Qantas' new London Heathrow Lounge is now open, and we've got plenty of photos and all the details in our exclusive first look report!
Read more: Qantas opens new London Heathrow lounge
PREVIOUS | Qantas expects to cut the ribbon to its new London Heathrow airport lounge in November, giving travellers on the Flying Kangaroo their first dedicated Qantas lounge at the busy UK hub.
“We'll be opening London in the next few weeks,” Qantas Head of Customer Product and Service Phil Capps told Australian Business Traveller on the sidelines of Qantas’ delivery event in Seattle for its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
“The build is nearing the end of its completion, we’re getting daily updates from the builders and from the London team” Capps said of the long-delayed project, which has seen its open date repeatedly pushed back from March to mid-year and most recently October.
Australian Business Traveller understands the setbacks were due to similar construction and contractor issues which also delayed Cathay Pacific's new business class and first class lounges in the same terminal.
But Capps has no doubt that Qantas travellers will find the London lounge was worth the wait.
“It’s looking great,” he says with confidence. “We're really excited about the lounge and we especially like the two-level space.”
In common with Qantas’ other international lounges such as Singapore and Hong Kong, the design of the new London lounge “has strong links back to the Qantas master brand but also a nod to the local clientele and the local market.”
This approach gives each lounge its own sense of place instead of being just another set of walls containing the same identikit furniture and fittings.
At Heathrow, one of those plays is the tended bar on the lounge’s upper level, which the airline will promote as a gin bar – although it will of course also serve other spirits along with a variety of beers and wines (and, we suspect, some champagne kept under the shelf for first class travellers, Chairman’s Lounge members and Platinum One frequent flyers).
"The concept of a gin and tonic is very iconic in the UK, and we have some fantastic artisan distilleries in Australia,” Capps explains. “so we think we can both respect the local market while also bringing a unique sense of Australia into the lounge.”
This cheeky coals-to-Newcastle approach will showcase some of Australia’s unique gins to the UK market, headlined of course by boutique Victorian gin Four Pillars.
Also read: Sampling the gin selection at the Qantas first class lounge
There will also be local and seasonal influences on the menu for the lounge’s Rockpool dining room.
“This is the country that's producing some of the best smoked salmon and gravlax in the world so we’ll offer some beautiful sides of locally-sourced salmon but with a unique Rockpool Qantas take on that.”
The lounge will cater for just two Qantas flights: QF2 to Sydney via Dubai (and from the end of March 2018, Singapore) which leaves at 9.45pm; and the new QF10 London-Perth non-stop Boeing 787 service which will be wheels-up at 1.30pm.
The Qantas London Lounge will be open to Qantas first class and business class passengers on those flights as well as their counterparts on Oneworld partner airlines in Heathrow T3 including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair and American Airlines, along with Emirates.
Also on the door list will be Qantas Platinum and Gold frequent flyers and their Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire siblings, and Qantas Club members.
David Flynn travelled to Seattle as a guest of Qantas
PREVIOUS [February 2016] | Qantas will open a new flagship lounge at London's Heathrow Airport next year as the airline continues to upgrade its international lounge network.
Due to open by March 2017, the Qantas London Lounge at Terminal 3 will follow in the footsteps of its contemporary counterparts at Los Angeles, and to a lesser extent Hong Kong and Singapore, but give the 'Qantas international lounge' model a uniquely British bent.
While all Qantas passengers will share the same lounge it's expected that additional services – such as free clothes pressing, 'off the list' wines and champagne, and first dibs on shower bookings – will be offered to travellers in first class along with members of the exclusive Chairman's Lounge plus Platinum One frequent flyers.
The lounge will boast a "Rockpool menu and dining experience" with a full-service wine and cocktail bar, showers and a children's zone.
Qantas currently runs two daily Airbus A380 flights out of Heathrow, with the Melbourne-bound QF10 departing at noon and Sydney's QF2 at 8.35pm.
In addition to first and business class travellers the lounge will also be open to Gold and Platinum Qantas Frequent Flyers and Qantas Club members as well as eligible flyers on Oneworld airlines departing from T3.
Upstairs, downstairs
The new lounge will seat 230 people across a split-level facility located on the footprint of the former SAS lounge at Terminal 3, according to a person familiar with the plans who wasn’t authorised to comment publicly.
