QF First and American Express Centurion Lounge SYD

[Paul]

Sitting in the rather run down Qantas First Class lounge in Sydney sipping Martel Cordon Bleu (you won’t find that in a BA lounge, indeed, no brandy at all in galleries F last week) but I digress. My last visit here was 2008 and frankly nothing seems to have changed in the intervening 14 years. The service by white jacketed staff is excellent, the catering very good and the and alcohol outstanding. The furniture is decrepit and seen better days! The Spa is closed.
I was here for a while so I wandered down to the centurion lounge as I haven’t been in one of those for about 8 years.
I just walked in! There was no one on the desk! I walked along the short corridor, stood, waited wafting boarding pass and platinum card. Nothing happened!
It was mobbed with dirty plates, cups, glasses and detritus everywhere! I walked to the end turned back to the door went past the exit to the kitchen and then left!! Is this really the centurion lounge standard now?
The House (priority pass)lounge opposite a deserted, closed MacDonalds, charges $95 walk in and $77 pre book…. I think that’s right
There is also a plaza premium option and I think some Airlines have their own. Not sure if BA use QF lounge though there is a healthy sprinkling of bits of gold plastic bag tags around me.

So despite its fading grandure I’d say the QF F lounge is probably still the best option.

Incidentally, it’s still quiet here and there is a lot of refurbishment in the shopping area. The high end outlets are simply empty save for some very bored looking staff

[JDB]

That sounds poor for the Centurion lounge. We visited the landside one at MEX T1 twice in the last three weeks and while it’s a rather old fashioned and slightly dark space the food and drink offering was very good and the service really excellent. You won’t find BA offering tuna tartare or lime pie with lavender ice cream even in the CCR. The spa was open for massages, manicure/pedicure or a “neat and tidy” haircut. There is a smaller Centurion lounge airside which we didn’t try but it apparently gets quite crowded. BA F passengers are sent to the AA lounge which is awful so we avoided it on this occasion.

My son and a friend had used the Centurion lounge as an arrivals lounge (which they initiallly said he couldn’t do) for him and a friend who had arrived on separate flights shortly before the 5am opening and were very pleased to have a decent shower and breakfast before a day in the city.

[Scottpat78]

I just flew back with Etihad from SYD and don’t like the House – it’s went downhill a lot since it transitioned to a Swissport / PP lounge in my opinion.

I chose to go to the Centurion and it was calm and relaxed (Friday afternoon at 2PM). Food was much better I reckon than my last trip to the House in May.

[Andrew J]

I’m a big fan of the QF F lounge in Sydney, really outstanding, probably my favourite worldwide airport lounge – basically the LHR Clubhouse but with much better food and drink. And on my last visit in November 2019 I didn’t observe the rundown nature of the fixtures and fittings you describe.