From the Dark Side...

[wob.geek]

My company has just switched prefered airlines from VA to QF, effective from 1st October.

Over the past year I've earnt BOS Platinum with VA and have only 200 SCs required to re-qualify (I'm not overly worried about getting these in before the switch as my anniversary date is in March 2013 and I have a trip booked next month). I have enjoyed all the benefits of this status with VA:

• The lounges
• Preferential seating while in Y
• 4 complimentary upgrades per year as a WP (although I have taken advantage of half-points-upgrades many times)
• Bonus points - being based in PER I have really racked them up transcontinental
• A332 (brand spanking) flights PER-MEL

My company has negotiated a deal where QF will status match for gold and platinum.

The question is, what benefits can I expect as a QF Platinum, and how do they compare to VA Platinum benefits?

I have no experience of status with QF, apart from VA the highest I've ever got was silver with Brittish Midlands in the UK - the silver/gold lounges were sooooooo much better!!

 

[TonyHancock]

AS a WP you'll get:

Lounge Access to the QF J lounges...they are a notch above the QP but not significantly better than the VA lounges IMO
Seat selection at time of booking for all but the first few rows of Y. On a 737 I think you get to select row 6 and then play the "row 4 selection game" at T-80
No complimentary upgrades - you can use points on discount fares though.
Not 50%! 100% bonus points as a WP
210* year old 767's which creak and and rattle a lot and 332's with Y+ "J" seats PER-MEL. (Actually if you are lucky you may get international config 330s' with Skybed Mk I)
Hit and, from my experience, mainly miss Priority Boarding

I switched my domestic flying to VA/DJ because I have been very disappointed with QF, and remain disappointed with the domestic offering. I have been very impressed with VA/DJ. There will be plenty who disagree with me but there you go!

*Sarcasm for the more literal amongst us.

 

[TheInsider]

Just curious, do you work in a large company?

Otherwise good news for Qantas and their staff

 

[markis10]

No complimentary upgrades - you can use points on discount fares though.
.

Did that need a * as well for sarcasm, dont know of too many WPs who have not got a free upgrade with QF?

 

[777]

Did that need a * as well for sarcasm, dont know of too many WPs who have not got a free upgrade with QF?

I think he was referring to the 4 confirmed complimentary upgrades. Which i didn't think was something that QF does?

 

[TonyHancock]

Did that need a * as well for sarcasm, dont know of too many WPs who have not got a free upgrade with QF?

Ah, no I was being quite literal in reply to the 4 comp upgrades that VA/DJ give to WP's. (I tried to match my responses in order to the OP's bullet points.) QF does not offer this. I should, in a separate line, state that as a WP you have a better chance of an op-up. *

(As an aside I have never received a free upgrade on a QF domestic or trans Tasman flight as a WP or as a WP1.)

* One day I will eventually get the hang of writing posts on AFF as if they were legally enforceable terms and conditions so that I can avoid any potential ambiguities.

 

[simongr]

50% bonus points as a WP

They obviously dont know who you are - I get 100% status bonus

Personally I found little difference between DJ and QF.

One major benefit of WP on QF is the F lounge and the global network of F lounges.

In terms of OpUps - I had very very few as a WP.

 

[TonyHancock]

They obviously dont know who you are - I get 100% status bonus

Personally I found little difference between DJ and QF.

One major benefit of WP on QF is the F lounge and the global network of F lounges.

In terms of OpUps - I had very very few as a WP.

LOL I knew I'd get something wrong! (Amended accordingly)

 

[wob.geek]

I guess it's the PER lounge I'll miss the most, I've heard the PER QP is "flouro city".

Now that ATA is snafu I can't even sneak in for a quick toastie and glass of GST (a very nice drop by the way).

 

[simongr]

I haven't been to the PER QP but I found the PER Lounge to be a cough hole - broken power points, tedious food, interesting company and plenty of fluoro..

 

[TonyHancock]

I haven't been to the PER QP but I found the PER Lounge to be a cough hole - broken power points, tedious food, interesting company and plenty of fluoro..

I have probably been lucky with my visits to the DJ Lounge in PER. I usually catch the red eye and get to the lounge relatively early (6:30 PM) I have found it relatively empty. It is a bit dingy but the QP has always been crowded and noisy. The food offerings in both are not particularly good.

I'll be at the DJ lounge on Tuesday next week. (Not the red eye flight though!)

 

[wob.geek]

I haven't been to the PER QP but I found the PER Lounge to be a cough hole - broken power points, tedious food, interesting company and plenty of fluoro..

Have you been since it was extended? Loads more seating, but sadly no improvement to the food/drink facilities.

 

[simongr]

I went early this year.

 

[munitalP]

They obviously dont know who you are - I get 100% status bonus

Personally I found little difference between DJ and QF.

One major benefit of WP on QF is the F lounge and the global network of F lounges.

In terms of OpUps - I had very very few as a WP.

Maybe I have my rose tinted glasses on, but I cant agree with 2/3rds of this...

1. VA - I don't get OPUPs, my seating is hit and miss and the ease to use the airline (i.e. ODU's, seat selection) is far from great, in fact, I would say dreadful.
2. F Lounges - agree
3. OpUps - I get quite a few as you are aware, you have mentioned on facebook how much you hate me ( ) a few times!

