New Qantas Heathrow Lounge Set For 2017

a bar with a counter and chairs

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Qantas has announced that London will be the next airport to get the Qantas Flagship Lounge treatment and construction on the new facility is expected to begin in September 2016.

According to the Qantas press release:

The premium lounge will occupy a split-level space in Terminal 3 that will have capacity for approximately 230 people and offer views over the Heathrow airfield when it opens in early 2017.

Its design will combine the signature features of Qantas’ award-winning facilities in other ports with local touches to make the design and experience distinctively London.

Set to open by March 2017 the new London Heathrow Qantas Lounge will be located in a split-level space in Heathrow’s Terminal 3 and will have a capacity for around 230 passengers. Qantas has said that the new lounge will “combine the signature features of Qantas’ award-winning facilities in other ports with local touches to make the design and experience distinctively London

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Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce is quoted as saying:

The Kangaroo Route is at the heart of Qantas’ identity and London remains one of our most important destinations. We want the first dedicated Qantas lounge at Heathrow to be something special.

Our lounges in Australia and overseas are often named among the world’s best. Customers love them and we make regular improvements based on what they tell us they’d like to see next.

We’re very proud of the new lounges we’ve launched over the past three years in Singapore, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Perth – with Brisbane to follow this year – and we’re excited to be bringing this successful formula to our customers in London.

The new Qantas Lounge at Heathrow will feature:

  • Rockpool menu and dining experience;
  • Full-service bar with Rockpool cocktails;
  • Full bathroom facilities including showers;
  • Business facilities; and
  • Children’s zone.

Qantas have every right to believe that passengers love their lounges because they really are amongst the best lounges out there…especially the First Class lounges. In my first year of Executive Platinum status (before I ever considered writing this blog) I got to try out the Qantas First Class lounge in Sydney and was blown away by how good it was.

Back in October I tried out the Qantas First Class Lounge at Los Angeles’ Tom Bradley Terminal and loved that as well…so I’m really looking forward to what Qantas has in store for London.

However, there’s an outside chance there may be a sting in the tail for OneWorld flyers.

Per the Qantas press release the passengers eligible to use the lounge will include:

  • Qantas Club members;
  • Qantas Business and First Class passengers
  • Platinum One, Platinum and Gold members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program; and
  • Passengers travelling in tiered cabins on partner airlines with a QF code.

There’s no mention of OneWorld Emerald or Sapphire elites.

This is more than likely an oversight by the Qantas press team and I’ve sent a tweet to Qantas to see if they can clarify….but this wouldn’t be the first time a OneWorld airline has excluded OneWorld flyers from one of its lounges (BA Concorde room, Qatar Al Safwa Lounge) so let’s not take too much for granted just yet.

Update: Qantas’ Twitter team have confirmed that OneWorld Emerald and Sapphire status holders will have entry to the new lounge:

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Bottom Line

Assuming OneWorld elites are allowed into this the new Qantas Lounge at Heathrow this is fantastic news. I love how Qantas designs its lounges and I love what they offer too – I’ve never had bad service in one and each time I’ve visited I’ve wanted to go back for more.

Yes, the New Qantas Lounge at Heathrow will be for both First and Business Class passengers so we can’t expect something along the lines of Sydney or LAX….but I’ve no doubt it will still be great.

I travel through Heathrow Terminal 3 a lot and, as terrible as I’m sure this will sound, I’m getting a little bored of the British Airways Galleries First Lounge there. A fresh lounge to use (let’s not forget that Cathay Pacific is opening its refurbished lounge at Heathrow T3 soon as well) will be very welcome…especially if it lives up to its sister lounges around the world.