This was published 6 years ago
Qantas opens exclusive new Chairman's Lounge at Brisbane Airport
By Kylie McLaughlin
Okay so you've managed to sneak your way into the Qantas Club, business and first class lounges. But did you know there is another secret top-tier lounge Qantas doesn't talk about?
Called the "Chairman's Lounge", there's one in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth, along with a newly refurbished one in Brisbane, which opened on Friday.
The lounges are so exclusive, the only way you can get a membership is through an invitation from Qantas' CEO, Alan Joyce.
But how you get that invitation remains a complete mystery. There's no membership fees and you cannot apply. There's no signage to indicate where the lounge may be in the airport.
Despite the lounges existing for around 30 years, barely anyone know about them.
In fact it's so on the downlow, it doesn't even get mentioned in the airline's annual report.
Its members don't like to talk about it for fear of risking their membership. Few know who they are - but we do know they carry black cards and luggage labels that get them whisked through priority lanes.
The club's memberships are believed to extend to Members of Parliament. Others are likely to be CEOs of companies with significant travel expenditure, academics, celebrities and the like. The members probably know each other, and use the quiet lounge's privacy to network and hold meetings.
We also know membership includes access to seat upgrades and fine dining options. The personal service is another great perk. Members will be called the day before they travel to establish their needs - massage? A special meal?
We've managed to obtain images of the new lounge in Brisbane, which has been designed by Sumu Design in collaboration with David Caon, who designed the new Dreamliner cabin interiors and economy seats. Take a look in the gallery above.
Neutral tones of walnut timber and brass with wool carpet, with leather lounges and large, privacy-sheilding armchairs give it a more comfortable, spacious feel than its business and first class lounges.
Like the latter, it also includes a dining room with a la carte menus by Rockpool; open plan, flexible working areas and booths, private meeting rooms, and private shower suites.
And the one last little fact we know is that members are allowed to bring one guest. We'll just have to keep hoping that one day we'll be able to tag along as a plus one.
See also: Flying first class is better than ever, so why is it dying out?
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