6 Years Platinum & Lifetime Gold – Voting With My Wallet After Executive Team Apathy

[RooFlyer]

This decision wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to a single delayed flight. It is the culmination of a steady, systemic erosion of value for top-tier flyers.

From my Gen Z perspective, you just sound entitled and can't seem to fathom that bad experiences just happen. Clearly haven't worked a day in the customer support or hospitality industry. Lord.

Yes bad experiences do just happen but the OP was pretty careful to say that this was a long-term thing. And I agree - except I gave up on Qantas as a consistent airline to book many years ago.

Anyone who keeps putting up with bad service and bad experiences and keeps booking regardless is a mug. They may find experience on the other side as much the same but at least they haven’t been dumb enough just to keep putting up with the same same.

I don’t see the relevance of having worked in hospitality or customer support. Except perhaps to appreciate that good manners and courtesy go along way and again there’s no evidence of the OP demonstrated otherwise.

 

[stm1sydney]

From my Gen Z perspective, you just sound entitled and can't seem to fathom that bad experiences just happen. Clearly haven't worked a day in the customer support or hospitality industry. Lord.

Such a classic Gen Z comment.

 

[esquire]

Such a classic Gen Z comment.

It is a bit but, as a Gen X - I've been QF Plat for 14 years. PL1 for 5, acheived LTG in 3 years (and been VA Plat and Gold on and off as a do the occasional greengrass switcharoo) - but even I accept swaps and changes without too much expectations now. Service industries have changed. Benefits change. Life changes. I've been fortunate - and now learn to adapt.

 

[Daver6]

From my Gen Z perspective, you just sound entitled and can't seem to fathom that bad experiences just happen. Clearly haven't worked a day in the customer support or hospitality industry. Lord.

I think most people accept that things go wrong. What counts is how companies handle it. Qantas is not known for handling these situations well.

 

[Franky]

I think most people accept that things go wrong. What counts is how companies handle it. Qantas is now known for handling these situations well.

Now, or Not??

 

[Daver6]

Now, or Not??

Ooops. Definetly not. Corrected my typo.

 

[buzz62]

can’t recall a single instance of priority boarding not being enforced in the past 18 months since the scanners were reprogrammed to deny - a complete reversal of the consistently inconsistent nature it was before.

LTG is the reward for your loyalty. Lounge access, priority boarding, additional luggage, seat selection and preferential access to both reward availability and upgrades (over silver and bronze) across not just QF but all oneworld carriers, regardless of your future spend. These are tangible, published benefits that I’d argue are quite valuable for someone who spends considerable time in an airport. That you were Platinum for 6 years (of which some I imagine were comped on account of COVID) is of no consequence to QF - they’ve drawn a line commercially as to how much they expect customers to spend to receive certain benefits.

I can empathise with the aircraft being swapped, but as mentioned before this is hardly unusual on the transcon. I do agree that they should (when booking) only show the domestic recliner rather than the suite, however for a domestic product even that exceeds what you’d get intra-Europe, and is comparable to transcon in the US.

You do you, but when VA can’t consistently guarantee their P1 equivalent’s access to advertised benefits (VIP call centre or lounge access when flying with partners) I’m not sure I’d be holding my breath for an elevated experience.

To clarify a few assumptions: my Platinum history goes back much further than 6 years, stretching back to heavy corporate travel in the early 2000s that the current system doesn't fully tally. Furthermore, an upcoming return Business Class trip to Europe on Emirates will restore my Platinum status anyway so this isn't a case of a 'disgruntled flyer who stopped spending.'

Regarding priority boarding, you're missing my point. I'm not saying the scanners don't work; I'm saying the perk has been completely diluted. When the 'Priority' queue is so bloated that the general lane is actually shorter and faster, the benefit ceases to be premium.

Finally, this isn't a Qantas vs. Virgin debate. Everyone can make up their own mind on which carrier they prefer. My point is purely about the erosion of actual, tangible advantages for the dollar spent. When the premium perks become indistinguishable from a standard ticket, the value proposition is gone

 

[drron]

Dear @buzz62 it is Lightyears since QF really really cared about the passenger and their status I was lucky to have by circumstance had experienced service on other airlines when QF was thought by many to be the best for their premium passengers. My experience said otherwise.
Early 2000s began flying BNE at least 3 times a year. I chose J on JAL BNE-NRT-JFKas it was a much better flight than QF BNE-LAX-JFK and business return fares 50% of QF. At that stage JAL was not in OW but QF points only on first leg but AA all the way. No status with either.
By 2003 was able to get a JAward on AA. When seated in Row 12 the gate agent boarded and said we had to change seats. Before Mrsdrron exploded I noticed our new BPs were for row 2. Yes upgraded to F. So I changed my primary FF program.

