Qantas to open new J lounge in HKG

[Danger]

From the Q website
New Business Lounge opens in Hong Kong

Qantas has opened its new Business Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, offering new levels of comfort and design. The new lounge is now consistent with other Qantas International Business Lounges around the world, aligning signature design elements and features.

What, no mention of Marc Newson or Neil Perry? The regular spin doctor must be on holidays!

 

[NM]

Planning on this for 20th of this month. I hear someone else will beat me to it tho Most likely NM !!!

I will be leaving HKG on Friday morning. Will have a look (after my usual dim sum breakfast at The Wing of course). This trip is a quick one (only 3 nights in HK this time).

 

[NM]

Just confirming that today QF97 docked at gate 30 and QF127 was docked at gate 24.

 

[aus_flyer]

Had a very quick visit to the new lounge today...

Looks quite good... a big improvement on the old lounge... Quite spacious, lots of seats, reasonable number of computers (including macs).

I'm not sure what BA are doing now that the lounge is not co-branded...?

 

[Flashback]

Had a very quick visit to the new lounge today...

Looks quite good... a big improvement on the old lounge... Quite spacious, lots of seats, reasonable number of computers (including macs).

I'm not sure what BA are doing now that the lounge is not co-branded...?

What was the F&B like?

 

[serfty]

FLounge closed for renovation

Hong Kong First Lounge change

Hong Kong First Lounge change

The Hong Kong First lounge will be closed from November 2nd 2009 for refurbishment, due to reopen early December 2009. During this time, First passengers and Platinum Frequent Flyers will be invited to use the new Business Lounge, located on Level 5 of the international terminal. Entry to the lounge is located on Level 6 of the Hong Kong International Terminal building, via a lift or escalator opposite Gate 15.

The new First Lounge on reopening will feature increased space and a new layout designed to allow for greater comfort and privacy, along with an enhanced food and beverage offering featuring greater variety and fresh produce.

The First Lounge on reopening in December will remain on Level 7.

 

[Tooner]

I wonder why they don't direct eligible people to CX?

 

[serfty]

Article with a couple of snaps:

Qantas launches new Business Class lounge at HK Airport - Business Traveller Asia

Look a bit like the decor used for the SYD/MEL Domestic J lounge.

 

[BlueAU]

I never heard of Molton Brown :shock: hmmm ammenities

 

[tuapekastar]

Article with a couple of snaps:

Qantas launches new Business Class lounge at HK Airport - Business Traveller Asia

Look a bit like the decor used for the SYD/MEL Domestic J lounge.

And looks far better than its predecessor!

 

[Danger]

I never heard of Molton Brown :shock: hmmm ammenities

British Airways used to have a relationship with Molton Brown, prior to Elemis. Their spas were Molton Brown-operated and, I think, so were their amenity kits. I think when I was last at the QF/BA Singapore First Lounge in January there were still Molton Brown products in the bathrooms.

 

[NM]

I am sitting in the new QF J Lounge at HKG now. Hee are my first impressions.

This is a huge improvement on the old lounge. It large, new, fresh. It has a very different "feel" than the old one. The biggest difference is the more "closed in" feel, being down on level 5, than the "open" airiness of the old lounge on the mezzanine level 7. But that is not bad, just different. Its like The Pier in that perspective.

I started my HKG time at The Wing (as usual) for dim sum breakfast. Then walked the 500 paces in 4 mins to gate 15 where the escalator down to the QF J Lounge is on the gate side of the main walkway to gates 16-19.

I did notice that QF29 was parked at gate 16 this morning, though my QF30 departure will be from gate 26. The walk from the new QF Lounge to gate 16 is obviously very short. However, the walk to gate 26 will only be a minute or 2 shorter than from The Wing.

This lounge is everything you would expect of a new Qantas Business Class lounge. Lots of comfortable seating laid out in groups of 2 or 4 seats. The food are is functional and well stocked for a J Lounge. The fridge has Tsingtao, Heinekin and Guiness. The wine bar is sticked even at this time of the morning. Breakfast is the usual affair of cereals, breads (toaster), pancakes and steamed BBQ pork buns.

