New Qantas, AirNZ and Singapore Airlines lounges for 2017
By David Flynn, January 4 2017
2017 will bring business travellers and frequent flyers plenty of new airport lounges where they can cool their heels pre-flight.
March will see Qantas open two new lounges on the opposite sides of the globe, in Brisbane and London.
Brisbane is set for a new Qantas Business Lounge, with design influences from the Qantas Business Lounge at Perth and Brisbane's recently-opened Qantas International Lounge (below) tapping a contemporary look compared to the 'classic corporate' vibe of its Sydney and Melbourne siblings.
Alongside the new business lounge will be a premium lounge entry so that selected travellers can enjoy a fast-track experience from a dedicated airport drop-off point to the lounge.
Passengers will find a dedicated check-in area with baggage drop, security screening and an escalator providing direct access to all the Qantas domestic lounges – including the soon-to-be-refreshed Qantas Club and the new invitation-only Chairman's Lounge to be built in the footprint of the old Qantas Business Lounge.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, Qantas will cut the ribbon on the airline's first dedicated lounge at London's Heathrow Airport.
The split-level lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 will seat 230 travellers, with "a Rockpool menu and dining experience" featuring seasonal menus with a British bent, and potentially changing throughout the day to reflect the lunch and dinner departures of Qantas' Airbus A380 flights to Melbourne and Sydney.
Read more: Qantas plans ahead for London Heathrow lounge menu
There'll also be tended wine and cocktail bars on both levels, with the upper floor affording views over the runway.
And over at Terminal 5, British Airways in April will unveil the Heathrow First Wing.
This long-awaited fast track for top-tier BA and Oneworld flyers will provide a dedicated path from an expanded private check-in area through two First Wing-only security lanes, exiting straight into BA's Galleries First and Concorde Room lounges.
Back in Australia, Melbourne Airport will gain a slick new space for Star Alliance flyers courtesy of Air New Zealand.
Expected to open by March, the Kiwi carrier's sharp-looking Melbourne Airport lounge will share the same modern design as its siblings in Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland and is also expected to boast a bar and a 'live cooking station'.
Singapore Airlines will also open a refreshed lounge at Bangkok by March, the airline tells Australian Business Traveller, with the lounge sporting the same 'home away from home' concept as seen in its lounges in Sydney and Brisbane.
Less locked-in but still on the cards: expect Qantas to confirm plans for an all-new Perth International Lounge to cater for the non-stop Perth-London Boeing 787 flights due to launch in March 2018, along with shorter jaunts to Singapore and Auckland – all of which will run from Perth's Qantas domestic Terminal 3, part of which is being upgraded to cater for international flights.
We're also hoping to hear positive news on an upgrade for the rather drab and dire Auckland lounges – which pundits tip will be replaced by a single-class ‘premium lounge’ model rather than retain the current first class and business class spaces, while also playing the same cards such as a Rockpool seasonal menu and a tended bar serving beer, wine, cocktails and barista-pulled coffee.
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.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Feb 2015
Total posts 150
Looking very forward to see the new Air NZ lounge in Melbourne as I will be flying with them in mid April (hopefully the opening won't be delayed). Meanwhile, anyone knows what will happen to the space of their temporary lounge (the old United lounge)?
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 352
I have heard rumours of it being converted into an American Express lounge. Just rumours of course, if there is any truth I expect AusBT to be the first to confirm, but I sure hope those rumours come true as I would love to see a MEL version of Sydney's AMEX lounge.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Feb 2015
Total posts 150
That does sound plausible, or maybe even a Plaza Premium Lounge as they can be used by a much wider range of travellers.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Jan 2017
Total posts 17
I hope those AMEX lounges in MEL are true! Means I can finally use some of the benefits on my CBA Diamond credit card
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Nov 2013
Total posts 475
Qantas Auckland has to be confirmed...As one of Qantas's most traffic'd international routes it's a blight on the lounge network...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Mar 2016
Total posts 167
Excited about QF at LHR!
Turkish Airlines - Miles & Smiles
08 Jun 2014
Total posts 262
Would be great for an Amex lounge in Perth and or other cities in Australia, perhaps an Etihad one out here too. Add a few more Plaza Premium lounges too, they're fantastically serviced and a great experience (except Abu Dhabi's)
28 Oct 2015
Total posts 5
Am I the only one who finds singapore airlines new lounge design to be a bit of a fail? Of course anything is better than their current lounge in Bangkok (including no lounge), but when compared to what cathay and qantas have done with theirs, singapore's lounges are second rate. This is especially true of the first class section where all sorts of clashing design elements are shoved together in a small space. And in the business class section, rows of seats arranged back to back unlike any home I've been to.
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
21 Jan 2016
Total posts 193
For those who are travelling domestically on VA/NZ flight numbers and have Velocity membership, there have major upgrades to NZ domestic and regional Koru lounges.
Regional (for Q300/ATR72 services) lounges that have been upgraded to the new Koru Lounge branding are Hamilton, Invercargill and Queenstown. A new regional regional lounge at Wellington airport was opened 30 Nov 16 and it is really nice. It is located in the main terminal near the regional gates and security for domestic jet services.
Rest of the regional lounges will be refurbished later 2017 and 2018.
Auckland and Wellington domestic (for jet services) Koru lounges will be refurbished early 2017.
Wellington and Christchurch international Koru lounges will be refurbished mid 2017.
Once stage 2 of Queenstown regional lounge refurbishment has been, there is talk that NZ is planning to make the Queenstown regional lounge to a domestic lounge due to the increasing jet services in and Queenstown.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
Great info. Thank you
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2015
Total posts 94
I don't understand the rave re "new" Qantas Brisbane international lounge; its bloody awful! Cramped, over two levels, crappy food and lousy seating. Compared to other QF lounges it simply doesn't rate at all
06 Jan 2017
Total posts 2
Completely agree - new QF BNE international lounge is a major disappointment for Platinum members.
19 Mar 2015
Total posts 2
Any idea of a rough opening date for the Qantas Heathrow lounge in March?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
Yes, it'll roughly be sometime in March. Unless it slips to April.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 580
I think it's time for an upgrade of the SQ dungeon at MEL
15 Feb 2013
Total posts 163
Are eligibility details confirmed for QF LHR yet? Wanting to know for someone if Qantas Club members will get access when travelling on anything other than Qantas (BA, CX etc). My guess is no, but wanted to check.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2431
Qantas Club members never have access to Qantas lounges when flying on airlines other than Qantas or Jetstar, unless their flight was booked under a Qantas (QF) or Jetstar (JQ, 3K etc.) flight number.
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