clubs, and reviews of them rate them highly, with many passengers leaving with a positive opinion.
There are even lounges at some of the remote Pacific islands, like Nadi, Rarotonga and Papeete. These are cute airports, with first rate facilities. There are good drinks and sandwiches (Nadi lags behind here, as the sandwiches only seem to come out for some flights, eg not for NAN-LAX) and a great holiday atmosphere.
 Sydney Air New Zealand Koru Club |
At London Heathrow, Air New Zealand use the new Joint Star Alliance lounge. In Hong Kong there is the United lounge, however there are much better lounges at both airports - for example there is the bmi lounge at LHR, while at Hong Kong you can try the Thai or Singapore lounges.
You gain access to the Air New Zealand international lounges either with a business class ticket, Koru Club membership, with a Gold or Gold Elite Airpoints Status, or via Gold membership of any other Frequent Flyer club in the Star Alliance network.
Koru Club members can bring in a guest except at Koru Regional Lounges in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Queenstown and Invercargill.. Star Alliance Gold members can always bring in a guest. Koru Club members do not have In Transit Access to the Air New Zealand International Lounge in Los Angeles, but Koru Club members at LA are sometime put up in an alternative lounge from time to time, due to capacity constraints. Star Alliance Gold members are allowed access at all times, with a guest. As a Koru Club member you can buy extra day passes for guests: they cost from NZ$25 domestic, to a whopping $55 at Auckland International.
You can not buy day passes for Air New Zealand Koru Club lounges if you do not hold Star Alliance status or are a member of the Koru Club.
 Auckland Air New Zealand Koru Club. |
This lounge has recently had a most welcome fashion makeover, and the old dreary green look of the 1980s has gone, to be replaced by fresher green corduroy sofas, however the place is still decidedly gloomy - especially the inner lounge area.
This is probably the worst place to hang out in the lounge, as it is the one most people make for, and yet it's often crowded, particularly before the flights for the US & UK leave. Instead you can sit at the couple of tables around the bar, or go further in to the area close to the windows.
 Auckland Koru Club's beer fridge |
There is no longer a business centre: instead on the far wall of the inner area has four desks, with four (relatively fast) internet computers. There are telephones by each computer, which can receive (but not make) calls. There is one telephone cubical, which charges $4 to make, and then $4 a minute for calls: your mobile may be a lot cheaper. Free Wifi is available, from two networks: the two are called AirNZ which is not encripted, and Koruclub2 (User: koruclub, password: nelson). At the far end of the room there is a large desk with heaps of various types of mobile phone charger adapters mounted on it - a nice free perk.
 Auckland Air New Zealand Koru Club |
There is a good selection of all the NZ newspapers on the stand on the far side of the inner area statue, with lots of copies of the NZ Herald, and occasionally a Sydney Morning Herald. At the far end of the inner area (the old business centre) there is also a small cinema area, with a large wide screen TV.
Food, has gone downhill lately, and isn't actually as good as in the domestic lounge (or even as good as in Sydney). The food changes 3 times a day, with the best selection at breakfast, when there are scones & clotted cream. By lunchtime there are just a few olives, gherkins, a very bad hummus, some cheese (3 types, with edam in odd red squares sliced into slivers) cold beef, and a pretty good pate. Scones and cream make a brief reapperance at teatime, while in the evening there are hot dishes.
Auckland old 1st area |
The bar is much better, with some decent Kiwi sparklers and two whites. The beer fridge is a real delight, having a vast array of everything from DB Export Gold, to Steinlarger, Monteith's dark, and Becks. On the main part of the bar there is (in free pour bottles) Bacardi, Jim Beam, Coruma rum, Grants Whisky, and Bacardi, along with two red wines.
There are bathrooms with OK showers in the lounge, and there is also a spa, however only genuine business class passengers with a long haul flight (not Tasman or Pacific islands) are permitted. The Spa shuts in the middle of the day, and even when it's open, the options are limmited.
Christchurch Koru Club |
Christchurch Business Centre |
True, the décor is pure generic Koru lounge in a lovely shade of green, but it is certainly far better than hanging around in the very poor terminal building downstairs.
There is a good selection of current NZ newspapers on the stand by the main door, with lots of copies of the NZ Herald, and there is a small Business Centre which has two pretty fast internet computers, with a printer, photocopier and fax. In a small room at the back there is also a large wide screen TV.