Lounge Access to the QF J lounges...they are a notch above the QP but not significantly better than the VA lounges IMO

I cannot see where "The Lounge" is close in comparison to the DOM J lounges - maybe MEL is more Chic than the MEL J lounge, but please... BNE, ADL, PER....


I think to the OP

You are lucky to get the mentioned status matches - from my experience, you will find as a WP consistent service across QF as you have with VA. You take the good with the poor and it evens out - I have personally looked at the VA flight crews in the past as far from professional (which they are improving) so if you are expected light hearted joking and carrying on during the flights on QF, don't hold your breath as they have professionalism (which does not seem to include humor at the expense of a safety brief) installed in them that sometimes is perceived as stand offish.

You will find quite a few more wide body jets in the fleet, and will find onboard the WP service is pretty good in most instances on any plane.

You can also make use of On Departure Upgrades - walk into the J lounge and ask for an upgrade. Providing you have enough points and there's room on the flight, it's instant. There is also NO requirement for FLEXI fares to upgrade - QF will allow upgrades on all but a very few of their lowest bucket fares.

 

[serfty]

... There is also NO requirement for FLEXI fares to upgrade - QF will allow upgrades on all but a very few of their lowest bucket fares.

I believe QF have allowed domestic upgrades using QFF points from any revenue fare bucket since early this year.



Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[amaroo]

Gee, if anyone doubted that the QF lounges are always chock a block, they certainly will be now.......all these new business accounts with their shiny matched status employees

Welcome wob.geek going by recent reports there a quite a few companies either coming over to QF for the first time or returning to re-ignite an old flame.

IMO if you don't travel outside of OZ you will see bugger all difference....If you DO travel international, I'm sure you'll be grateful that your company has made the switch!

 

[TonyHancock]

I cannot see where "The Lounge" is close in comparison to the DOM J lounges....

Actually you are probably right on that score. The QF MEL J Lounge is nowhere near as good as the DJ Lounge.

I like the barista service, the availability of power points near window seats, excellent lounge manager, and super friendly, helpful staff. I really don't like the QF MEL J lounge at all, the BNE QF J lounge is a disgrace (On my last five visits it has been cramped, noisy, poorly stocked with food, and filthy.), but the SYD J lounge beats the DJ Lounge hands down.

You are lucky to get the mentioned status matches - from my experience, you will find as a WP consistent service across QF as you have with VA. You take the good with the poor and it evens out - I have personally looked at the VA flight crews in the past as far from professional (which they are improving) so if you are expected light hearted joking and carrying on during the flights on QF, don't hold your breath as they have professionalism (which does not seem to include humor at the expense of a safety brief) installed in them that sometimes is perceived as stand offish.

You will find quite a few more wide body jets in the fleet, and will find onboard the WP service is pretty good in most instances on any plane.

Fair Comment. I agree you will find good and bad with both, and different people here will have experienced different levels of service from both airlines.

I took from the OP's original post that his travel was domestic, if it is not then my position turns around significantly. The QF F Lounges are very good and I have received op-ups as a WP and WP1. VA is not my first choice for international travel and won't be as long as QF doesn't keep retreating (you can see the fear in my eyes as I write!), remains in OW and I can keep WP+ status.

I think we are pretty lucky in Australia to have two half decent choices for domestic travel.

As, yet another, aside the whole op-up business is also hit and miss. As I wrote earlier I have not had a single op up domestically in the 7 years I have been a WP/WP1, but I have had five or six internationally in the same time period.

To put things into perspective I accumulated 5100 SC's with QF in my year ending 31st July, and will finish with 1500 SC's with DJ in my year ending 31st August.

 

[drewbles]

Now that ATA is snafu I can't even sneak in for a quick toastie and glass of GST (a very nice drop by the way).

Sounds taxing!

(do you mean GSM (and no, not the mobile standard)?)

 

[wob.geek]

Sounds taxing!

(do you mean GSM (and no, not the mobile standard)?)

I stand corrected...

 

[ozbeachbabe]

AS a WP you'll get:

Lounge Access to the QF J lounges...they are a notch above the QP but not significantly better than the VA lounges IMO
Seat selection at time of booking for all but the first few rows of Y. On a 737 I think you get to select row 6 and then play the "row 4 selection game" at T-80
No complimentary upgrades - you can use points on discount fares though.
Not 50%! 100% bonus points as a WP
210* year old 767's which creak and and rattle a lot and 332's with Y+ "J" seats PER-MEL. (Actually if you are lucky you may get international config 330s' with Skybed Mk I)
Hit and, from my experience, mainly miss Priority Boarding

I switched my domestic flying to VA/DJ because I have been very disappointed with QF, and remain disappointed with the domestic offering. I have been very impressed with VA/DJ. There will be plenty who disagree with me but there you go!

*Sarcasm for the more literal amongst us.

Tony, you forgot to mention priority boarding. *

* From selected capital cities. #

# As long as it's not a 734 with only 4 F/A's with the 12/132 config which will be between any city pair other than CBR. ^

^ Not available from CBR as it's not a selected capital city only to CBR. §

§ Not available ADL/CBR as PB not offered in ADL.