An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members only

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smit0847

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I know QF get a 30 day head start on most partner airlines for QF award seats (i.e. AA members) although I think BAEC members may have access at the same time as QF? After that partner airlines can snap up whats left for next to nothing. Several well respected airlines (NZ, SQ, LH come to mind) restrict their best seats to their own members. While customers of their partners moan and groan that they can’t get any seat they want, they live with it. The fact that SQ holds its best seats for its own members makes the program very attractive and I think this would have the same benefit for QF. QF are not making much money offering a F seat MEL-DXB-LHR for AA to sell for 70k (or whatever it is) miles. I know there aren’t many seats left even when they’re offered to partners but wouldn’t you be more likely to stick with QF if you knew it was the only way to access their best product?

It’s just a thought given QFFers are jumping ship and QF are doing nothing to stop them.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

Don't give them any ideas Smit, the fact is even for QFF members half the time its better value to go and use another program to book them because QF tends to want to screw its members up hill and down dale...
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

It makes sense until you realise that other airlines will reciprocate and it becomes a downward spiral.

And what happens if QFF members don't take up the seats? Do they remain vacant and Qantas gets nothing rather than something?
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

Step 1: Get existing profitable business with good brand
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Step 3: Float business, average market cap
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... profit
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

I think the reason it works well for SQ is because they have one of the best premium products out there. People strive to collect SQ miles than instead of crediting to other *A programs. If QF restricted F to QFF only, I wouldn't bother collecting in their scheme.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

This is actually a very good idea. Once every couple of years, we travel on reward first class seats as a family. Not being as savvy as many on here, I don't know any tricks to getting my seats when I want, so some years our family holiday is traveled in economy due to seat allocations not being available even to as high a Qantas frequent flyer as can be earned which leaves me quite angry at times.

My manager is a member of american airlines frequent flyer and he actually seems to have less issues getting seats - not to mention cheaper - than I do.

I suck it up, Qantas treats me very well, but as I opened with, the idea of partner airlines having less access is a good idea.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

I've been grateful for the opportunity to use my QFF points on FJ, EK, JL, CX, and potentially others, and wouldn't want to see that jeopardised.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

Removing my ability to buy leftover inventory at a more reasonable price using AA points would annoy me no end, even as a QFF P1-with-an-asterisk.

I reckon most of the time a QFF member misses out, they'll be missing out to another QFF member, not an AA or even BAEC points wielder.

QFF would probably be happier if they could get rid of those pesky award flights altogether. Although from what I've seen of SYD-NRT J availability lately...
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

It makes sense until you realise that other airlines will reciprocate and it becomes a downward spiral.

I'm not so sure about the downward spiral. As the OP pointed out, it is already happening (or rather, I should say it has already happened), so what is really stopping the spiral if it should happen? Certainly I don't think QF would be the straw that breaks the camel's back on this one, especially if others are quick to point out that Qantas doesn't have the best longhaul products. (For that matter, neither do LH or AF, but they do tend to restrict their own F and some J inventory).

To put another spin on the "already happened", there is the CX "phantom availability" bug which plagues AA, US and JL (and non-oneworld partner, AS), but interestingly not QF or BA (and perhaps others).

And what happens if QFF members don't take up the seats? Do they remain vacant and Qantas gets nothing rather than something?

Well for one there would be more upgrades granted (even though the predominant upgrade success % is quoted to be better than even money). If they remain vacant then I guess that gives YM a different (and perhaps more attractive) problem than having a bunch of people wailing they can't use their points whilst the points debt gets higher. I know that SQ for a while ran their Suites cabins almost empty when Suites awards were not possible or only possible for about a million KF miles.

Qantas elites have another one up on elites from the other partners: Platinums can call to request YM to try and open a seat for them; P1s - reportedly - can request awards seats out of revenue inventory.

