A very long run comes to an end...

[blaz]

I am simply appreciative of lifetime Gold. They owe me nothing . Having said that, if I find a much cheaper Business class fare, it is a no-brainer. I work on a rough calculation of 3c a point for future business class international flights and this guides my choice. The bed, layover times and service are other factors. If I had lifetime Platinum, I am sure my decision would be different though.

 

[Pemby]

Ok here is my 10 cents I joined QF in October 2008 and for the last 3 years have maintained QF Plat1 the issue I see is the difference between Plat and P1 is not big enough so to maintain Plat requires 1200 status credits to maintain P1 is 3600 the only real benefits are partner Plat status no lounge difference bound point are better so my current thinking is to maintain Plat and move to EK when I have maintained Plat and not bother with P1 anymore,the GAO between 1200-3600 does not warrant chasing
I have had approx 5 domestic upgrades a year but still watch QF staff sit in BC every flight “who should be rewarded” ? Employees or paying clients this BS answer about somebody just flew back from Dubai! Th wreaking is they would sell that domestic seat if they could so there is no privallege.

 

[TomB]

When one reads this thread it just reinforces my belief that QANTAS is a rotting hulk that comes closer each day to springing the leak that will sink it. The chattering class holds Joyce up as the hero business leader that saved QANTAS. To the contrary he is leading it to a slow death through a decrease in engagement with his client group and making artificial saving through decreased service. Lounges are in poor state of repair, menus not changed in last ten years, children's area over a TV viewing area and even removing the already cheap desert of an ice cream desert for a cheaper icy pole.

What about the FF points earned? Just try and use them and get a big surprise. How many people realise that to use points to upgrade, you need to first purchase a ticket that is more expensive that the lowest fare available and this is only to go into the lottery. Upgrades are assigned on type of ticket upgrading from and status held prior to flying and not date request was made, as is with Air New Zealand. If between the time that the upgrade is approved you drop to a lower status level, you also drop further back in the line.

Although the icy pole was a real issue for me, the breaking point has to be how QANTAS is pushing QANTAS Business where an ABN needs to be registered. This is the area where opportunities for things like double status points are awarded and not to the humble Frequent Flyer. This in turn stops people from having the opportunity during the year to gain a higher status.

Time to stop before I write a book. I am also a holder of 1M+ points and next year I intend to use them all on one big trip and then be free from QANTAS. then take advantage of more people friendly airlines.

 

[TomB]

Ok here is my 10 cents I joined QF in October 2008 and for the last 3 years have maintained QF Plat1 the issue I see is the difference between Plat and P1 is not big enough so to maintain Plat requires 1200 status credits to maintain P1 is 3600 the only real benefits are partner Plat status no lounge difference bound point are better so my current thinking is to maintain Plat and move to EK when I have maintained Plat and not bother with P1 anymore,the GAO between 1200-3600 does not warrant chasing
I have had approx 5 domestic upgrades a year but still watch QF staff sit in BC every flight “who should be rewarded” ? Employees or paying clients this BS answer about somebody just flew back from Dubai! Th wreaking is they would sell that domestic seat if they could so there is no privallege.

I often feel that I am working for QANTAS instead of feeling like a client.

 

[JohnK]

I like the matching OW sapphire (I think) that aligns with Gold as I travel to the US a lot and then do personal domestic flights where it is really handy. Plus the check in lines and the supposedly higher WL for upgrade with points seats.

Edited to add - and the luggage allowance - esp for US carriers where it is not part of same ticket

I agree. Gold status is not fantastic but it still offers some useful benefits.

My point was more about striving / pushing to attain Lifetime Gold and then crediting to other programs where you'd have no chance of status.

In my opinion Lifetime Gold is only really useful if you're using the benefits. For now though Platinum is where I want to be.

 

[Ivan Neville]

Have now completed proxies for the QAN AGM. I have booked flights to be there. It should be fun.
Thanks for your OK.
One of my questions is about Lifetime Platinum and the other is to do with the book value of 12 A380s now that SQ have been unable to sell 2 10 year old A380s. I know they are still operating but their values may need to be written down a lot faster than previously believed.

