QP Perth Renovations

[Danger]

I received this email from Qantas overnight:

Perth domestic airport is undergoing significant redevelopment so that we can provide you with a faster, smoother and more seamless airport experience. With a total investment of over $75 million, we are committed to improving the service you receive when you travel.

Along with a major terminal upgrade, from Monday 11 January 2010, we will also be working to improve your lounge experience at Perth domestic airport. The Qantas Club will undergo expansion and redevelopment to provide greater space and comfort, with over 120 additional seats planned.

Although you will still be able to access The Qantas Club whilst these improvements are taking place, during the early stages of this work we will experience some reduced seating capacity inside the lounge. In order to minimise this impact, unfortunately we will not be able to offer access to The Qantas Club for your guests between 18 January and 31 May 2010.

We appreciate this may cause some inconvenience and thank you for your patience. We look forward to offering you a new and improved Qantas Club soon.

Recently we have introduced several other improvements to the Perth terminal, including: • new security screening facilities, designed to reduce congestion and waiting times;• three additional baggage carousels;• six new check-in counters; and• a number of additional domestic flight services.

​

It makes no mention of anytime access for WPs and their two guests.

 

[drewbles]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

I received this email from Qantas overnight:

Perth domestic airport is undergoing significant redevelopment so that we can provide you with a faster, smoother and more seamless airport experience. With a total investment of over $75 million, we are committed to improving the service you receive when you travel.

Along with a major terminal upgrade, from Monday 11 January 2010, we will also be working to improve your lounge experience at Perth domestic airport. The Qantas Club will undergo expansion and redevelopment to provide greater space and comfort, with over 120 additional seats planned.

Although you will still be able to access The Qantas Club whilst these improvements are taking place, during the early stages of this work we will experience some reduced seating capacity inside the lounge. In order to minimise this impact, unfortunately we will not be able to offer access to The Qantas Club for your guests between 18 January and 31 May 2010.

We appreciate this may cause some inconvenience and thank you for your patience. We look forward to offering you a new and improved Qantas Club soon.

Recently we have introduced several other improvements to the Perth terminal, including: • new security screening facilities, designed to reduce congestion and waiting times;• three additional baggage carousels;• six new check-in counters; and• a number of additional domestic flight services.

​

It makes no mention of anytime access for WPs and their two guests.

I would assume the 'In order to minimise this impact, unfortunately we will not be able to offer access to The Qantas Club for your guests between 18 January and 31 May 2010.' part would preclude this. I also got the email and just assumed that it was no guests at all permitted. It would make sense, as the PER QP is tiny anyway. I'm not sure where they plan to extend, as it pretty much takes up all the top area anyway. No word on the J lounge either (maybe it's not happening anymore).

And I would not call the changes they've made 'improvements'. IMHO they would have been better off just shuffling the check-in desks a little, add them to the left and shove JQ there, and left the security screening where it was. Were the queues for security really getting in the way of people? My most recent experience at the J checkin was a joke too. They had two staff for J/WP/SG/PS (all one queue) and one for 'international connections' with 1 person manning that line. That person was not taking anyone from the J/WP/SG queue and sat there waiting for international connections. It seems the queues are worse than before they moved them all around.

 

[thewinchester]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

Thankfully I've not received that email yet, so I'll cross my fingers that the no guests rule doesn't apply to QPNB and QPPS members. I was counting on the guest rule for at least one sector next month ex-PER.

 

[Danger]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

I would assume the 'In order to minimise this impact, unfortunately we will not be able to offer access to The Qantas Club for your guests between 18 January and 31 May 2010.' part would preclude this.

Yes, fair point. I've emailed them to double-check.

My most recent experience at the J checkin was a joke too. They had two staff for J/WP/SG/PS (all one queue) and one for 'international connections' with 1 person manning that line. That person was not taking anyone from the J/WP/SG queue and sat there waiting for international connections. It seems the queues are worse than before they moved them all around.

I agree.

 

[Flashback]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

I've not received the e-mail either.

 

[mannej]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

+1

Will be interesting to see if it does indeed arrive later on today.

 

[thewinchester]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

On the blower with QP Corporate at the moment, information has not filtered down to call centre staff as yet so she's going to check this out. Lovely jazz whilst on hold.

Update: Yes, call centre operators hadn't been informed about this as yet. They ended up finding details about it on the QF website.

I'd hope the lounge dragons will be applying their discretion on this rule. I don't mean to sound like an entitled prick or a DYKWIA, but being a SFSC who pays for QP membership I'd be a little unhappy if I'm not able to access the benefits of a guest.

 

[anat0l]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

I had the email waiting in my inbox this morning.

I read the email and interpreted "no guests" to mean that only members themselves may enter. I assume this does not affect WPs any-time access, but then said WP can't bring any guests in either.

This is really exercising their discretion to reject entry based on capacity (and thankfully this doesn't impact on members directly, i.e. no member will not be able to access the QP). At least they told everyone in advance compared to doing it "at the desk at the airport".

ADL QP gets crowded at times too, and regularly limits the entry of members' guests (e.g. only allowing WPs one guest rather than two). This is done without public notice (simply "at the desk" with no posted notices at the desk itself).

 

[samh004]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

Does seem a little like compensation would be in order for QP members. They’re paying for the privilege to go into the lounge AND take a guest, and for 4 and a half months, they wont be able to take a guest in.

I’d appreciate there’s no space, but that doesn’t mean they can take away privileges paid for.

 

[thewinchester]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

ADL QP gets crowded at times too, and regularly limits the entry of members' guests (e.g. only allowing WPs one guest rather than two). This is done without public notice (simply "at the desk" with no posted notices at the desk itself).

