QF/VA 'Invitation only' lounges.

11 replies

cooper81

BA Gold

Member since 01 Apr 2012

Total posts 75

QF/VA 'Invitation only' lounges. What is it with OZ airlines and their 'invitation only' lounges? I always knew QF had the chairmans lounge but only discovered today that VA also has their own invitation only lounge, 'the club'.

As an Aussie that's been based in europe for some time this is kinda odd. I can't think of a single european airline that has 'invitation only' lounges.

What is their purpose in OZ? Are politicians, business leaders and their ilk above using the regular F/J lounges with the 'riff raff'.

Has anyone ever been into the QF international Chairmans Lounge? And if so how is it possible to surpass the awesome QF First lounge?

Does anyone know roughly how many invitees QF and VA each have?

highflyer

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 10 Apr 2012

Total posts 186

First rule of Chairman's lounge - you never talk about Chairman's lounge... lol

If you have to ask, then you probably dont belong in there :P

TheRealBabushka

Member since 21 Apr 2012

Total posts 2,058

Jason,

(a) What is their purpose in OZ?

Lobbying - a throwback from the days of protectionism.

 

(b) Are politicians, business leaders and their ilk above using the regular F/J lounges with the 'riff raff'.

No they are not but if airlines pamper these people then the airlines increase their chances of favourable/preferential business and regulatory outcomes.

 

(c) Has anyone ever been into the QF international Chairmans Lounge? And if so how is it possible to surpass the awesome QF First lounge?

No. I'm part of the plebian classes, only one step removed from the chattering classes

 

(d) Does anyone know roughly how many invitees QF and VA each have?

No this information is commercial in confidence. Imagine the PR disaster and consequences for (a) if this is widely known.

Viscount

Member since 12 Mar 2014

Total posts 24

TRB, knew you'd bite at that one....Far from the Chattering Crowd

johnaboxall

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 24 Aug 2011

Total posts 384

These lounges serve a few purposes - to keep VIPs/celebrities happy, a nice carrot to those who influence travel spend for their corporation, a method to keep politicians happy, and a meeting place for those public figures who otherwise couldn't be seen together in public that need to have a chat. 

Still remember the day I bumped into Elle MacPherson as she was slinking out of the Brisbane QF CL. 

henrus

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 23 Oct 2013

Total posts 766

I think they only have Domestic ones (Well at least that all I been into) and a chairman lounge card can then get you into the F Lounges (International) even when your not flying QF that day

riley

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 19 Mar 2014

Total posts 358

Australia is quite the fish tank. It would be advantageous for business leaders and politicians, although the calibre of politician flying commercial would probably be anonymous anyway.

In my time in the Qantas Club and Virgin Lounge, I've seen enough sports team and b (d) - list celebrities to know they must save invite only lounges for the real big wigs... You'd probably have Bob Hawke skulling beers with Shannon Noll in there!

I also believe it's more valuable for Virgin with just the one lounge. Qantas having the business lounge for the top tier guests.

GumbyOz

Member since 14 Nov 2012

Total posts 10

Doesn't BA have their own invite-only 'premier' programme?

cooper81

BA Gold

Member since 01 Apr 2012

Total posts 75

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yup, BA has an 'invitation only' level of Executive Club - premier.  There are no 'premier only' lounges though.  

'Prems' are able to access the Concorde Room at LHR/JFK but in fairness so can any couple flying in First on their Amex 2-4-1 voucher :-)

Plenty of airlines have invitation only levels of their frequent flyer programs but i'm yet to find any other airlines other than QF and VA that have invitation only lounges.

nathanjordan

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 21 Aug 2013

Total posts 47

When I used to be a comm account exec at Ansett I was privy to the inner workings of the Ansett Pass, AN's equivalent. Uncle Rod at the time liked it capped at 2-300 maximum at any given time. All current state & federal MPs & senators were eligible & given one automatically, plus the usual smattering of celebs (I was approved to hand one over to Rex Hunt, then managed by one of the companies in my portfolio).

The lounge back then (I've never seen the CL inside though) for AN was old-boys English club in both interior decoration & attitude - terribly dowdy, dark & hideous. 

jman13

Member since 18 Nov 2014

Total posts 6

I've been to both the CL and the Club. There are not many celebs in there during the times I've been there. Its more department heads, politicians, judges, heads of major companies etc.

The lounges are only domestic. Virgin does not even have international lounges. In my experience, the Club is a little better than the CL in the following respects: less people in the lounge, better drinks and better food. The quality of the food and drink in the Club is probably the same as the First Class Qantas Lounge (all food is a la carte, real champers etc), but the variety is less. The Chairman's Lounge food and drink quality is below the First Class Qantas Lounge, probably on par with the Qantas Business Lounge (limited a la carte, sparling wine). Obviously it will not be as crowded as an international lounge. The bathrooms are much nicer than what you get in a domestic lounge. There is no spa or any treatment of that sort. Of course the status may give you additional perks such as op up etc, but none of that is a defined benefit. 

As far as I know, the treatment for Chairmans Lounge and the Club members when flying international is not all that different from the top tier members of the respective schemes. There are some extra perks such as an increased luggage limit (not defined), limos etc. If you're flying First Class internationally, Chariman's Lounge/the Club is not going to give you any additional benefits except for an increased luggage allowance.

A number of airlines have invitation only tiers including, EK, EY, CX and the major US airlines.

henrus

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 23 Oct 2013

Total posts 766

Lounge Buddy have written an article about Invitation only lounges - Just google "Lounge buddy invitation only lounges'

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