Heads up about program changes

[drron]

I stumbled across this gem in the Canberra times written 2 weeks before the changes-

Unsurprisingly, this is one of the most contentious areas for customers of the troubled airline. A 49 per cent sale of the scheme could deliver $1.3-$1.6 billion in cash to Qantas, but so far the airline has held back from putting it on the market. Some experts have cautioned that there could be a devaluation of points in the long term. As Qantas cuts flights and routes, frequent-flyer seats may become harder to get. But for the moment, there seems to be no imminent change to the scheme or the points.

Read more: Travel News

 

[Limewood]

Being Cairns based its easy to jump ship to CX. To fly to USA instead of departing on a domestic at 5.30am or overnighting day before to depart on a SYD/BNE international flight, its easier to go via HKG on CX a less than 7 hour flight, Ok few hours more but its convenient and I love Hong Kong, Europe out of there has many more connections.

I'm just tired of these continual never ending changes Qantas have made to the rules/points and the web site, its just ridiculous. Where before it was nice and simple, now one really needs to be in the know to gain points and status more so, and its like take away give little back and annoy the majority even more, sorry i and many others just do not understand their thinking.

 

[katiebell]

You've answered your own question. You, like many QF customers have outgrown the carrier, or at least its loyalty program. Don't feel bad, it is okay. Time to find another (effectively public transport) company which matches your/our worldly views, lofty ideals and dynamic nature.

I think it is not that I/we have out grown QF. Rather, it is that QF FF has shrunk below an acceptable, competent level of service that meets my ( our) unchanged needs.

The QF board needs to do due diligence on what constitutes an international full service airline and either get on and direct the company to be a full service airline (and not a virtual one) or make a decision not to go on and do what Ba exec club did and transfer our points to another viable airline that actually wants to fly planes and transport passengers.

 

[zainman]

ABC checkout did a little clip on these specific changes by QF too... Probably on their website now? No I'm not taking about the one about frequent flyer programs in general, this was about QF and these changes..

 

[serfty]

There certainly was a brief mention ... More as an aside

 

[BAM1748]

I'm just tired of these continual never ending changes Qantas have made to the rules/points and the web site, its just ridiculous. Where before it was nice and simple, now one really needs to be in the know to gain points and status more so, and its like take away give little back and annoy the majority even more, sorry i and many others just do not understand their thinking.

I think many QFFers are change weary, and not for the better. But I'm sure Lesley in all her wisdom knows this, it says on the QF web site and I quote "Lesley drives the evolution and growth of Qantas Loyalty".

Is that drives it up, or drives it down?


Matt

 

[Happy Trails]

I think many QFFers are change weary, and not for the better. But I'm sure Lesley in all her wisdom knows this, it says on the QF web site and I quote "Lesley drives the evolution and growth of Qantas Loyalty".

Is that drives it up, or drives it down?


Matt

Drives me up the wall.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Drives me up the wall.

And then drives me down the road to another airline.

 

[opusman]

VA don't really need their own loyalty program, QF's does the job for them

 

[boomy]

VA don't really need their own loyalty program, QF's does the job for them

Until Velocity becomes as big as QFF and is forced to do its own "enhancements".

 

[Robbi]

Until Velocity becomes as big as QFF and is forced to do its own "enhancements".

I think there'll be another useful FF option by the time that happens.

 

[wandering_fred]

ABC checkout did a little clip on these specific changes by QF too... Probably on their website now? No I'm not taking about the one about frequent flyer programs in general, this was about QF and these changes..

Jetstar, with its "drip" pricing was the main target of the segment. Hopefully, the ACCC will note.
If you did look quickly the minimum earn reduction on QF was quickly mentioned.

Happy wandering to whatever FF program is best suited to your flight patterns.
I wish QFF the best of luck.

Fred

 

[bryanjones]

I think it is not that I/we have out grown QF. Rather, it is that QF FF has shrunk below an acceptable, competent level of service that meets my ( our) unchanged needs.