The Scandinavian airline shuttered its T3 lounge in late 2014 after shifting flights to the Star Alliance hub of T2.
Qantas currently shares the Heathrow Terminal 3 lounge of British Airways, but sees the substantial investment in its own lounge as a marker for the airline's long-term commitment to London and the Kangaroo Route.
"The Kangaroo Route is at the heart of Qantas' identity and London remains one of our most important destinations" said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.
"We want the first dedicated Qantas lounge at Heathrow to be something special," adding that it would be "a fresh jewel in the crown".
Joyce – who today reported a record $921 million pre-tax profit for the airline over the six months from July to December 2015 – has previously talked up the possibility of non-stop Boeing 787-9 flights from Perth to London.
That route could see passengers from the east coast cities flying to Perth to make the 14,000km, 18 hour trek to Blighty as an alternative to today's superjumbo stop-overs at Dubai.
Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific is also working on its own new-look London T3 lounge, which will open in June with separate business class and first class zones and take its design cues from the warm residential vibe already seen in CX lounges at Tokyo Haneda, Bangkok, Manila and most recently The Pier First Class at Hong Kong (shown below).
Photos, video: Cathay Pacific opens new The Pier First Class lounge
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
21 Jul 2014
Total posts 143
Looks like paid up Qantas club members won't be able to access the new lounge:
Passengers eligible to use the lounge will include:
• Qantas Business and First Class passengers;
• Platinum One, Platinum and Gold members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program; and
• Passengers travelling in tiered cabins on partner airlines with a QF code.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
I'm sure they will be able too. Plenty of time to fix up those things as they lounge won't open til next year.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Agreed. Sounds like a careless press release by someone who has not bothered to validate prior to release.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jul 2014
Total posts 143
You were spot on.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Qantas Newsroom release has been updated - now also mentions Qantas Club
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Who are they hiring in the newsroom? Know your product people!
Not to mention, they forgot OW equivalents!
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Excellent news!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 388
If Qantas Club passengers cannot use this lounge it is a massive oversight by AJ. No doubt AUSBT will get confirmation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jul 2014
Total posts 143
Guess there is still the Admirals Club... it's usually quiet around the time that QF2 takes off.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
Hi Mark - we're late getting to this (busy morning, as you can see!) but we checked with Qantas and yes, as has been noted here and reflected on the Qantas website, the omission of Qantas Club members from the release was exactly that – an omission – Qantas Club members will be as welcome here as at any other Qantas international lounge such as LAX, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 388
Cheers for clarifying that David, much appreciated. As a life member of QC that flys QF regularly to Europe but only 25% in business, it's great to know we will have facilities like in Singapore, HK & LA. Keep up the great work AUSBT!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 464
Do Qantas Club members have access to a lounge at LAX ? I recently provided Qantas lounge passes to a family member to use at LAX and they were told that they could not use them. I understood the passes provided the same access as QC members.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2013
Total posts 699
No, the passes are only for Qantas Business lounges.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 464
I see, seems a fine line between a Oneworld Business lounge operated by Qantas and a Qantas Business lounge. Somewhat surprising that lounge passes cannot be used at LAX - I would think it is Qantas's busiest international terminal outside Australia.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Jun 2015
Total posts 24
I guess this is a big nod to the fact they may begin the non-stop flight from Perth to London!
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
How so?
07 Aug 2012
Total posts 192
I wonder why the oneworld airlines can cooperate on lounges at LAX, but not at LHR? T3 has 2x BA, 2x AA, 1x CX and soon 1x QF lounge. On top of that, AY uses a contract lounge at T3??
That aside, looks like it will be a great lounge!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Probably an issue with walls and continuous space - remember LHR T3 is a very old terminal, unlike TBIT
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Jul 2014
Total posts 115
Yes and No!
The AA and BA lounge are adjacent, and many of the guests in both are travelling with either airlines. Its a good point I rasied in another thread about co-sharing.
