Qantas: Lounge openings deferred

Qantas had committed to gradually reopening its airport lounges over the next few weeks. We were expecting to see all Queensland lounges open by now, with other lounges gradually opening in August.

Renewed border closures has put the kibosh on that.

Open Lounges

Here from the Qantas website is a list of open lounges, and the schedule for openings.

The major change is that some of those lounges listed as being open ‘from September, were previously scheduled to open ‘from August’.

As you can see – all the international lounges are closed until further notice, in line with Qantas having no international passenger flights scheduled for the foreseeable future – which means July 2021 at least according to Alan Joyce, or until 2023 if you believe some industry pundits.

2PAXfly Takeout

The aviation industry has a difficult road ahead when it comes to sustainability. It’s going to require a relative revolution in technology, with ‘electric planes’ or hydrogen planes, or some form of jet engine that doesn’t require a carbon based fuel. And that is going to require the development of an alternative to jet engines probably.

It’s a big ask. It will take time to develop.

This move to home grown and manufactured SAF is a first step – maybe even a baby step in a very long road of innovation. In the long run, US$200 million won’t even touch the sides.

Not that this is all about me, but because I’m not flying, I really don’t care. Although, strangely, when I was scheduled to be going to Adelaide this week, I did.