Quantas Airways New First Class Lounges

Qantas Qantas Airways has opened new lounges for First Class customers, where they can enjoy a range of luxuries from chair-side waiter service to complimentary spa treatments. The new First Class lounges are available in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. The new flagship lounges have been designed by internationally renowned Australian industrial designer Marc Newson.

According to the press release, “Qantas Airways Senior Executive Vice President, Wally R. Mariani, The Americas and Pacific describes them as ’simply the best in the world.’ “The services offered in our new lounges will be equal to those found in the world’s best five star hotels and restaurants. For example, a full concierge service will help customers book a restaurant in any city around the world or get tickets to the latest Broadway musical.” Interesting.

Features of the Sydney lounge include:

Huge American oak sculptures that separate the lounge space into defined areas.
A Payot Paris day spa offering a range of complimentary treatments from a 30-minute express energizing facial to a 50-minute full body massage.
A 48-seat open kitchen restaurant with menus by Neil Perry.
Chair-side waiter service throughout the lounge.
A library stocked with a selection of newspapers and magazines, best-selling books and board games, including chess and backgammon.
A dedicated entertainment zone with banks of plasma screens showing local and international news, sports and weather, and a Sony Playstation 3 and Playstation Portable entertainment systems offering a selection of games and movies.
A vertical garden designed by international botanist Patrick Blanc featuring more than 8,400 individual plants.
Luxurious individual marble-lined shower suites with individual stereo volume and lighting controls, radiant heating to reduce condensation on the mirrors and luggage racks.
Exclusive furniture and luxurious finishes, including leather lounge chairs, recliners, and sofas by Italy’s Poltrona Frau, dining chairs and tables by Cappellini, Tai Ping wool carpets from Hong Kong, marble from Carrara and quartzite from Switzerland.
State-of-the-art business facilities with 11 PC workstations, complimentary wireless internet access, power and data points throughout the lounge and two private work suites with conference facilities and plasma display screens.

Goodness, I can’t think of a better way to spend time in the airport. Luxury hotel group Sofitel will manage the lounges with all staff undergoing specialist training through its Acadamie Accor hotel school.

Additionally, Qantas will be launching a new premium check-in service at Sydney and Melbourne international terminals, with First Class customers checked in prior to arriving at the airport and greeted at the curb by a Qantas First Host and porter, to coincide with the lounge openings.