I suppose each Airline wants to be able to impart its own spin on things and each customer group has different expectations, BA only wants to serve very poor quality Bacon Sangas, whereas AA has a full buffet available, BA has more alcohol and water, AA has fizzy drinks and candy, to name a few subtle differences.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
The TBIT plans also only set aside a small amount of space for lounges. Rather then set aside space for lots of small lounges like at other ports (eg, look at the lounge size problems at SFO or ORD), the airport preferred to lease the space out for alliance based lounges.
TBIT has QF F, EK, EY, KE/Sky, Star, oneworld and their own airport operated lounge.
I still have to question the wisdom of the airlines spending so much money on new lounges at LHR T3 with the terminal planned to be knocked down as the new T2 expands.
Has there been any new news on the LHR redelopment plans?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Dec 2014
Total posts 284
Good news Qantas is now going full pelt for upgrading
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
27 Jun 2013
Total posts 40
Just reading online that T3 at Heathrow is due to be demolished in 2019. Could be dodgy facts but why build a lounge for 2 years use?
Maybe a move to a different terminal before a new lounge?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 204
Must be a typo , i reckon it might be 2119.
Once T1 has been demolished, and the new runway has been built....
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
The plan is to demolish T3 at some point to make way for 2 concourses for T2 much like T5B and C. When T1 closed a year ago, that was planned to happen some time in 2019.
They need to finish building out T2A and T2B first. They might also finish off T5A, B and C and allow the oneworld members in T3 to move to T5.
As for the 3rd runway and T6...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2015
Total posts 219
If Boris Johnson has his way we will all be flying into Essex!
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
@Nick Sydney2
And a mighty fine idea that is too!
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 113
Yes 2019 as announced in June 2015. Heathrow is a public company so if demolition is not occuring in 2019 should have been disclosed.
https://www.airport-business.com/2015/06/heathrow-putting-local-community-heart-expansion/
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
When T3 closes depends on the status of the T2 expansion.
Looking at the airport maps and current plans, they would need to complete expansion of T2A and B, and make some amount of progress on T2C and maybe T5D before T3 can go.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 580
Also need to be mindful of what they mean when they say 'terminal'. Terminal could just mean the check-in hall and baggae collection area, but all or some gates remain whilst they rejuggle things around to make space to build.
This is kind of how the new T2 was constructed. The 'terminal' was closed, but some of the old T2 gates were accessed through T1 for a little while. And now the new T2 is open, much of the old T1 gates are still in use bit accessed through T2.
So the same may well happen at T3 too. Maybe parts, especially the northern side may close first, with the southern part which contains the newer A380 gates linked to T2. Whilst not in the newer section the lounges are not far away. (EK's may be in the newer section).
11 Jul 2016
Total posts 1
All well and good for 2017. However, as AN Admirals club is closed, for loyal Qantas Club Paid Members travelling economy or premium economy there is currently NO QANTAS CLUB LOUNGE at Heathrow T3 where all Qantas flights depart. Qantas Club paid up members have no facility at T3 and the BA lounge people act as if Qantas is something they accidentally stepped in. Joyce may be making great profits for his shareholders but he is treating his loyal paying customers terribly.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
@Proptika,
Do yourself a favour and calculate how much you've spent on QF anually. See if you can spend the same amount of money with a different airline/different programme that will you give you an outright OW Sapphire or Star Alliance Gold status. Then you'll never have to be at the mercy of Qantas Club changes.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Jul 2016
Total posts 105
It looks amazing!
QANTAS
12 Jun 2014
Total posts 22
Thanks for the update. I didn't think it would be ready when I'm there mid-year and now I know for sure. Hoping to try the Cathay Pacific lounge.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Aug 2015
Total posts 1
Had held hopes that I could visit this lounge when I traveled through in August. Lucky CX lounge seems like a more than adequate consolation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Good old British construction firms.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 57
As long as this is open by the new Perth-London flight then should be no issues. Rather have them take their time, no need to rush.
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
I don't think it's likely to blow out another 5-6 months than what it has already so I think you'll probably be pretty safe with that expectation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2015
Total posts 43
it astounds me that Qantas still think that Neil Perry food is a "feature", its the reason i fly otehr one workd airlines whenever i can.
