Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades'

[Happy Trails]

QF Introduces Upgrade Bidding

Qantas Airways frequent flyers will be given the opportunity to bid for an upgrade to any remaining business class seats a week before a flight in a new initiative designed to increase loyalty to the airline and boost revenue.
The "bid now upgrades" will be offered to select passengers on each flight, allowing them to bid with a mix of frequent flyer points and cash. Upgrades will be confirmed 24 hours before the scheduled departure.


Read more: Qantas offers new way to upgrade to business class

 

[CamDownUnder]

Yikes, it's been rumoured for a while and now it's happening! Qantas will start to auction off business class upgrades to the highest bidder under its new 'Bid Now Upgrades' program being launched this week, reports AusBT.

Qantas is the latest airline to offer economy passengers a business class upgrade via online auction through the launch of its new Bid Now Upgrades scheme, with the highest bid winning the cushiest seat.

To be rolled out from this week on domestic and international flights, Bid Now Upgrades will offer selected travellers a chance to be bumped up from economy or premium economy to business class using a mix of Qantas Frequent Flyer points and a cash payment.

Bid Now Upgrades will start from 3,000 Qantas Points on domestic routes and 5,000 Qantas Points on international flights, with travellers adding a cash component to sweeten their bid.

Qantas online auction lets you bid for a business class upgrade

 

[CamDownUnder]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

Here's what the upgrade screen looks like:

Pic via AusBT, article at Qantas online auction lets you bid for a business class upgrade

 

[JamesMiddleton]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

Well that's a bugger. According to the article these auction bids will have priority over On Departure Upgrades because the auctions will be finalised 24 hours before the flight.

I get that Qantas is trying to make money by auctioning off vacant J seats but I can see fewer op-ups and ODUs once these auctions take off.

 

[boomy]

Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgr...

Here's what the upgrade screen looks like:

Pic via AusBT, article at Qantas online auction lets you bid for a business class upgrade

Judging by the PER-MEL example bidding conditions are not looking very attractive.
Reminds me of the already existing points + pay booking option which is totally ridiculous.

 

[boomy]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

I wonder how they are going to select the customers eligible for this offer. WP/P1 already have high priority for points upgrade so it seems pointless to select them but then selecting others gives an unfair advantage to lower-tier pax over those who are most loyal to the airline.

 

[danny09]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

ODU's will be hard to come by on popular routes, dont think i'de need to use this as i keep a healthy points balance all the time but would be nice if your paying cash to get SC's aswell.

The lower the points, the more cash you pay, the more SC's you get.

 

[Ansett]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

Taken from the Ausbt Article...........

In November last year Qantas presented the Bid Now Upgrades concept to focus groups consisting of selected Qantas Frequent Flyer members.
However, an Australian Business Traveller reader who attended one of the 90 minute market research workshops reported that during his session, “most of the Qantas Frequent Flyers in attendance” voiced their preference for an ‘upgrade at the gate’ system in which Qantas would offer fixed price upgrades directly to top-tier frequent flyers


So it seems that QF didn't listen to its focus group and went with what it wanted t do anyways,,,, Sound familiar?


And to think We are the reason they fly.....

Qantas online auction lets you bid for a business class upgrade

 

[opusman]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

The SMH article on this makes it sound "not that bad":

The upgrades are designed for frequent flyers who do not have enough points to book a "classic award" for a firm booking of a business class seat or to put in a request for a "classic upgrade award" to upgrade using points. The "bid now upgrades" will rank behind both of those in priority, meaning in peak travel periods it is highly unlikely any bid now upgrades will be available on a given flight.

So if that's true the only real negative is fewer op-ups which are so scarce on QF anyway as to make no difference as far as I can see.

 

[Red Roo]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

Introducing another way to upgrade

From today, customers will have another way to upgrade their flights to Business using Bid Now Upgrades: qantas.com/bidnowupgrades

Bid Now Upgrades will be available by invitation only, and for select Qantas marketed and operated flights. Upgrade offers will be considered after all Classic Upgrade Rewards (previously known as Flight Upgrade Awards) have been processed and confirmed.

There will be a minimum amount of Qantas Points and cash required to make an offer. An offer can be made, changed or cancelled up to 24hrs before your scheduled flight.

As you would have noted above that the terminology has changed for our flight redemption products. To clarify, these are name changes only, and will not impact their function or conditions of use. For more information, please see: https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/flying/using-points-qantas-jetstar

 

[RAM]

Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

Introducing another way to upgrade

From today, customers will have another way to upgrade their flights to Business using Bid Now Upgrades: qantas.com/bidnowupgrades

Bid Now Upgrades will be available by invitation only, and for select Qantas marketed and operated flights. Upgrade offers will be considered after all Classic Upgrade Rewards (previously known as Flight Upgrade Awards) have been processed and confirmed.

There will be a minimum amount of Qantas Points and cash required to make an offer. An offer can be made, changed or cancelled up to 24hrs before your scheduled flight.

