First Impressions: Qantas Perth Business Lounge

Introduction

I was on my way to Adelaide from Perth, and spent a couple of hours in this Terminal 4 lounge, along with others, some waiting for the 787 flight to London.

My Qantas Platinum status gives me entry to this lounge, but I would have also qualified as I had upgraded my Red e-Deal discounted economy fare up to business class at a cost of 25,000 Qantas FF points (note: that’s the same cost as upgrading the Sydney – Perth segment, which is nearly 2 hours longer)

The Perth lounge is an example of the new, fresh David Coen designed look for Qantas lounges.

It’s much more light and airy, and more relaxed than the old lounges while retaining some of the best of the Marc Newson’s design elements – namely his lounge chairs.

The lounge approximates a ‘U’ shape around the central kitchen and bathroom block.

Zones

The lounge is divided into a variety of zones combining various functions. You can sit and read on a banquette, or one of the aforesaid Newson lounge chairs, or sit and eat at a coffee bar, or at a raised dining table. There is a traditional bar area, where you can sit at round tables and work, drink or eat, and there is a traditional long desk section with computers for you to work.

Anyone for Pizza?

The feature is the Pizza oven – I don’t mean a ceramic wood-fired dome – I mean a sleek modern industrial pizza oven.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is a good lounge. Compared to the new Melbourne Business Lounge, its not great. It sort of lacks something – or maybe it was my mood. I was leaving Perth earlier than expected to attend a funeral in Adelaide. So there’s that.

The lounge was extremely crowded when I arrived. It cleared a great deal around 4 pm – some passengers (from overheard conversations) were heading to London on the 787 service, although it was odd that they were in the Terminal 4 Lounge, and not Terminal 3. The Lounge does also service passengers heading to Singapore and Auckland – so maybe it was those flights.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to spend time in this lounge (whereas I would in Melbourne), but it is perfectly good to spend some time in, and way better than Sydney. Oh, and the Pizza is good.