Query on Qantas Club and business lounges

[11sjw]

Per off topic. I lost both of my westies last year. Quite a wrench , still have sad moments

Sorry to hear. Our guy is 7. Dreading the day that happens to us.

@JohnK: Maybe it is because there is no J Lounge at PER but the J Lounge in BNE is way better than the QP IMO. Again I don't get to experience it too often. I usually end up having to shower in the QP and the food never looks as good there. Hence for me it is shower then back into the J Lounge.

 

[straitman]

The BNE business lounge can get extremely messy and loud.

Sometimes the Qantas Lounge has better hot food options for me.

Sometimes I feel the atmosphere in the Qantas lounge is much better than the business lounge.

Sorry to hear. Our guy is 7. Dreading the day that happens to us.

@JohnK: Maybe it is because there is no J Lounge at PER but the J Lounge in BNE is way better than the QP IMO. Again I don't get to experience it too often. I usually end up having to shower in the QP and the food never looks as good there. Hence for me it is shower then back into the J Lounge.

Depending upon the crowds I agree with JohnK the the BNE QP is often better than the J lounge.

 

[tuapekastar]

Depending upon the crowds I agree with JohnK the the BNE QP is often better than the J lounge.

As do I, the J lounge at BNE at times has a cramped feel to it like no other J lounge.

 

[11sjw]

Depending upon the crowds I agree with JohnK the the BNE QP is often better than the J lounge.

Guess I've never really got it at a crowded time as I'd much rather be in the J Lounge than the QP.

 

[Simo]

Hi,

In terms of my guide dog the airlines provide an extra seat free of charge and place an absorbent mat that they provide on the floor. Their theory is that it would contain any accident but the mat is so small that it would just be pointless.

In the good old days both Ansett and Qantas upgraded both you and your companion to business class free of charge to provide extra space and comfort. The instant that Ansett went bust, Qantas stopped this policy and you just get an extra seat in economy now.

I will praise Qantas though as they are the only domestic airline to offer what they call the companion carer discount ticket. You get 10% off your ticket and your carer gets 50% off their ticket. Just recently they extended this scheme to red e-deals so it is an excellent offer to help out. You need a scheme membership card and doctor certification initially but it is a great community service attitude from Qantas. Only applies domestically not internationally.

Back in the very early days when I had my first guide dog (back around 1990) they made the dog travel in the hold and not on the plane but thankfully after lobbying the rules changed.

It is possible to take your guide dog internationally as well but there are a multitude of quarantine rules to comply with - rabies vaccines etc and it gets very very expensive with vet charges.

Dale.

Thanks for the insight.

Does the dog get a meal or a snack which you can provide.

Not a big deal on a short flight but on a East to West flight the dog would need a toilet break how does the dog do that.

 

[dalereardon]

Hi,

I have done East to West and vice versa quite a few times and no toilet break required. Just don't give them too much to drink before hand and they manage fine. Remember they can go all night without a problem.

Dale.

 

[JohnK]

Depending upon the crowds I agree with JohnK the the BNE QP is often better than the J lounge.

Are you OK? Frame this moment. The great straitman partially agrees with an observation of mine.

 

[JohnK]

Guess I've never really got it at a crowded time as I'd much rather be in the J Lounge than the QP.

And today is another of those times.

The BNE business lounge is overcrowded and stuffy. Not enough room or air for all those overinflated egos. There are 8 desktops and at least 3 of them are just sitting there using their own iPad or laptop. Food option of chicken and rice looks like it was cooked last year.

Moved across to Qantas lounge and is nice and comfortable and there were about 4-5 desktops available so I am sitting in front of one now. I should go and look at food options....

 

[11sjw]

And today is another of those times.

The BNE business lounge is overcrowded and stuffy. Not enough room or air for all those overinflated egos. There are 8 desktops and at least 3 of them are just sitting there using their own iPad or laptop. Food option of chicken and rice looks like it was cooked last year.

Moved across to Qantas lounge and is nice and comfortable and there were about 4-5 desktops available so I am sitting in front of one now. I should go and look at food options....

You guys need to spend more time in the PER QP. As much as I don't mind it I really notice the positive difference in the food when I get to enter a J Lounge.

 

[yucciaff]

For me, the qantas club is just somewhere nice to sit and relax. The food option is limited and it is usually full.... Not that the business lounge is less busy but i think the seats are more apart from each other. The business lounge definitely has better food, especially in the morning and around the evening.

 

[coles525]

Question regarding the Business lounge, Hong Kong Business Lounge to be exact!

Yesterday we recieved our free HSBC Platinum free passes to the "Qantas Club or Qantas Operated business Lounges" which don't expire until 2014. Our return flight from HK later this year has a leaving time (currently!) of 7.25pm HK time.

My concern / question is asking if the lounge has a opening/closing time frame, as to whether or not we can use the passes?

ie:

1) arrive airport/security by 1pm (hotel checkout / railway express bag checkin by noon).

2) Cosy on into the Business lounge wasting away our time, food, showers, computer use until boarding is required (cattle class seats). As we will already have seen much of HK while we were there, it's only destiny that we must catch a plane later that night, so make the most of the free passes!''


Another totally different question: Has anyone actually been to the HK Qantas Business Lounge? If so, what's it like, what is or isn't included in the "pass entry"? Does anything require payment?

For reference, I've / we've never set foot into a qantas room (club/lounge) anywhere before.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Question regarding the Business lounge, Hong Kong Business Lounge to be exact!

Yesterday we recieved our free HSBC Platinum free passes to the "Qantas Club or Qantas Operated business Lounges" which don't expire until 2014. Our return flight from HK later this year has a leaving time (currently!) of 7.25pm HK time.

