Qantas Status Challenge - your experiences

[kamchatsky]

OK being VA Platinum and being in AFF I know that I can always go for a Qantas status challenge. I submitted my VA Platinum card and all my flight records with VA to QFF to see if they would do status match. Obviously they didn't but they did offer me a challenge to Gold by getting 200SCs within 3 months.

I took the challenge to begin on 19 Sept, and got myself 200SCs required by flying like 10 sectors on Flexi Y (20SCs each) within last 6 weeks. Now it helps that I had 2 trips from SYD-HBA but I chose to do SYD-MEL-HBA instead, and the price wasn't that much more expensive than the straight SYD-HBA route, and VA did not have the timing that I wanted anyway.

So I had to hassle Qantas a number of times after I qualify for Gold status. So they have processed it and now I am a Gold! What is more interesting is that they told me that my Gold now last until 30 Sept 2019! Now I think it is because my anniversary is 30 Sept, so because I just qualify in the new QFF year, I now have almost 2 years worth of Gold!

The question is though (for the QF experts here), unless I go for QF Platinum (which I know I will NOT achieve as the SC requirement is too great for me), is there any point to collect SCs to retain Gold in this QFF year, or I should wait until Oct 2018, before I start collecting SCs to retain Gold? How does it work?

I am trying to work out whether I should aim for re-qualifying for VA Platinum (720 SC required before August 2018) or not.

 

[djchuckles]

How did you get the challenge? I've been trying for months now and despite sending everything including many forward bookings on Virgin/partners, they still say they're 'looking into it'....

NB How come you didn't ask for the Platinum challenge?

 

[Steady]

@Wozza could find this thread interesting

 

[kamchatsky]

How did you get the challenge? I've been trying for months now and despite sending everything including many forward bookings on Virgin/partners, they still say they're 'looking into it'....

NB How come you didn't ask for the Platinum challenge?

I did ask for Platinum but they only give me a Gold challenge. I just sent email to QFF directly.

I think it is because most of my flights are lots of short sector domestic (like 50 sectors), mainly SYD-CBR, they probably think I can only make Gold based on my travel patterns. I told them I travel for work and will continue to do so. So that may help them making decisions to offer me a challenge?

Did you have past travel patterns that can show them that you have been travelling regularly?

 

[djchuckles]

Yep - at least fortnightly domestic and 4-6 int'l flights a year

 

[Dannyism]

The question is though (for the QF experts here), unless I go for QF Platinum (which I know I will NOT achieve as the SC requirement is too great for me), is there any point to collect SCs to retain Gold in this QFF year, or I should wait until Oct 2018, before I start collecting SCs to retain Gold? How does it work?

I would say don't worry about Qantas until the re qualification year and go for VFF status. The sweet spot, I believe, is gold for both VA and QF.

Congrats on the timing, you are lucky. I did a status challenge and got 3 months + 1 year.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The problem I found with the QF status challenge is that nothing is written. I achieved the target and they reneged on it. They can change the ground rules with no come back as it is not an official program, but it still cost me money with zero outcome.

My best advice is to take it with a grain of salt, and if it fits with normal flying requirements, go for it, but don't do anything you wouldn't normally do as it may, like mine, be a waste of money. Treat QF and VA with the absolute contempt they deserve. We need to give one of them money if we want to fly, but do so to suit you, not them, as there is generally no such thing as loyalty to a pax with either of them (apart from a few outstanding exceptions).

 

[Lemon_Party]

I had to email and call several times before eventually being told I would be offered challenge to gold. Call centre told me someone from FF team would call me to officially set up challenge, but even after additional call and email chasing them didn’t hear anything. In the mean time I had flights to book and ended up using VA SQ as usual and sacked the whole thing off.

 

[PeteL]

Thanks all, interesting info. Does anyone have a good number to call or email address to request a challenge?

 

[CPMaverick]

Hi, does anyone have the official email or T&C on this challenge?

I am interested but my flights may include a segment on AA. Do partner SC count, or does it need to be QF operated (or marketed)?

The only real info I can find it here but it doesn't mention how SC must be earned. I don't want to get burned. Someone else posted that they got the shaft, it would be ncie if you could explain how so we can try to avoid any issues?

Qantas' secret fast-track to Platinum, Gold frequent flyer status

Cheers

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Hi, does anyone have the official email or T&C on this challenge?

I am interested but my flights may include a segment on AA. Do partner SC count, or does it need to be QF operated (or marketed)?

