Overview
- Qantas has abandoned its earlier pledge to open a separate Qantas First Lounge in Heathrow Terminal 3 and will not build a standalone facility as previously promoted.
- The carrier says the decision followed years of searching for suitable terminal space that it could not secure, leaving the original late‑2025 plan unachievable.
- As an alternative, Qantas will remodel its current Terminal 3 lounge to add roughly 40–60 seats and create a dedicated a la carte dining area that uses First‑lounge entry rules for eligible passengers.
- Qantas says work will start within about six months and aims to finish by late 2027 to align with the planned Project Sunrise nonstop Sydney–London services, with staged closures and use of partner lounges during the refit.
- The reversal highlights limits on Heathrow terminal space and raises questions about Qantas’ 2023 announcement, while the remodel seeks to protect a more exclusive experience for oneworld first passengers and Emerald members without expanding the lounge footprint.