Qantas is gradually reopening their domestic lounges and it’s a good thing. Having booked a fully refundable return trip to Melbourne during lockdown I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Qantas had opened its lounges the day before I was due to fly out.
As a Platinum Qantas Frequent Flyer I was eligible to access the Gold lounge. As it turned out the Gold lounge was the only lounge open for all guests.
In this post:
Accessing the Qantas Domestic Lounge
They had staff at ground level before the escalators checking boarding passes and ready to turn around flyers if the lounge exceeded government guidelines.
The lounge still appeared the same once inside, however staff were moving tables and chairs around to ensure social distancing protocols
What Has Changed In The Qantas Domestic Lounge
Drinks Service
All the self service cold drinks and coffee machines were shut down with patrons directed back to the barista/bar area. . There may be issues in the future as more people visit the lounge and they only have one place to order drinks including water.
They had social distancing protocols for ordering with markers to place your order and wait.
Food Service
Self service food has been replaced with a smaller selection of prepared plates. They had sandwiches, dips and vegetables or cheesecake. You choose what you want and are passed the serve by a staff member. They had metal cutlery and napkins available upon request.
Waiter Service
A nice add on is the waiter service, I was offered a choice of soup or quiche and choose soup. It was a nice touch. The staff are very attentive even offering to help me back with some drinks.
Amenities
The showers were closed on my visit with no sign indicating when they will reopen.
Magazines and Newspapers
I never liked newspapers and magazines in the lounge as they were usually messily left around and you never knew if a table was free. You will need to bring your own entertainment.
Cleaning
There were lots of gloved staff walking around cleaning chairs and tables which was comforting
How Safe Do I Feel In The Qantas Domestic Lounge?
On the day I visited there were very few Qantas flights out of Sydney and the lounge was very empty. We could find a place with no one around to breathe on us!
Sanitiser pump packs are available throughout the lounge.
Summary
Qantas have done a great job in making their lounges Covid safe. Food and beverages were handled thoughtfully, lots of space in the lounge, hand sanitiser and regular cleaning. Tick. The only thing I miss are the Arnotts biscuits and the licorice allsorts.
