Flawed plans [get 4 segments or use another FF program?]

[TimLyFr]

Hi All,

Im new to actually progressing through the ranks of QFF and I was hoping I could ask for your advice. I am working in Europe and the North America for the next two years, but will be in Australia permanently after that.

I have flown a bit in the last year and today have booked in the last flights I need to reach platinum (WP?) with QFF this year. Prior to this I had never even made Silver, but had been QP member for several years.

Next year I have already booked Lyon-London-Tokyo-London-Lyon in J (?D) and Lyon-London-Toronto in F, all with BA, and I was thinking I would be well on the way to keeping at least SG with more travel planned, however, I had not thought about the need to fly 4 Qantas segments. Due to my location for the two years Qantas does not really serve my needs.

I would appreciate some advice or strategies for what to do?

Should I just join BA program and collect points with them for the year? I would reach their silver no problems and thus remain one world sapphire when I get back to Australia.
Should I just accept the lack of status increase to keep the credits at least going towards lifetime silver/gold? Seems a waste to me but might be best long term.
Should I manufacture a reason to fly home from Toronto with Qantas and keep an eye out for sale fares? This would keep me in WP for sure but would not be cheap.

Thanks for your advice,

TL

 

[Mal]

Re: Flawed plans

There are still a few Qf code shares in Europe that go via London. So 4 could be (for example) Edinburgh to London to Dubai return. But the number of code shares via London are very small these days (basically only cities not served by emirates). Apparently there might be some more tricks possible but I haven't tested them.

Some people use proxy flyers within australia to get the sectors. I'm not advocating this, but it has been known to happen. I believe it is illegal now to do this, certainly it is against the t&cs of the Qantas scheme and Qantas could audit this if they wanted to.

Might be time to analyse your planned flying patterns and choose a scheme that suits you better when overseas.

 

[TimLyFr]

Re: Flawed plans

Thanks for your suggestion Mal. Thats exactly what I'm wondering. I'm not sure how much money it is worth stumping up to get the sectors, just to keep the lifetime status credits going to Qantas. I'll look into the remaining code shares.

 

[TimLyFr]

Re: Flawed plans

Ok, to continue on, rather than starting a new thread...
There are a few cities that still have QF codeshare in Europe, but the Qantas website will only allow a couple of combinations. I need to go to Oslo in March, so Toulouse-London-Oslo return could give me 4 segments. Are you only allowed to book codeshare if to/from Australia?
I was able to put them into a multicity string but it said cannot do online contact Qantas. Would they allow me to do this? I don't see any reason for them to not want me to book their codeshare flights?
Thanks
Tim

 

[markis10]

Re: Flawed plans

If your going to hit Plat this year, why not take advantage of the soft landing down to Gold and just keep crediting to QF, then the issue of retaining becomes one to address in the following year.

 

[TimLyFr]

Re: Flawed plans

Hi Markis,
Thanks for your response. Showing my ignorance yet again, there is a soft landing? i.e., if I go plat this year I will stay plat next year, then just fall to gold the following year? I think that would be by far the best option.

 

[markis10]

Re: Flawed plans

Hi Markis,
Thanks for your response. Showing my ignorance yet again, there is a soft landing? i.e., if I go plat this year I will stay plat next year, then just fall to gold the following year? I think that would be by far the best option.

That is the way it should work out.

 

[TimLyFr]

Re: Flawed plans

Thanks so much for your help. Case closed.

 

[Mal]

Re: Flawed plans

If your going to hit Plat this year, why not take advantage of the soft landing down to Gold and just keep crediting to QF, then the issue of retaining becomes one to address in the following year.

Will soft landing apply without the 4 sectors? Opinion has been divided before...

 

[markis10]

Re: Flawed plans

Will soft landing apply without the 4 sectors? Opinion has been divided before...

Very little evidence to suggest either way, we have a soft landing with two:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....hat-happens-if-you-dont-14092.html#post183154

While I have heard of overseas based members dropping all the way on FT, maybe having an Australian address on your membership helps???

 

[serfty]

Re: Flawed plans

While in the past, a soft landing had not been granted to those without the four ~ segments, I have seen anecdotes that QFF have indeed been granting a soft landing more recently.

SWMBO qualified SG in June 2011 and at the end of October 2012 received a Silver Pack - she has not set foot on a QF aircraft since Qualifying.

Some more here on FT: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qantas-frequent-flyer/1478209-minimum-4-qantas-flights.html