Qantas Platinum One experiences?

[aus_flyer]

To all the newly-minted Platinum One frequent flyers out there... I'm curious to hear... what's been your experience so far?

Anything different?

Free upgrades?

... or all hype?

 

[kermatu]

Agree the sst is great when there are problems.

I guess I just reckon that “customer service” shouldn’t be a perk, and if there is a problem delivering on the contract to get me from A to B then sorting that out in a timely manner is just implied.

Imagine any other service you purchased where you accepted that only “super elite” purchasers were given after sales service!

Agree. On each of the handful of occasions I've had major disruptions (predominantly in the US, travelling AA) my plain vanilla OWE status has been enough for me to get flights re-booked, F seats (as they were back then) reserved on alternative flights until I chose or got in contact, accommodation booked and transfers arranged. No fuss, no angst.

The only times I've had major disruptions with QF I was just WP. Zero help, zero communication, had to chase everything up myself and in the end Jetstar on one occasion was the airline/staff that were most helpful.

Have only had minor problems as a P1 and the team has been great. Pretty sure I know exactly when I'll have my next major disruption...

 

[RichardMEL]

Yeserday I had SST experiences to give a +1 to Juddles comment

I was on the delayed QF55 744 SYD-BNE (see the other thread) which was sched to arrive at 1520 in BNE. I had booked a (flex Y) separate ticket BNE-MEL for the 1655. I knew it was dicey, but I figured I could fall back to the later flights with the K class ticket if need be, and the 1655 looked the best for upgrade (given i booked it 2.5 days out). Upgrade came through the day before travel which was nice.

Well as soon as I knew the 55 was delayed to 1500 (that was the first delay of 1:15) I knew I would not make the 1655 so I phoned the SST and asked to move to the 1830 flight. They suggested the 1800 as it had J space(nice touch). I accepted thinking well if the 1500 time holds that gives me an hour or so to get to domestic so should be fine.

Now I'd just transferred to SYD Intenrational and through immigration when SST call me (different agent) offering to move me to another SYD-BNE flight because of the delay. I expressed the whole point was to be on the 747 and I was already in international anyway so that would be a hassle to get out and back to dom, so just leave it but thanked them.

fast forward to multiple gate returns and customs issues with that flight and it got to 1600 and I knew I would not make the 1800 so I called the SST back and they were great. I asked to move to the 8pm(the last flight to MEL) and "Yes no problem I'll take care of it for you" - and they still retained my U seat (!) .. that was not asked for or required but a very nice touch.

and, 2 minute after that call SST called back oting the issue and "oh I see my colleage has just rebooked you"

now OK the timing was off a bit, but they, imho, went above and beyond given they were separate tickets and all and I was impressed specially with the follow up just to make sure all was sorted.

And as a cherry on top and I am totally unsure if it was related or not, but the CSM gave me a bottle of wine to take home on the BNE-MEL flight.

SST came through. No complaints at all.

 

[TonyHancock]

I think you guys are clutching at straws a little.

As a OWE (BA) QF has moved me to later flights on non connected tickets without issue on several occasions. I even had the CSM on a QF flight call ahead to sort one out.

I would expect this service as standard for a WP let alone a P1.

As an aside AA now treats me like a Concierge Key holder, there seems to be some mutual recognition between BA and AA of their top tier flyers. Is this the same between QF and AA?

 

[RichardMEL]

TH, I understand what you're saying and tend to agree that they should do it without issue, and some airline folks, like the CSM you mentioned, are proactive enough to assist and probably don't care so much about status and all that but doing a good job.

I guess in my experience yesterday that I didn't have to go to an agent at customer service, or wait forever on the phone or whatever was very handy for me, and having the call back to confirm everything was going OK told me that the SST were aware of what I was doing and keeping an eye on it.

If it was a connected PNR then I'd expect that to be handled automaticaly (and has been in the past and I've never called just watched the app to see the rebooking)

I'd also say that the SST clearly worked some magic to keep my U seat on pretty full flights (not that I asked to keep it or anything, but it was a nice touch I thought).

Given hoe horrendous call wait times and stuff for non high status pax are, and lines at airport counters, being able to call the SST and have it answered in around 10 seconds is benefit enough too I guess.

 

[juddles]

I recently booked a domestic (BNE-PER) rewards ticket in J - had to call the premium line to get the seat released - and it was. All good

But I noticed I was charged the 3500 points fee for doing a booking via phone. I rang them again, to point out that I should be exempt from such fees. They agreed and assured me that it was already "in the system" to reverse the fee. And sure enough a few days later those points were re-credited. So no complaints about outcome, but not really sure how a P1 can phone up, give his FF number, yet still get charged points. Training issue?

 

[calmelb]

I recently booked a domestic (BNE-PER) rewards ticket in J - had to call the premium line to get the seat released - and it was. All good

But I noticed I was charged the 3500 points fee for doing a booking via phone. I rang them again, to point out that I should be exempt from such fees. They agreed and assured me that it was already "in the system" to reverse the fee. And sure enough a few days later those points were re-credited. So no complaints about outcome, but not really sure how a P1 can phone up, give his FF number, yet still get charged points. Training issue?

You would think the automatic request system would notice you’re a P1 and automatically waive it

 

[downgraded]

You would think the automatic request system would notice you’re a P1 and automatically waive it

Silly question, but is it a documented benefit? No reason otherwise why access to an express service in any way implies a free service. The benefit is the sst at your beck and call, doesn't mean it shouldn't be paid for...

 

[juddles]

Silly question, but is it a documented benefit? No reason otherwise why access to an express service in any way implies a free service. The benefit is the sst at your beck and call, doesn't mean it shouldn't be paid for...

