Ok, just to give another perspective on this, I'll bite...
This sounds like a case of "I've been a good customer for Qantas and I can't believe their low-cost-carrier subsidiary Jetstar didn't give me something for free that I didn't pay for and wasn't entitled to".
All seats booked as Starclass (D) and expecting to be able to access the JQ lounge in OOL only to be advised that I have to pay an additional $15 per head for the privilege.
When you booked your Starclass fare, did you buy the bundle that comes with lounge access or not? If you didn't buy 'Business Max' or whatever it is called, then why would you expect to be given free access to the lounge? The Jetstar website makes all this very clear when you're booking.
After having a request to go from SG to WP ( I had a J class overseas flight 3 days after my SC expired) knocked back
Did your earn the SCs within your membership year or not?
and now having to pay for the privilege of lounge access is another straw that may break this camels back.
Again, did you book the Business Max bundle (which includes lounge access) or not?
Have flown J class with many airlines and have never been asked to cough up extra for lounge entry.
Were those "J class with many airlines" all Low Cost Carriers like Jetstar? I think what you're missing is that Jetstar is an LCC.
This means they give you cheap fares but you really can't expect them to operate the same way a premium carrier does, giving you all the things you get from a premium carrier. Even, or particularly, in 'J' class.
Were you also pissed that Jetstar didn't give you a fully-flat bed and a glass of Bollinger before takeoff? I'm sure J class on those other airlines gave you these things.
'J' class on an LCC is always going to be very different to J class on a premium airline. The significant difference in price tag reflects the difference in service.
Perhaps there is a valid argument that Jetstar calling their product J class is confusing or even deceptive. But again I think the inclusions / exclusions are very clearly stated when booking, and customers should be able to make an informed and intelligent decision.
As a QP member for at least 10 years and paying annually for my family to be QP members I am seriously starting to question my mental state.
Well, for 10 years you and your family have gotten access to the Qantas lounges that you paid for...
Maybe I am like the dog that gets the occasional kick just to show that things could be worse, or maybe I am just a whinger.
You make it sound like you were held in an internment camp and beaten. In reality, you were faced with the choice between spending $15 / head to get your family access to an airline lounge, or sitting in an airconditioned departure lounge while you waited for your flight.
I don't want to trivialise your pain here, but seriously there are worse things in the world.
Either way I am now seriously contemplating DJ membership and Star Alliance airlines in the future.
Well, I keep hearing this, but a mass (or any) exodus of Qantas Group customers to competitors is simply not reflected in the numbers. Qantas Group year-on-year traffic stats for
November certainly look pretty healthy (the month directly following the grounding).
It will be interesting to see December's when they are released.
I suspect a lot of Qantas's customers - particularly premium business customers - will try DJ and then return to Qantas with open arms.