Qantas to reopen Singapore, London, Los Angeles lounges

As Qantas' overseas flights return, so too will most of its flagship international lounges.

By David Flynn, August 27 2021
Qantas to reopen Singapore, London, Los Angeles lounges

Qantas' lounges at Singapore, London and Los Angeles will unlock their doors and roll out the welcome mat as the airline resumes overseas flights from December 2021.

The airline pulled down the shutters on all its international lounges in March 2020, as the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic swept around the globe and grounded almost all international Qantas flights.

But after 20 long months, except from some repatriation flights and the brief opening of the Australia-New Zealand travel bubble, Qantas is restarting its international network as Australia's national vaccination rate hits 80% and the country opens its borders.

And as those flights return – based on demand, of course – so will Qantas' lounges at key destinations.

The sole exception appears to be the Qantas Hong Kong lounge, which will remain permanently closed, with business class passengers, top-tier frequent flyers and Qantas Club members being directed to the lounges of Cathay Pacific.

"All of our other international lounges will be reopened, but in Hong Kong we've come to a relationship with Cathay to use their premium lounges there," Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce confirmed to Executive Traveller.

While the airline notes its roadmap is dependent on the Government loosening international travel restrictions, especially with regard to quarantine-free travel or limited home isolation, Joyce said he has shared his plans with the government "and they agree with our broad assumptions, and agree that our plan is reasonable."

London, Singapore and LAX

Those plans see Qantas flying from mid-December 2021 to "Covid-safe destinations" including Singapore, the UK and the USA, all of which "have high and increasing levels of vaccination."

"This makes them highly likely to be classed as low risk countries for vaccinated travellers to visit and return from under reduced quarantine requirements, pending decisions by the Australian Government and entry policies of other countries," Qantas said.

Singapore's stylish but sadly short-lived (December 2019-March 2020) Qantas First lounge.
Singapore's stylish but sadly short-lived (December 2019-March 2020) Qantas First lounge.

Qantas has previously indicated its Singapore first class lounge might open to all of the airline's lounge-worthy travellers until the Lion City route sees enough passengers to reopen the larger Singapore business class lounge.

"It will depend on what the demand looks like," Qantas Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully told Executive Traveller in December 2020, saying that "if demand is not large... it makes sense to open the more premium lounge."

Qantas' LAX business class lounge.
Qantas' LAX business class lounge.

Meanwhile, travellers flying out of LAX on Qantas' Oneworld partner airlines will cheer the return of the Qantas Los Angeles business class and first class lounges.

(The business lounge was at one stage rumoured to be handed over to Oneworld to operate as its own branded lounge, similar to the nearby and now re-opened Star Alliance LAX lounge.)

Likewise, the Qantas London lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 has become a popular choice for passengers on Oneworld airlines – not only for its à la carte menu but for the signature gin bar – and an alternative to T3's neighbouring British Airways and Cathay Pacific lounges.

The upstairs cocktail bar at the Qantas London lounge.
The upstairs cocktail bar at the Qantas London lounge.

Flights to New Zealand are slated from mid-December 2021 "on the assumption some or all parts of the two-way bubble will restart", although the long-promised makeover of Qantas' sub-par Auckland lounges is still a while off yet.

Qantas expects flights to Hong Kong will restart in February 2022, but April 2022 is the soonest Qantas expects to fly to many destinations which "still have low vaccine rates and high levels of Covid infection" – among them Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Manila and Johannesburg.

Qantas Frequent Flyer members will continue to enjoy access to the lounges of Qantas and its Oneworld partner airlines through to as far as mid-2023 thanks to another status extension.

The airline is also offering free points, status credits and flight vouchers to members living in Australia as part of a vaccination rewards initiative, with ten ‘mega prizes’ of a year of free domestic and international flights.

David

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

04 Nov 2011

Total posts 362

This notion that flights will resume and lounges will open in December is preposterous.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

24 Jan 2018

Total posts 699

Are you a 'betting man' Russell?  There can be no plausible excuse for at least 70% of the country to not have had both jabs by October and over 95% by the end of November (allowing for some who shouldn't get it on diagnosed medical grounds).  And I'll double-down and predict Captain AJ has at least half of those A380s flying well and truly by March, 2022 (forget June).  

And if I'm wrong, I'll buy you a drink, in an airport lounge, in June, 2022.  

26 Mar 2020

Total posts 65

I think it's a real possibility for Australians living in NSW or Vic but if you live in QLD or WA then I don't think International travel will be on the cards for those Australians. 

It will depend if Mark McGowan and Anastasia Palecek allow their state residents to travel overseas or not

what has Anna P (pronounced Pala chuk)- in qld we just call her chukka

got to do with international borders ? Scomo controls international borders.

What's chukka going to do ? Build a road block around BNE airport ?

Think Wellcamp will have international pax flights very soon. Wagners say so & when they say something it happens, generally VERY fast. Wish they were running the country. Interestingly, the Wellcamp quarantine centre, is being built for $66 million (1/3 of dodgy Vic example) & Wagners using their own money & renting it to Qld govt for 12 months or as long as they need it, then they'll repurpose it.

Can see 1,000 of Pacific Islanders flying into Wellcamp, to do fruit picking, as Australians will no longer do that.

BTW - no manned control tower is needed at Wellcamp.

Obama flew into FNL in Colorado in air force 1(757) in 2012 with no control tower. Think FNL now has some new hitech control tower, but it's not manned.

QF

11 Jul 2014

Total posts 962

@RegularFlyer if you are going to start pronouncing her name pronounce it right “Pala-shook”  (Polish).

QF

11 Jul 2014

Total posts 962

I can see us flying to Singapore, London and Los Angeles before flying to QLD or WA etc from NSW. NSW's Delta outbreak looks very bleak but is actually long term gain. NSW will slingshot to the front position on the way out of the pandemic leaving states like QLD and WA who are struggling to keep a zero rate of transmission of covid. Which means people in NSW will be able to use those international lounges a lot more easily  than someone from other states and I will be one of the first "Be the First".

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

24 Jan 2018

Total posts 699

Enough please, UUAW, it's not that I'm envious, just jealous !!  But you're right. 

21 Aug 2019

Total posts 64

Good news. Miss the gin bar in LHR. But all depends on how we get out of the CV situation. Living in Sydney I'm more hopeful than those in WA and Qld that we will be travelling sooner than they will be. 

X4platypus Banned
X4platypus Banned

23 Aug 2021

Total posts 2

Delusional.

08 Sep 2021

Total posts 3

Actually I think Qantas should "wet lease" their lounges - especially London as American Airlines (if they go back to 3) are at a big disadvantage to UA , BA , VS or DL - lounge wise so having a better lounge might be of use to them. Also Singapore with T4 closed CX need a lounge.

Does Qantas/AA have an arrivals lounge in LAX like the BA lounge at Heathrow?

I'm not sure if the lounge even still exists as its been a decade or so since I used to frequent it.

I use the example of the BA arrivals lounge because it was a wonderful place where one could shower, read some local papers and generally get the body in motion again before suiting up for travel into the City for meetings. 

A most civilised way to start the day after some 20+ hours in the air coming from Sydney. 

Even for the leisure traveler, the opportunity to shower etc and while away a few hours in the calmness of the lounge, worked to your advantage when closing in on the Hotel check-in times.   


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