In a bold bid for headlines, Jetstar is refusing to admit Qantas Club members to its new lounge at the Gold Coast airport for free.
It sounds like war between the Qantas brands, which could be true in some more important places like the Sydney-Melbourne route from July, but the Gold Coast kids and family friendly ‘playground’ is supposed to be a one off.
The 120 passenger sized area has children’s play and cinema zones, a free bar for those over 18, giant plasma video screens for music videos, free food, free wi-fi, and a full Japanese style breakfast aimed as those departing on Jetstar international flights as well as domestic travellers.
The introductory fee for all departing Jetstar passengers is $5 (offered when making an on-line booking) or $10 at the door with a valid boarding pass.
This will become $20 on-line or $25 at the door from 1 July.
Star Class (premium economy) passengers in international flights and children under 6 are admitted from of charge.
But where will all this end? For Qantas customers booked Jetstar it could become one sort of hell inside like it already is outside, in a terminal that doesn’t handle high demand very well and is not particularly friendly to anyone who just needs a space to work on their laptop, have a coffee or snack and use a bathroom.
Who would want to invest in a lease over a general retail or refreshment franchise at the airport if the airlines all decide to go into the business of competing with them?
Will Virgin Blue put in one of its lounges? Will Tiger decide it has to have a family fun zone at Coolangatta as well?
Jetstar may just have started something that will spread much further through the budget fare sector than it intended.
One Comment
Ben,
I doubt that any QF FFs will be upset at this exclusion by Jetstar. If what Jetstar is doing at OOL is anything like the Virgin terminal in Brisbane, then I think all sensible people will happily let the bogans have the lounge to themselves. After all, it’s bad enough to have to share a trip with them so why would one want to add to the torment and suffering?
On another point, is this really a sound idea for Jetstar as it’s getting away from its core business: carrying bogans for the lowest fare. Is this another ‘first’ for Jetstar as a LCC? Maybe it’s an enterprise badged as Jetstar’s but operated under some kind of franchise agreement.
Cheers, Ken