The only real info I can find it here but it doesn't mention how SC must be earned. I don't want to get burned. Someone else posted that they got the shaft, it would be ncie if you could explain how so we can try to avoid any issues?

Qantas' secret fast-track to Platinum, Gold frequent flyer status

Cheers

Oh, you'll risk getting burned. The "official" email said nothing much, certainly nothing about how the SCs could be earned, but after you spend the dollars and comply with everything they ask, they can, and do, make up their own T's&C's even though there are no such things as this is not an official program. They are governed by nothing and basically nothing is written.

I can tell you though, that DSC's don't count, even though they don't tell you that before you spend money in a vein hope of complying. I have no idea about partner SC's. Others might have evidence one way or another, but the answer is simply that anything to do with this "off the cuff" cough may be altered at will.

 

[CPMaverick]

Thanks. So I gather your complaint was that it doesn't include DSC? That is why you got denied?

 

[cambriamarsh]

Oh, you'll risk getting burned. The "official" email said nothing much, certainly nothing about how the SCs could be earned, but after you spend the dollars and comply with everything they ask, they can, and do, make up their own T's&C's even though there are no such things as this is not an official program. They are governed by nothing and basically nothing is written.

I can tell you though, that DSC's don't count, even though they don't tell you that before you spend money in a vein hope of complying. I have no idea about partner SC's. Others might have evidence one way or another, but the answer is simply that anything to do with this "off the cuff" cough may be altered at will.

The status challenge would appear to be a contract with offer, acceptance and consideration, ie they offered you something, you accepted and paid money for the tickets. If you think you have been unfairly treated by QF changing the rules consider Small Claims, unless one of the other bush- or real lawyers can see a hole I haven’t considered.

Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Thanks. So I gather your complaint was that it doesn't include DSC?

Far from it. My complaint is that I spent quite a bit of money that I would not have spent on a promise from them that I'd be granted gold status if I gained x number of status credits. I did that and they reneged. There was absolutely no indication from them as to what they regarded as a "valid" status credit. A double status credit offer is exactly that. Double the number of status credits you would normally receive for a flight, but they are still just a status credit. A status credit has only one reason for existence ... to gain status. QF chose to offer me double the number of status credits and at the same time chose to offer me a status challange based purely on attaining those very same status credits, but once it was all done and dusted and cash paid by me to them, they realised I'd successfully and legitimately gained the required number of status credits, but then they decided to claim the status credits earned under a double promotion, don't count. Bullcrap! A status credit is a status credit. They chose to offer me twice as many for a flight. I accepted by buying the tix. QF is totally in the wrong here and they dishonoured themselves by reneging on their (what amounts to) gentleman's agreement. Please don't think they can't or won't do the same for any status credit that is not earned normally by flying their metal on their code (and even then, there is absolutely nothing to stop them reneging as it is not an official promotion).

That is why you got denied?

No. I was denied because they are lowlife scum that don't honour their agreements.

 

[cambriamarsh]

Far from it. My complaint is that I spent quite a bit of money that I would not have spent on a promise from them that I'd be granted gold status if I gained x number of status credits. I did that and they reneged. There was absolutely no indication from them as to what they regarded as a "valid" status credit. A double status credit offer is exactly that. Double the number of status credits you would normally receive for a flight, but they are still just a status credit. A status credit has only one reason for existence ... to gain status. QF chose to offer me double the number of status credits and at the same time chose to offer me a status challange based purely on attaining those very same status credits, but once it was all done and dusted and cash paid by me to them, they realised I'd successfully and legitimately gained the required number of status credits, but then they decided to claim the status credits earned under a double promotion, don't count. Bullcrap! A status credit is a status credit. They chose to offer me twice as many for a flight. I accepted by buying the tix. QF is totally in the wrong here and they dishonoured themselves by reneging on their (what amounts to) gentleman's agreement. Please don't think they can't or won't do the same for any status credit that is not earned normally by flying their metal on their code (and even then, there is absolutely nothing to stop them reneging as it is not an official promotion).



No. I was denied because they are lowlife scum that don't honour their agreements.

Sounds like a Small Claims case to me, see my post above.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Sounds like a Small Claims case to me, see my post above.

No. I must admit to having far more important things to do in my life than get further worked up over a*#eholes like that. There is also bugger all evidence as a lot of the negotiation for the offer took place on the phone. The email actually said virtually nothing.