But a couple of years later Mrsdrron had kept her QFF and was WP. We got OW J RTW awards with the only non QF being AA CDG-JFK. Naturally on the day the French Unions called a general strike. Got in touch with QF whose answer was to cancel the rest of our flights.
Decided on going to CDG and seeing what we could do. Answer from QF- We have already cancelled your flights.
So went to the AA desk and told just go to the lounge and wait for our manager who should be here in 30 minutes.
The manager appears with tickets on AA J awards CDG-MIA LGW. Then said QF has cancelled JFK- LAX- BNE. But I have reissued them on AA stock. However we don’t fly J JFK- LAX so that is in Y. Tried with QF to go back to J but they couldn’t because it was an AA ticket. AA though had put us in the row behind J for the flight so we noted that not one person went upstairs to that J cabin.
So by 2010 I got to AA LTP 11 years before Mrsdrron got to LTG.

 

[buzz62]

It is a bit but, as a Gen X - I've been QF Plat for 14 years. PL1 for 5, acheived LTG in 3 years (and been VA Plat and Gold on and off as a do the occasional greengrass switcharoo) - but even I accept swaps and changes without too much expectations now. Service industries have changed. Benefits change. Life changes. I've been fortunate - and now learn to adapt.

Operational changes happen, but there is a massive difference between a necessary plane swap and a total failure of service recovery.

When a swap occurs on a world-class carrier, they actively manage the premium customer experience. Qantas simply strips out your paid amenities, drops the comfort level, and sends an automated PR template. Accepting a diluted product for the same premium cash price isn't adapting; it's just accepting poor value. My way of adapting is simply moving my commercial revenue to airlines that actually deliver what I paid for

 

[buzz62]

Dear @buzz62 it is Lightyears since QF really really cared about the passenger and their status I was lucky to have by circumstance had experienced service on other airlines when QF was thought by many to be the best for their premium passengers. My experience said otherwise.
Early 2000s began flying BNE at least 3 times a year. I chose J on JAL BNE-NRT-JFKas it was a much better flight than QF BNE-LAX-JFK and business return fares 50% of QF. At that stage JAL was not in OW but QF points only on first leg but AA all the way. No status with either.
By 2003 was able to get a JAward on AA. When seated in Row 12 the gate agent boarded and said we had to change seats. Before Mrsdrron exploded I noticed our new BPs were for row 2. Yes upgraded to F. So I changed my primary FF program.

But a couple of years later Mrsdrron had kept her QFF and was WP. We got OW J RTW awards with the only non QF being AA CDG-JFK. Naturally on the day the French Unions called a general strike. Got in touch with QF whose answer was to cancel the rest of our flights.
Decided on going to CDG and seeing what we could do. Answer from QF- We have already cancelled your flights.
So went to the AA desk and told just go to the lounge and wait for our manager who should be here in 30 minutes.
The manager appears with tickets on AA J awards CDG-MIA LGW. Then said QF has cancelled JFK- LAX- BNE. But I have reissued them on AA stock. However we don’t fly J JFK- LAX so that is in Y. Tried with QF to go back to J but they couldn’t because it was an AA ticket. AA though had put us in the row behind J for the flight so we noted that not one person went upstairs to that J cabin.
So by 2010 I got to AA LTP 11 years before Mrsdrron got to LTG.

Spot on, and thank you for sharing that history. It’s reassuring to hear from someone who saw the writing on the wall decades ago. Your experience perfectly illustrates the point: when things go wrong, other international carriers step up with genuine, proactive customer service, whereas Qantas has a long history of administrative roadblocks and leaving premium passengers to fend for themselves. Shifting spend to airlines that actually value cash-paying commercial customers is clearly the only logical move.

 

[clifford]

Shifting spend to airlines that actually value cash-paying commercial customers is clearly the only logical move.

There's very few of 'em left, if any, I think.

We're living in 2026 not 1998. Things have changed (not for the better).

You just have to make the best of the crumbs that are left over.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My way of adapting is simply moving my commercial revenue to airlines that actually deliver what I paid for

If that means virgin, it’s because you’re paying the lowest price in the market for the lowest service offering, so unlikely to disappoint.

If you had paid a surcharge to fly the Qantas a330 and that wasn’t delivered, you should expect, and be entitled to, compensation. That’s covered by Australian Consumer law.