As you would have noted above that the terminology has changed for our flight redemption products. To clarify, these are name changes only, and will not impact their function or conditions of use. For more information, please see: https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/flying/using-points-qantas-jetstar

The saying "Scarcer than hen's teeth" begins to seem relevant here.

If there is one way to disenfranchise FFers it is to constantly whittle down the number of seats available to them through points redemptions. Just like with the politicians - saying something loud and frequently does not make it true.

Q Mgmt made a decision years ago to separate "fees and charges" from the fare following a consultant's report pointing out that it was 'like shooting fish in a barrel'. They had a captive market which they had spent money creating and it was now time to harvest it.

Trouble is the harvesting is fast resembling a scorched earth policy.

Large consulting groups have the habit of being loyal to themselves and their revenue stream - not their clients. They are businesses of course with a profit motive. Solving a problem rapidly does not enhance their revenue and creates a direct conflict of interest.

The glossy brochures do not mention this but then again neither do Q's about the (revenue) enhancements they keep rolling out.

There will be a minimum amount of Qantas Points and cash required to make an offer. An offer can be made, changed or cancelled up to 24hrs before your scheduled flight.

Who's offer is talked about here? The one from Q or a 'privileged FFer'? Unclear? Must be accidental.

Perhaps this could be rewritten as, "If we can find a way to make more money out of frequent fliers then we will. If you are no longer the most profitable avenue for us then we will rescind your offer regardless of whether you have already accepted the offered terms and agreed to the consideration requested".

Strange - I thought 'Contract Law' was a widely understood legal principle.

Or as "If we can sell the seat for full price we will of course - the lack of certainty you have does not bother us. This enhancement is to benefit us not you!"

 

[pauly7]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

So it seems that QF didn't listen to its focus group and went with what it wanted t do anyways,,,, Sound familiar?
]

Hardly think an opinion from one attendee about the feeling at one focus group encapsulates the majority. I work in this field, there would have been multiple groups, quant surveys, social listening etc to feed into the recommendation.

AusBT know that to. They are quite... sensationalist writers sometimes. Grain of salt.

 

[Ansett]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

Hardly think an opinion from one attendee about the feeling at one focus group encapsulates the majority. I work in this field, there would have been multiple groups, quant surveys, social listening etc to feed into the recommendation.

AusBT know that to. They are quite... sensationalist writers sometimes. Grain of salt.

My Point was more along the lines that QF talk about listening to its Members however they still do what they want to do, Café Style Breakfast for example.

 

[TomVexille]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

I see this is being run more like NZ than VA.

 

[drron]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

So who wins the auction?The one bidding the highest points or the one bidding the highest cash.

 

[maninblack]

Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgr...

Bidding for upgrades is for schmucks. You will notice the thresholds (reserve) are quite high with most airlines who do this. Perhaps you will be able to bid for an upgrade LAX to Australia whilst on the same flight QF bumps someone else down!

 

[Gold Member]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgr...

Fewer ODUs for Status pax :evil:

Simpler and Fairer, Enhancement, call it what you will. This is a cash grab that further dilutes status pax benefits!

 

[RAM]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgr...

Bidding for upgrades is for schmucks. You will notice the thresholds (reserve) are quite high with most airlines who do this.

Genius!

Have you come up with the topic for Tropfest 2017? No, not 'Dinner for Shmucks' but "Upgrade for shmucks"!

I can see it now, cut aways to a boardroom with Dom or suitable upturned bottles on a silver trolley, waiter standing behind said trolleys, silhouettes of cough Airway's directors plotting on how to trick unwitting but loyal airline customers by devaluing their hard come by airline points.

Perhaps you will be able to bid for an upgrade LAX to Australia whilst on the same flight QF bumps someone else down!

But Q would never downgrade someone else on a flight from Dallas/LAX to Australia of course and enhance their profit coincidentally...

And Q would promptly act once such a situation was found and accept responsibility for their and their staff's actions.

Oh, that's right....

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ram/downgraded-from-business-class-63686.html

 

[juddles]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

...... Perhaps this could be rewritten as, "If we can find a way to make more money out of frequent fliers then we will. If you are no longer the most profitable avenue for us then we will rescind your offer regardless of whether you have already accepted the offered terms and agreed to the consideration requested"....."

Sorry RAM but I completely disagree - it appears a very reasonable system to sell seats that WERE NOT purchased through the existing options already available. They get processed AFTER usual points-upgrade requests are processed.

 

[Deleted member]

Re: Qantas launches online auction for business class upgrades with 'Bid Now Upgrades

Bid Now Upgrades will be available by invitation only, and for select Qantas marketed and operated flights. Upgrade offers will be considered after all Classic Upgrade Rewards (previously known as Flight Upgrade Awards) have been processed and confirmed.

So if I'm not mistaken, the early (points upgrade) bird will have preference?