Christchurch bar & buffet area |
The bar is very good indeed, having 13 different beers on offer, from Speights Gold to Steinlager, DB Gold, and Becks. Also in the fridge are three whites, and a sparkling wine. To the left of the coke dispenser there are 9 free pour spirits, and two bottles of red. There is a good Cappochino & Latte machine, along with separate pot of coffee boiling away on the table in the middle of the lounge.
Christchurch Business Centre |
However the main perk of this lounge is the Food, which changes 3 times a day. If you time it right, you can munch from both selections. At breakfast time (to 10am) there is plenty of muesli and other cerials, plus large bowls of fruit. There are 3 individual ones with Bananas, Apples, and Kiwis. There are even scones with clotted cream & strawberry jam. Lunch is the best, with lots of bowls of pasta and salad, as well as plenty of ham and cheese. Occasionally sushi appears for the late afternoon (from 5pm). Full metal cutlery is available.
 Melbourne Air New Zealand Koru Club Business Lounge |
 Melbourne Koru Club The relax zone |
The Air New Zealand Koru Club in Melbourne is one of the nicest of the outstation lounges. It was totally revamped a few years ago - and it is the new flagship lounge, styled on a New Zealand 'bach', which in rather un-characteristic Kiwi hype is described as a 'revolutionary new take' on the airline lounge.
Once airside, walk down the terminal pier, and then near the cafe bar take the stairs or lift down to the ground floor, and then decend once again on the escalator down to the basement level. There is small round wooden reception pillar here, which most of the time doubles as the service desk in case you need to change your ticket, although there is also a separate service desk which is normally unmanned.
Once inside, there is a large oval room, designed as a bach with weatherboard walls, including a mock veranda lined with rattan chairs by the window. This the Relax zone, and it is certainly different. There is fake wooden 'decking', outdoor linen covers and comfy cushions. Infact the only issue is the view. It looks straight over the tarmac, but here you see only the nosewheel of your plane.
 Melbourne Air New Zealand Koru Club Business Lounge |
Further around to the right there is an area with shag pile carpet and a long upholstered sofa, textured fabric walls in muted tones and gossamer pull back curtain which can zone off seating areas for added privacy. This is by far the most comfortable area of the lounge, and is often deserted. Next to it there is a magazines and newspaper rack, plus a big screen plasma TV screen and a display cabinet showcasing NZ culture.
 Melbourne Koru Club Air New Zealand breakfast spread |
Food is provided by the Replenish zone right in the centre of the lounge. To the right is a food servery area, where the in-lounge kitchen prepares all food on site. The centrepiece is an 8.5 metre long curved stone communal kitchen table (bench). It's great for laying out a newspaper in the mornings. Around from the table is a fridge trough: there's fruit here in the morning, while in the afternoon there is a great salad, with cheese and ham. Breakfasts are certainly the highlight of the lounge, thanks to the main flight of the day being the 10am widebody with full business class (all other flights are small one class Airbuses) and a spread is laid on, with muffins, crossants, cerial, and even a pancake making machine.
The bar is as you would expect great. There is Speight's beer on tap, but it is in the two fridges that you should look for some real delights. There is plenty of beer in bottles, from Boags to Becks, Carlton Draft, and even Steinlager. Also in the fridge is the wine collection, with six different types of Kiwi whites, plus New Zealand sparkling on the bottom shelf. Four more reds are on the worktop next to the fridge. Spirits feature some from New Zealand, such as 42 Below Vodka and South Gin, plus Bacardi, Smirnoff, Gordons, Red Label, Jim Beam, Bunderberg, Contreau, Baileys, and 3 ports.
 Melbourne Koru Club Sports Area table football |
 Melbourne Air New Zealand Koru Club Business Lounge |
There is a rather poor and dull business centre around tbe back, behind the service centre. Alas, this is the one part of the lounge that didn't get a revamp, and the four workstations have slow internet access. There is a combined fax, photocopier and printer. Wifi is free, and there are some spare desks here for you to plug a laptop into. At the back of the lounge are the bathrooms and showers. Air New Zealand are proud of these, as they include an ornate chandelier in the ladies bathroom. Ask at reception for the showers - they include a free towel, and there are Living Nature products in the cubicals. There is also a Kids Zone, in a separate room, with a TV and DVD player, and some games.
Access to the Air New Zealand Melbourne Lounge is available for the usual business class and star gold members, however if you don't have access the usual way, you can also buy access on the door, with a $A55 day pass. This lounge is also used as the Thai Airways Melbourne business class lounge, and $55 day passes are available for Thai economy ticket holders too.
