Qantas has long done a great job with lounges, and that trend is continuing even in the coronavirus era. As the coronavirus pandemic started, many airlines started to close lounges for a couple of reasons: Travel demand plummeted, so there wasn't much demand for lounges Updated protocols were needed in order to keep guests safe,…
Continue reading: Qantas Is Reopening Lounges, And I’m Impressed
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This news is made a bit redundant by the fact that MEL will not be receiving any flights ( all will be re-routed through other cities) because of a significant increase in COVID cases. 36 suburbs have returned to lockdown, and other states are not giving entry to visitors from Melbourne. This will push back the plans for restarting domestic aviation.
Hi Paolo,
Only international flights will be diverted, domestic remains normal operation.
NSW and ACT are still open for Victorian visitors.
I did a Qantas flight, Brisbane to Sydney 26 June at 10.30 am in business class. 1.5 hour flight with a superb crew and they served a delicious beef tenderloin lunch or warm salad. Lots of wine if you wanted it. No lounges but great experience. Makes American carriers look truly mean. Snack box on delta at 8.00pm anyone?
Emirates just announced their lounge at DXB will reopen from tomorrow also. Similar waiter service, no buffet. Also their chauffeur drive in DXB will also return from tomorrow (1st July)
@ Chris
Victorians can’t travel to Queensland, South Aus, Tasmania , West Australia or NT. The Premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, has asked Victorians not to visit Sydney or other parts of NSW ( and VV).
The hope that domestic aviation would start to recover is now on hold, at least for the next few weeks.
It was not unreasonable for QANTAS to look at reopening lounges; this MELBOURNE outbreak has taken everyone by surprise.
My initial training was as a health care provider. We normally get away with conditions that are not sterile but most buffets are shocking. This is progress in a great direction.
I really love the photos that so an oh so empty lounge with one client, probably an employee.
Nothing special. This is exactly how Vegas has changed the buffets that are opening up. The buffet is setup and you are given a walk through but you order the items from your server, who brings the items to you.
That's right! Thank goodness we don't need to mess around with face masks and plastic snack boxes in Australia, thanks to our good record in controlling the virus.
@Paolo now that QLD has announced they are re-opening to all visitors on July 10, other than those from Victoria, that will be a huge boost to domestic tourism and aviation. NSW is the biggest source market for domestic tourism to QLD. Qantas & Jetstar flights are heavily booked in the days after this from NSW to QLD.
@Richard face masks are not widely worn or needed in Australia. The virus is and has been well and truly suppressed here for sometime now, aside from a small spike in cases in Melbourne currently (due to the mismanagement of the state government there).
The number of times I've seen kids pulling out dishes from a buffet, then sneezing.
And of course they were shorter than the sneeze guard.
@Paolo - it's 10 suburbs, not 36. My hope is that it doesn't get to your exaggerated number, but it's anyone's guess.
It looks great and I’m impressed - congratulations for a seemingly job well done so far