Travel bubbles are opening back up, and you can even go further than New Zealand with this loophole — which means once you’ve got your passport in order (do you know the rules?), it’s time to head to the airport and get ‘gramming (just don’t let your boarding pass get scammed).
That also means airport retail — a shopping experience like no other, and a world of its own, as well as ridiculously overpriced food. Another thing it means? Travel lounges. Glorious, luxurious travel lounges.
In fact, mere days before the New Zealand-Australia travel bubble opens back up, Qantas has opened the doors of its international airline lounges. And this time, it’s not just limited to Platinum Frequent Flyers.
In fact, this “historic” change occurring in the flagship lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane is extended to customers travelling in Business, Gold Frequent Flyers and Qantas Club members… at least until the neighbouring Business lounges reopen.
The move was confirmed by airline CEO Alan Joyce, who said it was a key milestone to the national carrier’s recovery — the airline has warned of even more redundancies, following the prior 8,500. COVID’s been brutal to the aviation industry, to say the least.
Like Mr Joyce said, “If you’re making a comeback, you should do it in style” — and he’s adamant the airline’s reopening will be “well-received”.
Oh, and frequent flyers can also be rest assured that they’ll have access to some of the “favourite” menu items, according to Neil Perry, Qantas’ executive chef.
At a lounge reopening event on Thursday, according to news.com.au, Perry made sure to highlight the “fabulous signatures” that will be returning. These include “beautiful brioche toasties” as well as a “nice healthy Bircher muesli.” And for the evening menu, the lounges signature salt and pepper squid dish, along with a “lamb noodle” offering.
His pavlova will also be appearing as part of dessert. No word if it’s actually just leftovers of the pavlova so generously gifted to Qantas by our Kiwi airline counterpart, Air New Zealand.
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