Qantas considers ‘subscription model’ for lounge access

MORE people in the lounges?!? It’s already pretty much at the point where it’s more enjoyable out in the terminal.

If you were using it enough under a monthly subscription model then you are likely to obtain status benefits anyway, including the lounge, within a year.

I think this is about locking in new customers which gets them into the program and eventually into regular QF customers. Throw lounge access at them under this model and one of the initial hurdles is overcome. Not a bad idea tbh but the existing rusted on QF FF are going to hate it!

It's probably going to be aimed at those who would use the lounge passes, or are Bronze QFF flying economy. Those who are silver and fly a bit would probably have QC memberships, Gold and Platinum already get QC memberships and if you are flying business it won't be aimed at you. It is probably Qantas looking at new members who wouldn't usually access the lounge or think a yearly membership is a bit expensive for only a few visits per year. 

The last thing the domestic lounges of either QF or VA need in them is more people.

Well we do live in the subscription economy so I guess it shows QF can be innovative (which it generally is not known to be). The only non-business lounge I access is in Cairns and that is bursting at the seams at the best of times.  Let’s see what Qantas does to address critically full clubs.  I suspect nothing.  

It was also suggested by someone the invite only lounge might have a payable subscription as well to some “invited people only” another way to increase revenue. Seemed a bit like hear say until you hear the many benefits for Qantas.

If you can just join and leave whenever you want why would anyone pay for anything else, got a bit of travel coming up join and get the benefits, not flying for a few months just cancel your subscription and start again when you have a bit of travel coming up, most people with a regular QC membership would cancel and use this. 

In reality, it will come down to what cost for subscribers Qantas chooses. Too expensive (and no guest pass included) will be ignored. Too cheap and you destroy other existing Qantas revenue streams.

The other questions to consider are: a) what happens to 'guest' passes for Silvers? If you abolish those in favour of the subscription plan, you only alienate Silvers further by devaluing one of the meagre benefits they receive. b) Secondly, QF already has am existing program where non-Qantas Club members can purchase one-off lounge access.

I assume QF will charge a significant premium for this "come and go" type of membership otherwise why would an existing Qantas Club member who only travels 6 or 7 times a year bother continuing paying an annual fee?

Unfortunately, the whole thing seems like a recipe for even more overcrowded lounges.  As someone pointed out, it is already at the point where open areas in the general terminal are often more pleasant than the Qantas Club during a peak period.

I think that I can use this for our 21 year old daughter who will be travelling with my wife and myself to UK later this year if we choose to travel with Qantas. My wife and myself covered for Qantas lounges as LTG but our daughter wont and getting here a 12 month QC membership for her is not worthwhile. This sounds more cost effective for just a short term membership.

You cant put a price on a shower in SIN on the way back from London.

"with an auto-renew if not cancelled" - hate this American invention!!!

Seriously? The domestic business lounges are so full right now. Something like what is proposed just devalues status and loyalty. 

Most 'Passengers' who are able to access both the Domestic and International Australian Qantas Lounges will view the concept as a revenue making exercise and already it has been expressed it will swell a number Lounge facilities that have constant usage during most periods of the day.

We travel regularly out of the Brisbane International Terminal and 2 (two) lounges during peak periods are extremely utilized and for us P and other P1 'Passengers', more often than none it is most difficult to find a space that offers some degree of privacy away from the highly crowded and noisy facilities.

Are we to look forward to trying to find a couple of vacant seats if the current 'tired and cramped' Brisbane Int'l Lounges accommodate even more casual type paying persons?

After my recent miserable Qantas flying experiences, I am glad I dumped QC last year.   Now a monthly pass that does not include entry for my wife is less than useless.   Another failure for the marketing children at the profit-centric airline.   here are quiet areas to be found in any terminal ... one does not have to sit at the gate until the (usually delayed) boarding time.

I wish Qantas would introduce real benefit such as  being able to convert some Frequent Flyer points to a lounge pass. This could be easily done with a few keystrokes on the app or website and would be a real innovation in a benefit. The single lounge pass you get with Silver status is useless if travelling with a partner. 

There is no aspect of this which is a good idea - not for Qantas, nor for customers. I don't see who would even pay this, the food and facilities are atrocious.

Mmm, with the Melbourne QC and business class lounges full to the gills, how about a domestic first class lounge for Melbourne and Sydney for their P and P1. Seems it could add to the allure to reach those status levels.

How the Qantas Club has changed over the decades. Originally the Captains Lounge in the 70's, no membership, just a privilege offered for flying in Qantas's international premium cabins in the 70's. then TAA's flight Deck in the 80's offering a premium domestic flying experience for their frequent customer, and now in the 2020's it is a mass market, money generating sales program with little to no services offering a shallow attempt at elitism. QF have lost their way.

Over priced and over crowded lounges offering little to no services are no longer attractive to the modern frequent travelling public. To now sell it by the month, why hold back, lets sell it by the hour like a cheap motel.