SYD Qantas Club Refurbishment

[Coathanger]

Sydney International Business Lounge

From late October we will start refurbishing our Sydney International Business lounge to create a new space where you can relax or work when you travel with Qantas. The current Business lounge will remain open during construction, however as space will be limited, Qantas customers are invited to use temporary lounge facilities next to gate 24. Eligible customers travelling on other airlines including Jetstar, British Airways and Cathay Pacific Airways will be accommodated in the current lounge, however due to limited capacity, guest restrictions may apply. The lounge is due for completion in February 2008.

It appears that I will not be affected, as my outbound flight is on J*.

 

[littl_flier]

So if I'm travelling Qantas, will this be a good thing or a bad thing?

 

[straitman]

So if I'm travelling Qantas, will this be a good thing or a bad thing?

littl_flier,

Probably depends upon your perspective. Short term you should line up with someone who can get you into the 'F' lounge. Long term it has got to be an improvement.

 

[Mal]

So if I'm travelling Qantas, will this be a good thing or a bad thing?

If Gate 24 is where they had the temporary F lounge while it was being refurbished, then it's an ok spot to be (can't remember now which gate it was near).

Long term, yep should be a better J lounge. Like straitman comments, if you can line yourself up with a WP travelling the same day, then the F lounge will make more than an adequate place to hang out in while whiling away the time before your flight

 

[littl_flier]

Thanks guys, was mainly concerned about Qantas shafting their customers into a lounge that's not on par with its current offering. (similar to CNS) But if Qantas members are being moved and others have to stay, then surely it should be ok.

In the long run it'll definitely be a good thing no doubt.

line up with someone who can get you into the 'F' lounge

I've posted in the QP meetings thread so we'll see what happens. What would you do if some random standing outside the FLounge asked you to guest them in as you entered for your facial and caviar? Would you guest a stranger in?

 

[Homer]

Thanks guys, was mainly concerned about Qantas shafting their customers into a lounge that's not on par with its current offering. (similar to CNS) But if Qantas members are being moved and others have to stay, then surely it should be ok.

It is OK littl_flier. I was just in the temporary J lounge at SYD on Saturday. It is where the old QF lounge used to be - though I think it is near gate 34 and not gate 24 but I might have that wrong. It's on par with some of the domestic QP lounges.

I heard about the temporary lounge at CNS and I'm going there in a couple of weeks. The CNS lounge is (was) small and in need of a refresh. But how bad is the interim lounge?

 

[Mal]

I've posted in the QP meetings thread so we'll see what happens. What would you do if some random standing outside the FLounge asked you to guest them in as you entered for your facial and caviar? Would you guest a stranger in?

Depends really, although in SYD, they normally have a bouncer at the front of the F QP shooing away any undesirables before they can accost the WP's

Ps, there's no Caviar in the lounge - it's purely BYO. The Facials are only really available for F pax who book early

 

[littl_flier]

It is OK littl_flier. I was just in the temporary J lounge at SYD on Saturday. It is where the old QF lounge used to be - though I think it is near gate 34 and not gate 24 but I might have that wrong. It's on par with some of the domestic QP lounges.

Thanks Homer. So which do you think is better? The old one, or the temporary one.

I heard about the temporary lounge at CNS and I'm going there in a couple of weeks. The CNS lounge is (was) small and in need of a refresh. But how bad is the interim lounge?

I guess I was just a fan of the old one. The new one feels a lot smaller and the bathrooms are about a third of the size of the old ones. Coming home last Sunday with the SYD, BNE, DRW and GOV flights, there was about a 3-5 minute line up outside the door. :shock: I have a 2.5 hour transit there tomorrow so I'll let you know but I'm pretty sure I couldn't see the runway either.

 

[Homer]

Thanks Homer. So which do you think is better? The old one, or the temporary one.

You're welcome. The old lounge was definitely better, but the temporary one is OK. I'm going to be a WP in a couple of weeks (after my CNS trip actually) so I don't know that I'll ever get to check out the refurbished J lounge.

I guess I was just a fan of the old one. The new one feels a lot smaller and the bathrooms are about a third of the size of the old ones.

Thanks littl_flier. I didn't realise they had finished the upgrade.

 

[littl_flier]

Thanks littl_flier. I didn't realise they had finished the upgrade.

Sorry Homer, apalling explanation on my part. I do mean the temporary lounge. I believe this is the old Ansett lounge.

 

[Platy]

Yes, it is the old Ansett lounge that is being used in CNS domestic. Incidentally, arrivals are now being directed through a new area to the north of the domestic terminal whilst the southern end of the domestic terminal (the former QF arrivals area) is under redevelopment.
​

 

[serfty]

So if I'm travelling Qantas, will this be a good thing or a bad thing?

If you like beer it is a good thing (unless it's changed since my Sapphire days).

The SYD T1 J lounge only had warmish flattish 'postmix' style self serve beer.

At least in the temp lounge it will come in small bottles; may even see an HP or two ...

 

[simongr]

Just for precision - am I correct in the following?

QF are updating the existing J lounge that is underneath the F lounge. The temp is the "underground" lounge that until recently served as a temporary F lounge?

 

[serfty]

... which was the QP/J Lounge before Qantas opened any lounge upstairs on the Mezzanine.

It's the lounge referred to in this thread: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/qantas-frequent-flyer/has-new-temporary-syd-6602.html

So, in essence, Yes!

 

[simongr]

I do recall going into the underground J lounge when I flew QF J out to AKL not too long after Ansett was killed off. I think it tells a story about how bad the F lounge was for a long time that it is now only good enough for a Temp J lounge...

 

[serfty]

A lounge is what a lounge does; add the right amount of Moet, Krug, J/W blue and the like with corresponding amenities and you have an F lounge.

 

[kpc]

The current Business lounge will remain open during construction, however as space will be limited, Qantas customers are invited to use temporary lounge facilities next to gate 24. Eligible customers travelling on other airlines including Jetstar, British Airways and Cathay Pacific Airways will be accommodated in the current lounge

I flew out of Syd on CX last week, and the current Syd J lounge has been reduced to 1/3 its previous size (there is a large wooden partition blocking off the section undergoing renovation)! Very average lounge at present!

 

[Sequel]

I am flying out of SYD tomorrow night, so is the general concensus the temp lounge is better than the reduced J lounge? (I am flying QF)

 

[Homer]

I am flying out of SYD tomorrow night, so is the general concensus the temp lounge is better than the reduced J lounge? (I am flying QF)

If you are flying QF then you really can only use the temporary J lounge. There is an a-frame sign just past the door to the F lounge, along the corridor leading to the J lounge, advising that only non QF pax can use the regular J lounge and directing QF pax to the temporary J lounge.

 

[simongr]

Is there a similar sign preventing non-QF pax to the rgular lounge outside the temp lounge? Seems a bit weird to restrict QF's own pax...