Current Qantas First Lounge Menu (SYD/MEL) and relevant topics

[SYD]

Just arrived in Singapore, we’re overnighting here before QF1 tomorrow so will be interesting to see what plays out at the SIN lounge when we come back.

Regardless of whether it’s actually a new QF policy or misinformation from the lounge staff it’s clear that Qantas don’t care that First is supposed to be a premium offering.

The fact that regular F travellers in this thread are sharing tips for ensuring that Qantas actually deliver the service they’re supposed to provide shows how badly broken the process is.

No excuse, but the F lounge crew are supplied by Sofitel. If they’re not meeting expectations it’s a good idea to provide feedback - as suggested up thread.

 

[flyingfan]

Has anyone seen this 'F is no longer VIP' in the other F lounges? Qantas can decide who it recognises but I'm sure my commercial value (especially as a status runner) is far below regular full-fare F buyers, so it's a bizarre decision. I'm with those saying it's a miscommunication but you'd think the manager would have gotten it right. Interested in any followup and response.

I haven't been to the SYD Flounge many times as P1 but recently (flying Jetstar ) after reception, reached the dais mentioned and was escorted to the roped-off area with the specials menu. I didn't think the Jetstar boarding passes indicated P1 or any status, so maybe the staff KWIA through other means. Not really a drinker so didn't ask for any top drop.

 

[jamesatfish]

I will leave the full reply for the SIN thread to save the mods having to clean up my posts again, but no special menu or offers in SIN tonight.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Has anyone seen this 'F is no longer VIP' in the other F lounges? Qantas can decide who it recognises but I'm sure my commercial value (especially as a status runner) is far below regular full-fare F buyers, so it's a bizarre decision. I'm with those saying it's a miscommunication but you'd think the manager would have gotten it right. Interested in any followup and response.

I haven't been to the SYD Flounge many times as P1 but recently (flying Jetstar ) after reception, reached the dais mentioned and was escorted to the roped-off area with the specials menu. I didn't think the Jetstar boarding passes indicated P1 or any status, so maybe the staff KWIA through other means. Not really a drinker so didn't ask for any top drop.

No because this isn’t a thing and was a total error/ miscommunication by the F lounge staff IMHO.
F is afforded privileges that are above OWE in most QF Int Lounges and that is extended to CL/P1 even if they are not in F.

 

[moa999]

So is a 5am email day prior rather than a call now standard practice (F Reward as QF LTG)?
By the time I responded to the email the only two spa slots that work with QF81 (10.20 departure) were taken.

 

[AIRwin]

By the time I responded to the email the only two spa slots that work with QF81 (10.20 departure) were taken.

Perhaps taken by an impersonator from the data breach?

 

[jamesatfish]

So is a 5am email day prior rather than a call now standard practice (F Reward as QF LTG)?
By the time I responded to the email the only two spa slots that work with QF81 (10.20 departure) were taken.

Yes, the phone call of olde times is long gone. Automated email the day before is all you get these days.

 

[Princess Fiona]

So is a 5am email day prior rather than a call now standard practice (F Reward as QF LTG)?
By the time I responded to the email the only two spa slots that work with QF81 (10.20 departure) were taken.

Yep has been this way for a couple of years now.
And if you don’t respond straight away then you don’t get an appointment booked if you are on an early departure.

 

[moa999]

you don’t get an appointment booked if you are on an early departure.

Yep. Even when Plat had never lucked out early morning. Mostly only when on NZ or some of the odd JQ flights.

Particularly at the moment with two A380s out before 1030 most days those morning appointments must be super in demand.

And after an early morning email about a delay to the incoming aircraft I got a booking.
Interestingly only one masseuse on in the morning, ramping to three in the afternoon.
Really doesn't match the QF schedule these days

 

[Aggi]

Does anyone know what time the spa closes during the week in Sydney? I’m aiming to get to the lounge just before 5pm on Monday but think it’s probably too late to try and get a booking?

