Qantas domestic lounges to reopen, with changes

Forget the self-serve buffet. Qantas’s reopened domestic lounges will instead have ‘snacking stations’ and ‘bespoke dishes’.

Passengers will notice some changes when Qantas reopens its domestic lounges. Picture: Supplied

About a third of Qantas’s domestic lounges will reopen their doors from Wednesday for the first time since March 23, after undergoing a host of changes.

Out are the buffet, toaster and pancake maker, and in are sanitising stations, staffed snacking stations and personal tray services.

To comply with COVID-19 restrictions and health concerns, the number of guests allowed into the lounges will be capped according to state-specific guidelines on indoor gatherings.

These vary from one person every 2sq m to one person every 4sq m and in some instances, a maximum of 20 people per space.

Once inside, travellers will find staffed “snacking stations” in the place of self-serve buffets and drink stations, where pre-portioned individual dishes will be available and coffee, tea, juice and/or alcohol can be ordered.

A selection of “bespoke dishes” will also be on offer via a personalised tray service, and disposable coffee cups will replace the ceramic variety.

Sanitising stations have been added to the lounges, which have also adopted additional cleaning protocols.

The first lounges to reopen include the Sydney, Canberra and Perth business lounges, the Adelaide Qantas Club, and regional lounges in Alice Springs, Launceston, Kalgoorlie, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Karratha and Broome.

Lounges in Queensland and Victoria are scheduled to progressively reopen from July 10 as gathering restrictions are eased, and the exclusive, invitation-only Chairman’s Lounges will be back in business from August.

Qantas chief customer officer Stephanie Tully said weeks of planning had gone into the lounge reopenings to ensure they complied with state regulations and the airline’s own enhanced hygiene standards.

We’re really pleased to welcome our frequent flyers back to our lounges across the country and get more of our people back to work,” Ms Tully said.

“This is a new world for everyone as we introduce and evolve our services to the new travel climate, but we’re very confident that we can make this work well for our people and our customers.”

She said some changes would be permanent while others, such as capacity restrictions, would ease as time went on.

“We haven’t ruled out a return of the buffet, toastie and pancake maker in the future or the reintroduction of self-serve beverage stations when restrictions ease,” said Ms Tully.

“In the meantime, we are hopeful Qantas customers will enjoy the extra personalised offering.”

And don’t forget the hand sanitiser. Picture: Supplied

Virgin Australia is yet to reopen lounges closed in late March following the federal government’s initial coronavirus clampdown on licensed venues and restaurants.

A spokesman said Virgin was continuing to assess travel volumes and “working on the right approach to lounges reopening”.

Velocity members who received lounge benefits as part of their tier, had already had their status extended by 12 months, he said.