Qantas opens new-look Melbourne Qantas Club, business class lounge

By David Flynn, October 29 2018
Qantas opens new-look Melbourne Qantas Club, business class lounge

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce will officially cut the ribbon on the airlines' new Melbourne domestic lounges this Thursday, November 1, marking the end of a year-long upgrade for both the Qantas Club and the Qantas Business Lounge.

That multi-million dollar makeover saw an all-new Qantas Club open at the end of May, with the neighbouring business class lounge debuting in late August – although both remained to some extent a 'work in progress' until this past weekend, when the lounges assumed their final form.

What's new at Melbourne's Qantas Business Lounge

The business class lounge now sports an additional 'wing' next to the bar which effectively mirrors the layout of the lounge on the opposite side of the bar, with an extra two of those circular orange-cushioned lounge pods currently seen in the lounge...

... plus additional banquette seating...

... and more stand-alone seating stretching along the windows facing the tarmac.

This represents an overall boost of some 100 seats – around 20 percent more than the current count – and lifts the Qantas Business Lounge's total capacity to 350, which the airline says is 40% more than the old lounge.

But for business class passengers and Platinum-grade frequent flyers the highlight is be the Asian Spice Bar.

Located beyond the self-serve buffet, the Asian Spice Bar will serve up freshly-made Asian soups, noodles and street food from noon each day, and we're told typical dishes will include

  • beef brisket noodle soup with salted chili and bok choy
  • char sui pork with rice and stir fried choy sum 
  • sichuan eggplant with rice and stir fried gai lan
  • chicken laksa
  • vegetarian wonton noodle soup

The Asian Spice Bar will be Melbourne's take on the 'signature dining concept' of its sibling new-look lounges, with Perth now famous for its pizzas while Brisbane is host to a Mexican Cantina. 

What's new at Melbourne's Qantas Club

The crowded Qantas Club gains some respite by expanding into part of the business lounge's former footprint, with an L-shaped extension wrapping along past the Qantas Club bar and up to the old business lounge's servery.

This will add almost 200 extra seats to Melbourne's Qantas Club for a total capacity of around 530 passengers, or 10% over the previous Qantas Club.

As a result, Qantas has lifted the longstanding guest restrictions during peak hours for Gold-grade frequent flyers and Qantas Club members.

A series of windows into the terminal are also being opened up at a new extension just past the bar in an effort to address what has been a common complaint of Qantas Club members: that the lounge's relocation has seen the views and natural light handed over to the Qantas Business Lounge.

Those windows into the terminal won’t do much for a view but at least they’ll bring some light into the rear section of the Qantas Club.

Up next on Qantas' lounge to-do list is a Cinderella-like transformation of its Sydney International Business Lounge stretching through to late 2019, which will be designed by David Caon and feature a Rockpool 'dining concept'.

Read more: What do you want from Qantas' new Sydney business class lounge?

This will run concurrently with the construction of an all-new Qantas first class lounge at Singapore, which is due to open in late 2019 and take its cues from the Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles first class lounges with a cocktail bar, dining room, open kitchen and private shower suites.

Read more: Qantas to open new Singapore first class lounge in 2019

 
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.

31 Jul 2018

Total posts 24

Great article and love the pics. I particularly like the window seats pic :)

Joe
Joe

03 May 2013

Total posts 670

Unfortunately the business lounge is just as crowded as the old one. I've wondered several minutes before I've found a seat at peak times. Its all too open now and no more separated areas really. Its a much nicer space and updated beautifully however. Food is exactly the same.

07 Oct 2012

Total posts 1251

But isn't that the point... It wasn't completely finished.

24 Dec 2013

Total posts 97

No pics of the Qantas Club extension?

24 Oct 2010

Total posts 2559

Only when we get down there on Thursday for the official opening etc.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

25 Mar 2014

Total posts 220

Asian Spice Bar not a sausage sizzle....

I thought CX had the noodle bars covered.

