Singapore QF/BA lounge new changes

[Andrew.Goodwin]

Sign outside the old Business lounge/temporary F lounge stating that the lounge is closed and will be reopened with a new experience on 31/March. I suspect may have started today given there are 5+ nervous looking QF expat staff members/management looking folk hovering around the entrance and within the lounge monitoring capacity.

Lots of staff hovering around the junction to redirect passengers to a different lounge "at the other end of the terminal", possibly EK lounge from what I overhead.

Looks like they are redirecting WP's to old F lounge/temporary business lounge. 80% capacity @ 6pm so looks like its going to get busy before the usual evening rush!

On the plus side there's now an ETA for an upgrades lounge.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Definitely news to me, especially when it was all fine on the 4th when I passed through there.

 

[milehighclub]

F and WP1 will be able to use the Emirates lounge.

 

[Danger]

As far as I'm concerned, this is poor form.

The refurb of both lounges was supposed to be completed by the end of 2012. And even now, a week into the new year, I don't believe we've got official confirmation that their commitment to Asia now excluded their previous commitment to a refurbished F lounge.

On the plus side there's now an ETA for an upgrades lounge.

Almost invariably, this will change again. March 31 is still three months behind schedule to begin with, although the date may be telling, given the alliance with Emirates.

 

[Ansett]

I am going through Singapore on the 24th in J and as WP so what is going to happen to Lounge access. Would be interested to hear from Red Roo? or anyone else at QF. Would have thought a change like this was worth communicating specially to those on flights during that time frame.

 

[cmon0005]

I suspect we will see lots of surprises on all facets before the launch of EK/QF partnership. should be an interesting few months!

 

[cmon0005]

Just saw this (updated yesterdays date):
Creating a new lounge experience in Singapore

• Qantas First customers and Qantas Platinum One Frequent Flyers will be able to use the Emirates Lounge
  Level 3, Departure Transit Area
  Turn left after immigration & take the first escalator in front of Gate C1 to Level 3
  Open: 0630 - 1000; 1200 - 1530; 1800 - 0200

• Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyers will have access to the current Qantas and British Airways Business Lounge
  Turn left after immigration, up the escalators.
  Open: 1500 - 2330

• Qantas Business customers and Qantas Gold Frequent Flyers will have access to the SATS Premier Lounge
  Level 3, Departure Transit Area
  Turn left after immigration & take the first escalator on your right to Level 3
  Open 24 hours

• Qantas Club and Jetstar Business Max passengers will be able to use the Rainforest Lounge
  Level 3, Departure Transit Area
  Turn left after immigration & take the first escalator in front of Gate C1 to Level 3
  Open 24 hours

Not very good options for Gold/Business class and below, though not having been in SATS premier lounge not sure how it shapes up to the QF lounge?

 

[The Rok]

Bit of a kick in the teeth for Business Class customers. I would of thought they would have access to the same lounge as WP's.

 

[AussieTim]

Not very good options for Gold/Business class and below, though not having been in SATS premier lounge not sure how it shapes up to the QF lounge?

Now that I've dropped back down to Gold - flying out of Singapore end of the month in Business - not sure the SATS lounge looks that amazing!

I might do a terminal walk and check out the CX lounge if allowed..

 

[moa999]

So appears they have now fully closed the larger old Business (Temp F lounge) - difficult with all these name changes.

With just Plat members, the current Business lounge (formerly First lounge) may actually not be full to the brim.
Agree that SATS and Rainforest are average choices, although SATS at least normally had decent food.

--

Noted also that the construction timeline is under three months (opening 31 March) and the new lounge is just the Qantas Singapore Lounge -- no BA, no Business/First designation
so would not expect any significant changes (noting how long Cathay is taking to do its lounges in HK by comparison) to the layout

 

[serfty]

No doubt come April there will be just the one QF lounge with the old business and first lounges merged.

Interesting with the EK lounge usage, I wonder if that could be a precursor to lounge availability in DXB.

 

[TonyHancock]

Four visits in the space of a month coming up for me. It will be interesting to see how this all works.

 

[Andyzx]

On the plus side there's now an ETA for an upgrades lounge.

Good to see we have a date that nicely coincides with the change to QF/EK, I guess that F’s and Plats will get to use the EK lounge?? From the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] April.
Andrew and others, did you see any work going on in the area to the right of the escalators behind the glass? There were workmen / suits in there on the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP]. I am wondering if this might be the BA F lounge or am I just starting hopeful rumours…

 

[simongr]

Not wanting to read anything into this but maybe a precursor to how lounge access might work in DXB - F/P1 in the EK F lounge and WP/J in J lounge?

 

[TonyHancock]

Interesting with the EK lounge usage, I wonder if that could be a precursor to lounge availability in SC'S.

I guess there will be a limited number using the EK lounge in the interim, with only 14 in F and a handful of P1's per flight. Seems a very interesting approach by QF, is this an insight into the expected numbers of each pax type (i.e. WP1/WP/SG)?

 

[mannej]

Bit of a kick in the teeth for Business Class customers. I would of thought they would have access to the same lounge as WP's.

A PS or lower traveling business out of SYD or MEL would only have access to the J-Lounge, so why should they have higher lounger rights in SIN?

 

[mannej]

Just saw this (updated yesterdays date):
Creating a new lounge experience in Singapore



Not very good options for Gold/Business class and below, though not having been in SATS premier lounge not sure how it shapes up to the QF lounge?

One upside is the availability of a 24 hour lounge now.

 

[The Rok]

A PS or lower traveling business out of SYD or MEL would only have access to the J-Lounge, so why should they have higher lounger rights in SIN?

Why shouldn't they have access to the Business Lounge? They are flying Business. They have been relegated to a lower class lounge in SIN.

I'm not suggesting J Pax should have better lounge rights than a WP, just that J Pax should have access to a proper J Lounge.

 

[moa999]

One upside is the availability of a 24 hour lounge now.

So how about a Qantas Plat (or indeed Gold) taking an early morning Jetstar flight ?? - Will they get access to the SATS Lounge

 

[moa999]

Why shouldn't they have access to the Business Lounge? They are flying Business. They have been relegated to a lower class lounge in SIN.
I'm not suggesting J Pax should have better lounge rights than a WP, just that J Pax should have access to a proper J Lounge.

And what do you call the SATS lounge....

Ignoring the most recent lounge shuffles...
First/WP1 - Upgrade - Access to Emirates
Plat - SameSame - Continued access to the smaller First (temp Business lounge)
Business/Gold - Slight reduction - SATS lounge instead of larger Business
QP/Jetstar - Yuck, Rainforest -at least it has an outdoor area.