As you can probably tell by my last post, I'm still exceptionally annoyed by their action. I am a believer in gentleman's agreements and I lose all respect for any person or entity that does not abide by them. For QF, they are short-sighted morons. At that stage, VA was causing some issues (cabin cleanliness, staff attitude etc) and I was quite genuinely thinking of moving all my business to QF. Things like this reneging on their word and other QF issues where they clearly fail to provide the promised benefits (priority boarding, luggage, J exclusivity etc), along with VA recognising the VA issues and (from what I see) fixing them, means most of my business is now swinging back to VA.

Both airlines (QF and VA) have the potential to be rogues, so I'm now a committed believer that we should all treat them with the contempt they both deserve and cherry pick the best deals and show absolutely no loyalty to either. Since I made that decision, I've been far more content ... with both of them.

 

[cambriamarsh]

No. I must admit to having far more important things to do in my life than get further worked up over a*#eholes like that. There is also bugger all evidence as a lot of the negotiation for the offer took place on the phone. The email actually said virtually nothing.

As you can probably tell by my last post, I'm still exceptionally annoyed by their action. I am a believer in gentleman's agreements and I lose all respect for any person or entity that does not abide by them. For QF, they are short-sighted morons. At that stage, VA was causing some issues (cabin cleanliness, staff attitude etc) and I was quite genuinely thinking of moving all my business to QF. Things like this reneging on their word and other QF issues where they clearly fail to provide the promised benefits (priority boarding, luggage, J exclusivity etc), along with VA recognising the VA issues and (from what I see) fixing them, means most of my business is now swinging back to VA.

Both airlines (QF and VA) have the potential to be rogues, so I'm now a committed believer that we should all treat them with the contempt they both deserve and cherry pick the best deals and show absolutely no loyalty to either. Since I made that decision, I've been far more content ... with both of them.

You’ve got every right to be very cross.

If the mood takes you it might be worthwhile to remind QF they record calls for quality and training purposes and you can show when you called them, so perhaps they might like to reconsider. Or not if you’ve better things to do.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

If the mood takes you it might be worthwhile to remind QF they record calls for quality and training purposes and you can show when you called them, so perhaps they might like to reconsider. Or not if you’ve better things to do.

Much better things to do, but the other thing, is to what end? Even if I get a sympathetic ear (doubtful, they had many chances of that), what are they likely to do? I ended up going on to gain SG and then WP and am currently still WP. I doubt they'll offer me WP1 as compensation. I gained SG by flying J which meant I had all the SG entitlements regardless (except the points bonus) so even if it succeeded in small claims, to what end effect? Points don't have a value. I doubt a tribunal would understand a status run concept and in the end I reckon the answer might be "but you bought flights you actually flew, so what is the problem"?

Really, it takes one of those lunatic FFers to see the problem!

 

[CPMaverick]

Thanks. I wasn't excusing QF for any wrongdoing, just trying to understand exactly what the issue was (not QF just being terrible etc etc). Certainly I agree that if they don't exclude a type of SC then all should count, and you have a right to be upset. But real-world experience like yours can help others.

It's very helpful and I certainly wouldn't risk anything but pure QF metal and base SC for any challenge I take. Cheers.

 

[CPMaverick]

I received a Gold Challenge (a little disappointing as I am VA Plat and DL Gold, and could have easily made the Plat challenge).

It was a bit painful, I called and the agent did know about the program. I send in my info. 3 weeks, and nothing. I called back, and was put on hold for awhile, they said they would escalate it. Then i received a call from QF about 10 minutes later asking me about existing QF bookings. i didn't have any (they are dependent on this offer). A few days later, a call back confirming my Gold offer. They weren't interested in discussing an upgrade to Plat. Was told I'd get an email, but I never did. A couple weeks later I called and asked for the email confirmation, which I finally received.

Here is the official email for anyone else looking for it, as I was.

Dear CPMaverick,

Further to our conversation, we’re pleased to confirm an exclusive Qantas Gold Accelerator offer to assist you in reaching Qantas Gold status faster. Earn at least 200 Status Credits on Qantas marketed flights (booked and ticketed on QF flight numbers) between DDMonth2019 and DDMonth2019 [90 days later], and we’ll upgrade you to Qantas Gold.*

Make the most of this offer by booking now at qantas.com

Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeing you on board.

Kind regards

[redacted]
Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre

qantas.com/frequentflyer

*This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer from Qantas Frequent Flyer. In accepting this offer, you have acknowledged that you will be excluded from any other Status Credit promotions for a period of six months from the commencement date of this offer. Any bonus Status Credits earned during the accelerator period will not contribute toward this offer.