New Ability to Purchase Single-Visit Lounge Passes

[CaptJCool]

Help and Support | Qantas

help.qantas.com

looks like all one way traffic....

 

[Must...Fly!]

I thought the lounges were overcrowded and that's why guesting rules were changed.

 

[TheDefenestrator]

I'm going to bet what QF charge is going to be higher than what passes go for there currently.

Data point: helping a relative out and their friends with lounge access on QF flights SYD-HKG return later in the year. All are Bronze.
QF SYD J lounge did not offer the option to purchase access, only link existing invites from the dropdown.
The QF HKG lounge offered paid access - 69 AUD or 10500 QFF pts (linked a pass for this instead).

 

[p--and--t]

Datapoint: I'm a Bronze. I already have 4 unassigned complementary passes on my profile. While the advertising to buy a pass appears there, tried to buy a pass and it won't let me, won't even let me go to the link.

 

[MediumToast]

I'm going to bet what QF charge is going to be higher than what passes go for there currently.

If I recall correctly, I saw something like $40 or $50 in the portal for PER or SYD QC in early December. I remember thinking it was pretty reasonable.

 

[FrustratedQP]

I believe this will ultimately devalue complimentary passes. Guess who is going to be turned away as the lounge begins to fill, the complimentary pass holder or the person who has paid? I would be a bit embarrassed if I were to give a friend or relative a pass only for them to be denied whilst others continue to enter.

 

[DejaBrew]

I would be a bit embarrassed if I were to give a friend or relative a pass only for them to be denied whilst others continue to enter.

I would hope that Qantas had a mechanism for returning guest passes to the original owner as - or when - access is denied on that basis.

 

[AIRwin]

I would hope that Qantas had a mechanism for returning guest passes to the original owner as - or when - access is denied on that basis.

And extending validity if it has since expired?

 

[Captain Halliday]

No need to buy a lounge pass.

Just do what this YouTuber did to win a bet with a rival: (skip to 1:15)

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Well first of all, this option will make paying for QC irrelevant for a lot of people (depending on the single visit cost)..

Wait people pay for Qantas Club membership? I thought people got that for free between Qantas Gold or Points Club Plus?

But also, while this doesn’t seem to be fully active yet, when you try to buy a lounge pass on an international route, it brings up options for the first lounges as well as the business lounges. I wonder if it will go beyond just club lounges then?

"At Qantas we understand de value customers are to our business, that's why we're always offering new ways to de value even more for our customers."

I shudder at the possibility of Qantas offering people to buy into domestic business or heaven forbid international First class lounges. Imagine my horror being in the QF Flounge on a JetStar starter ticket from Sydney to Melbourne out of the international terminal only to find out any Tom, Dick, n' Harry with a couple hundred bucks can waltz right into the lounge. Really cheapens the experience IMHO.

 

[KSC]

as a bronze member I like the option to buy passes. Especially if I’m paying for a J flight, I would like the option to pay for the F lounge when F is not available on the flight.

For F lounge they might set rules on who can buy the passes eg. paid J tickets. Also I’m sure they will put rules on the volume of passes to be sold on a particular day / time period.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

as a bronze member I like the option to buy passes. Especially if I’m paying for a J flight, I would like the option to pay for the F lounge when F is not available on the flight.

For F lounge they might set rules on who can buy the passes eg. paid J tickets. Also I’m sure they will put rules on the volume of passes to be sold on a particular day / time period.

While you may want that, you must ask yourself what do the people who are regulars of the Flounge want? I think if you spend the considerable change to buy an F ticket or in my case spend the countless hours on OneWorld flights to accumulate Platinum status, you don't want a lounge packed where there are queues just to get in the door never mind getting seated for dining. Don't think this can happen? Try visiting an airline lounge in America and you'll see first hand what the experience is like when airlines de value de experience of de lounge. At one airport I was at (LAX) the line for the Delta lounge stretched out the door and to the end of the TSA security line. And it's not just America too: a similar thing is happening with Air Canada lounges north of the border where they have separate queues for normal elites, super elites, and those travelling in paid J.

What I will say about this system is Qantas hasn't come out and given these passes away like lollipops. Frankly anyone with a beating heart can get access to the Air Canada or Delta lounge these days. For Qantas, aside from the one or two passes you get from a credit card, that's it. And one would hope that Qantas uses common sense to turn on and off that revenue spigot to optimize for passenger experience (rather than just the bottom line).

As for the international business lounge the big issue is they suck and IMHO aren't worthy of the designator international business lounge. The catering is very limited (at least that's my experience at the SYD lounge), some lounges are buried underground (i.e. MEL) and the seating quite frankly can't hold a candle up to domestic business lounges. They are in dire need of investment which is something Qantas has signalled. If they can rehabilitate these lounges to a suitable standard, I reckon few business class travellers would mind having to rough it out there.

-RooFlyer88

 

[elanshin]

Wait people pay for Qantas Club membership? I thought people got that for free between Qantas Gold or Points Club Plus?

In case you're not being sarcastic, you can pay for an annual pass and discounted secondary pass. The "free" methods are indeed a perk of Gold / PCP.

With regards to the topic, I don't expect QF to suddenly start selling F Lounges or even dom J lounges. I also don't expect access to be available at all times like the Christmas situation.

QF should have the data to be able to analyse which times the lounge is on average busy and when its quiet. Like the 10pm SYD> MEL, opening up the paid lounge seems like a smart choice given its usually quiet and the rest of the airport is also closed.

