matthandy

Well despite my best loitering it seems that reports on here were correct, it’s not open to customers, although the lounge was open. There were staff at the podiums and what looked like customers at the tables.

From what I saw, there is a lot of wood. The entrance is very nice, with white marble style podiums and wooden dividers to the main lounge. It looks like there is a dining area to the left.

djsflynn

Nice snap! I’d suggest the staff at podium and customers at dining area may have been there for the usual pr photo shoot..?

corporate-wage-slave

Well I'm obviously more brazen than matthandy (which won't surprise him at all!) - I just marched in brandishing my BA boarding pass! I didn't get a proper visit, just a glimpse and they weren't running it like a normal lounge this evening in terms of food,drink and service.

I only got the shortest of glimpses, no photos I'm afraid, there are 2 areas, the downstairs (entry level) is much smaller and upstairs which is bigger and more open. It looks like an excellent lounge, similar in some ways to the Cathay lounge immediately next door (though this is the larger of the two). There was a "private function" on tonight, they weren't passengers, indeed I recognised some BA Watersiders in there. The lounge agent will be very familiar to regular Qantas passengers, and will be a voice from back home.

Other snippets:
- opening hours 08:00 to 20:00 hrs 7 days a weeek
- it will be open to the public "towards the end of next week", some aspects are not finished and some of the electrics aren't working - no date was shared despite me pressing.
- it will be open to oneworld alliance members in the usual way, so BA Silver, BA Gold and above, Sapphire and Emeralds on a oneworld flight will be allowed access, but not Vueling passengers
- Speculation: the relevant QF flights leave at midday and 20:45 currently, so early afternoon would a good time for BA/AY passengers to try it out.

TheJayHatch

Opening at 8am means no breakfast en route to PRG or WAW

Raffles

Some pics here:

https://www.instagram.com/headforpoints/

wheatbeer

Cool! Lots of cake Have you seen any menus?

wheatbeer

Great pics, looks impressive!

Is this normal for Qantas lounges? Do you know if it includes Oneworld Emeralds? Thanks.

danger

I believe the Singapore lounge also works this way. Probably Hong Kong too. Regular emeralds don't get to drink from that fountain, though.

wheatbeer

Thanks. Bit mean of them

sxc

The article says “savvy” travellers will go to the CX First Class lounge. From what I can see here and my experience of the CX lounge, the only reason to go to the CX lounge is because it has a “first” label and that doesn’t sound savvy to me. QF looks like it has healthier more substantial food, and a much better bar selection with a bar tender.

Globaliser

It's also an article which says, apparently with a straight face, that "This is Qantas' first dedicated lounge at London's Heathrow Airport".

I think that a beer on the other side of the Tasman may have something to say about that.

djsflynn

A coupla updates:
* confirmed that there is no champers set aside for F, CL and P1 members unlike at HKG and SIN lounges (article amended to reflect this)
* main reasons why I'd expect eligible QF pax to pop into the CX F lounge: Champagne (none at QF lounge) plus all-day à la carte dining from what appears to be a nicer menu, doesn't have the uber-healthy 'wellness' options but plenty of variety. Looking at the QF breakfast menu I believe a lot of people would rather sup at the CX dining room.

djsflynn

One pic of the breakfast menu in the article linked above, we'll be back through the lounge tomorrow to suss out lunch menu.

Raffles

You are comparing to Cathay F though. My gut feeling is that oneworld Sapphire will be better off here.

sxc

Do you mean sapphire? Because emeralds can go to CX F lounge.