Qantas Los Angeles first class lounge reopens August 11
Lounging at La La Land is getting back to normal for travellers on Qantas and its Oneworld partners.
By David Flynn, August 8 2022
The long-awaited reopening of Qantas’ Los Angeles first class lounge is set for Thursday August 11, as the airline ramps up Airbus A380 flights between Sydney and LAX.
The Qantas Los Angeles International First Lounge is a key part of the premium travel proposition for the airline’s A380 first class – although the lounge also welcomes Qantas’ Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers (and their Oneworld Emerald equivalents) along with elite Chairman’s Lounge members.
The door list also includes first class travellers and top-tier frequent flyers on other Oneworld airlines departing LAX, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways.
Visitors can once again look forward to a drink at the 48 foot-long Tuscan Carrara marble bar, an a la carte meal in the dining room or just relaxing on the Californian Knoll furniture before their international flight.
From August 11-14 the lounge will be operating on a reduced schedule of 5.30pm to midnight, after which the opening hours will stretch from 6.30am to midnight.
Qantas pulled down the shutters on both its LAX lounges in March 2020 as part of a worldwide closure in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic – and while the LAX business class lounge rolled out the welcome mat in December 2021, the frosted doors of the Los Angeles International First Lounge have remain locked.
Seeing them swing wide open again is “the last piece in the (first class lounge) puzzle,” Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully told Executive Traveller, following the reopening of its First Lounge siblings in Sydney, Melbourne and Singapore.
Tully cited recruitment as being one of the challenges for rebooting the international lounge network.
“It’s definitely tough. The world stood still for two years, so to get everything back humming again, to get everyone back working, it takes a bit of time.”
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1225
International lounge access when travelling QF is still a bit of a mystery post-COVID. Jakarta is a classic case in point. Qantas previously used the Plaza Premium Lounge in CGK for all eligible passengers. They now claim on their website that the lounge has not yet reopened and a $30 voucher for use at 6 venues within the terminal is provided instead. This is false; in fact the Plaza Premium Lounge in CGK has remained open throughout the pandemic. On my last visit, the check-in agent owned up that QF has yet to come to a new arrangement with Plaza Premium which is why lounge access is not offered. To make matters worse, of the 6 venues offered for the voucher, only 2 have reopened.
07 Mar 2022
Total posts 67
Always a noice experience The First Class Lounge whether it's in Australia or LAX. I'm amazed at the amount of people using lounges, and people actually flying as well. You go to an airport or lounge and you think Holy Batman where did all these people come from everyone getting there travelling fix.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Mar 2018
Total posts 1
After a seamless Business Class check-in at LAX 10 days ago we were told that no First Class or Business lounge was open. Directed to the One World Business Lounge. What a dingy venue. The food was disgusting and luke warm at best. The Chicken Stir Fry had virtually no chicken; I found two tiny pieces in my serve. Same with the hot salmon dish; hard to find the salmon. In a sign of lack of imagination of the food offerings there was Mac & Cheese. Please!
Clearly no Neil Perry influence her. I would have been happier with voucher to spend at one of the onsite eating houses. Thank goodness for a very nice business class dinner once on board. Not good enough by a long shot. I understand that the Crew received a number of complaints and would be included in the flight report.
29 Jun 2022
Total posts 1
The One World business lounge is certainly showing its age. Particularly the tatty, threadbare furniture, and is very overcrowded. Fingers crossed for a refurbishment in the near future. In the meantime, AA flagship lounge is better in my opinion if you have access (e.g. QF gold), though a bit of a hike from TBIT.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 May 2013
Total posts 144
Lucky enough to be there in a month, i hope their reopening comes with the usual perks, rather than limited options.
10 Dec 2019
Total posts 15
I'm now living in the US. Went to the American Express Centurion [Temporary] Lounge which was just next to the QF First Class lounge. It was closed but brought back fantastic memories of my toddler daughter walking in and seeing me near the front desk and yelling out at the top of her little lungs "THAT'S MY DADDY!!!!"
Great to see this lounge opening again. Alas, I'm just Lifetime Gold now, so probably won't see that particularly lounge again. I can say it's absolutely fantastic. Possibly the best lounge I've experienced in my life. Thanks QF and best of luck to y'all who will get to experience it.
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