The 'new Qantas domestic experience' revealed

Update

Qantas has just completed today's launch of its 'new domestic experience'. We all know about Next Generation Check-in, that Neil Perry is behind the food and wine (alongside Qantas' wine panel) and we've already seen some of the new furniture and fitout in the Qantas Business Lounges in  Sydney and Canberra.

Here's the full rundown on what's on offer in the air as well as in the lounges.

Business Class Flights
• New Neil Perry designed seasonal menu changing weekly with matching wines selected by the Qantas Wine Panel
• Addition of an entrée course on trans Continent and trans Tasman flights
• Customer Service Manager dedicated host for Business Class passengers
• Silver service in the Business Cabin
• Appropriate time of day offering (i.e. antipasto platters in the afternoon)

Qantas Business Lounges
• New Neil Perry designed seasonal menu changing weekly
• New tray around snack service in the morning and evening
• Island dining offering a "plate of the day" with matching wine
• Appropriate time of day meal offerings and increased portion sizes
• Enhanced environment with new furnishings including Qantas signature Akira Isogawa fabric feature walls and custom lounge furniture designed specifically for Qantas
• Qantas Signature Moooi Light pendants in contrasting sizes which animate the bar area
• Enhanced environment with fresh flowers and a new scent specifically designed for Qantas by Aroma scents

Economy Class Flights
• New Neil Perry influenced seasonal menu changing weekly with matching wines selected by the Qantas Wine Panel
• Complimentary Bar from 4pm on all CityFlyer flights
• New premium breakfasts
• New range of hot dinners
• Enhanced refreshments and seasonal fruit
• Enhanced personal recognition for Frequent Flyers by Cabin Services Manager

Qantas Clubs
• New Neil Perry influenced seasonal menu changing weekly
• Signature Italian wood fired pizza
• Candy Bar

Previous

This morning sees the launch launch of a ‘new Qantas domestic experience’ as the airline revs up its appeal to local business travellers.

The beefed-up business program will be unveilled by Qantas CEO Alan Joyce at a media event to be held at the Qantas Business Lounge in Sydney’s domestic airport.

Australian Business Traveller will be there and we'll fling updates out on Twitter (@ausbt) throughout the press conference.

Over the past week we've learned more of what Qantas will be rolling out.

Food by Neil Perry is of course on the menu. In his role as Qantas’ Consulting Chef, Perry is expected to showcase new meals available inflight and at Qantas’ domestic business lounges.

We've already seen and sampled these during recent visits to the Qantas Business Lounge in Sydney and the newly-opened Qantas Club and Qantas Business Lounge at Canberra Aiport's new terminal.

This includes more fresh preparation of food at the lounges rather than off-site, the use of higher quality ingredients and some local sourcing of produce. And – hurrah! – hot breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Qantas Business Lounge. 

An upgrade for domestic business lounges. This is also in keeping with Qantas’ desire to have the ‘domestic experience’ more closely aligned to its international one and includes an upgrade of furnishings, table service and a choice of menu items.

Again, we've already spied of the cornerstones in the Sydney Qantas Business Lounge and Canberra Qantas Business Lounge – a cleaner, lighter and classier look for the lounges, an 'island dining' area near the servery and comfortable David Caon lounge chairs. 

Next Generation Check-in will of course be star of the show. The streamlined self-service check-in had its official debut on  Wednesday November 10th at Qantas’ Sydney domestic terminal 3.

(Many high-status members of Qantas' Frequent Flyer program have already received the accompanying Next-Generation Check-in kit of Q Cards and bag tags.)

We used it when flying down to Canberra for the new terminal's opening and it worked a treat – it literally is a five-second process to check-in, as long as you've got no bags. Swipe the card at the check-in kiosk, wait for the beep and you're checked in; swipe it again at the gate and you're good to go.

If there's one hitch it's that the slim silver Next-Gen Checkin tower is too unobtrusive – we almost walked right past it!

(We've also put together a list of five things you need to know about Next-Gen Checkin.)

David Flynn

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.