I am a P1 and have been since it was introduced. I now have 92k lifetime status points and have raised the issue of Lifetime Platinum with Qantas. On each occasion the response was weak...their lawyers are against it. Surely they could do it to give people an incentive to stay once they have achieved LTG. Make it 50k or even 100k status points.

 

[Ivan Neville]

I've seen mentioned here before the idea of LTG being implemented as a free/baseline 600 SC each year for the member (ie. resets to 600 rather than 0). This way they are half way to WP and have an incentive to shoot for it rather than simply switching to another FF program.

I agree. If I am LTG why do I need to earn 600SCs in a year to get to a level that I am already at???

 

[madmat777]

Been LTG for a few years and also finally got bumped back from WP this year. Really annoyed as I had the 1200 credits but one of the flights was on QF metal but booked as AA (rookie mistake!!!) so did not make the 4 QF flights. This year I've done 90 SCs - been saving cash and using all those points for travel - must be my lowest SC haul in 14 years. With the lack of LTP, what's the point?

My suggestion (already sent to QF) was if you don't want to do LTP, why not make a perk of LTG that we only need 600SC to retain WP? ..... crickets.

I know that I will achieve LTP equivalent with BA over the next 10 years so that's where I'll go.

Matt.

 

[cambriamarsh]

I am a P1 and have been since it was introduced. I now have 92k lifetime status points and have raised the issue of Lifetime Platinum with Qantas. On each occasion the response was weak...their lawyers are against it. Surely they could do it to give people an incentive to stay once they have achieved LTG. Make it 50k or even 100k status points.

Their lawyers are against it! The lawyers job is to implement the business decision and mitigate the risks, not to make the decision.

 

[waratahbay]

I had a very similar experience. I had been a QFF for 15 years, mostly Gold, Platinum for about 5 years and P1 for a year. Just got annoyed with the slapdash domestic customer service in the 2000s, and the difficulty getting international reward seats once I slipped out of P1, having secured LTG years before. Wrote to Virgin HQ and asked for a Platinum match 5 years ago. Am now one of their top 5% travellers. Only fly Business, service and food is now excellent and reliable (after a few bumps a few years ago), and do most of my international flying with SA. The domestic lounges aren't the grandest, but they're perfectly serviceable. I wrote a "breaking up" letter to Qantas as I changed over, suggesting that I was exactly the kind of customer they should retain (I own my own business and only fly Business Class domestically and only First internationally) - never heard back from them. Have never looked back. I would give Qantas a Net Promoter Score of 4.

 

[epsc]

Waratahbay, I went through my divorce from the Roo last year, wrote a farewell letter letting them know why, no response. So many similar tales in these pages! Bottom line - a refusal to take care of people who spend $30k+ of their own money on Q flights. I'm in the process of burning my last 500k, having burnt the rest last year, and am enjoying life as a VA WP (especially Singapore Airlines, and the ability to lock in an upgrade). Only thing I miss is the Sydney FCL (alas, I do NOT fly first internationally!).

 

[davidhand]

The QFF programme began to unravel the moment a smart marketing executive decided to turn it into a profit centre in its own right rather than a programme that rewards loyalty. That's where all the promotional activity comes from, the Qantas credit card, the free status credits and the increasing difficulty in experiencing member benefits for real frequent flyers. When a family can rack up points using credit cards and shopping at the right supermarket and petrol station to subsidise their annual trip to Bali and they are called "frequent flyers", you can be confident that the airline just doesn't give a stuff anymore. It has Chairman's lounge status to keep the people who can do real damage quiet, along with the buyers of large corporate travel packages.
Lifetime Gold is ok because it gives lounge access, some level of priority in seating and priority check in where needed. I'm platinum at the moment but feel no loyalty whatsoever.

 

[cowombat]

LP for a long time. For more than a decade I have just done bare minimum to maintain Plat. Then apply most subsequent OW mileage to AAdvantage. Sadly that program was belted over the head last year. Getting harder to find a caring carrier!! And QFF; Holy Cow. At exactly 355 days out I attempted to book two J seats MEL-LHR-MEL for next July. Like extracting teeth. Why do QFF algorithms not give reasonable access to the people handing over the most $$$$?

