"Qantas plots response to free Virgin Australia upgrades"

[SteveJohnson]

Qantas plots response to free Virgin Australia upgrades, but "No free upgrades for you!"

However, while admitting the flag-carrier has "a few things in the pipeline at the moment", a Qantas spokeswoman ruled out matching Virgin's current upgrade promotion and offering similar one-time upgrades to Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum and Gold members. "We are focussed on continuing with our own strategies of making it easier for upgrades on an everyday basis rather than a one-off" the spokeswoman told Australian Business Traveller.

http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-plots-response-to-virgin-australia-s-free-frequent-flyer-business-class-upgrades

 

[samh004]

IT’s a good strategy, I don’t want a one-off upgrade, where I may or may not be able to take it up before it expires. They’re improving in the right areas, and battling to give away things isn’t going to help the business.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Above link didn't work for me.
Try this
Qantas plots response to free Virgin Australia upgrades - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

 

[simongr]

The one thing that would swing me more to QF (and QFF) would be confirmable upgrades at booking. Be nice if that was a new P1 benefit...

 

[aus_flyer]

The one thing that would swing me more to QF (and QFF) would be confirmable upgrades at booking. Be nice if that was a new P1 benefit...

Huh? Do you mean for International flights? Confirmed Domestic upgrades are already available.

 

[Standby]

Domestically bookings can be upgraded with points as soon as the original booking is ticketed, Not immediate but only takes a couple of extra minutes .Just check the flight yr booking has classic J award seats avail.
Of course if you meant a free upgrade once booked ,I wouldnt hold my breath

 

[simongr]

Of course I meant international. You have seen how much I post here?

 

[anat0l]

Above link didn't work for me.

The link was a bit clumsily put together and a few symbols were missed after the http part of the link in the OP.

I don't think the article was necessarily warranted. It doesn't really discuss much except reporting supposedly on the positive outcome of Qantas's recent upgrade changes (including waitlisted domestic upgrades and upgrade up to the gate at international flights). To be honest I'm rather surprised that QF reported increased upgrade success due to these initiatives, and AusBT has reflected in kind by saying its members have also experienced increased upgrade success. I'm not sure in the grand scheme of things how this has beaten around the stolid (and stubborn) QF yield management, and how this differs to the days of yore when it was not an entirely alien scenario to be declined an upgrade despite an almost empty premium cabin.

The part about Qantas "plotting a response on upgrades" is pretty hollow in content - it doesn't discuss a single thing, and seems more window dressing or obvious than anything else.

Qantas have had in the past the really random promotion of offering upgrade opportunities for some QFFers flying on an international Red e-Deal (normally non-upgradeable). I would not call that a response, unless it was turned into a timed promotion of sorts and sent out to all QFFers (or a subset of them, e.g. Golds and Platinums). Or, if it opened up that kind of privilege to say WPs, or WP2.4k and P1s (viz. upgrade from any booking class except Classic Awards and some other heavily discounted fares etc.).

 

[medhead]

I would argue the international red-e-deal upgrades are really a one off measure as well. Something qantas are not going to do according to the article.




Sent from the Throne

 

[markis10]

Expect another article next week titled "Qantas sleeps while the opposition roars" with similar content lacking real information or news, after all you need to show something is changing to keep drawing back readers to your blog! "This page left intentionally blank" does not seem to work!

 

[spentan]

as a person who flys Business every time (6ft9in and 180kg, don't really fit in Economy),

I would have to say that it'd be nice to have some other benefits, increasing the amount of points given to platinums or even giving 50% status bonus for status credits or similar.

that'd be awesome

 

[Danger]

Expect another article next week titled "Qantas sleeps while the opposition roars" with similar content lacking real information or news, after all you need to show something is changing to keep drawing back readers to your blog! "This page left intentionally blank" does not seem to work!

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[tuppaware]

A bit like most of AFF really.

 

[markis10]

A bit like most of AFF really.

Not really, ones a blog while the other is a discussion board that occasionally has some scoops just because people keep any eye out!

 

[Danger]

Not really, ones a blog while the other is a discussion board that occasionally has some scoops just because people keep any eye out!

And, seemingly, those eyes are apparently out on AFF.

 

[oz_mark]

Not really, ones a blog while the other is a discussion board that occasionally has some scoops just because people keep any eye out!

...or maybe it's just that enough rumours are posted on AFF that you've got to get one right eventually

 

[codash1099]

as a person who flys Business every time (6ft9in and 180kg, don't really fit in Economy),

I would have to say that it'd be nice to have some other benefits, increasing the amount of points given to platinums or even giving 50% status bonus for status credits or similar.

that'd be awesome

Dream on! Reality is different.

 

[SteveJohnson]

I don't think the article was necessarily warranted.

Virgin announces a big promo giving away a free upgrade to all Gold & Platinum frequent flyers, which gets massive coverage and positive feedback on AFF, and you don't think that Qantas's response to this, the latest round of the big Qantas vs Virgin slugfest, is 'news'?

If Red Roo posted that same reply on AFF in response to a member asking the question, and said "Qantas is not going to match Virgin with one-off upgrades" I reckon this would be a massive thread with a very high participation, so I don't see why when ABT reports it it is dismissed by some people as not being news.

 

[markis10]

Virgin announces a big promo giving away a free upgrade to all Gold & Platinum frequent flyers, which gets massive coverage and positive feedback on AFF, and you don't think that Qantas's response to this, the latest round of the big Qantas vs Virgin slugfest, is 'news'?

If Red Roo posted that same reply on AFF in response to a member asking the question, and said "Qantas is not going to match Virgin with one-off upgrades" I reckon this would be a massive thread with a very high participation, so I don't see why when ABT reports it it is dismissed by some people as not being news.

Qantas have had the same response for the past 20 years to anything that their competition does (and do you really think they will tell you their plans), it's not news! BTW I don't think a free upgrade is a big promo, the big promo will be next week!

 

[anchew]

BTW I don't think a free upgrade is a big promo, the big promo will be next week!

Woooo..... what do you know?