Qantas has officially opened its latest First Lounge today at Singapore’s Changi Airport. Here’s everything you need to know.
Costing over AU$10 million, The new First Lounge will operate in tandem alongside the airline’s existing Qantas International Business Lounge in T1, with space in the First Lounge for 240 Qantas’ First-Class passengers and top tier frequent flyers.
The beautiful, contemporary styled lounge is tucked away on level 1 near the Aerotel airport hotel and outdoor swimming pool in T1 (also a great place to spend some transit time).
The lounge is a luxury enclave spread over a massive 1,000 square metres (it really does feel big) and was designed by Australian designer and Qantas favourite David Caon in collaboration with Kelvin Ho of architecture and design firm Akin Atelie and features a host of Singaporean influences.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the opening of the new lounge is a reflection of the airline’s extensive premium investment in the region.
“Since our A380 flights have returned to Singapore, we’ve seen an increase in demand for premium travel which has also translated to an increase in the number of travellers enjoying our lounge hospitality.”
Mr Joyce says insights from Frequent Flyers have also driven the detail of the new First Lounge experience.
“This is our fourth Qantas First Lounge, and each time we build an entirely new lounge facility from scratch, we speak to our frequent flyers to get a better understanding of how customers like to spend their time in the lounge and tailor it accordingly,
Our customers told us their key priorities when travelling through or from Singapore is space to relax and do some last-minute work, a quick shower, and a meal before departure so they can maximise their sleep onboard.”
Being in Singapore, the highly revered vibrant culinary scene is also at the heart of the lounge’s dining experience and point of difference.
“The Singapore food scene is one of my favourites in the world. The iconic hawker markets and fine dining restaurants inspired us to design a menu that gives customers an authentic taste of Singapore without leaving the airport,”
Neil Perry, Qantas Creative Director of Food, Beverage and Service
“Singapore cuisine has an incredible balance of flavoursome ingredients which influenced new signature dishes like the grilled skate in browned sambal butter with capers.
“Customers visit the First Lounge at different stages of their trip, so we included items like poached eggs with mushrooms and salsa verde on sourdough and First Lounge classics like the chicken club sandwich with salt and pepper squid, intended to cater to our customer and their taste buds regardless of where they are on their journey,” added Mr. Perry.
Here’s all you need to know about the airline’s latest elite hideaway.
Dining and Bar
Take a comfy seat and prepare to be seriously spoilt. It’s an all À la carte affair here.
An open kitchen will serve up a Rockpool seasonal menu designed with Singapore’s vibrant dining culture in mind.
Local delicacies like a signature tea-smoked duck breast with pickled cabbage and Chinese mustard and a laksa with crayfish, bok choy and fried shallots, along with customer favourites such as the Salt and pepper squid with green chilli sauce.
The lounge also features a cocktail bar with lounge seating, serving French champagne, seasonal spritzers, unique cocktails inspired by Singapore, like a Calamansi Mojito – made from the local Calamansi fruit, Singaporean & Australian beer – and a variety of Australian wine.
There are also healthy beverages such as kefir and kombucha, barley water and a Rockpool ‘House Lemonade’ available, along with all-day barista service.
Check the menu out and download it here.
Health and wellbeing
Wellness continues to be a major theme with the new Qantas First Lounge bringing the outside in.
Live greenery features throughout the lounge to soften the space, while the use of natural materials and colour palettes is designed to help relax customers.
There’s also a unique faux ‘skylight’ in the shower suites and lounge area that aims to replicate natural daylight and help adjust the body clock as customers transition through multiple time zones.
Working on the go
Business travellers have the choice to work in an open, communal setting or individual lounge chairs with high dividers. USB and charging ports are located throughout the lounge, with wireless printing, Wi-Fi and TV screens for customers to stay charged and connected.
David Caon said, “We wanted customers to feel a sense of calming luxury as soon as they walk in to the First Lounge, so we combined some of the classic Qantas First Lounge design features, such as the prominent marble and oak seen in the Sydney First Lounge, and added an authentic Singaporean twist featuring plenty of greenery.”
The opening is part of the multi-million-dollar investment for customers on its Singapore services and complements the expanded Qantas International Business lounge at Changi, which combined now offers seating for more than 800 customers.
Who can enjoy the lounge?
The Lounge signature cocktail – The Calamansi Mojito
First passengers, Platinum, Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members and their Oneworld Emerald equivalents.
The Qantas Singapore First Lounge is open daily from 2.30 pm until midnight.
The new premium space is Qantas’ fourth (and largest) First Lounge across its global network, joining Sydney, Melbourne, and Los Angeles.
Find out more: www.qantas.com/lounges