QF Platinum One - good example of marketing and loyalty failure

[747800intercon]

It's been a good 9 months since the P1 service has been running and was looking back at the little black "benefits" book that came in the very strange and hastily arranged metal box with the just as hastily arranged P1 card. Let's run through these benefits as listed in the black booklet.

1. SPECIAL SERVICES TEAM - most of the time the call rings out or when they do finally answer you are referred back to Platinum Desk - FAIL
2. EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO EXTRA QANTAS CLASSIC AWARD SEATS - this one deserves EPIC fail. Have had zero success even day prior with flights being pretty wide open - particularly in F and J. FAIL
3. SAY GOODBYE TO AWARD ASSISTANCE BOOKING FEES - yes, however in a lot of instances the Plat Desk had to be reminded of this. In other instance I noticed on my statement award fees were charge. Also when attempting to change online it doesn't recognise your P1 status and goes ahead and charges award fees - FAIL
4.ENJOY A BETTER UPGRADE EXPERIENCE - this seems to be working well but it's across board even to standard Plat - SUCCESS
5. EPIQURE - Even most Plats were given this free of charge last year - so not really an exclusive benefit. FAIL
6. ADDITIONAL PREMIUM SEATING - this is a true benefit having access to row 1 in J domestic and row 4 (row 23 767) in Y domestic as well as access to virtually any seat in J and Y international including exit row - SUCCESS.
7.MORE FOR YOU - special invites - not one. Nothing. - EPIC FAIL.

So overall it one just one set of empty promises - apart from the preferred seat assignment. Considering QF wants you to fly 3 x more that standard platinum AND 2700 SC on QF marketed flights, that's a whole lot of flying for a whole lot of nothing. Virgin Australia must be very happy as QF has managed to anger the P1s by failing to deliver and even more damaging has managed to alienate the more signifcant number of Plats by diluting benefits and being treated as second class. Compare this with Virgin's status match Plat Level - real tangible benefits such as Elite level with Hilton or IHG, Hertz Elite and Sentinel.

It is obvious QF rushed this program in desperation after Virgin's Velocity relaunch...they announced it in May 2011 with very vague offerings since they really had no idea, and QF being the reactive rather than proactive airline they rushed up this half baked Plat One program which is frankly nothing short of a joke. If you are planning to aspire to this - DON'T - it's not worth it at all.

 

[GoldenWinger]

I wholeheartedly agree - PlatONE is total rubbish. who are QF kidding with this stuff?

 

[juddles]

I am one of those QFF members who exceed the overall points, but fail on the QF component - as i am based overseas and booking many flights with QF rather than the OW ptr would be insane. So will likely never get past my WP status. I have considered booking the same flights via QF, ignoring the financial sense, but simply following the fun, hobby-like path of gaining Platinum One as a sort of Holy Grail. But I know it is not worth it. Not for me, anyway. I am sure that QF provide some great support to P1 members, it is just something I do not seem to need. But, my question is, what does Virgin offer as an alternative? Do they have a similar program? Forgive my ignorance, I just havent taken the time to check it out. Despite my funny loyalty to QF (and hence OW), I am based in Colombia, and do a lot on Avianca, which has just joined the Star Alliance. Should I focus on them now and fly Air New Zealand to go home?

 

[747800intercon]

Virgin Velocity probably wouldn't suit you in Colombia. Virgin Australia has Delta and Virgin America as partners.

And congrats on being WP based in Colombia - that's really good.

 

[juddles]

.....

And congrats on being WP based in Colombia - that's really good.

Unfortunately the toll on your body of doing too many half-way-round-world flights is obscene, but there are benefits, which I have ¨epic failed¨ to take up on. Have never spent more than half hour in the QF Flounge in Sydney. Have never eaten there, despite being a devout Eggs Benedict lover. Last time I went outbound thru Sydney (two weeks ago) I didnt even bother to go to the lounge as i waited outside and smoked instead. Pure sacrilege to true AFF´s!!

