Closed HKG Qantas lounge being ‘refreshed’ and reopening?

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 28 total)

  • cwoodward
    Participant

    Corporate Travel Asia (and now several other web info suppliers) has been reporting for a couple of weeks now that the recently closed Qantas HKG lounge is being refurbished (only built about 4 years ago) and reopened.

    Correct?

    Left and right hand springs to mind

    Apart from their insistent PR -often just inflated “not much”. (Australians have an apt word for it -2 syllables -first word starting with ‘B’
    This seems to be in Asia pacific the worst managed of the larger airlines as regards consumer satisfaction.


    Mark Caswell
    Keymaster

    Hi cwoodward – it’s certainly being reopened (confirmed by the carrier last week) – not sure about refurbishment plans but Qantas listed it among lounges being “upgraded”.

    Qantas to launch new first class lounge at London Heathrow

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Woodpecker
    Participant

    Isn’t it that most travellers eligible to use the Qantas lounge at HKG airport – whether by status or by ticket – would also be eligible for the various Cathay lounges which are vastly superior?

    It is hard to see patronage of the Qantas lounge even after being “refreshed”, especially with just one daily flight to SYD & MEL, where in all probability the lounge is open for a few hours each evening.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    The ‘old’ Qantas lounge had a strong following for its excellent cocktails and early evening food offerings.
    It is only a few weeks ago ‘with some fanfare’ that Qantas announced with some fanfare a formal tie-up with Cathay Pacific for the airline to have use of the HK Cathay lounges it seems that this is still in place.
    The flight frequency is planned to increase later in the year.


    TominScotland
    Participant

    The Qantas Lounge was always the best place to go to relax, pre-flight, especially with friends. The Cathay Lounges, great that they are, are more suited to work (and prayer) – I always felt the need to whisper when I have been there.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Re whisper: No one else does Tom particularly in the business class areas.


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    The thing is that the QF lounge was supposed to be somewhere between J and F because it catered to both. Those travelling F or with top status would probably know that CX’s Pier F was far superior BUT it was at the far end of the airport whereas QF flights always left from the near end (and anyway it is currently still closed). Meanwhile, CX’s nearby Wing F was very nice but rather subdued; and I think it is fair to say that the QF lounge was better than the Wing J and vastly superior to CX’s The Deck. CX’s excellent Bridge lounge closed ages ago so when you look at the choices near the QF gates then it was really between The Wing F (subdued, as I said), The Wing J (busy, good for dan dan noodles and the view, but otherwise no better than the QF lounge IMHO), the Deck (crap) or the QF lounge which did have spaciousness and a certain vibe in its favour (and, of course, the dim sum trolleys!).

    I have a long layover on Sunday so I will mosey over and offer my opinions!


    cwoodward
    Participant

    The deck which is these days a very decent if busy lounge business class lounge which is of course adjacent to the also very decent Qantas lounge which is in my view very squarely a business class lounge and always was.

    Of the two the offerings of the larger Deck are superior in both food and comfort although the Qantas cocktails used to be an early evening treat.


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    Independent reviewers would seem to disagree with you, cwoodward, as regards the QF lounge pre-closure:

    Qantas Hong Kong lounge won’t reopen after COVID-19


    [Note the above looks like a headline quotation on my laptop but is actually a link to the review]

    REVIEW – Qantas First and Business Class Lounge, HKG

    Even BT gave it a good review: https://www.businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested/lounge-review-qantas-hong-kong-lounge/

    Of course, as I said, that was pre-closure.

    I haven ‘t been to the Deck since it re-opened but I remember it being pretty dismal. I’ll try them all on Sunday and report back!


    And350
    Participant

    I visited the Qantas lounge on Sunday evening…30th April..a soft opening was how it was described.

    Went there as told it was used by BA after QF had left for the day, despite two flights a day BA has no lounge.

    It is a real awesome space – food was really good, Dim Sum trolley back, and the bar is operating as it used to.

    Compared to CX lounge – way better – but closes as the SYD flight leaves – thus had to lounge surf waiting for BA 28 at 2330


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Many do Ian – disagree that is but as the man with the wooden leg said -‘its a matter of o(a)pinion’.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    esselle
    Participant

    Many years ago, when I was a regular traveller through HKG, QF and BA shared a lounge that was known as The Hong Kong Lounge. Is this in the same location and have BA dropped out of the equation?


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Not the same location esselle and perhaps not even the same airport.
    It is a sad indictment of the present state of BA that they can no longer stump up for a HK lounge of their own -they use the Cathay lounges.


    cwoodward
    Participant

    Qantas now has a very decent lounge – but what about the old aircraft on the route- fairly ancient A330s. The A330 three hundreds are close to 20 years old and the A330 -200 almost as old. This against the Cathay young smart A350s is no contest.
    Time for a change?


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1358772]

    Oh, this is going to sound as though I am just disagreeing with cwoodward for the sake of it – we often disagree. But I am with esselle here and have just confirmed my facts with the Memsahib who used it much more than I. BA and QF definitely had a shared lounge in HKG (with shared branding) so definitely the same airport. I can also confirm that it was called the Hong Kong Lounge.

    I think it may have occupied part of the space occupied by the current QF lounge – probably the “far end” – but without maps it is hard to be sure. It was also, from memory, considerably smaller than the current (or former) QF lounge.

    As to cwoodward’s comment about BA investment in lounges – well, here we agree. BA lounges are IME rarely the best in any location where another oneworld airline offers an alternative (although I did rather enjoy the old champagne bar – now sadly extinct – in London). The food offering in LHR does at least seem to have improved somewhat – bacon no longer covered in white gloop for instance, and slightly fewer main meals that could largely be classified as liquids – but let’s face it, the aviation world is still in recovery mode despite the huge strides that have been made recently.

    When is CX going to re-open The Pier F, that’s what I want to know! And can it be before Sunday, please??

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