It's funny this is mentioned and LH as well, because one time LH were giving a Q&A they mentioned that they had heard much negative feedback from their member base about their members not being able to easily redeem LH premium seats whilst someone from the USA with their programmes (and all the wild and woolly tricks you use to rack up those miles cheaply - this was pre-US 100% bonus era) could do so. It seems they are mostly fixed up now; in days gone by, LH F seats could be booked like buying penny candy.

All said and done, I don't think this move would stop people from jumping ship (some may argue it gives them additional impetus), but overall I guess it would then be easier (on the whole, not maybe quickly noticeable) to obtain QF awards as a QFF member.
 
An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF memb...

It's ridiculous that as P1 I struggle to find 1 available F seat MEL/SYD-LHR return 10-12 months ahead. I think availability for LAX/DFW is even worse so there should be some priority at least for F award seats to QFF members but not as extreme as SQ or LH who makes it almost impossible for other programmes to get F seats.
If QF will open F availability for the rest of OW members just 6 months ahead it will benefit it's own members and still be fair to the alliance.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF memb...

It's ridiculous that as P1 I struggle to find 1 available F seat MEL/SYD-LHR return 10-12 months ahead.

Have you tried calling?
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

This is what I currently see with my AA hat on:

Screenshot 2014-07-14 16.35.41.jpg
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF memb...

Have you tried calling?

Sure, it was FASA so I had to call anyway ;)
The problem is there are not many F routs left and now when US joined OW it will make it even harder to get those few F seats available.
There is nothing wrong if QF will give a decent head start to it's own members.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF memb...

If they continue to release one or two seats at most on each flight, a six-month head start really isn't going to help anyone anyway.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF memb...

If they continue to release one or two seats at most on each flight, a six-month head start really isn't going to help anyone anyway.

It will at least make sure those one or two seats will go to QFF members.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF memb...

I agree it would be a downward spiral and would also be another hole in the armour of being in an alliance.

It would also create problems for those passengers in other oneworld programs who are trying to secure a multi-stop itinerary 11 months out.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

I know QF get a 30 day head start on most partner airlines for QF award seats (i.e. AA members) although I think BAEC members may have access at the same time as QF? After that partner airlines can snap up whats left for next to nothing. Several well respected airlines (NZ, SQ, LH come to mind) restrict their best seats to their own members. While customers of their partners moan and groan that they can’t get any seat they want, they live with it. The fact that SQ holds its best seats for its own members makes the program very attractive and I think this would have the same benefit for QF. QF are not making much money offering a F seat MEL-DXB-LHR for AA to sell for 70k (or whatever it is) miles. I know there aren’t many seats left even when they’re offered to partners but wouldn’t you be more likely to stick with QF if you knew it was the only way to access their best product?

It’s just a thought given QFFers are jumping ship and QF are doing nothing to stop them.

I think Qantas needs all the help it can get at the moment. FFers of other oneworld alliances will choose to fly Qantas (even if only domestic) in order to accrue points. If you restrict QF premium seats from those people they might as well fly 'cheapest of the day' which might be Virgin.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

My manager is a member of american airlines frequent flyer and he actually seems to have less issues getting seats - not to mention cheaper - than I do.

I suck it up, Qantas treats me very well, but as I opened with, the idea of partner airlines having less access is a good idea.

If I flew as much I think you do with paid Js....I would either be doing what your managers does. Put the flights to AA, or adopt a shandy approach of some to AA and some to QFF.
 
Re: An idea to help QF loyalty:Restrict long-haul QF J/ F award seats to QFF members

As long as you're happy redeeming all your worthless QF points to the three places they fly to (until they don't). You can't come back and cough when all the partner airlines reciprocate. Let's face it, it's now a small boutique airline that has sold itself out of the market, why not look at the advantages and use those point with partners instead.

The whole concept sort of ignores the fact that the majority of premium award availability everyday in oneworld from SYD-LHR as used as an example would be on BA, MH, CX, ignoring QR flying ex MEL. Why doesn't Australia just restrict all foreign trade with every country so it can keep its manufacturing competitive - oh wait...
 
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