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Has anyone seen this 'F is no longer VIP' in the other F lounges? Qantas can decide who it recognises but I'm sure my commercial value (especially as a status runner) is far below regular full-fare F buyers, so it's a bizarre decision. I'm with those saying it's a miscommunication but you'd think the manager would have gotten it right. Interested in any followup and response.

I haven't been to the SYD Flounge many times as P1 but recently (flying Jetstar ) after reception, reached the dais mentioned and was escorted to the roped-off area with the specials menu. I didn't think the Jetstar boarding passes indicated P1 or any status, so maybe the staff KWIA through other means. Not really a drinker so didn't ask for any top drop.

Happened last time I flew F from LAX. Wasn't allowed to sit on the right hand side of the dining room, even after showing the F boarding pass, so was no different to the normal 'Plat in Economy' experience.

Ironically, a couple of weeks earlier, they were happy to book me into one of the (usually CL) office suites with a glass of the not-on-the-menu vintage bubbles when flying AA PE as a Qantas Plat on an economy reward ticket where AA had given me an op up at checkin. LOL.

 

[flyingfan]

Does anyone know what time the spa closes during the week in Sydney? I’m aiming to get to the lounge just before 5pm on Monday but think it’s probably too late to try and get a booking?

Getting OT but they told me the spa closed at 5pm a couple of weeks ago

 

[Lockyer Man]

I have recently traveled on a points 1st Class ticket Syd to JoBurg and received all the 1st Class privileges. (I am a lifetime Gold FF). We need to be careful with what we say on this forum in bagging QF for changes that haven’t actually occurred. People make mistakes. Sometimes an employee is learning a new role and makes a mistake. The polite thing to do is to go to the front desk in the 1st Class lounge and, without indignation, explain what has happened and you will find that the staff there will deal with it appropriately. Nowadays, too many people think they need to puff out their chest, make loud noises and behave indignantly to get what they think they are owed but you don’t. The best way to deal with an issue is to explain it politely and you will be surprised at what will then happen for you. A lot of the reply threads are from members that have forgotten how to be polite and have a sense of entitlement which doesn’t go down well when dealing with other human beings. We should be grateful of what we have achieved and treat others accordingly and doors will open from respect and kindness.

 

[jamesatfish]

I have recently traveled on a points 1st Class ticket Syd to JoBurg and received all the 1st Class privileges. (I am a lifetime Gold FF). We need to be careful with what we say on this forum in bagging QF for changes that haven’t actually occurred. People make mistakes. Sometimes an employee is learning a new role and makes a mistake. The polite thing to do is to go to the front desk in the 1st Class lounge and, without indignation, explain what has happened and you will find that the staff there will deal with it appropriately. Nowadays, too many people think they need to puff out their chest, make loud noises and behave indignantly to get what they think they are owed but you don’t. The best way to deal with an issue is to explain it politely and you will be surprised at what will then happen for you. A lot of the reply threads are from members that have forgotten how to be polite and have a sense of entitlement which doesn’t go down well when dealing with other human beings. We should be grateful of what we have achieved and treat others accordingly and doors will open from respect and kindness.

I don’t think anyone suggested acting with entitlement or impoliteness, and yes people have to learn a role and will make mistakes when doing so, but when the exception becomes the pattern it’s a sign that something isn’t working.

Over the last 6 months my experiences at the First lounges as a WP flying QF F have been:

SYD: 4 visits, 1 time seated in the F section
SIN: 3 visits, 0 times in F section
LHR: 1 visit, 1 time in F section
LAX: 2 visits, 1 time in F section

So, without asking or prompting that’s a 30% rate of actually being offered the lounge benefits that Qantas are supposed to provide to passengers flying F.

Of the remaining 7 visits I’ve had 1 outright rejection (being told that F doesn’t qualify as a VIP) and 1 reluctant agreement (after the attendant called a manager over to inspect my boarding pass). The remaining 5 visits I’ve just gone with the flow, usually because it was breakfast time and I didn’t want either minute steak or a glass of wine.

My point wasn’t that I can’t get the benefits by going out of my way to ask (though that’s literally what happened to start this thread last week), it’s that a passenger in F shouldn’t have to know to ask in the first place.