Qantas reopens Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne Qantas Club lounges

For the first time since March 2020, Qantas Clubs in three capital cities are once again open for business.

By Chris C., April 1 2021
Qantas reopens Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne Qantas Club lounges

Qantas is rolling up the shutters at its Canberra, Darwin and Melbourne Qantas Club lounges, which are once again open to travellers.

It’s the first time in a year that Qantas has unlocked its Darwin lounge, and comes as welcome news for Top End travellers: particularly in light of rival Virgin Australia permanently closing its own Darwin facility.

Qantas is the only domestic airline with a lounge at Darwin Airport.
Qantas is the only domestic airline with a lounge at Darwin Airport.

In Canberra and Melbourne, however, it’s something of a ‘good news, bad news’ scenario.

Here, Qantas Club members and Gold-grade frequent flyers had been invited to use the higher-tier Qantas Business Lounges in lieu of the closed Qantas Clubs.

Now, these members will once again be directed to the Qantas Club.

It's back to the Qantas Club, unless you're flying business class or arrive with a Platinum frequent flyer.
It's back to the Qantas Club, unless you're flying business class or arrive with a Platinum frequent flyer.

On the plus side, the move is sure to help ease the squeeze at peak times for all Melbourne and Canberra lounge guests, as travellers won’t all be sharing the same space.

Following the Qantas Clubs in Canberra and Darwin which reopened in late March, Melbourne’s Qantas Club returned to service on Thursday April 1, a spokesperson for the airline confirms to Executive Traveller, being just in time for the school holiday rush.

Brisbane lounges prepare to exit lockdown

With Brisbane currently in the midst of a three-day lockdown, the city’s Qantas Club, Business Lounge and Chairman’s Lounge are all temporarily closed in line with local government restrictions.

That lockdown had originaly been set to end at 5pm on Thursday April 1, although Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has brought that forward to 12pm after record COVID-19 testing across the state, and no new unlinked community transmission.

Following the end of lockdown, Qantas will reopen its Brisbane lounges from Friday morning April 2, its spokesperson advised Executive Traveller.

With lounges closed, so too is Premium Lounge entry, which feeds directly into the lounge precinct.
With lounges closed, so too is Premium Lounge entry, which feeds directly into the lounge precinct.

“We're lifting Greater Brisbane as a hotspot, and I'm asking all other leaders across the country to do the same as well,” Premier Palaszczuk said today.

At the time of writing, most states and territories remain closed to non-essential travellers from the Greater Brisbane area.

The easing of these restrictions remains at the discretion of those other jurisdictions and may not occur immediately, although Queensland currently has no domestic border closures of its own.

Also read: When will Australia's international lounges reopen?

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

30 May 2013

Total posts 381

It was great using the Business Lounge in Melbourne, albeit the huge line for coffee in peak periods lately. The recently re-vamped Qantas Club there is not a pleasant experience.

United Airlines - Mileage Plus

12 Sep 2011

Total posts 333

Preferred the old Qantas Business lounge in Melbs The new one has a completely different feel

Joe
Joe

03 May 2013

Total posts 674

Agree, new QF J lounge does feel a little  'cold'.

Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide.

AFF has just collapsed under the weight of my stupidity.

AJW
AJW

16 Nov 2011

Total posts 580

Canberra Qantas club was closed again today. Apparently not enough passengers so business lounge open for everyone eligible. 

16 Oct 2012

Total posts 50

Writing this from the MEL Business class lounge on 17 April 2021. The  QF Club next door is closed so the Business lounge is horrendously overcrowded, noisy and filthy. Mentioned this to the desk staff who simply shrugged their shoulders. 

If Mr. Joyce persist in reducing the amenity of his J class product he ought to reduce the ticket price for Business, but I doubt that will ever happen. 

Seems to be another example of QF arrogance: ‘we know we can get away with it so we will’. 

Someone needs to rattle the management cage at QF insofar as meeting and exceeding customer expectations is concerned. 

I concur with v barberini.

The Melbourne lounge is overcrowded today and filthy. 

Why aren’t both lounges open 😡


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