Qantas goes Apple for airport lounges

The nation's largest airline Qantas yesterday announced it would go Apple-only in its frequent flyer lounges around Australia, giving travellers access to "the latest generation Macs" in a national roll-out.

(Qantas image by Skazama, CC BY-ND 2.0)

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said in a statement that the Apple desktops would be immediately available in the Qantas Club facilities and would be rolled out in other cities by the end of the year.

"We are launching Sydney Qantas Lounges with the new technology from today; Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Perth from November; and Alice Springs Cairns, Darwin, Hobart and Townsville from December," he said.

It also appears as if the airline's interest in Apple goes much further. Joyce flagged a number of other initiatives involving the iconic technology company's products, aimed at Qantas Club members and frequent flyers.

The company yesterday launched a new Frequent Flyer iPhone app designed to help members explore the ways they can use their points. The app allows members to track their balance, see where they've been earning points and work out how to use them.

The free app even uses the iPhone's GPS features to locate Frequent Flyer partners.

"Whether members are looking to fly, stay in a hotel, eat out, go shopping or hire a car, they can find and get directions to hundreds of partners near them. And, if you have an iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS, you can search partners located around you, with an augmented reality view," said Qantas Frequent Flyer chief executive Simon Hickey.

Apple's iPad, too, has increasingly been finding traction in the executive set and in boardrooms, and Qantas subsidiary Jetstar has plans to start a roll-out of the tablet devices for entertainment purposes in planes by the end of the year at a rental cost of $10 per iPad per flight.