A dedicated area for more frequent and higher status flyers sounds great - until you enounter the reality. The Auckland lounge high status area has very restricted hours, which mostly avoid the morning and early afternoon trans-Tasman flights (in other words, most of them). Clearly, they are desi...

Given that Qantas currently has a global sale ending on Feb 24, a DSC promotion looks unlikely till early March.

I think it applies to Australia to Doha. Not true of Doha to Bangkok or London. They are taking Kiwis for a ride, in both senses

Sounds fine - until you learn how many status credits QR give. An astoundingly stingy 80 from AKL to DOH. Qantas give 85 to fly from Auckland to Sidney. This should earn 180, by Oneworld mileage tables.