 

[JB expat]

I agree. Gold status is not fantastic but it still offers some useful benefits.

My point was more about striving / pushing to attain Lifetime Gold and then crediting to other programs where you'd have no chance of status.

In my opinion Lifetime Gold is only really useful if you're using the benefits. For now though Platinum is where I want to be.

JohnK - I totally agree - once I get to Lifetime Gold, I will pick my flights based on other criteria. I'm too close to Lifetime Gold to do an Elsa and Let it Go. I made Platinum last year for the first time - will enjoy the lounge this year - and will see if I retain P or drop back to Gold. Frankly, I am looking forward to being LTG so I have a wider selection of airlines and flights (I realize that this is a self-imposed restriction).

 

[Troppo]

I have been WP for 20 years straight and am LTG (obviously). For the first time, I was about 500 SC short this year, but got it again.

The good old mangy roo have been very good to me over the years. I stick with them domestically.

I often go to the UK, and these days I take the daylight flight (0900) from HKG with CX. Much, much better than QF or EK via DXB.

WP+ doesn't seem worth it.

 

[BAM1748]

Not every supplier suits every customer, that's why 30 different car makes are available because one size doesn't fit all.

If you don't like QF they aren't holding a gun to your head, go elsewhere it may be better for you and for them. Then the complainants won't have to cough about QF on social media and QF won't have to listen to it, so everyone is a winner.

Me, QF ain't the best but they are the home team so I go with them.

Matt

 

[froggerADL]

And QFF; Holy Cow. At exactly 355 days out I attempted to book two J seats MEL-LHR-MEL for next July. Like extracting teeth.

As a WP you can request the release of otherwise unavailable award seats. I rarely have trouble getting the award flights I want. Mind you, I travel alone so that may make a difference.

 

[orac]

Similar story/history - original poster in Perth I am in Cairns. Been a member since 1997, however in recent years I have found the price and service (depending on the flight crew/airport staff) to be well below what I am prepared to pay/put up with. I still use Qantas domestically but have not used them internationally for going on seven years and that is not going to change. I now fly Cathay to HK and then turn right or left or continue on depending if I am heading to Europe the USA/Canada or into Asia generally. The only reason I travel south for international flights is to Brisbane for Hawaiian Airlines. I have regularly been gold (no LT) but do not have an issue wandering around terminals or finding a quiet place to sit and read - lounge access is not a show stopper/decision trigger.

The 'cut to the chase' issue in recent years is price. I usually travel PE and I have found the airlines I choose to travel on are well under Qantas with this seating price point. I would like to be a loyal Qantas Australian customer, but price and generally a lack of what is acceptable customer service in 2017 means they lost my International business a long time ago. I suspect domestic will follow next year.

 

[orac]

And again I find my self in exactly the same boat as you!

I'm flying to Brisbane tomorrow, for some stupid reason I booked a QF flight in J. Everything seemed peachy until Qantas decided just now to cancel that flight.

Of course Manage my Booking on the QF website still shows the flight as confirmed (despite the push notification and SMS I received to the contrary) so I gave the call centre a ring to get it sorted.

Or at least I tried - their automated system has promised to call me back between 48 and 59 minutes from now. Is that really the standard QF call centre response time?!

I assume that Qantas' intention from here is to piss me off as much as possible so I stop flying with them altogether, because that's certainly what they're pushing me to do.

Exactly the same situation I had 10 days ago - Cairns to Canberra via Brisbane and they cancelled the outbound Brisbane/Canberra leg sometime during the evening before a 5.30am takeoff. From then on the charade I endured was identical to your description.

 

[MelUser]

Since attaining LTG 2 years ago I have been sharing love with other airlines.

I have since attained and kept VA Gold - it is so easy by just by flying family members around!!

SQ is much better than QF (in my view) in economy class. I am trying them next month to Europe in Premium Economy and Business.

Next year's USA travel is on Air NZ.

One of the biggest things that annoyed me was the devaluation of SCs earned on one world airlines (this occurred in 2014). I also don't like the fact that SCs are not earned on EK flights - I don't know if this is a oneworld thing or a QF thing.