Qantas' new Perth Airport lounge is only for Boeing 787 passengers

When Qantas opens its all-new Perth international lounge on March 24, it will be branded as an 'International Transit Lounge' – and with good reason.
The lounge will be available only to travellers in transit on those non-stop Boeing 787 flights between Perth and London, according to Qantas, with the sole exception of those starting their journey in Perth on QF9.
That's in keeping with the transit lounge's raison d'être, as well as key design features such as a menu geared towards "wellness" and more than a dozen shower suites with blue LED lighting set to a wavelength which gently revitalises the body ahead of, or after, that 17+ hour trek.
Plus of course, an outdoor area where you can soak up some natural rays.
Read more: Feel-good factor – how Qantas wants to change long-haul flying
The novel approach of creating a dedicated transit lounge at the new 'international wing' of Terminal 3 is just one of the measures Qantas is taking to give its globe-hopping flights their best chance of success – especially as the airline also has its eye on Perth-Paris and Perth-Frankfurt flights in the future.
What does this mean for passengers jetting out on Qantas' Perth-Singapore and Perth-Auckland flights, which will be relocating from Perth Airport's T1 international terminal to T3's international wing?
They'll use the domestic Qantas lounges at Terminal 4, which includes the Qantas Club and the Qantas Business Lounge (below) – and for some, of course, the Chairman's Lounge...
... and then make their way across to T3's international wing to catch their flight.
The same will apply to travellers booked on QF10 as a purely domestic Perth-Melbourne flight, even though that flight will depart from T3 (although passengers who've flown all the way from London on QF10 will of course have the lounge at their disposal).
Qantas' Perth International Transit Lounge at T3 will open its doors to passengers in business class, holding Qantas Platinum One, Platinum or Gold frequent flyer status (or their Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire equivalents), and Qantas Club members.
As we've previously noted, Qantas will also retain its recently-refreshed lounge at Terminal 1 for eligible travellers on Jetstar flights along with partner airlines including Oneworld members Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 833
Is the transit only status possibly because the new lounge is located prior the transit security checkpoint meaning passengers leaving the lounge will still have to clear security before boarding? I don't know if this is the case but it would explain why pax departing from PER cannot access the new lounge.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 418
Pax departing from PER on QF 9 will be using the new lounge, as the article clearly states.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 350
My first thought is, you have got to be ******** me. What's the point of building this nice new lounge, but send any non-transit to the domestic lounge and then have to worry about leaving early to clear customs. Is this a space issue maybe? Or cheaper to run the lounge as opening hours are shorter due to no requirement to open it before incoming plane lands?
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 350
With the story being updated to include Perth based QF9 passengers, this makes a bit more sense. However I still think it a bit silly to exclude other Qantas international flights such as Singapore and Auckland.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Aug 2011
Total posts 161
Truly bizarre. So the new flagship route for those in Perth, able for the first time to fly non-stop to London, requires passengers paying premium business class fares to go to the (admittedly good) domestic Business lounge, but leave early to go through immigration and presumably ANOTHER layer of (international standard) security. After all, domestic security doesn't meet international standards regarding liquids.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Dec 2012
Total posts 41
No I think you’ve got this wrong. Eligible status and Business passengers departing from Perth to LHR on QF9 will have access to the new Lounge. Those taking QF10 to MEL who aren’t in transit from LHR will not.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jul 2015
Total posts 223
Spot on. It's a westward trek from the eastern capitals but not on the scale of the run to LHR. Now if QF built a facility a LHR or allowed inbound passengers to freshen up there then that would be novel and great.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2988
Qantas business class passengers arriving into London can access the American Airlines Arrivals Lounge at Heathrow. No access for frequent flyers in premium economy or economy, though, only business class guests (and first class too, on flights with first class).
15 Sep 2012
Total posts 92
Most exclusive club in world! With these new rules NOBODY will be allowed into a QANTAS lounge! And people ask why tje middle eastern and asian airlines dominate the premium markets!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
11 May 2017
Total posts 15
Interesting point to make when the gulf carriers are slowly cutting back costs on a lot of their offerings.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 450
David, can you clarify the case of Perth passengers joining QF9? “Transit only” would seem to exclude them, but it seems bizarre.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2445
Hi Greg - yes, they're the exception to the 'transit' rule.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 107
is this likely a short term branding thing that will be opened up as a regular International Premium Lounge once more flights open up out of Perth? Or is it really as other have suggested a logistics location issue.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 833
As I said, I'm guessing this is probably a location issue with the lounge being airside of inbound flights meaning pax departing from PER will not have access as they will clear security from landside and enter the main terminal which will be a different checkpoint compared with the transitting pax. I'm unsure of the exact location physically of the new lounge but would guess that it is downstairs near where the old Golden Wing/Virgin Lounge was which is likely to be the main issue.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 418
Pax originating in PER on QF9 WILL have access. The lounge is after immigration/security.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 306
Well now that’s just stupid... I’m guessing it’s something to do location, such as pax arriving internationally to domestic at Sydney and Melb can’t access the international lounges, but its kind of stupid pax joining a flight at Perth won’t have access if that is the case?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1244
I can see the poor lounge attendants being confronted with a lot of confused and angry passengers expecting access.
