Qantas to Close First Class Lounge in Singapore

[Mal]

... and what happens if the tie-up is not approved?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[medhead]

... and what happens if the tie-up is not approved?

Qantas will have to beg BA to redo the JSA? Would they then have to keep flying via SIN to LHR? Excellent question all round.


Sent from the Throne

 

[yohy?!]

code share with air astana instead for the 'Borat-Route'?

 

[simongr]

... and what happens if the tie-up is not approved?

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I would be quite surprised if the tie up is not approved - I wouldn't expect QF to have put it up if they thought there was a risk of non-approval.

 

[yohy?!]

I would be quite surprised if the tie up is not approved - I wouldn't expect QF to have put it up if they thought there was a risk of non-approval.

no disrespect but like RedQ you mean?

 

[moa999]

Aus regulator very different to Sing regulator.

 

[simongr]

no disrespect but like RedQ you mean?

I thought that was shot down as they couldn't find a suitable partner rather than being prevented by a regulator?

 

[whatmeworry]

I guess a F lounge is not required if QF prefer JQi to fly to SIN then QFi.

Perhaps their will be some type of new tie up with BA in HKG?

 

[Danger]

I'm flabbergasted. No, I didn't see it coming.

I recall Joyce and Qantas reaffirming their commitment to the refurbishment of the SIN lounges when the EK partnership was announced.

This really angers me.

Now, assuming BA continues to operate the First lounge, under the oneworld rules an Emerald member would still have access. I don't know how payments for lounge access work but surely there will still be plenty of Qantas Platinums travelling ex-SIN so wouldn't this end up costing QF a fair bit in billed charges for access?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

The biz lounge has been better than F for years now. No loss for those not paying for F fares


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[drron]

Surely BA will continue with a Flounge in SIN.It was after all a joint lounge.
Hearing the BA fellow in the EL of the Hilton Singapore earlier this year suggested they are not likely to give away SIN.He was there to check on the lounge renovations and preparations for the A380-he then was certain that LHR-SIN was going to be the first regular run for the BA A380.This of course was before the QF/EK news.There has been no official announcement from BA as far as I am aware of the first route only that it will be announced later this year-this was a week ago-
BA confirms delivery dates for first A380s and Dreamliners | ABTN
The only articles on a Google search i could find that said HKG would be first were the 2 in ABT.
In an interview in the Australian a week ago-sorry just read the actual paper-willie walsh said BA is not giving up the Kangaroo route and will continue it's service to SYD.So I presume BA will have F cabins to SIN.

 

[gumpy]

Was the SIN flounge substantially different from the jlounge? or was it one of them flounges like the Auckland one?

Hope the flounge in HK has a spa. my wife really enjoys that aspect of the lounge visits and makes it easier for me to put on additional flights to oneworld without her getting annoyed about it.

 

[markis10]

There has been no official announcement from BA as far as I am aware of the first route only that it will be announced later this year-this was a week ago-
BA confirms delivery dates for first A380s and Dreamliners | ABTN
.

Definitely nothing set in concrete, and it may well be the news of the QF/EK marriage will affect what happens.

 

[codash1099]

Well at least now it is confirmed that we cannot trust ANYTHING QF say.

 

[Danger]

Well at least now it is confirmed that we cannot trust ANYTHING QF say.

I couldn't agree more.

Qantas spells out its plans for Singapore - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller
​

"At last week’s press conference Joyce assured Australian Business Traveller that planned upgrades to the airline’s Singapore and Hong Kong lounges, both of which are slated to be complete by year’s end, would go ahead."


​

I'm told a year is a long time in aviation; apparently so is a week. This is pathetic.

 

[ermen]

I couldn't agree more.

Qantas spells out its plans for Singapore - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller
​

"At last week’s press conference Joyce assured Australian Business Traveller that planned upgrades to the airline’s Singapore and Hong Kong lounges, both of which are slated to be complete by year’s end, would go ahead."


​

I'm told a year is a long time in aviation; apparently so is a week. This is pathetic.

I agree. Maybe their right hand does not know what the left is doing?

 

[Andyzx]

I too was surprised with this and until I see the QF website saying so I still am not sure of the validity. Maybe they are testing the response….:?:
Whilst I don’t get to sit in the F lounge (yet), I am much happier when FF's do, we have to keep the free loading rif-raf out of the workers lounge! at lest until I am one of them.
As BA will be flying to SIN and via SIN to SYD in 747 and maybe A380’s and or 787’s both with F, I hope they do create a new lounge but will probably call it a Concorde Room to keep out those unwanted QF and OW types.
I see this as a short sighted move by QF and will again weigh up my priorities for flying

 

[Danger]

I agree. Maybe their right hand does not know what the left is doing?

Right hand, left hand and the whole damn body.

It also makes a mockery of the vocal claim by Qantas that Singapore travellers would be better off with the EK announcement as Singapore would be treated as a destination in itself. How does removing a premium lounge make for better treatment of passengers?

 

[dajop]

I wonder if this has to do with how much BA pay vs QF. I bet BA have always paid a bigger share of the lounge operating costs in HKG.

Look at the current arrangements for opening hours of HKG vs SIN (for any class lounge). At both HKG & SIN, neither BA or QF have any flights on their own metal that depart until the early evening. Consistent with this, the SIN lounge doesn't open until 3pm (despite a lot of codeshares on 3K, plus those on MU & JL). Yet the HKG lounge seems to be open all day (perhaps to support BA codeshares on CX). So when I took a 3K flight from HKG at 11am, I access the lounge. Yet 3K flight out of SIN at 11 am no can do.

 

[lovestotravel]

Expect to see JQ 787's flying to Singpore from Australia

Hence no need for a First lounge.......