And if you're wondering what a Bach is, it is an iconic part of New Zealand history and culture. The name was originally short for bachelor pad, where in the middle of the 20th century many men would build a structures akin to small, often very modest holiday homes or beach houses high on the cliffs of New Zealand (or sometimes right on the beach). By the later part of the 20th century, they symbolized the beach holiday lifestyle that was becoming more accessible to the middle class. Nowadays a true Bach is highly prized in Kiwiland.
Brisbane Air NewZealand Lounge |
Brisbane newspaper stand |
There are two stands with newspapers. Magazines are on the left of the main door, while the papers are further in on the far stand, although the offerings here are rather poor; with just a few Australians, Courier-Mails and in the afternoon some New Zealand Heralds. You have to race to get the newspapers quickly, before they all vanish (and many people take them onto flights). There is also a small business centre, at the far end and then turn left through the arch. In the bathroom there is a shower: ignore the signs in there that seem to suggest there is a cupboard with towels: you actually have to ask at reception.
Brisbane the bar |
However the bar is on the left hand side, on the wall as you go in. The beer fridge offers an OK seleciton, including DB Export Gold, Steinlager, Crown, VB, and XXXX Gold. There are 11 bottles of free pour spirits, including Jim Beam, Red Label, Baileys, and Bundy Rum.
Brisbane breakfast |
There is some pretty decent coffee too. On the two wooden pods in the middle of the room there is a latte machine, along with two boiling pots of coffee. Above these are some very basic Ikea mugs.
 Sydney Air New Zealand business lounge with the main bar area behind |
 Sydney Air NewZealand lounge old first bar area |
The lounge has recently changed, moving the reception into the main part of the lounge, and abandoning the old split between First and Business class (now that Air NZ no longer has a First class), which means that the old First area and bathrooms, on the right, are now a decent, quiet sub-lounge, but open to all. Indeed, not many people seem to know it's there, and if you go through to the right you get much more comfortable armchairs and a much less busy bar. There is a raised dining area here, and also a couple of computers. Further around the corner are four large bathrooms with showers. It's rare for there to be a queue here.
The main part of the lounge is a big long room, having dark wood, squashy armchairs, and a subdued hush;
 Sydney Koru Club hotdog stand |
 Sydney Air New Zealand lounge old First area |
There is a bar area against the wall on the left and a food counter infront of it. The bar is very good, with a lovely sparking Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut in the fridge. Other wines are from New Zealand, including Robinsons Malborough Savingnon Blanc, Dash Pino, and Broken Bay Chardonnay. The beer selection in the fridge is pretty comprehensive, with bottles of Steinlager, Hahn Premium, Hahn Light, Tooeys Extra Dry, and Konic wheat beer. On the worktop are a circle of free-pour spirits, with Karloff & 42 vodka, Bacardi, Bunderberg rum, Gin & Brandy.
 Sydney Air New Zealand lounge |
Food is equally good, starting in the morning with a cooked breakfast including sausages, tomatoes, and a strange cheese flan type thing that is very popular with the Kiwis. By lunchtime it is replaced by a lovely salad bar, with several different types of ham and cheese. There are deserts in the fridge, and at the end of a worktop there is a rare delight: a pancake making machine. Just press the button on the top, and put a plate on the right hand side, and a star shaped pancake pops out. Maple syrup is in the jug. Later in the day there also hotdogs, on a special stand that is wheeled out: it looks very pretty, but totally out of place.
Newspapers are spread on the top of the shelving units, and normally include a complete selection of all the Kiwi papers, plus the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian, and the Financial Review. The Air New Zealand Sydney Lounge is also used by United, and so there are a couple of US papers in the lounge too, although these tend to vanish when the United flight departs at lunchtime.
| Air New Zealand Sydney Lounge |  |
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There is a small business centre at the far end of the lounge, and in this there are just three computers which have free internet access. Suprisingly for a lounge, the computers work and are very fast, however it can be a bit of a fight to get on one, and it may be easier to get onto the ones in the old First Class lounge. There is free wifi.
Access to the Air New Zealand Sydney Lounge is available for the usual business class and star gold members, however if you don't have access the usual way, you can also buy access on the door, with a $A55 day pass. This lounge is also used as the Thai Airways Sydney business class lounge, and $55 day passes are available for Thai economy ticket holders too.
Nadi (Fiji) Air NewZealand Lounge |
Nadi Air NewZealand bar |
To find the lounge walk straight on after security, past the duty free shop, behind the escalator, and it's to the right of the Air Fiji lounge (used by Qantas). You will be welcomed with a "Bula", and asked to take a seat. Grab one if you can find one - there are only 38 in the lounge, and when two 767s are due to leave the lounge can get packed. There is aggressive Air Conditioning, an OK view of the apron (under the concrete balcony) and one TV.
