Article: The National Carrier Stigma

[justinbrett]

So do I but I hate being constantly screwed by QFF’s poor earn rate on other carriers ex Australia which is why I left them.
I have no choice for domestic but to fly QF due to work policy but it’s been nearly 2 years since I’ve flown QFi and no real desire to return to them

You missed my point completely.

You can join any oneworld FF program, it doesn’t have to be QF.

 

[DC3]

So do I but I hate being constantly screwed by QFF’s poor earn rate on other carriers ex Australia which is why I left them.
I have no choice for domestic but to fly QF due to work policy but it’s been nearly 2 years since I’ve flown QFi and no real desire to return to them

Good point

 

[jase05]

You missed my point completely.

You can join any oneworld FF program, it doesn’t have to be QF.

True.
I still think there are plenty out there that are loyal to QF though not just an alliance. I even know a couple myself and one I’ve given up on trying to help.
He is one of the regional managers that I’m in charge of and he only flies QF on his International trips and he complains about them nearly every single time and yet he can’t break the shackles. He came back from the US at Christmas time threatening never to fly with them again and then 2 weeks later he tells me he has just booked a trip to Paris with them.
End of the day though, each to their own

 

[Blackadder]

My only long haul flying has been to/from the US so can only take it from that perspective.
My first flight to/from the US was with United , on an aging plane with no individual seat screens, or flip down screens.
Service was nothing to make me rush back to using them.
Since then the flights have been with QANTAS, and in the two decades or so of flying with them, can't recall any significant delays/cancellations. No issues with customer service both in the air, and on the ground.
Domestically in the US, AA isn't perfect but in general does a good job of OW status recognition. Just wish the additional baggage limits based on QF FF status transferred across to AA, and actually got a meal/snack provided in whY on all services, not just a handful of trans continental routes.
Domestically , when Virgin first came on the scene I did try them, but the idea of paying on board for snacks at the time just made it seem like a glorified LCC to me.

 

[Forg]

Domestically , when Virgin first came on the scene I did try them, but the idea of paying on board for snacks at the time just made it seem like a glorified LCC to me.

Correct me if I’m wrong … but VA was a LCC when they first arrived, weren’t they?

Circa 2010 I had about a half-dozen trips to BNE from SYD for work, VA’s price-point was more like JQ than QF throughout the day. I flew VA most of the time, not only because they used the rear stairs at BNE, but because it was about half the price at the times I was travelling, and I preferred to buy a snack & drink that I wanted for an extra ~10% over the half-price fare than eat the soggy whatever that QF was serving.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

Correct me if I’m wrong … but VA was a LCC when they first arrived, weren’t they?

They were initially, primarily competing with Impulse-cough-Jetstar on $49 flights BNE-SYD, SYD-MEL etc.
Though over the first few years they gradually added features and became more of an 'unbundled' airline, with lounges any pax could access for $25 etc. until eventually they added proper business class and other 'full fare' features with the rebrand from Virgin Blue to Virgin Australia. Which sadly saw the end of their comedic safety briefs ("your life vest is fitted with a light and whistle for attracting sailors... )
That's just a reflection of the reality of Australia's geography to a large extent; you can't really zealously apply the Ryanair model to regular long-thin routes to places like Perth and Darwin, there's only so cheap you can make those fares and the difference between charging for or giving away a little packet of lunchbox cheese and crackers and a microwave meal only saves so much on the operating costs.