Relax in the new Qantas Singapore Lounge .
Source: Supplied
QANTAS has opened its new lounge in Singapore.
Qantas International CEO Simon Hickey said the new lounge showcased the experiences and cuisine of Singapore, and reflected the Qantas Group’s strategy of “growing with Asia”.
“This multimillion-dollar investment is part of our broader commitment to improve the experience we offer on services to and from Asia, including our A330 upgrades to begin next year,” he said. “We see Singapore as a key gateway to Asia and we recognise that Asia is very important to Australia. This is a statement about being committed to Singapore in the future.”
The lounge has been designed to complement the destination: it is vibrant and elegant, spacious and luxurious, and it’s the perfect environment to relax before a flight.
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The joint first and business class concept opens the lounge to Platinum and Gold Frequent Flyers as well as Qantas Club members and eligible one-world customers.
The lounge can seat 460 guests, has a series of 80-inch television screens and technology pods throughout, has 20 showers with first-class toiletries and a full-time service with shirt pressing and shoe shining.
The Neil Perry Rockpool and Spice Temple food philosophy means that customers can enjoy a selection of daily dishes, self-service buffet and the live cooking station.
The enhanced food offering is designed to complement the Business Sleep Service, giving customers the flexibility to choose when they want to dine. You can dine in the lounge, with this message being relayed to cabin crew who then understand your desire to sleep onboard, thus maximising your sleep time and, on the short flight from Singapore to Australia, this can be very important.
MY GRANDSON is planning a backpacking holiday through Europe, maybe Russia, and on to Asia, beginning March next year. Although he will be 24 when he sets off, he is not really travel savvy and doesn’t know where to get information for visas etc. He may also do some work overseas. Could you help?
Doc: A visa is a form of permission for a non-citizen to enter, transit or remain in a particular country, and nowadays with most countries in Europe belonging to the “Schengen Area”, all you need is a valid passport, because Australian tourists planning to spend less than a total of 90 days (within a six-month period) do not require a visa. For a full list of the Schengen countries visit schengenvisa.cc.
Two Eastern European countries – Belarus and Russia – however, do require visas and sometimes an invitation from or booking with a tour operator or hotel. Visas to these countries are seldom available at the border and need to be obtained before travel. Turkey also requires a visa to enter, but this is easily obtained at the border – you need to have the fee of about $19 in cash though.
If your grandson intends to work while he is over there, or stay more than 90 days in the Schengen area, he will need to apply to the high commission, embassy or consulate of the country or countries concerned to obtain an appropriate visa.
Generally speaking, visas for Asian countries are issued on arrival. However, Vietnam, China and India, for example, are exceptions and he will need to get these visas before he travels.
A great place for him to start his planning is Visalink, where he can go through each country he is considering and check their requirements. Visalink will assist in obtaining the visa and can provide over-the-phone support.
Something else to consider is that if either of his parents were born in a European country, I highly suggest looking at getting a passport from their country. It can make travelling in Europe a lot easier.
A couple of other things for him to remember – if he has a student ID card, take it with him and he will get discounts on everything in Europe, from museums to cinemas to train tickets.
Also, I always carry a list of important phone numbers with me, such as my bank’s hotline number in case of a lost credit card, my travel insurance emergency number, and my passport number.
A final note, it’s always a good idea to leave photocopies of your passport and travel documents with family or friends back home. Trust me, losing your passport is an absolute pain, having a safe photocopy of it may well come in handy at some point.
MY HUSBAND and I would like to visit Vienna for our wedding anniversary. We would like some advice on where to stay and how to get a good feel for the city. We also wish to see a typical Viennese concert. Do you have any suggestions?
Doc: I would suggest you base yourselves in the first district, which is home to most of the main sights and is easy to get around on foot. If you would like to treat yourselves then stay at the Konig Von Ungarn. This beautifully converted 16th-century building is close to St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Vienna State Opera, and has accommodated crowned heads of state, artists and other prominent figures since 1746. Rates start at about $270 a night, a room, and include a hot Viennese breakfast buffet. I’m not sure when you are going, but an invaluable source for information on all aspects of the city is wien.info/en. Here you will find everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Vienna, what festivals are on, sightseeing options and heaps of shopping, wining and dining ideas.
One of the highlights for me was a visit to the Spanish Riding School, the only institution in the world where the classic equestrian skill (haute ecole) has been preserved and is still practised in its original form. This precision of movement of the Lipizzan horses in perfect harmony with the music is presented in the most beautiful riding hall in the world, which was built in 1729.
Dates for performances and morning training as well as information on how to obtain tickets can be found at srs.at/en. In order to decide which concerts you are interested in, the Vienna Concert website, viennaconcerts.com, has a comprehensive listing including suggestions for combining a concert with dinner.
Handy advice: The Doc has three great tips to help you speed through airport security.
1. Be organised: In addition to having your boarding pass and passport on hand to show the security agent, pack the items you’ll need to take out quickly – such as your laptop and your zip-top bag of liquids in an easy-to-grab spot at the top of your carry-on bag. This may seem obvious, yet every airport security line appears to have some travellers who scramble to fish these items out at the moment they step up to the X-ray machine.
2. Know the new liquids rule: Liquids, aerosols and gels that you intend to carry on board must be in containers of 100ml or less, and these containers must be in a single zip-top bag like a sandwich bag, and gel even means toothpaste.
3. Dress for success: Empty your pockets of keys, spare change etc, try not to wear boots or a belt or metal jewellery and body piercings.
Doc Holiday checks out new Qantas Singapore lounge
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