Nadi (Fiji) Air NewZealand Lounge |
Nadi Air NewZealand food |
Food is at it's best at breakfast time when most of the flights depart. It's is your usual Kiwi healthy selection, with lots of muffins, cerial, and toast. There is Vegemite, marmalade & jam. At other times there are sandwiches and biscuits. However the sandwiches only seem to come out for some flights to New Zealand - and not for flights to the US (this is possibily because a lot of Kiwi's fly to & from Fiji, and these seems to be far less premium traffic from Fiji to LA).
Newspapers include the New Zealand Herald and lots of copies of the Bulletin & Women's Weekly. There are two business booths, one with a fax machine, and one with a telephone. There are no computers - you have to nip upstairs to the coin-in-the-slot internet machine. There is one shower but it's pretty decrepid, with a mouldy tray and curtains.
 Rarotonga Air New Zealand Koru Club. Tiny, init? |
 Rarotonga Air New Zealand Koru Club food |
The lounge is so small, there is nowhere for the staff to sit and check your boarding pass: as a result you may find the lounge ungarded, or more likely there is a dragon standing there, who has to take any frequent flier cards other than a Koru club one out to the checkin desk to make sure it's valid.
There is just one small food counter, but what food... normally there are some ham and pineapple rolls (in contexts it does work - really!) plus lots of good Kiwi cheeses on salad, and a tray of fruit with melon and grapefruit, plus a basket of apples and grapes. Crackers are beside the cheese, while in the fridge you'll find more cheese (Aussie Tasty) and yoghurts.
 Rarotonga Air New Zealand Koru Club bar counter |
The fridge beside the counter has quite a well stocked bar, with mini bottles of wine and Kiwi sparklers, plus bottles of Heiniken and DB export Gold beer. There are cans of coke and sprite, plus tonic water. On the counter are plenty of bottles of spirits, with Absolut Vodka, Gin, Rum, and VSOP, beside and ice bucket. Above these are mini bottles of red.
There are normally a couple of copies of the New Zealand Herald kicking about in the lounge, plus a TV screen on the wall, but that's it for entertainment. Toilets are inside the lounge behind the door in the far wall. There is no chance of missing your flight in the lounge: announcements of the day's departures are shouted out by the staff, but make sure you rush out when they are called, otherwise you'll end up in a queue with all the economy passengers.
The Air New Zealand Los Angeles Lounge has been justly famous since it had a revamp several years ago which doubled its size. And it's easy to see why. It is a large long thin rectangular room, rather like the Sydney lounge, with a series of zones that have distinctly Antipodean touches, like paua laminate and rimu veneers, and with New Zealand-made furniture and carpets made from New Zealand wool. These translate into very comfortable armchairs, and soft muted colours of greens and blues meant to be reminiscent of the New Zealand landscape. On the walls are decorative works by some of the twin islands' emerging artists.
The bar is one of the notable features of this lounge, and it features some distinctly New Zealand drinks you won't find elsewhere in LA. Beers are very good, with Monteith's (Original and Pilsner), plus the usual US varieties of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Samuel Adams, Becks and Corona. Free pour spirits are also good, although again there is just one variant from NZ, with 42 Below vodka. There are 4 types of red, 5 types of white (including 2 Kiwi variants of Sauvignon Blanc) and sparkling wine.
Food is OK, although nothing special, with a fridge tough with salad plus ham, beef and cheese. There are a few deserts on the side of this, hot soup and rolls.
There are five zones in the lounge, although these aren't as well distinguished as you'd expect. In effect there is just one room, although at one end there is the Quiet Zone, which is mobile free, has a few nice potted plants, and which has the newspaper and magazine rack, however it's a hard job finding a Kiwi paper here, and the magazines are not much to write home about either. There is however a library table with some freebie travel guides about New Zealand.
Next to this there is the Relaxation Zone with some reclining chairs. They are pretty comfortable, but directly in the light, so not ideal for catching up on sleep.
The Business Zone has seven computers, although they are getting a bit long in the tooth now and aren't very fast, plus a photocopier and a printer. At least there is free wifi. Thankfully, children are kept away from this area, and instead have the Family Zone which has a play area for children, and a game consoles and DVD player.
There are also six shower suites in the lounge, in the Refreshing Zone, which have Living Nature skincare products (with of course, indigenous New Zealand ingredients).