My concern / question is asking if the lounge has a opening/closing time frame, as to whether or not we can use the passes?

ie:

1) arrive airport/security by 1pm (hotel checkout / railway express bag checkin by noon).

2) Cosy on into the Business lounge wasting away our time, food, showers, computer use until boarding is required (cattle class seats). As we will already have seen much of HK while we were there, it's only destiny that we must catch a plane later that night, so make the most of the free passes!''


Another totally different question: Has anyone actually been to the HK Qantas Business Lounge? If so, what's it like, what is or isn't included in the "pass entry"? Does anything require payment?

For reference, I've / we've never set foot into a qantas room (club/lounge) anywhere before.

You will need to use the in-town check in at either Hong Kong or Kowloon airport express stations. So you'll get your bags tagged and whisked away, and your boarding passes there. Then catch the train to the airport. Go through formalities, go down escalators, turn to the right and go along until you get to the stairs/lift to the Qantas Club (near Gate 17, or thereabouts). The Qantas Club is open all day (until midnight). You will need to give them your passes as you enter.

Everything inside the lounge is free - drinks, food, internet, showers.

It's not a bad lounge, but it does have the disadvantage of not having any windows - it's entirely internal. Go for a walk around the terminal, as it's very impressive and lots of good shops.

 

[Shelf]

The HKG business lounge is 'downstairs'. I suggest 3hrs is ample time to pass in the lounge.

Airport Lounges at Hong Kong International Airport | Qantas This linky should be helpful.

 

[mrpooky]

You will need to use the in-town check in at either Hong Kong or Kowloon airport express stations..

"Need to"? Why is this? Is one able to check in earlier this way?

I recently flew QF from HKG -> SYD on an evening flight. I was advised at the terminal when I tried to check in that morning (after an earlier flight into HKG on a separate PNR -- long story) that the QF check-in desks didn't open until three hours before the flight, and I thus couldn't get my boarding pass until then at the earliest. It was a bit of a let down, since I'd been planning to spend the day in the various QF and Cathay lounges.

As it was I paid to store my luggage for the day and had a nice day in the city seeing some of the sights, and then had a lovely couple of hours in the Pier lounge in the evening, so it all worked out anyway.

But could I have taken my luggage with me into the city, done an in-city check in, and then gone straight back and spent the day in the lounges as I'd originally planned?

 

[Hvr]

"Need to"? Why is this? Is one able to check in earlier this way?

<snip>

But could I have taken my luggage with me into the city, done an in-city check in, and then gone straight back and spent the day in the lounges as I'd originally planned?

Have a look here, MTR > Getting Around > Airport Express Services > Free In-town Check-in Service you may be able to check in up to 24 hours ahead of time.

I've certainly checked in, in the morning for an evening flight.

 

[mrpooky]

Have a look here, MTR > Getting Around > Airport Express Services > Free In-town Check-in Service you may be able to check in up to 24 hours ahead of time.

I've certainly checked in, in the morning for an evening flight.

For a QF evening flight?

In my case I even called the QFF line and asked the (rather rude) customer service representative what options I had, and she told me the only one was to sit and wait. Coincidentally, this is roughly what the page you linked to suggests one should do: call the airline. So I suspect even if I'd thought of checking that in advance I still would have had the wrong answer!

There was a lovely friendly lady at the terminal help / information desk, but she didn't mention this as a possibility either. Perhaps it's not available for QF? Or perhaps she just thought it was a bit nutty to send me on a train away from the airport with my luggage, so that I could check in in the city, and then come straight back to the airport without my luggage.

 

[serfty]

FWIW, I have even spent HKD100 on a day return to Central to merely check-in and come back.

You can even check in the day before!

 

[NM]

Technically, QF airport check-in at HKG will open approximately 3 hours before the flight's scheduled departure time. So trying to check-in at the airport at 1pm for a 7:3-pm departure is unlikely to be successful (unless there is another flight leaving before 4pm and the check-in agent is being nice). But you can check-in early at the Airport Express stations as noted above.

The HKG QF Business Class Lounge is "down stairs" from the departure level and can feel a little dark due to no external windows and a lowish ceiling. So if you want to exit teh lounge for a while to stretch your legs or browse the shops, be sure to have the service staff at the desk stamp you boarding pass or provide some other form of "re-entry: pass for you.

Note that departing HKG you cannot take liquids exceeding 100ml, even if purchased at the airport after security screening - so no duty-free booze purchases at HKG for departures to Australia.

 

[JohnPhelan]

"Need to"? Why is this? Is one able to check in earlier this way?

I recently flew QF from HKG -> SYD on an evening flight. I was advised at the terminal when I tried to check in that morning (after an earlier flight into HKG on a separate PNR -- long story) that the QF check-in desks didn't open until three hours before the flight, and I thus couldn't get my boarding pass until then at the earliest. It was a bit of a let down, since I'd been planning to spend the day in the various QF and Cathay lounges.

But could I have taken my luggage with me into the city, done an in-city check in, and then gone straight back and spent the day in the lounges as I'd originally planned?

In a word - yes. The QF check-in at the airport opens about three hours prior to the flight. You can use the in-town check-in (at the airport express stations) at any time on the same day, which allows you to check in, get bags tagged, and get boarding passes, up to 24 hours prior to your flight!

And yes, it certainly does apply to QF flights. I've done it lots of times.

 

[mrpooky]

FWIW, I have even spent HKD100 on a day return to Central to merely check-in and come back.

You can even check in the day before!

Well, I shall certainly bear this in mind for next time, thanks.

Not that spending a day in HK waiting to check in was wasted in any case: it's an amazing city!

I apologise for going off topic, too.