Has anyone had success with the call-up "Marginal" xASA's?

[sumthinfornuthin]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

What's spooky for me is booking travel for us from Shrek's account and being asked for his PIN ( which of course I know off by heart )

Is this all getting "too hard" ?

 

[legroom]

Re: MASA score

exactly. There needs to be modifiers for "I actually need to do this flight at this time" Because when that is the case I am happy to pay a bit more. Rather than the search for a cheap "frivolous" status run sort of thing.

Another night, another revision for folks like Newk and QF WP

MASA score for 'non-frivolous' purposes is calculated as follows:

(PPS x $PS) - M

PPS: points per SC

$PS: $ per SC

M(odifier): 800 (Q1 - FY 2013)

That would make you feel warm forking out points & $$ to fly 'when we need to' whereas we, ordinary punters, keep on flying 'warped routes' without the modifier.

PS: will modify the M value in the next quarter

 

[Newk]

Re: MASA score

Another night, another revision for folks like Newk and QF WP

MASA score for 'non-frivolous' purposes is calculated as follows:

(PPS x $PS) - M

hopefully I have time tomorrow to do a booking or two and work out my figures. (Shakes his head at the madness)

PPS: points per SC

$PS: $ per SC

M(odifier): 800 (Q1 - FY 2013)

That would make you feel warm forking out points & $$ to fly 'when we need to' whereas we, ordinary punters, keep on flying 'warped routes' without the modifier.

PS: will modify the M value in the next quarter

hopefully I have time tomorrow to do a booking or two and work out my figures. (Shakes his head at the madness)

 

[Deleted User]

Re: MASA score

hopefully I have time tomorrow to do a booking or two and work out my figures. (Shakes his head at the madness)

I'm with you Newk.... Have some nice ones worked out to call up and book tomorrow, unlike some, 95% of my bookings are where I actually need to be, and due to life's time restrictions there is little time left to look for "warped routes" requiring a few connections...

Legroom, you should work for the tax office, I think you'd be pretty good at writing tax law which on the other hand might actually be easier to understand than the "legroom Index"

 

[The Mill]

Re: MASA score

How's this for efficiency. Prior to contacting call centre I had identified classic award availability for desired flight Melbourne - Narita but I wanted to book ASA. Rang the 1300 number but call was answered by premium desk as I am WP. Identified the availability of the flight as ASA and confirmed points and cash required and I explained to operator that DH (sitting within earshot) was going to use his points for the ASA as it seemed I didn't have quite enough in my FF account. Because MrTheMill is only SG (bless him) the operator promptly suggested that the call had to be transferred to another bookings consultant as he "wasn't a WP and they needed to see if the selected flight still existed within the SG allocation and her computer would not show this information " ??........deep sigh.

Call was transferred and the process restarted by the next consultant who asked for DH's QF number and pin to get the booking organised. Fortunately, after a few anxious moments, the flight was found to be still available and points and cash required similar so the transaction was completed. Strangely I felt relieved when the deal was done however can't help feeling it would have been easier for me to do it online myself rather than be frustrated by this new game. Poor MrTheMill is still feeling discriminated against........ Guess FF tier inequality vs FF points inequality is a first world relationship problem. LOL

 

[QF WP]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Perhaps I'm missing something - why didn't you do a Family Transfer from his account to yours (sufficient for you to proceed with the booking). It's instantaneous...

 

[The Mill]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Max family transfer manoeuvre already performed earlier in the year.

 

[Colster]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Just got off the phone to book a FASA and a JASA.
Success

Great outcome... how did you ID the U class seat availability?

 

[legroom]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Great outcome... how did you ID the U class seat availability?

In general, if you can see flights in Classic Awards, then you can reasonably assume they have U seats available on the same flights.

Expert Flyer could also help there.

 

[Colster]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

In general, if you can see flights in Classic Awards, then you can reasonably assume they have U seats available on the same flights.

Expert Flyer could also help there.

Thanks all for your help.

Just got an U class JASA through the contact centre - Syd-AKL for 36000 +$260 which is GREAT! (could have spent 50k +$131) but work is picking up the economy cost

 

[blackjacknz]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

reposted in this topic

Before i call Qantas..i thought id check with the experts

We need to fly to LA in Jan 2014 (around the 22nd) from Perth. Classic award shows 56K for each economy booking.

My wife has 70K points.

If i ring the xASA line...am i dreaming thinking i should be able to book 2 tickets for the 70K points + cash??? (if i try points plus pay...its $3098 + 70K:shock

Thanks in advance
Steve​

 

[Buzzard]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Nice one, HarryB. Well, this just shows how different things are from pre June. And I don't just mean the inability to book (proper) JASAs on line any more. Pre June you could NOT have booked this itinerary as a JASA for the points you have got it for. The slider would never go to less points than the equivalent classic award. So well done. Did you ask to pay only 48000 pts or was it offered?

Interestingly, I booked this exact same trip as a JASA a week or so ago, but wasn't cheeky enough to try for a points payment of less than the classic award, so I got mine for 72000 + $158. Which is a pretty good deal (cheaper than the equvalent Classic when you consider the points return) but yours is possibly an ever so slightly better deal.

Assume you have checked you confirming email to see that is says "any seat reward" somewhere?