As for the international business lounge the big issue is they suck and IMHO aren't worthy of the designator international business lounge. The catering is very limited (at least that's my experience at the SYD lounge), some lounges are buried underground (i.e. MEL) and the seating quite frankly can't hold a candle up to domestic business lounges. They are in dire need of investment which is something Qantas has signalled. If they can rehabilitate these lounges to a suitable standard, I reckon few business class travellers would mind having to rough it out there.

I honestly think this is a perspective thing. For you as a frequent flyer, the SYD Int'l J may not seem like much, but when I took both my parents in before a flight, they were both reasonably impressed by the J lounge. And these are the likely candidates for purchase passes, the infrequent once in a while traveller who's also airline agnostic.

 

[UP4014]

"At Qantas we understand de value customers are to our business, that's why we're always offering new ways to de value even more for our customers."

This is a bad move in my opinion. Lounge access is one of the perks of status, and if QF want to make it irrelevant, guess who wont be chasing status any more!

Agree, if you don't have status and want lounge access, buy a business seat.

 

[KSC]

While you may want that, you must ask yourself what do the people who are regulars of the Flounge want? I think if you spend the considerable change to buy an F ticket or in my case spend the countless hours on OneWorld flights to accumulate Platinum status, you don't want a lounge packed where there are queues just to get in the door never mind getting seated for dining. Don't think this can happen? Try visiting an airline lounge in America and you'll see first hand what the experience is like when airlines de value de experience of de lounge. At one airport I was at (LAX) the line for the Delta lounge stretched out the door and to the end of the TSA security line. And it's not just America too: a similar thing is happening with Air Canada lounges north of the border where they have separate queues for normal elites, super elites, and those travelling in paid J.

What I will say about this system is Qantas hasn't come out and given these passes away like lollipops. Frankly anyone with a beating heart can get access to the Air Canada or Delta lounge these days. For Qantas, aside from the one or two passes you get from a credit card, that's it. And one would hope that Qantas uses common sense to turn on and off that revenue spigot to optimize for passenger experience (rather than just the bottom line).

As for the international business lounge the big issue is they suck and IMHO aren't worthy of the designator international business lounge. The catering is very limited (at least that's my experience at the SYD lounge), some lounges are buried underground (i.e. MEL) and the seating quite frankly can't hold a candle up to domestic business lounges. They are in dire need of investment which is something Qantas has signalled. If they can rehabilitate these lounges to a suitable standard, I reckon few business class travellers would mind having to rough it out there.

-RooFlyer88

Good points, if the Melbourne J international lounges was at the same level as Melbourne domestic I would not feel the need to upgrade to F lounge international.

I still feel they could sell some extra passes to increase revenue, however limit the capacity via an allocation system. Done right Qantas can increase the revenue of lounges with minimal perceived difference in crowds.

 

[levelnine]

but when I took both my parents in before a flight, they were both reasonably impressed by the J lounge. And these are the likely candidates for purchase passes, the infrequent once in a while traveller who's also airline agnostic.

Exactly. These passes are going to fly off the shelf. I've guested in heaps of infrequent flyers over the years and they've almost always been impressed by even the worst Qantas Clubs. It's only through familiarity and comparison that you become indifferent and even jaded to lounges. I have family and friends that always ask me if I have any passes before they fly. While I give them away for free, they have always offered to pay me, and at rates that would make the Qantas bean counters salivate. Qantas is going to make a packet off these lounge passes and going to keep expanding and expanding the sale of them as a result.

The idea that Qantas won't pack as many people as it can into the lounges is laughably naive. I was in the US over Christmas and visited heaps of American lounges. Always packed to the rafters such that you'd have to walk for 15-20 minutes to find a spare set of 2 seats. And in the US, you typically have to pay big money for access even if you're a top tier flyer!! People will walk to the end of the earth and back for a 'free' packet of chips and a beer.

 

[ChrisMars]

Since we are a bit on the topic of overcrowded lounges, plus paid lounge access, I would be curious to hear if some here know some airport where it would be preferable to spend say the equivalent of 50AUD in a descent airport restaurant, rather than 50 AUD fee for an overcrowded lounge (with 10 min queue, packed seating areas, and over cooked rice + curry.


TL; DR, when (where) is the lounge not the lounge.

 

[encryptededdy]

I would be curious to hear if some here know some airport where it would be preferable to spend say the equivalent of 50AUD in a descent airport restaurant

When my friends from overseas visit, they're always very impressed by the Sydney airport (international) maccas' conveyer belt system

 

[UP4014]

Since we are a bit on the topic of overcrowded lounges, plus paid lounge access, I would be curious to hear if some here know some airport where it would be preferable to spend say the equivalent of 50AUD in a descent airport restaurant, rather than 50 AUD fee for an overcrowded lounge (with 10 min queue, packed seating areas, and over cooked rice + curry.


TL; DR, when (where) is the lounge not the lounge.

AUD50 unfortunately goes no where when you want to buy food and drink at an airport. That's why Maccas does so well.

 

[Princess Fiona]

as a bronze member I like the option to buy passes. Especially if I’m paying for a J flight, I would like the option to pay for the F lounge when F is not available on the flight.

For F lounge they might set rules on who can buy the passes eg. paid J tickets. Also I’m sure they will put rules on the volume of passes to be sold on a particular day / time period.

QF will not be selling passes to the Flounge.
Not in a million years.
They give P1 two passes a year to transfer to family/ friends.
No way will they be selling them to anyone flying J to use the Flounge.

As @justinbrett and others have said. There is currently no change to the current policy of sporadically allowing certain bookings to access a paid Qantas club pass.
The only change is that the portals have been clumsily merged by QF IT.