15 Feb 2013
Total posts 162
Probably not because they won’t be able to get airside.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 450
Article updated, so my understanding is that the only QF9/10 pax excluded are the Perth - Melbourne domestic. Possible timing and/or capacity issues are behind not using this lounge for other Perth international departures
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Aug 2015
Total posts 35
So would gold/sapphire passengers in economy flying to Singapore or Auckland get access to the domestic Qantas Club or domestic Business Lounge? Usually they have access to the Qantas club for domestic flights, but business lounges for international flights.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2445
A very good question, and one we'll look into
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 May 2014
Total posts 2
Man Qantas waist' cash. They really do not put effort into planning. Why waist millions of dollars. Is this because they regret taking the option to be the first ones into the domestic pier at the international side of the airport? Just remember...the Qantas precinct gets demolished by what...2025?
22 Jan 2018
Total posts 89
So they built such a great lounge to cater to a small 789 premium crowd? Seems like a waste of money!
QFF
19 Sep 2013
Total posts 165
Another good reason not to fly QF to other int destinations from Perth.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 582
The domestic business lounge is hardly a bad place! Better than most international lounges.
18 Jan 2018
Total posts 63
ahahaha. Pay $4K for an international J ticket - enjoy making your own ham sandwiches at Qantas Pub! Befitting if the forgotten west coast city status!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Mar 2014
Total posts 167
I understand why domestic passengers wont be able to access the lounge, but seems a bit silly to exclude the other international flights, which most days will be two 737 flights...hardly large numbers..
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 339
I'd say for the moment staffing and managing 3 lounges, for what is a very small international network out of Perth doesn't make sense. Once Perth's international network builds up with the predicted Europe flights and maybe more Asia flights then bring all across to the new T3 lounge. I know QF has a great consistent lounge network (one of it's strengths), but this will surely only be a short-medium term arrangement.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Feb 2018
Total posts 15
Thanks for this, David. However, you don't touch on those going in the opposite direction -- i.e. PER-MEL-LAX on the same day, same plane (QF10 and QF95). Do you know if Qantas Club/Plat FFs/Business Class passengers travelling on the 787 from PER-MEL-LAX can access the new international lounge at PER? Qantas' online support staff don't seem to know of the existence of this lounge as yet, so haven't been able to help me. However, I was able to find out from them that customs/immigration will be done at PER, and the 90 minutes or so at MEL will be in the transit lounge.
01 Feb 2013
Total posts 16
Interesting. Ive flown JQ Business Syd to Mel but from the International Terminal and was allowed to use the Qantas First Lounge as normal as P1
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 582
Totally different and unrelated issue.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 306
Why did they have to fiddle with a simple thing and make it suddenly so Confusing :(. Hope Qantas PR have a good spin on things to explain it
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Jan 2017
Total posts 74
Sounds perfectly logical and a smart move.
21 Jun 2014
Total posts 2
How would this affect code share airline passengers if the Qantas lounges are moved, such as Cathay Pacific ?
03 May 2017
Total posts 23
So essentially Qantas has built this lounge for one single flight, QF9. Is this the only case in the world of a lounge being built for this purpose?
02 Dec 2016
Total posts 32
Seems like a lot of lounge for a very few pax. Surely the economics won't stack up. ??
15 Feb 2013
Total posts 162
I think this is perfectly ok. If they are going to have Frankfurt and Paris flights in the future, they would possibly have to remove access again for the other international flights (no doubt sparking more complaints at that time) so better to restrict it from the beginning. Wouldn’t make sense to keep it open all hours of the day for a handfull if passengers on those 737 flights. Also makes sense for the domestic QF10 passengers to use the domestic lounges considering the new lounge is airside and then just get the orange sticker to go through immigration for the flight - I’d expect it not to be too busy considering the low numbers of international flights.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Sep 2016
Total posts 11
This is not a smart move if Qantas wants to try and woo back customers to use their Singapore and Auckland services.
07 Nov 2017
Total posts 2
Can you just please clarify.......you say - Qantas' Perth International Transit Lounge at T3 will open its doors to passengers in business class, holding Qantas Platinum One, Platinum or Gold frequent flyer status (or their Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire equivalents), and Qantas Club members.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2988
Yes, a business class ticket is all you need, as long as you're flying QF9 to London or QF10 from London to Melbourne via Perth.
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