Qantas Lounge Hong Kong Reopens After "Permanent" Closure

Contrary to the inclinations of most readers of this blog, I suspect that most business class travelers will just default to the lounge of the airline that they're flying. I'll bet that the fraction of travelers who both understand what partner lounges they are allowed to use and think/know that an alternative is better, is pretty modest.

Qantas have not flipped flopped. They have said yes, then they have said no, then they have said yes and they have stuck to it.

Utter waste. Honestly. Cathay has some of the world's best lounges and they're oneworld and hence Qantas (1 flight a day only, soon 1.5) acessible.

Meanwhile HKG is still utterly crap otherwise and has ZERO, yes ZERO lounges for the world's biggest alliance. No Star Alliance lounge at all is open.

The Qnatas lounge has always been one of my favourite lounges in HK, certainly a better facility than the Wing at the same side of the terminal building. I presume there are enough premier transit traffic QF is feeding to Hong Kong, that sustains the demand for its own branded lounge.

Was this a decision by Alan Joyce?

Alan Joyce is retiring in November 2023.

But he's probably too busy to decide when to re open or close lounges.
Likely someone few layers below him.

@Piero,

Qantas is a conservatively managed airline financially, especially when it comes to lounges, access and revenue. Under your "utter waste" statement, you'd consider that it would be preferable to gut and refurbish its international Business Lounge in Sydney, Austraiia (its own "home base") before opening HKG. SYD is a location that has been openly slated for a gut and refresh since 2018.

What you don't realize is that QF has significant marketing agreements with code-share partners such as Air France/KLM and Emirates among others, whose non-oneworld passengers are able to access the HKG lounge, where no other options are available.

Also, given Qantas terminated the lease of the HKG club during in early 2020 due to COVID, it is *highly* probable that QF gained the benefit of lower lease rates for the HKG floor space that has remained unoccupied ever since. These points alone would indicate that their internal revenue study would have confirmed the value of increased revenue proposition from (non-oneworld) partners let alone other oneworld carriers such as BA and AY.

Yes, CX has a large number of excellent premium lounges in HKG, that destination is their "home and only HKG base" - and CX tend to charge a cost premium to other airline's passengers, oneworld or other. Unlike QF who provides international Business Lounges in SYD, MEL, BNE, and PER (their "home" base - along with allied domestic Business Lounges and QF Clubs.

That is before we even start considering international high profile lounges such as LHR, HNL, AKL, SIN, LAX etc. BTW, Cathay sends its LAX passengers to the QF oneworld LAX lounge, which after 8-9 years has become a co-funded operation between BA, QF and others. "Utter waste?" Not likely, or even remotely accurate.

@Eskimo & Leo Liang,

More likely, Olivia Wirth, QF's wiz head of Loyalty and signed off by the senior Executive Management Committee within Qantas (which includes AJ as QF CEO).

I flew QR from BKK-DOH last week. I'm Emerald with OW so enjoyed my lounge hopping. Started at Cathay for a champagne, DanDan Noodles and Wonton Soup. Followed that up at JAL with a Prosecco and fried chicken then finished at Qatar Airways with another champagne and a surf and turf main. FUN :-))))))

The Qantas lounge experience in Hong Kong is far superior to that of the Cathay Pacific lounges, at least before pandemic. The Qantas lounge was run by Accor group while the Cathay lounges were and continue to be run by Sodexo; it was far less crowded and the food offering way more palatable.

"I think Qantas reopening its lounge in Hong Kong reflects that the airline believes Hong Kong will make a full recovery"

I'd say the 3x A380s that Qantas is operating into HKG weekly is a pretty firm indicator that they believe in it's recovery. I'm sure Cathay was grumbling at some point (given their recovery) about having to house up to 70 extra guests thrice weekly.

@kimshep & Leo Liang

Sign off means Approved.
Approve doesn't mean Decide.

The last time I flew business class on CX out of HKG (in 2019) I visited this lounge. I found it, as a business class lounge, to have a nice food selection and a casual uncrowded atmosphere. Much less crowded than the CX lounge nearby. I also enjoyed the decor and setup. No, it will not compete with CX's first lounges (especially the Pier), but from a business class perspective, worth a stop on a lounge hop at HKG.

Agree with the comment about the inclanation of most passengers. I don't think the difference matters much to most. "Qantas had a change of heart regarding its Hong Kong lounge, or perhaps regarding the importance of Hong Kong overall" and this statement I would disagree with. It has nothing to do with this and has to do with the demand for their lounge and air service to and from Hong Kong.