The lounge is open all day, for the Air New Zealand flights flying from and to London. Alas, there are some unusual access rules. In particular, it is NOT a Koru Club Lounge, and Koru Club members travelling in economy class are often directed to the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge in San Francisco, which is just along the corridor at Gate 24. However Star Gold, and Gold Airports members have access. If you're in transit, only Business Premier Class passengers may access the lounge if they are on NZ1/NZ2. If you start your journey in LA, and don't have any status or access, you can also buy your way in for $55 for a Day Pass. Note that you can't get to the new Star Alliance lounge at LAX, which is in the separate Tom Bradley International Terminal.
There is no Koru Club at San Francisco. Instead, the Air New Zealand Business Class Lounge is now using the Eva Air Evergreen Club lounge at San Francisco: indeed, more than using, for it has exclusively rented the lounge, at a time when there are no Eva Air flights.
 San Francisco Air New Zealand (Eva Air) lounge |
To find the lounge, once through security in the SFO Terminal G international wing, turn right to the United Red Carpet club, right again up the small corridor, up the stairs, along the corridor past the Singapore Airlines lounge in San Francisco, and to the end of the corridor. There is the San Francisco Eva Air business class lounge.
When operating as the San Francisco Air New Zealand lounge, you'll be greeted by an Air New Zealand staffer on the desk on the left, and then left to explore the lounge... such as it is. It really is quite small - really, just one room. And that is the main problem with the lounge. It is so packed by about an hour before boarding, that seats are at a premium, and worse, parents with children tend to hog several seats in a row, and the seating is so cramped it doesn't feel like a premium lounge, even though the new chairs are more comfortable than in the Red Carpet Club. At least there is a great view over the runway as the sun goes down, and there are some unusual Taiwanese decorations and model aeroplanes. Alas options for escaping the scrum are minimal, because the Singapore Airlines lounge doesn't open until half an hour after the plane to Kiwiland departs.
 San Francisco Air New Zealand Business Class Lounge - Eva Air lounge |
The bar is on the left, although it really isn't up to much. When the lounge was launched as the AirNZ lounge at SFO, there was a great fanfare that the food and beverage service will provide "a uniquely kiwi experience, show casing fine New Zealand wines". In reality, that means there is a single bottle of Oyster Bay in the fridge. Other than that, the beer choice is Heineken.
Food is a bit better, although it doesn't really match up to the "fresh food inspired by the flavours of New Zealand" that is advertised. In reality, the options are sandwiches or pot noodles.
There are no showers in the lounge (or indeed anywhere airside, apart from the SQ lounge which isn't open: The only option is "FreshenUp" landside in terminal G). There are no computers, and no free internet, however SFO airport now has free WiFi throughout the terminal, and if you hover by the window you should just about get a connection. However power sockets are very hard to find (the ones by the coffee machine on the left are really the only options).
Indeed, all this may make you wonder why Air New Zealand rent the Eva Air lounge at San Francisco. It simply because the options are worse: the old International United Red Carpet lounge at San Francisco is truly dire, with very basic food (carrots and dips, or paid for cheese toasties) and a limit of two drinks per customer (where you need to pay the barman). However, it may be worth escaping here just for some space and somewhere to sit. Even though there is the lovely Singapore Airlines lounge, which is empty at the time Air New Zealand want it, the airline couldn't rent space there as Singapore like to maintain their exclusivity over their lounges.
One other point: you can only access this lounge if on the NZ7 - it is not a Star Alliance Gold lounge. Also Koru Club members cannot use the United Lounge any more, although Gold & Gold Elite Airpoints members still have access.
 London LHR Star Alliance lounge used by Air New Zealand |
The lounge is very large, but rather dull. As the Air New Zealand flights leave quite late in the day using this lounge, you can feel rather lonely sitting there as the cleaners hussle you out in time for the 9pm flight. Food is pretty good, with a hot option available for the Air New Zealand flight so you can eat in the lounge before getting on board. Food is often curry, with salads and sandwiches also available.
 London LHR Star Alliance lounge used by Air New Zealand |
There is just one type of white, two types of red, and a rose wine. Most of these are pretty cheap and nasty versions. There is a beer pump for Grolsh, and - rare for a lounge - Magners cider in bottles in the fridge, along with bottles of Becks and cans of Guinness.
There are showers in the lounge, and free Wifi, but no computers.
Full details of this lounge are contained in the bmi pages, under the Joint Star Alliance LHR Lounge section, however if you have a long time at Heathrow, it may also be worthwhile hunting out the other bmi lounge at Heathrow, the much nicer with better atmosphere, bmi Great British Lounge which has a great bar, The Local, and good views over the runway.