 

[smit0847]

I am one of those QFF members who exceed the overall points, but fail on the QF component - as i am based overseas and booking many flights with QF rather than the OW ptr would be insane. So will likely never get past my WP status. I have considered booking the same flights via QF, ignoring the financial sense, but simply following the fun, hobby-like path of gaining Platinum One as a sort of Holy Grail. But I know it is not worth it. Not for me, anyway. I am sure that QF provide some great support to P1 members, it is just something I do not seem to need. But, my question is, what does Virgin offer as an alternative? Do they have a similar program? Forgive my ignorance, I just havent taken the time to check it out. Despite my funny loyalty to QF (and hence OW), I am based in Colombia, and do a lot on Avianca, which has just joined the Star Alliance. Should I focus on them now and fly Air New Zealand to go home?

Check out Life Miles *A awards redemption - I'm extremely impressed so far!

 

[boylero]

Interesting read considering I'll turn one next month
Firstly I aint seeking it, it's a nice extra I will get for serving my company around the world. In fact my personal travel wouldnt get me silver. So I will take the 50000 FF's and bank em for a ASA for me and the wife later this year and all the other stuff seems like a load of huff anyhoo.

 

[juddles]

Check out Life Miles *A awards redemption - I'm extremely impressed so far!

Smit, I just got notification a few days ago that Avianca (and hence LifeMiles) were finally in the *A pile. And the redemptions are very good. One thing I like about them is that you can get the equivalent of a QF ASA on any seat. Any flight. Full stop.

 

[simongr]

Juddles given you are above P1 SCs I am wondering if you are also LTG? If so I would credit to QF up to WP and then to AA - still using your QF WP benefits.

I have pushed a little to get to P1 this year - my main hope is for them to release award J seats to the UK. I will be booking 11 months out anyway so am hoping this won't be too hard. Also as 90% of my flights are DOM whY I am looking forward to getting first row of whY back and potentially more OpUps although I realise that isn't likely.

 

[Pleb Status]

When the WP1 enhancements were announced, I posted that it would be hard to measure if you are actually getting the enhancements or not. Most of the enhancements are just a better form of "service". Would have you got that level of "service" as a vanilla WP anyway? How do you know for sure the "service" has been provided?

The remaining enhancements are just cuts in fees that did not even exist when I became a WP (award booking fee, exit row seat fee etc). So QF just gave back some of what they had taken away!

The biggest effect I have found from the introduction of WP1 has been the reduction of row 4/23 availability for vanilla WP.

I looked at doing a WP1 status run mainly just to get a decent seat selection again but I decided it was not worth the effort from what WP1 have stated here.

 

[TonyHancock]

The interesting thing for me is the disconnect between what QF thinks is important and what I, as a regular traveller thinks is important.

The front row, well any seat selection in the class you book, is very important to me. I love the platinum shadow I seem to have adopted recently. The international op ups have been quite wonderful. I have had some experience of the improved upgrade experience, but in reality it is not greatly improved, it is just a little bit better.

I have no interest in special events, which is quite handy because QF, without being told, seems to recognise my lack of interest by not inviting me to any special events. (I thought I might receive the Olympics invite given I am flying F from SIN to LHR with QF early August.)

Other than two messages left on my mobile the plat team have had no communication with me at all. I did not receive the promised welcome phone call....although to be fair I have no great desire to receive it so I can't complain.

What can I say about epicure...mmm it is sort of irrelevant to me...although I may place an order for the 4000 point bonus on offer at the moment.

Overall P1 could be so much better than it is. It's a real opportunity wasted. I would really appreciate a response from QF here, but I suspect that is asking too much. Perhaps QF can introduce Platinum One priority boarding to make up!

 

[exRAAF]

Thanks for the feedback and opinions. I will reach P1 shortly and was hoping it was something above and beyond WP.

Disappointing to hear it isn't for that much flying!