Qantas has unveiled its new International Transit Lounge at Perth Airport with a focus on wellness. Weary travellers who have just experienced the airline’s 17-hour direct journey from London to Perth, or those who are just about to experience it, will be able to enjoy stretching classes, jetlag-reducing lights and an outdoor terrace while in transit.
Designed by Australian Industrial designer David Caon and SUMU design, the lounge offers a unique range of features such as ‘light therapy’ in the shower suites to help adjust the body clock and a refresh area providing hydrating face products. Customers can also take part in stretching classes or enjoy a gourmet Neil Perry BBQ on the open-air terrace.
Additional features of the lounge include seating for 141 customers, 15 shower suites, plentiful charging ports, wireless printing, free WiFi, flat screen TVs and Sofitel service.
The interior is spacious and modern, with a curved ceiling to promote natural light and a neutral colour palette inspired by the white sands of the WA coastline.
Qantas Head of Customer Product & Service, Philip Capps, spoke about the airline’s innovative new approach to long-haul travel:
“We’ve brought together some of Australia’s best culinary, design and scientific minds to create a lounge experience that will help set our customers up to feel better throughout their journey. This sophisticated lounge is the ideal space for customers to unwind in between flights. The design reflects the natural beauty of the WA landscape through natural light and colour choices, and offers some of the best local food and wine.”
Dining
Passengers who visit the lounge can enjoy seasonal menus by Neil Perry from Rockpool and a full service bar with premium wine and beer from Australia, including the Margaret River region. Inside the lounge a premium hot and cold buffet is available, serving light dishes including soups with homemade damper, healthy salad bowls, crudité and dips.
Guests can also get some Vitamin D on the outdoor terrace, which features an Aussie BBQ with chefs cooking gourmet sausages from local Perth butcher Princi Smallgoods, and vegetables such as grilled mushrooms and corn on the cob.
Long-haul flights can leave passengers feeling dehydrated, so Qantas has installed a Hydration Station called “Quench”, serving drinks including fruit-infused water, sparkling water and tisane herbal tea.
Wellness
For the wellbeing aspect the designers consulted with the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre to enhance the passenger travel experience and optimise wellbeing.
The Charles Perkins Centre worked with the University of Sydney’s School of Physics to create a bespoke body clock intervention system using ‘light therapy’ to help kick start the adjustment of customers’ body clocks.
When passengers enter the shower studies they can activate the bright light via a switch for 15 minute sessions in order to increase their alertness and combat the effects of jet lag.
Customers can also visit the wellbeing studio which offers stretching and breathing classes conducted by a yoga teacher from Perth’s leading eco-luxe day spa group, Bodhi J Wellness Spa Retreats. Classes take place every 15 minutes pre and post flight, helping passengers to practice mindfulness and get the body moving.
Classes are based on customers’ needs, offering calming and grounding sequences for those departing on the flight to London and stretches to loosen and invigorate muscles for those arriving in Perth.
There’s also a refresh area with luxury Aurora Spa products specially made for Qantas including a face cleanser, hydrating face mist and moisturiser.
Entry into the lounge
The Perth International Transit Lounge is located in the new T3/T4 integrated domestic and international passenger hub at Perth Airport.
The lounge is open to customers transiting in Perth when travelling on QF9 from Melbourne to London and QF10 from London to Melbourne, or to customers beginning their journey in Perth to London.
Access is also available to customers travelling in Business Class; Gold, Platinum and Platinum One Frequent Flyers; oneworld Emerald and Sapphire customers; and Qantas Club members and their guests.
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