NEWS AND OFFERS: Save 50% On Rail Fares, Oneworld first-ever dedicated lounge and Qantas launch London to Darwin

Oneworld unveils its first-ever dedicated lounge experience in Seoul

Oneworld has announced that it has opened its first-ever dedicated lounge. However, I would have classed the business class lounge in Los Angeles as pretty much the same thing, so I am not sure what the criteria for a “dedicated” lounge is.

The new oneworld lounge opens as the airline alliance prepares to celebrate its landmark 25th anniversary later this year. For the launch of its first branded lounge, oneworld collaborated with  Swissport and the team behind its ASPIRE Airport Lounges.

Situated in Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, the spacious new oneworld lounge stretches across 555 square metres and features stylish seating in a contemporary new setting for up to 148 customers. The new lounge is no more than a 10-minute walk from the furthest Oneworld Airlines’ departure gates.

Incheon International Airport is served by seven Oneworld member airlines: American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways and Sri Lankan Airlines. Between them, these Oneworld member airlines operate more than 60 weekly flights to Seoul, connecting the Korean capital with more than 900 destinations worldwide through the Oneworld member network.

I am not sure about the decor, if I am honest. The use of all the primary colours together is a little jarring and certainly does not scream luxury to me. Hopefully, this will not be the blueprint for any future lounges. 

The new lounge is open daily between 7:30 am and 11:45 pm (apart from Monday and Saturday when it opens earlier at 4:30 am) for eligible Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire customers departing from Seoul on Oneworld flights, as well as First and Business Class customers travelling with oneworld member airlines.

The design incorporates subtle nods to South Korean culture, capturing the  Lantern Festival in glass art and the ‘Gat’ hat in the bar. The lounge features several distinct zones and spacious seating areas designed for working, dining or relaxing. The lounge also has a signature ‘mood light’, changing its colour depending on the time of day.

The Great British Rail Sale : Save 50% On Rail Fares And Earn Virgin Points too

The Great British Rail Sale is back – and this year, you can save up to 50% on rail fares and earn Virgin Points at the same time with Virgin Trains Ticketing. There is up to 50% off over a million Advance tickets. Book between 23 January and 29 January 2024 for travel between 30 January and 15 March 2024 for discounted rates.

Travellers will earn Virgin Points on all train tickets booked through the rail ticketing app Virgin Trains Ticketing. Virgin Points are credited within seven days, so it could be a good way to earn some points quickly if you are close to having enough to use for a flight or one of their other rewards such as the Red Room at Manchester’s AO Arena or a Virgin cruise when they do an offer for them. 

Virgin Trains Ticketing is a good option if you want to earn points on all your rail travel:

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Qantas launch London to Darwin via Singapore

Qantas has announced it is launching a second international route from Darwin, with direct flights from the Northern Territory to Singapore. This will save around 5 hours versus connecting elsewhere in Australia. Qantas said the Singapore to Darwin service will connect ‘seamlessly’ with the existing Qantas flight from London. This new route also restores the link to the UK, which was established when international borders first reopened after the pandemic, and Qantas re-routed their London flight via Darwin with the support of the Northern Territory Government and Darwin Airport.

From 9 December 2024, flights will initially operate five days per week with the dual-class Embraer E190 aircraft, increasing to daily from March 2025. The new route has been made possible by the establishment of the E190 base at Darwin Airport, with the size, range and economics of the aircraft opening up routes that wouldn’t be viable with larger aircraft, including the launch of international flights to Dili in 2022. However, this does mean that you will only get a regional business class seat for the longish flight which is around 4 hours 45 minutes. The configuration in business class is 1-2, with the seats being slightly bigger than you would get in European short-haul business class. 

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said the Singapore service was a welcome addition to the airline’s international network out of Darwin.

“We’re thrilled to be offering our customers another new international route out of Darwin and strengthening the important trade, business and tourism links between Australia and Singapore,” said Mr Wallace.

“The direct service is not just great news for Territorians wanting to visit Singapore, but also for those travelling to London, Europe and across Southeast Asia, with connections to popular destinations like Phuket and Kuala Lumpur with our partner airlines, saving hours of travel time.

Eligible customers and Frequent Flyers will have access to the Qantas Club in Darwin prior to clearing immigration and security. On their return, eligible customers will have access to the Qantas International First or Business Lounge at Singapore’s Changi Airport.