Article: Qantas Auckland Lounge Upgrade: The End of an Era

[Berlin]

Seriously? You need some education!

When this First lounge was built, Qantas indeed had first class service trans Tasman.and also to USA via AKL.

Also, you seem to have no real appreciation of the number of oneworld Emeralds that use Auckland.

Thanks for clarifying, I thought that Qantas used to have proper F cabins from AKL not that awfully long ago.

 

[SYD]

Seriously? You need some education!

When this First lounge was built, Qantas indeed had first class service trans Tasman.

Also, you seem to have no real appreciation of the number of oneworld Emeralds that use Auckland.

A bit more history, the last First Class oneworld services through AKL were the Lan Chile SCL-AKL-SYD services, and they were indeed this Century.

The SYD and MEL “First” lounges (which @kangarooflyer88 has not visited) are of course not just for F Pax but obviously intended as a premium service for F/CL/WPs and other OWEs (same as we have for Dom).

Given the high volume of TT biz/status pax, why not have something decent on the AKL end?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

When this First lounge was built, Qantas indeed had first class service trans Tasman.and also to USA via AKL.

Did not know that! And I suppose an argument for maintaining (or even enhancing) the GlobalFirst lounge would be the introduction of service between AKL and JFK later this year. No doubt QF will be shuttering this lounge by late March or early April at the very latest to get the refurb done before that flagship product rolls out. The other point that's relevant I suppose is AKL is the only NZ airport where QF has a lounge presence, everywhere else you have to use a partner lounge. Hence, they can focus their efforts on delivering a better experience at that one airport (as opposed to offering second rate experiences to cover WLG, CHC, ZQN and other NZ ports they serve)

Also, you seem to have no real appreciation of the number of oneworld Emeralds that use Auckland.

You may have a point there. I mean yes, I suppose for people flying across the ditch QF has a very appealing frequent flyer program (compared to the joke that is AirPoints), route network and hard product. I will however counter that there are virtually no OneWorld (or SkyTeam) carriers that fly ex-NZ internationally as that part of the world is largely a Star Alliance hub what with SQ/NH/UA/AC/BR/NZ flying out of there.

A bit more history, the last First Class oneworld services through AKL were the Lan Chile SCL-AKL-SYD services, and they were indeed this Century.

Yes but was LAN's service BusinessFirst or GlobalFirst (i.e. business class is called first class versus it being a proper first class that is different from business class)? Huge difference between the two!

The SYD and MEL “First” lounges (which @kangarooflyer88 has not visited) are of course not just for F Pax but obviously intended as a premium service for F/CL/WPs and other OWEs (same as we have for Dom).

You are quite right, I haven't visited any QF Flounges yet (I'm working on it this year, trying to reach QF World Platinum status though). It will be interesting to experience those lounges to see what the experience difference is like. No doubt it will be more sizeable than the difference between QF Clubs and Business lounges.

Given the high volume of TT biz/status pax, why not have something decent on the AKL end?

At the end of the day it comes down to space. What's the point of offering a Flounge if it's cramped and a skeleton of what a normal QF Flounge is like which from what I gather is the current state of the F nook. At the same time, delivering a subpar Flounge that takes up valuable lounge real estate means everyone suffers. From the article it is implied that QF will be in the same space they are at so it won't be shrinking or growing from a square footage standpoint. So then QF was faced with a choice, do we opt for making a large Flounge in the hopes of appealing to the high value OWEs travelling with us or do we simply create one large space and improve the services provided for everyone. Clearly they ran the numbers and decided the latter was warranted.

The other question no one is asking is how permanent this renovation will be? Is this something that QF will use for the next decade or more as they've done with the current AKL lounge, or is this simply a stop gap for them to build a more substantial lounge? Reading this thread it seems to me that the international terminal is much larger than it was just a couple of years before and consequently there could be opportunities for tenants to move to larger spaces.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

At the end of the day it comes down to space.

The original QF F Lounge at SYD T1 (when you used to go down the escalators) was about the same size as the AKL “nook”.

There was an in between incarnation, but in good SYD realestate mode, they went up and now it’s the entire length of the northern side of T1 (probably larger than than the SYD QF Dom J and QP combined)! With views to die for.

At the end of the day, if the airport can accomodate it lots of things are possible. It’s more rent for them.

 

[dylarr]

The other point that's relevant I suppose is AKL is the only NZ airport where QF has a lounge presence, everywhere else you have to use a partner lounge.

QF have a lounge in WLG as well.

I always enjoy saying hello to the gentleman lounge attendant there. Always friendly and has great customer service.

 

[Berlin]

QF have a lounge in WLG as well.

Oh really, they do? I’ve only ever seen the long closed one in the Domestic departure area. There’s one in WLG international? Consider me surprised, yet another reason to return to good old Wellington some time soon.

 

[dylarr]

Oh really, they do? I’ve only ever seen the long closed one in the Domestic departure area. There’s one in WLG international? Consider me surprised, yet another reason to return to good old Wellington some time soon.

Yep it's in the international section of the terminal, past immigration. I find it usually has pretty good F&B selection as well.

 

[jase05]

I will however counter that there are virtually no OneWorld (or SkyTeam) carriers that fly ex-NZ internationally as that part of the world is largely a Star Alliance hub what with SQ/NH/UA/AC/BR/NZ flying out of there.

Whilst true of SkyTeam with only CI and KE flying out of NZ I think OW has QF, QR, AA, CX, MH all flying out of AKL.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Whilst true of SkyTeam with only CI and KE flying out of NZ I think OW has QF, QR, AA, CX, MH all flying out of AKL.

