Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for tickets

[Mr_Orange]

Other than the thread title, it is not obvious that this only affects award tickets... or did I miss something?

Anyway, this really is a joke given that QF have a year round surcharge over other carriers.

 

[Ansett]

Currently Looking to burn my QFF Points as I cant see QFi continuing the way its going...

Spoke to an ex CSM who took a Redundancy package and the theory of some is that An Ex Board Member along with 4 other key people are working with AJ to drive the price down so that the Orange 5 as they are currently known can come in buy it up with Overseas money and other investors, hence the push to alter QF sale act.

The theory goes that they will be able to buy cheap have cheap labour due to loss of staff and have a clean sheet of paper to start from, with what most see as constraints, removed. Comment was made that the current leader is merely a Puppet for the Orange 5. JB was not offered the position as he would not be a puppet.

NOTE I am only relaying what was told to me as a rumour and I make no formal accusations as to the truth of it just thought it was interesting..

 

[dalereardon]

These enhancements are coming far too often. A suggestion to the mods - can we have a "don't like" button. I really appreciate your initial post but don't want to like the post as I truly hate the post!

Dale.

 

[markis10]

Other than the thread title, it is not obvious that this only affects award tickets... or did I miss something?

Anyway, this really is a joke given that QF have a year round surcharge over other carriers.

It affects all tickets on the nominated routes or on the QF/EK network with exceptions as indicated.

 

[NM]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

I think that's true for non status pax, but those with status can quite easily get big blocks if seats if booked in advance. Case in point we got 4x J seats MEL-JFK return for November about a month ago. We did have 6 seats reserved but the grandparents were non starters.

Might be that case for a WP1 (did you have to call and request them be released?). But not the case for a lowly Gold status member.

 

[NM]

Oh I don't doubt that. I think the people worst affected by this surcharge will be those trying to take the family to Europe during the holidays, and trying to stay loyal to QF whilst on a budget. $200 per person on top of the premium QF are already charging on Y fares is likely to be yet another nail in the coffin of QFi.
Sometimes I wonder if that is the end-game

Yep, that's going to stop a lot of people flying with QF/EK and either stay home or look for alternate cheaper airfare options. Many families are restricted to school holiday periods for leisure travel. Adding these as surcharges means they collect it for FF redemptions as we all as for paid tickets. Those free FF award flights are going to get mighty expensive during the peak seasons.

 

[burmans]

Currently Looking to burn my QFF Points as I cant see QFi continuing the way its going...

Spoke to an ex CSM who took a Redundancy package and the theory of some is that An Ex Board Member along with 4 other key people are working with AJ to drive the price down so that the Orange 5 as they are currently known can come in buy it up with Overseas money and other investors, hence the push to alter QF sale act.

The theory goes that they will be able to buy cheap have cheap labour due to loss of staff and have a clean sheet of paper to start from, with what most see as constraints, removed. Comment was made that the current leader is merely a Puppet for the Orange 5. JB was not offered the position as he would not be a puppet.

NOTE I am only relaying what was told to me as a rumour and I make no formal accusations as to the truth of it just thought it was interesting..

Gotta love a good conspiracy theory!

 

[straitman]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

Might be that case for a WP1 (did you have to call and request them be released?). But not the case for a lowly Gold status member.

As a WP (not WP1) I requested an award seat last night. I expected a 24-48hr wait but I was offered several options on the spot which really caught me off guard.

 

[Nizar]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

So if you're leaving during a school holiday period on a Fri/Sat do you cop the upto $200 per person charge in addition to the $25 per person charge ?

 

[missafternoondelight]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

Whoa.. is this the precursor to the inevitable "we have entered voluntary receivership" press release?
I had delayed burning my stash of points, thinking I would book before the end of May for travel next year, but perhaps something in the next couple of months is less risky strategy...
Surely QF management would not be shafting their loyal QFFs so soon after the recent 'enhancement' to ASAs if things weren't dire..

 

[cjd600]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

Might be that case for a WP1 (did you have to call and request them be released?). But not the case for a lowly Gold status member.

PS, 4 x J awards SYD-DFW in Sept just before school holidays.booked pretty much upon release (5 J were released)

 

[NM]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

PS, 4 x J awards SYD-DFW in Sept just before school holidays.booked pretty much upon release (5 J were released)

Yep, it can happen, but rare. And don't even think about it if you are restricted to traveling in school holiday periods.

 

[cjd600]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

Yep, it can happen, but rare. And don't even think about it if you are restricted to traveling in school holiday periods.

yeah,not much released since then to DFW....and god help us trying to get home...4 x Y JFK-SYD (nothing at all out of DFW or LAX for early-mid Oct,not enough points left for CX)

 

[DC3]

A suggestion to the mods - can we have a "don't like" button. I really appreciate your initial post but don't want to like the post as I truly hate the post!

Dale.

Great idea.

 

[casanovawa]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

Wonder why EK agreed to bound by this sh!te??? Just coz one airline is hopeless why saddle yourself with a cost impost to turn away potential customers???

 

[eminere]

Re: Award tickets further devalued with a new peak surcharge for all tickets

Wonder why EK agreed to bound by this sh!te??? Just coz one airline is hopeless why saddle yourself with a cost impost to turn away potential customers???

I wonder if the surcharges would apply if you book directly with EK (say through their web site) on their own flight numbers?

 

[eminere]

I notice there are no defined travel dates for the Peak day of week fare surcharge. Does this mean this will apply indefinitely from 15 May? :evil:

 

[markis10]

I notice there are no defined travel dates for the Peak day of week fare surcharge. Does this mean this will apply indefinitely from 15 May? :evil:

Yes, they kick in straight away.

 

[travelislife]

This is just bullsh*t! Taking the award ticket side out of it this is just not the way to run a business. All these surcharges is crazy. Just set the price for your product for how much you need/want to sell it for. All the consumer cares about is the 'cost'. Don't break it down to a million bits. Just crazy. Now we have seen it on Jetstar where the points+dollars has been more than a rev fare on the same flights, looks like we are getting very close to that now!

 

[equus]

The thread title is probably more correct than it would appear. By imposing a "surcharge" that catches FF redemptions and xONEy and other OW tickets, QF guarantee getting that much per sector for all manner of tickets.

The competition for the price sensitive customer may see them discounting the actual base fare where necessary to keep the net price similar and the cash flow happening - but the fact that they get those extra $$ from those FF freeloaders (especially those people who use OW "partners" rather than a QF ticket) leaves them better off.