Qantas premium passengers to get taste of great outdoors in Sydney airport lounge revamp
Qantas’s most ambitious lounge renovation yet will take almost two years to complete with the showpiece being a premium outdoor terrace to soak up the sunshine before long-haul flights.
In a case of better late than never, Qantas has revealed the long-awaited renovation of its Sydney International business lounge will include the addition of an outdoor terrace so travellers can stock up on vitamin D before long flights.
Originally scheduled for refurbishment in 2018 and 2019, the lounge work is now expected to be completed by 2027, in time for the start of Qantas’s groundbreaking Project Sunrise flights.
Construction will begin in earnest from December 8, with eligible customers able to use a temporary Qantas business lounge in the T1, or the Premium Plaza lounge. Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said the upgrade represented a significant investment in the premium travel experience with the redevelopment to increase seating capacity by more than 30 per cent.
“As the demand for premium travel increases, we’re creating more space, more dining options and a completely enhanced on-ground experience in our Sydney International business lounge,” Mr Wallace said.
Developed by Caon Design Office and Akin Atelier, the new-look lounge draws inspiration from Sydney’s natural landscape, including the Blue Mountains and Bondi Beach.
The 150sq m outdoor terrace is intended as a “nod to pre-flight wellness”, giving passengers the chance to enjoy fresh air and sunlight before boarding 20-hour-plus non-stop flights to New York and London. Other features include a show kitchen with signature-plated menu options and wireless charging to more than 80 per cent of seats.
As part of a $100m lounge network upgrade, Qantas also is preparing to reopen its Auckland International facility on December 17, eight months after the lounge closed for reconstruction. Mr Wallace said the completely redesigned and expanded lounge precinct would set a new standard for customers travelling across the Tasman, and on the airline’s Auckland-New York service.
“Our trans-Tasman customers have told us how much they’re looking forward to experiencing the new Auckland lounge and we’re thrilled to deliver this stunning new space for them to enjoy in time for the holidays,” Mr Wallace said.
Booking data analysed by Flight Centre’s Corporate Traveller business showed lounges were an important part of the equation for people travelling for work, particularly on multi-sector journeys.
Flight duration, sleep quality, sustainability credentials and networking opportunities were also being factored into bookings on routes between Sydney and London.
“With so many options and well over a dozen carriers covering the Sydney-London route alone, it can be complex to know which flight to book and why,” Corporate Traveller global managing director Tom Walley said.
“The modern executive’s decision matrix extends far beyond traditional considerations of price and schedule convenience, and instead evaluates multiple dimensions that directly impact business performance, so speed of arrival, landing time, wellness, food and drink options and so on.”
To that end, it was expected Qantas’s Sydney-London non-stop flights would be popular with corporate travellers given the strength of demand for the 17.5-hour Perth-London service.
Mr Walley also gave a shout out to Emirates’ business cabin bar for networking opportunities, and Qatar Airways’ Q-Suite for privacy and well-sized lie-flat beds.
“Time is the ultimate luxury, and a two-hour arrival time variance or a superior sleep experience can be the difference between closing a deal or losing it – or just enjoying the first day of your holiday or sleeping through it,” Mr Walley said.
Originally published as Qantas premium passengers to get taste of great outdoors in Sydney airport lounge revamp
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