I didn't know MH and AA have restored services back to AKL. That being said, Star Alliance still has far more flights out of AKL than OneWorld carriers. One need only compare each OW carrier to its closest rival. American operates a once daily flight to the US through DFW compared to NZ/UA which has LAX, SFO, IAH and JFK. For MH we again have a once daily flight to KUL whereas NZ/SQ have 4 daily departures to SIN. CX does now operate a daily service to HKG but NZ operates that service every other day. It's true that QR does fly out of AKL, albeit you'd have to connect in ADL which may or may not be a convenient connection. I should also point out too that rival EK operates nonstop service from AKL to the Middle East which suggests that QR doesn't see the AKL - DOH route as having the highest priority given the layover in AU. Indeed looking at the international departure board of AKL we see there are by my count 24 OneWorld departures (if we include FJ as OneWorld too) versus 63 daily departures for Star Alliance Partners.

 

[jase05]

I didn't know MH and AA have restored services back to AKL. That being said, Star Alliance still has far more flights out of AKL than OneWorld carriers. One need only compare each OW carrier to its closest rival. American operates a once daily flight to the US through DFW compared to NZ/UA which has LAX, SFO, IAH and JFK. For MH we again have a once daily flight to KUL whereas NZ/SQ have 4 daily departures to SIN. CX does now operate a daily service to HKG but NZ operates that service every other day. It's true that QR does fly out of AKL, albeit you'd have to connect in ADL which may or may not be a convenient connection. I should also point out too that rival EK operates nonstop service from AKL to the Middle East which suggests that QR doesn't see the AKL - DOH route as having the highest priority given the layover in AU. Indeed looking at the international departure board of AKL we see there are by my count 24 OneWorld departures (if we include FJ as OneWorld too) versus 63 daily departures for Star Alliance Partners.

And again no one is denying that Star Alliance has more flights but I can’t understand why you are so upset about QF spending money updating a well and truly outdated lounge.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

And again no one is denying that Star Alliance has more flights but I can’t understand why you are so upset about QF spending money updating a well and truly outdated lounge.

I'm never angry about QF improving their lounges. Lord only knows the many lounges in the network that should have been refurbished decades ago. My argument was that it would be hard to justify having a QF Flounge at AKL if the space is tiny and consequently cannot meet the expectation those who come to a Flounge expect. In that regard, QF focusing on just building one great all around lounge seems like the more sensible option which as the article states appears to be their strategy moving forward.

-RooFlyer88

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Saw both AA and UA planes at AKL on Sunday at gate 15/16, ie the newer one down the far end
QF could ask for that zone as it's more space for an expansion.

 

[jakeseven7]

I passed through a couple of days ago and it has not. But I asked the lounge dragon when it would start and he said it would begin in late January.

I'm next passing through AKL in mid-February so I'll see if that is indeed the case.

Thank you for that.

I am there mid Jan so can report them too.

 

[serfty]

Yes but was LAN's service BusinessFirst or GlobalFirst (i.e. business class is called first class versus it being a proper first class that is different from business class)? Huge difference between the two!

LAN had full 3 class service. In fact, in the latter years after QF had ditched First from their 747's, the F&B Quality would improve in the hours before LAN's 2 daily departures (morning to SYD, afternoon to SCL)

Qantas also had domestic lounge in NZ - AKL, WLG (mentioned above) and CHC - they eventually bit the dust a while after Qantas Jetstarized their NZ domestic services.

 

[serfty]

Thank you for that.

I am there mid Jan so can report them too.

I'm in AKL first weekend of Feb - I'm hoping for one last hurrah.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

If AKL airport gives QF free reign to pick zone, they could go to the modern side.
AirNZ's lounge is away from EK and QF and SL.
I prefer the new pier anyway.

 

[Berlin]

If AKL airport gives QF free reign to pick zone, they could go to the modern side.
AirNZ's lounge is away from EK and QF and SL.
I prefer the new pier anyway.

I’m pretty sure they’ll simply use the existing J and F space combined and turn it into one of those combined J lounges like in Brissy International.

A pizza oven or noodle station is pretty much the most one can hope for in terms of food and champers will most likely be gone completely (or hidden somewhere for special guests). Maybe some “exiting local treats” or “signature coughtails” which will quietly disappear after the first few months post opening. But that’s probably it.

 

[RichardMEL]

Having actually used the QF AKL F lounge space quite a few times over the years I can guarantee that the 80's was alive and well. However the ice cream fridge was epic lol

As to the issue of space, one has to remember that back in the day (as Serfty noted) when QF did have an F cabin, the space was only intended for them, so you only needed a small "private" space that is there.. so you'd have around 15ish? chairs (it's been awhile tbh so that may be a stretch) and being totally adequate for the audience - plus bathrooms etc it's a nice little space (though kf88 would despair of the non view ). Point was it filled a need.

These days with OWE's the joint could often be quite full specially when LA was departing (now they are out of OW it would only be QF codeshare customers perhaps.. not sure what the arrangements are at AKL for LA these days). Still, OWE's put in there would lead to some WP's with kids on JQ in there too, so the space clearly is no longer suited - forgetting the decor and setup.

I'm all for converting the space into a combined lounge a la what was HKG or even LHR.

IIRC there was some plan at some point I thought where QF was going to take the space the NZ J lounge is??? did I imagine that? I'm going to guess if it ever was a thing it went nowhere (I'm not sure where NZ was supposed to move as the dominant tenant with the biggest space).

The AKL F "cupboard" is quite fondly remembered tbh. Was it great? no. Was it adequate? not really. Did the party pies run out? usually. Was the ice cream the best thing? probably!

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Strata lounge is where NZ lounge used to be.

 

[RichardMEL]

Strata lounge is where NZ lounge used to be.

oh it really HAS changed since pandemic. thanks! I guess that partially explains that.

I guess that explains that.

I need to go back through AKL again soon.