Qantas
22 Oct 2012
Total posts 319
but they still don't provide a date. Their previous advice was in about July when they said "probably September, but definitely October". We can only wonder what's going on over there.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
I wouldn't set a date either, until everything was sorted and locked down. The lounge hasn't yet been 'handed over' from construction company to Qantas – that's due very soon – and that's the time when Qantas can get its own team in and work through logistics, training, get hands-on with the kitchen etc and then set an opening date with confidence. It'd be daft to do anything else.
03 May 2013
Total posts 680
Seems large enough for senior tier space? Wonder why this has not been considered? Why can you devote so much time money and effort in Sydney and Mel for an F lounge set up yet not even a simple separate space at a flagship destination and lounge such as LHR.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Aug 2014
Total posts 168
Thats probably because there will only be 1 flight per day with 1st class seats. They probably figure that the Platinum memebers if not flying 1st will be happy in the shared lounge. I agree though that that devalues the membership tier.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
I wonder what "next month" means.
I have a flight through LHR T3 on Nov 10 (and LHR T5 on Nov 12)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
31 Jan 2016
Total posts 89
'Next month' could be Jan18... if that's the case then it's 'all good'... :)
14 Oct 2016
Total posts 2
Any idea why they aren't opening for QF10
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
They are. The mention of QF9 is a typo. QF9 is PER-LHR. The article meant to mention QF10 which is the LHR-PER flight.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 388
In the last hour I have just checked in for flight QF 2 at Heathrow and the check in staff informed me that the new Qantas lounge opens in 10 days.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
That's about right... :)
14 Oct 2016
Total posts 2
I asked when I checked in on the 15th and they said end of the month - really disappointed that I didn't get to see it
21 Nov 2017
Total posts 2
Will I be able to access prior to boarding QF10 (via Dubai) in Feb '18 ?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 388
Yes as long as you are travelling in Business or first or are a gold QF member or QC member with a QF flight number.
21 Nov 2017
Total posts 2
Thanks Mightyreds, I'll dip into my stockpile of lounge passes.
I was just a bit dubious as the soon-to-be replaced QF10 on the A380 wasn't mentioned in the article (whereas both the new and old QF2 routings are both mentioned).
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1207
Given there are only 9 days left in November and still no official announcement, I assume a November opening would be very much a "soft" opening with the formal opening pushed back into December or January.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 388
When I was in London last Wednesday 15th the QF staff said the official opening is happening before the end of November. Hopefully they stick to this time frame.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
They did use the term weeks (plural) when there is only one left in November. Methinks December!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
A few hints elsewhere on the web that it is November
BA Gold
01 Apr 2012
Total posts 197
17:30 UK time on the 23rd Nov will see a 'soft opening'.
25 Nov 2017
Total posts 2
Hi Cooper, do you know if this went ahead yesterday?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
Rumours of that 'soft opening' for 23rd proved incorrect.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Dec 2016
Total posts 16
As a bog standard Platinum, I don’t think I’ll be frequenting this lounge, no matter how great it is, when I can get real champagne and ala carte service in the Cathay Flounge.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
Only a matter of days now, ahead of 'official' opening next week.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 416
The quote at the top says in a few weeks. November is nearly over. When was that release put out? I was QF2 Monday and there did not look like any signs of things opening.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
No release out as yet, this article is based on our interview with QF and the lounge will be open very soon and before the month is out.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 382
1xA380 and 1x787, Qantas is a shadow of its former self at LHR. Shame.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2561
An update on this for those following: there'll be an 'official opening' of the Qantas London lounge this coming Tuesday 28th (UK time) which AusBT will be attending; that will be followed by the public opening at a date which is currently TBA.
25 Nov 2017
Total posts 2
I’m flying out on the 29th... fingers crossed the public can access it then!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Jun 2014
Total posts 19
There were a few guys in hard hats working away in the foyer of the new lounge on Saturday morning.. Walked past on my way to the Cathay Lounge for QF9 preflight Yum Cha...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Jun 2014
Total posts 19
QF10 I mean...
07 Jul 2018
Total posts 1
Love the new Qantas lounge at T3, decor, food and ambience. Why no spa facilities? Other lounges have massage and yoga. Can we expect to see this included?
22 Oct 2018
Total posts 2
In the lounge right now - its SO noisy. Most of the noise coming from the staff, bashing stuff around and emptying bottles in the bar downstairs, cutlery and crockery being stacked etc.
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