As the first Qantas Dreamliner service to London took off on Saturday evening, the airline unveiled its spectacular new Perth international transit lounge.

Just as the airline has put plenty of thought into the science of what happens in the plane during the 17-hour non-stop flight, it’s also focused on health and wellbeing in the lounge, from stretching classes to “light therapy” in the showers to adjust your body clock, and an outdoor terrace and BBQ serving local sausages as part of a new Neil Perry menu.

The lounge is open to people transiting in Perth on QF9 from Melbourne to London and QF10 from London to Melbourne, as well as passengers joining the flight there, if you’re a Gold or above frequent flyer or Qantas lounge member.

Peter Cistulli, the Charles Perkins Centre Professor of Sleep Medicine, is one of the team of scientists working with Qantas on how improve the health outcomes from long-distance travel. They’ve been looking at everything from nutrition to physical activity and sleep. As part of their research, frequent flyers on every plane are using wearables to gather data on rest, hydration and other physical responses during and after a flight.

“We’ve worked with the University of Sydney’s School of Physics to create an airline-first bespoke body clock intervention using bright light to help kick start the adjustment of customers’ body clocks. Applying light at appropriate times helps reduce the effects of jet lag,” Cistulli said.

“The lounge is just one aspect. We’ve also worked together to influence the menu and timing of the food and drinks service on the Perth to London route, cabin lighting design and temperature in the 787 and we are interested in seeing how customers will respond.”

Here’s a look around the lounge.

The Perth transit lounge has seating for 141 – room for nearly two-thirds of the 236 passengers on a Qantas Dreamliner

The ‘light therapy’ in the 15 shower suites helps adjust the body clock in 15 minute sessions. It’s designed to shift your body clock to the destination time zone, increase alertness and combat the effects of jetlag

The wellbeing studio offers stretching and breathing classes focusing on mindfulness and getting the body moving. They’re held every 15 minutes pre- and post-flight with a yoga teacher

The refresh area has Aurora Spa products specially made for Qantas including a face cleanser, hydrating face mist and moisturiser

The ‘Quench’ hydration station serves drinks fruit-infused water, sparkling water and herbal teas

The buffet offers homemade damper, salad bowls, crudité and dips, while the outdoor BBQ has gourmet sausages from local butcher Princi Smallgoods, plus grilled mushrooms and corn on the cob

There’s barista coffee for a perk up, as well as a bar with Australian wines and beers, including from WA’s Margaret River region

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