"

• No Award Assistance Fees
  Book Reward Flights without paying the usual Flight Award Assistance Fees(14)."

(14) " Award Assistance Fees will be waived for Platinum One members when booking Reward Flights and Classic Upgrade Rewards using their points when booking through Qantas Telephone Sales. All other fees continue to apply."

 

[juddles]

Downgraded, sorry for my poor cut & paste attempt - but that is from the QF site under the P1 benefits.

 

[calmelb]

Also the unofficial rule is if you cant book it online then the fee is waived (such as for a WP requesting a seat)

 

[juddles]

Also the unofficial rule is if you cant book it online then the fee is waived (such as for a WP requesting a seat)

Exactly - I was "doubly-exempt"

 

[juddles]

Speaking of award bookings, I just booked my family to head BNE to CBR early next year - we are heading there to see eldest daughter off on her first year of uni.

Family of four - I have cheekily put the two girls in 1A and 1C, me and better half in 1D and 1F. The girls are now only bronze with QF (wife obviously WP due to my P1).

I wonder if some CL bigwig will try to displace them?? Will see.......

 

[downgraded]

Exactly - I was "doubly-exempt"

Thanks. I was just asking.

 

[downgraded]

Speaking of award bookings, I just booked my family to head BNE to CBR early next year - we are heading there to see eldest daughter off on her first year of uni.

Family of four - I have cheekily put the two girls in 1A and 1C, me and better half in 1D and 1F. The girls are now only bronze with QF (wife obviously WP due to my P1).

I wonder if some CL bigwig will try to displace them?? Will see.......

I took 1AC, DF as a mere WP on a Syd-Mel with my brother and partner (both NBs) taking 2 of the seats. It was interesting because they did serve the NBs at the same time as me (first), which left those behind with limited meal choices as we all took the same dish. The under catering on QF is one of the things that really irritates given the cost of a dish vs the price of a ticket.

 

[Pfisher004]

Qantas has been having system issues with the 3500 award assistance fee being charged. Looks like its still not resolved

 

[JohnK]

I would expect this service as standard for a WP let alone a P1.

Fairly standard service for vanilla Platinums.

 

[RichardMEL]

Qantas has been having system issues with the 3500 award assistance fee being charged. Looks like its still not resolved

I was not charged it a week ago when requesting seat release....

 

[RichardMEL]

So yesterday was a mess operations wise as some may know.

Not only was SYD affected by weather and alleged sickies in ATC causing many flight delays and cancels, but I was at OOL, and they had a 'mare too including a 737 (QF863) that went tech and needed an engineer flown in(!) and it departed over 3 hours late, the 1569 and 1571 717's were delayed out of SYD due to the issues there, and a JQ went tech and then cancelled too, so it was insane(moreso with last day of school hols). Then as I noted SYD was crazy.

I was flying OOL-SYD-MEL (you know, why fly direct when you can....)

I want to express that I did NOT call the SST or even make any effort to change anything despite the delays, I just let it unfold because I absolutely figured with the SYD chaos that even with being delayed by hours out of OOL there was a chance the disruptions in SYD would potemntially work in my favour.

At any rate, I was paged and the OOL lounge angels had done all they could. They tried(proactively) to get me on VA direct to MEL in J, but VA had no J seats, they protected me on a SYD-MEL that my revised flight would (just) connect to(it wound up being delayed by 90 minutes, so no issue there).. but given 4/5 MEL flights were cancelled, that they had me on that flight and kept me in J was clearly a P1 effort.

I was pretty impressed given how many were impacted yesterday in very trying circumstances.

 

[kermatu]

In the CBR J lounge on the weekend. Packed to the rafters. Not because of any flight delays, but simply the result of not opening the QP. All pax directed to the J lounge. On my way out I popped my head into the CL. Empty. I was cheeky and told the staff member it would be nice if P1s could access the CL when the QP is closed. She said it wasn’t the first time she’d heard that suggestion and she’d pass it on again!

 

[Burgo]

Interesting to see some P1's who have given up on this status level. And I understand that. I agree that the very low-key (non-existent?) recognition of requalification, etc etc is not what most seem to expect. And event invitations are not exactly well managed (my only once ever invite was when I was already overseas on QF tickets). Likewise upgrades - I have had a couple, very nice, but nothing near any "1 in 10" or other such fanciful idea. Champagne at Christmas is nice, but I could buy a hell of a lot of champas if I just cancelled a single QF trip out of the year....

The thing that still makes me enjoy holding this status is because a couple of times when trips went pear-shaped, having the P1 team behind me was a God-send. They truly shone. It would be very hard for me to lose that.

It gets back to what I have already said - P1 is a great service if you fly way too much. But it is NOT a "status" worth chasing.

I'd like to see some of that service when things go pear-shaped, but on my trip last month as a P1 in Business, the flight from LHR to CDG was cancelled by BA, it was ticketed under QF as a leg after QF1. BA emailed me of the cancellation which I received once I landed in LHR and had connectivity, I heard nothing from the SST or QF, I had to rebook the flight to CDG myself at the Flight Connections counter in T5.

There was no recognition of P1 status in Singapore either, the lack of service matched what I had received earlier in the year when I flew in F as a P1, reception handed back my boarding pass with no additional service, no offer of seating, no nothing...abysmal. Given the lounge was full with no spare seats some preferential treatment would've been appreciated.

Treatment on the flights no better, out of SYD I prebooked my meal which the cabin crew confirmed on-boarding...they delivered the entree but didn't deliver the main...as in they didn't deliver any main course. Woeful service.

Time I took my business away from QF it seems.