Yeah, there's always going to be a need to exercise discretion.

You'd think that all the QP's would have a cute little sign they can put on the desk saying 'guest restrictions in effect' when things do get full up. They wouldn't have to use it often, but considering the number of QP's it would be something they could easily have for all of them and ready to hand when it is needed.

Would help reduce any frustration in the lounge lobby and give the dragon's mouths an important break from reciting the same line over and over again - assuming people take notice and read of course

 

[anat0l]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

Does seem a little like compensation would be in order for QP members. They’re paying for the privilege to go into the lounge AND take a guest, and for 4 and a half months, they wont be able to take a guest in.

I’d appreciate there’s no space, but that doesn’t mean they can take away privileges paid for.

Bit of bind, isn't it?

They could temporarily open up the Chairman's Lounge for WPs... LOL that's not going to happen.

Or they could do similar to what happened when they temporarily closed the PER Int'l QP (or at least it went dry or something). Patrons were being offered vouchers for drink (and food).

 

[samh004]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

You'd think that all the QP's would have a cute little sign they can put on the desk saying 'guest restrictions in effect' when things do get full up. They wouldn't have to use it often, but considering the number of QP's it would be something they could easily have for all of them and ready to hand when it is needed.

If a lounge was regularly filling up to capacity I’d think the right thing to do would be to expand, or people might think about taking their business elsewhere.

 

[drewbles]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

Bit of bind, isn't it?

They could temporarily open up the Chairman's Lounge for WPs... LOL that's not going to happen.

Or they could do similar to what happened when they temporarily closed the PER Int'l QP (or at least it went dry or something). Patrons were being offered vouchers for drink (and food).

No bind really. I'd read the T&C's of the Qantas Club membership. They reserve the right to restrict access to guests, as they are doing so here.

Does it suck? sure. Do QP members deserve compensation? No. When I was QP PS I would not have bothered to complain to QF about it. The PER INT QP closing, sure, then they have every expectation of a voucher/equivalent if the airport is promoted as being a part of the lounge network available, but if the terms and conditions state that guests may not be permitted due to capacity issues, then that's just how it falls (and the PER QP is constantly overflowing. I've very rarely been in there when there are more than a few seats available).

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

Does seem a little like compensation would be in order for QP members. They’re paying for the privilege to go into the lounge AND take a guest, and for 4 and a half months, they wont be able to take a guest in.

I’d appreciate there’s no space, but that doesn’t mean they can take away privileges paid for.

But when you join, you agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions of the Qantas Club. That includes:

10.5 Entry of Members' guests will be subject to space availability.

 

[samh004]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

No bind really. I'd read the T&C's of the Qantas Club membership. They reserve the right to restrict access to guests, as they are doing so here.

But when you join, you agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions of the Qantas Club. That includes:

Ahh, I never read. Still sucks a little, and to most paid-up members, regardless of what the T&C state, they’d still be a little upset, especially for a period of 4.5 months

I wonder, if you had an annual guest card, would they not be allowed in, considering that is specially paid for?

 

[thewinchester]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

I have to agree, compensation for this is a bridge too far. I've sent QP a quick email with some constructive feedback on timely member communications in the last half hour, may not go anyway but have to provide positive and usable feedback to have a hope of something good being learnt.

 

[ric_melb]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

Another that would assume entry is not available for any guests.
As far as compensation, I don't think it is required.
In general this will have most effect on Perth members travelling with a partner.
As far as members from other cities I doubt they will be affected much in 4.5 months.

The end result we hope is a bigger and better Perth Qantas Club.
The result should be worth some inconvenience.

 

[anat0l]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

As far as members from other cities I doubt they will be affected much in 4.5 months.

The cynic in me says it will take longer than that :-| OK, much to be expected, but come on - this is QF and PER airports we're talking about!

The end result we hope is a bigger and better Perth Qantas Club.
The result should be worth some inconvenience.

I would like to hope that the result will be worth the inconvenience. I don't often travel to the West much any more, but I when I do head back I'd like to be heading back to an airport that doesn't look like it is an op-shop job. (OK, mind you, the terminals and QPs on the Eastern seaboard could use some work too - BNE I'm looking at you!!! :evil

I wonder how they are going to get "bigger"? There's hardly any space as it is in that raised complex where the current QP is, except if you start acquiring some former meeting rooms and small offices that were on that level upstairs. Even if you do, seems hardly that the size of the QP would be appreciably bigger, let alone if they decide to implement a two-lounge model - a.k.a. J Lounge and normal QP - that they have done in the Eastern states (but that has had mixed success too - BNE strikes again! )

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

And I would not call the changes they've made 'improvements'. IMHO they would have been better off just shuffling the check-in desks a little, add them to the left and shove JQ there, and left the security screening where it was. Were the queues for security really getting in the way of people?

If it were an 'improvement' being made in isolation, then what you say makes sense. However, it was only one of a series of changes, so perhaps the upcoming changes were made possible by moving the security checkpoints.

 

[ejb]

Re: Liftoff for $2.4bn Perth airport overhaul

Thankfully I've not received that email yet, so I'll cross my fingers that the no guests rule doesn't apply to QPNB and QPPS members. I was counting on the guest rule for at least one sector next month ex-PER.

Hi,

If the rule was going to be bent for anyone I would assume WP's would be exempt, however I got the email so for the next 4 months anyone I travel with will be comfortable downstrairs I hope.

I do beleive however that it will reduce only marginally the number of people in the club as most of the people would have entry rights of their own.

Perhaps limiting the time to 2 hours before the flight would have been a better option.

YMMV

ejb