My JASA ADL - BNE - TSV return in Dec cost 72,000 + ~ $350 so your $158 seems a bargain to me.

 

[JessicaTam]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

reposted in this topic

Before i call Qantas..i thought id check with the experts

We need to fly to LA in Jan 2014 (around the 22nd) from Perth. Classic award shows 56K for each economy booking.

My wife has 70K points.

If i ring the xASA line...am i dreaming thinking i should be able to book 2 tickets for the 70K points + cash??? (if i try points plus pay...its $3098 + 70K:shock

Thanks in advance
Steve​

I believe the lowest points payable for an ASA are at the classic award level. So I don't like your chances.

Edit: unless you have 56k too.

 

[blackjacknz]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Edit: unless you have 56k too.

Unfortunately no ...

 

[medhead]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

reposted in this topic

Before i call Qantas..i thought id check with the experts

We need to fly to LA in Jan 2014 (around the 22nd) from Perth. Classic award shows 56K for each economy booking.

My wife has 70K points.

If i ring the xASA line...am i dreaming thinking i should be able to book 2 tickets for the 70K points + cash??? (if i try points plus pay...its $3098 + 70K:shock

Thanks in advance
Steve​

I believe the lowest points payable for an ASA are at the classic award level. So I don't like your chances.

Edit: unless you have 56k too.

I believe the new system allows you to have as little as 5000 points. The best thing would be to suck it and see. Ring to price the required flights. Then tell them you want to use a combination of points and cash. When I've booked these they ask me to nominate how many points I wish to use. Just tell them you want to use 70000 points. See if they'll do it.

Now for the warning economy ASA are rarely good value. Before you ring identify the flights and make sure you know the classic award cost and the full cash cost. Assume points are worth one cent each that means 70000 = $700. Just make sure you compare the ASA cash payment plus $700 to the full cash cost. If these are anywhere near each other and you can afford the full cash cost, I'd suggest holding into your points.

A couple of big ifs in my post. Let us know how you go.

 

[QF WP]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

My email to the RGM today (let's see how it goes - I see him in 20 mins):

I thought I’d qualify some of the discussion regarding Qantas on Australian Frequent Flyer and give you links to the topics, so you can see the extent of the discontent with some of the decisions (albeit some are “under review”).

1. Any Seat Awards

I trust [samh004] gave you some background to the issue. Whilst the members of frequent flyer website (like Australian Frequent Flyer and Flyertalk) may be a minority of the 9 million QFF members, I’d think that due to our sharing of information, we are some of the better informed about this benefit. As Virgin recently had a trial using the same offer, it would appear that it was working for QF and copying of a benefit by a competitor is the ultimate proof that the strategy was working.

In my own case, use of ASA’s have been instrumental in keeping me on QF over the past two years and my re-qualification of Gold status. It has also reduced my business costs as well as reducing QF’s unused points liability on their Balance sheet. It will also mean some of our members (who have already contacted me) will not only stop flying QF, but also change their CC spending habits to ensure they don’t earn QF points.

I was privy to a conference call (with other social media people) where QF Management flagged that ASA’s were under review and the ability to be booked online was being transferred to the Call Centres. To our members (and I would think to QF), this has meant a significant increase in the time taken to book these flights and therefore, bottom line cost (particularly to QF).

Relevant topics:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....m/confirmed-qf-removing-cheap-asas-48705.html
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rogram/has-anyone-had-success-call-51720.html


2. Priority Boarding

If Virgin can implement it and it works relatively seamlessly, why is it a problem with QF? This topic shows the level of discontent (but also shows tha it does work, but not consistently):

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....priority-boarding-qf-domestic-what-30246.html


3. Qantas Survey

I recently participated in a Qantas survey to rate the Qantas Frequent Flyer program (see copy of email at bottom) and wrote a comment at the end:

I am one of many who are disappointed with the transfer of Any Seat Award bookings (at Classic redemption rates) from the website to the Call Centre and the review currently being undertaken. If they are taken away, that will impact my desire to earn points in the Qantas FF program, to fly with QF and to continue to re-qualify Gold and will continue my significant transfer of flying to Virgin (where I have obtained and recently re-qualified Platinum).

It was asked me to compare the Velocity program – which unfortunately for you, rated higher in more than half of the categories.

 

[Ansett]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

My email to the RGM today (let's see how it goes - I see him in 20 mins):

Look forward to your report back. Good Luck and thank you for speaking up on behalf of us all.

 

[QF WP]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Meeting finished - impressive that we spoke for 70 minutes on the issues as well as a number of unrelated points (Princess Fiona got a mention )

Report to come on our discussions but won't get to it today

 

[FrankC]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Meeting finished - impressive that we spoke for 70 minutes on the issues as well as a number of unrelated points (Princess Fiona got a mention )

Report to come on our discussions but won't get to it today

Can't wait

 

[legroom]

re: Has anyone had success with the call-up method for "Marginal" xASA's?

Meeting finished - impressive that we spoke for 70 minutes on the issues as well as a number of unrelated points (Princess Fiona got a mention )

Report to come on our discussions but won't get to it today

I am impressed that QF stopped and listened.

Whether it will result in anything is open to speculation but full marks for at least trying !

Wait for your report.