November 9th 2024.
Over the past few weeks, there has been a lot of attention on the relationship between Qantas and our country's top politicians. This has led to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie facing scrutiny for receiving upgrades on Qantas flights through their membership to the exclusive Qantas Chairman's Lounge. But what exactly is this VIP lounge and who has access to it?
The Chairman's Lounge is a highly exclusive club for VIP clients who are traveling within Australia on domestic flights. Former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce once referred to it as "the most exclusive club in the country". Its members include top political figures, celebrities, and corporate leaders who receive invitations to join. Forget about waiting for your flight on a hard plastic chair - the Chairman's Lounge offers a luxurious and private oasis within Australia's domestic airports.
Unlike the public lounges, the entrance to the Chairman's Lounge is discreet and not signposted. Inside, there are private rooms and bathrooms, reading areas, and a variety of bars, buffets, and restaurants. According to one regular visitor, part of the allure of the lounge is the ability to request anything, even off-menu items, and have it quickly prepared for you. Additionally, lounge members have a special boarding call for their flight, allowing them to wait in comfort until all other passengers have boarded.
There have been recent reports claiming that federal members of parliament have received free flight upgrades as a benefit of their membership to the lounge. While most politicians publicly disclosed these upgrades, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has apologized for not declaring the 16 flight upgrades she received from Qantas and Virgin over the past nine years. The controversy began with claims from former Australian Financial Review columnist Joe Aston, who wrote in his book "The Chairman's Lounge" that Albanese personally contacted Alan Joyce for flight upgrades and received guaranteed upgrades that only Joyce could provide. Albanese has denied these allegations. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has also come under fire for his office requesting the use of Gina Rinehart's private jet for a trip to a memorial service in Sydney.
It's not about the money when it comes to gaining entry to the Qantas Chairman's Lounge. It's also not possible to use frequent flyer points to gain membership. Instead, approval is granted by Qantas Chairman John Mullen and Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson, and the process for joining is kept confidential by the company.
So, who exactly is part of this exclusive club? Every member of Australia's parliament is invited to join and can bring a guest of their choosing. While not all politicians accept the invitation, the majority of them do. Some notable exceptions include Labor Senator Tony Sheldon, former union leader and longtime adversary of Alan Joyce, and Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie. It's been reported that Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather is also not a member. In 2023, it was revealed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's 23-year-old son Nathan was extended membership to the lounge. The rest of the membership is made up of A-list celebrities and high-ranking corporate executives. It's common for large companies that book staff flights with Qantas to also receive membership for their chairman, CEO, and sometimes CFO.
There are six Chairman's Lounges located at Australia's major airports in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. Inside, Qantas staff are available at all times to assist with any travel arrangements that may arise. While some may view the lounge as a way for Qantas to gain favor with the business and political sectors, Alan Joyce has insisted that membership is simply a commercial arrangement.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