JKH
JKH

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

23 Sep 2017

Total posts 161

I was in the J lounge the other day so perhaps slightly short of improvements being fully operational. Fairly busy and noisy. Buffet had two bowls of butter chicken minus much chicken. Espresso coffees were pretty good.

Then onto SYD domestic J lounge for another transit - food was a further step down (some lentil thing - just to give pax a good dose of flatus during their next flight), not replenished enough, running out of items, some staff attitude bordering on truculent.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

25 Jun 2018

Total posts 2

Agree re Sydney domestic J.


QF reception staff excellent but service staff have always been miserable, rude and displaying attitude. My requests for coffee/food have always been met with displeasure.

Not the way to treat loyal platinum flyers Qantas. Sort it ASAP.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

20 Nov 2017

Total posts 114

Haha, yes, great idea feeding lentils to airline passengers just prior to boarding! Thanks Neil.

25 Sep 2013

Total posts 1245

The Asian dishes sound delicious.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

05 Mar 2018

Total posts 16

It looks great, but i'm still confused on the layout change. Is there a floor plan available?

American Airlines - AAdvantage

13 Jul 2015

Total posts 274

Looks good - Now onto Melbourne's International Business Lounge :)

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

25 May 2017

Total posts 79

Well done Qantas. This clearly demonstrates how you value you top tier FF. Virgin Australia lounges are a disgrace.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

20 Nov 2017

Total posts 114

You forgot the /sarc tag.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

12 Sep 2014

Total posts 6

The Qantas Club lounge is awful with zero views and crowded desks. And why can't they ever put in more powerpoint. Horrible.

31 Oct 2018

Total posts 1

The colour scheme is horrible. I feel if i enter i will age 40 years. Never seen so many bland colours in one place before...... o.0

Ma
Ma

24 Mar 2016

Total posts 5

Would find it difficult to eat a bowl of Wonton noodle soup in this type of sunken seats with small table in front! Why not have some proper tables and seats for the tall and big guys?

24 Oct 2010

Total posts 2559

There's a 'proper' dining area at the buffet and noodle bar, as shown in the pic from before the noodle bar opened.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

28 Aug 2014

Total posts 216

The new Qantas Club is pretty grim, it feels like a dark noisy cafeteria. No natural light. No carpet or acoustic baffling. I'm so disappointed to confess I'd rather the old unrenovated lounge with tarmac views!

Some improvements to the food, but if you've been to the business lounge next door, you'll really feel like the red-headed step-child in the QC.

01 Aug 2018

Total posts 3

+1 on Qantas club being grim and crappy for doing any sort of work - For the lack of better word, it looks like a glorified food court.

03 May 2017

Total posts 5

The new J Lounge is ordinary compared to say Brisbane or Perth. A big open, noisy space with furniture strewn around, it is as welcoming as an empty hangar.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

08 Aug 2014

Total posts 19

I am in this lounge once a week. To those criticising the staff... perhaps you are those i see treating them like servants. Are you the same ones with your feet on seats?


I always smile and make sure to thank them for clearing tables etc, and find them all very polite and pleasant. All it takes is a bit of courtesy... they do a thankless job cleaning up after all the entitled egoes that frequent these lounges.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

13 Aug 2015

Total posts 2

I've been into the new business lounge twice recently, both times ordered my coffee on the Skip app ahead of arriving in the lounge. In both examples I was left waiting for the coffee for about 10 mins beyond the pickup time specified on the App. I don't know why they bother offering the service because both times I would've had the coffee in my hands faster if I had just joined the queue which was about 7 people deep, one staffer making coffee at peak time.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

15 May 2019

Total posts 29

This lounge is fabulous but is let down by the awful SYD business lounge at the other end of the pairing.


It's unbelievable that the drab and pokey SYD business lounge has survived this long when provincial airports like BNE have been getting upgrades to match the new QF aesthetic.

I've started using the Qantas Club in SYD as a P1. Less pokey, better location, nicer aesthetic, same food. Starting to wonder whether QF is going to move to a one tier domestic product like Virgin.


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