Having started at The Wing, I am in a position to compare the BBQ pork buns. The Qantas version was moister - perhaps just a little too moist. The Qantas filling was more liquid and perhaps slightly less tasty. I rate The Wing bun at 8/10 and the Qantas J Lounge bun at 7/10. So not bad and quite acceptable.

The toilet facilities are petty much as expected for such a lounge facility. Not super flashy, but clean and functional.

Wireless internet is available, but seems to have some protocol filtering or proxy redirection being used. It will not return ICMP responses using tracert or similar and will not connect my IPSec VPN. However, HTTP and HTTPS are fine, as is my SIP-based IP softphone and I see other people using Skype without problems. It will not connect to our corporate Lotus Notes or Sametime systems (uses TCP port 1352).

Overall this is a great improvement and helps bridge the gap between the Cathay lounges and the old QF lounge. I am happy to remain here until QF30 is boarding.

 

[BlueAU]

Pics NM! Pics !!

You going back on Tuesday? See you over there maybe

Nice report. Thanks for writing up .... looking forward to trying the "pork bun" but getting there at night I doubt they will still be there.

 

[NM]

Pics NM! Pics !!

There have already been some pics made available by Qantas. Any pics I could take now will have other people in them and I don't like posting pics of other people without their knowledge or permission.

You going back on Tuesday? See you over there maybe

Not likely to be back next week. Maybe later in November or early December. Time for at least a few weeks at home!

A few more observations:

Coffee: both self-serve automatic machine and a full barrister service (at least this is available in the morning).

Not many power outlets for laptop users. There is power available right at the far end of the lounge on the back wall and a few other scattered outlets, but you have to look for them. A few points on the shiny marble wal opposite the bar.

There is no scotch at the bar! Maybe just an oversight at this time of the morning, but other spirits are there - just no scotch at the moment.

 

[bazzam]

Hi managed to visit the new HK lounge last Thursday night. It was pretty busy but found it great. The showers were great (awesome towels) and it was a life saver to have a shower after being in a business suite the whole day in HK. Molton Brown products are fantastic. Managed to take a few pics of the shower but ran out of time to take of the rest. Saw they had two rows of new Mac computers (must have been about 5 per row) and the food was decent. Wanted to get to the airport a bit early to have more time there but meeting ran late. Oh well... my overall impression was that it was really nice. Had a quick snack of pizza which was nice. Tsinsao beer was good too.

 

[BlueAU]

Had a shower in SYD before my flight to HKG the other day, and same toiletries. So I guess Molton Brown is the universal one for QF!

 

[garyjohn951]

Went to the Qantas 1st Lounge in Hong Kong. What a JOKE.

All they have done is pull down the dividing wall.

The mens toilet that has been out of action for 12 months is still out of action.

Stayed 10 mins and went to the J lounge, much nicer and you can get coffee servved to you in J.

BIG JOKE QANTAS, 1st lounfe is more like 3rd grade lounge.

 

[drewbles]

Went to the Qantas 1st Lounge in Hong Kong. What a JOKE.

All they have done is pull down the dividing wall.

The mens toilet that has been out of action for 12 months is still out of action.

Stayed 10 mins and went to the J lounge, much nicer and you can get coffee servved to you in J.

BIG JOKE QANTAS, 1st lounfe is more like 3rd grade lounge.

It's not that bad. It's the same as it was before the divider was there, except the food/alcohol is a little better.

Compare it to some other airline lounges and it's not bad at all. The J lounge may be nicer ambiance, but I prefer the open-airness of the location of the F lounge. Was always a nice place to spend time rather than cooped up in a lounge like the MEL J lounge

With the removal of F from QF29/30, I wonder if they'll keep this lounge, do anything to it or close it. Time will tell.

 

[Andyzx]

IMhO
The J lounge will be QF and the F lounge will be BA.
QF per the change in flight schedules from BNE, PER and overnight from SYD connecting with QF29 to LHR are committing to J and QP members.

BA have committed to and upgrading their F cabins.
The F lounge needs a makeover and QF/BA have indicated that they will do that. Never understood why J it isn't branded QF/BA. BA maintains their 4 class flights to HKG and executive club for residents so committed to the region.

But judging from the traffic in here i think most F's will continue on the Wing Pier route. Wing (shower) to Pier (pork bun) to Wing (cabana) to Pier (champagne) stagger to boarding gate...