The QF board needs to do due diligence on what constitutes an international full service airline and either get on and direct the company to be a full service airline (and not a virtual one) or make a decision not to go on and do what Ba exec club did and transfer our points to another viable airline that actually wants to fly planes and transport passengers.

not to be harsh, but the qantas board doesnt have to do any of this. They act for the shareholders, and whilst the owners are struggling at the moment they have the right to toss the board etc if they wish. Obviously this hasnt happened yet.

i hate the changes (1000 sc this year, on way to WP for first time, no qf segments) but i do think that the board is sticking to its guns, rightly or wrongly

 

[katiebell]

not to be harsh, but the qantas board doesnt have to do any of this. They act for the shareholders, and whilst the owners are struggling at the moment they have the right to toss the board etc if they wish. Obviously this hasnt happened yet.

i hate the changes (1000 sc this year, on way to WP for first time, no qf segments) but i do think that the board is sticking to its guns, rightly or wrongly

I beg to disagree: how can the board make decisions in the interests of the owners (current and future) if they do not understand the business they are directing? The board is responsible for the strategy and the CEO for implementing it. If his implenetation is not in the interests of the business then they are duty bound to act.

 

[EmilyHoward]

I beg to disagree: how can the board make decisions in the interests of the owners (current and future) if they do not understand the business they are directing? The board is responsible for the strategy and the CEO for implementing it. If his implenetation is not in the interests of the business then they are duty bound to act.

Agree totally with you katiebell.

EH

 

[oz_mark]

I beg to disagree: how can the board make decisions in the interests of the owners (current and future) if they do not understand the business they are directing? The board is responsible for the strategy and the CEO for implementing it. If his implenetation is not in the interests of the business then they are duty bound to act.

There are a couple of issues you need to deal with. Just bacause a change may not be liked by a bunch of customers, then that does not mean that it is not in the interests of the business. Perhaps the business has decided that there are a group of customers they would be better off without.....The other thing, the CEO of Qantas Loyalty responsible for implementing this is a she....

 

[maninblack]

Perhaps the business has decided that there are a group of customers they would be better off without.....

Yeah, like all of them apparently Interesting business concept, our business is better off without customers, that way we can close it down and stop losing money. Anyway, I don't know if they are better off without me but I am 'better off' without them

 

[hossein_au]

Dear Red Roo,

Please do feedback my thoughts about these ill-conceived changes (or to use QF speak, enhancements).

1 they are not simpler, especially for long haul travel. It is far more complex

2 QFi is now a virtual airline, especially for those who do not live in/fly from SYD. If QFi do not fly to a destination (or via an acceptable route) then, no matter what 'enhancements' or other inducements are made, I cannot fly QFi

3 many QFi codeshare partners are not acceptable to me and not equivalent in standard to QFi and my preferred OW airlines

4 being able to earn SC and points at the same rate when flying the routes/schelues/times that QFi does not fly has been an attraction of the QFF FF programme. The cuts to earn rates for OW are massive (is this the start of QF ditching OW???)

5 almost every year since I gained WP status QF has degraded the WP benefits: why penalise the most loyal customers?

6 I will now be looking at CX marco polo as I think that this will be the only way to stay OW emerald and, from th posts I have read (admittedly not the full >180 pages), I am not alone in looking at ditching QF FF.

7 Whilst I can understand the increase in SC/points for higher fare classes, it does not make sense in customer loyalty to rip oiut so much from the cheaper fares (these should have been kept static).

If the aim of these changes are to damage another part of the QF business and jetstarise the airline, then keep on with these daft ideas. If QF wants to be a preferred airline then how about reversing the damaging parts of these changes. The changes will not make me choose QFi when other factors (i.e. the important things for me when buying an airfare) would make the QFi flight unattractive or, more commmonly, impossible/non-existent.

Whilst I agree with the points listed, with all due respect, I find your last paragraph rather, naive. These are not "draft" changes. This was never intended to be a "public consultation" period. What makes you think this has ever been anything but announcing a decision already made? I have never seen a company worth its salt advertising changes as radical as the ones Qantas recently announced, only to back away from them. They might give or take a little here or there, but I doubt any part of the core changes will ever be rolled back (well, at least as long as we have the current people at the whelm of the company). Just my $0.02.

 

[Himeno]

Yeah, like all of them apparently Interesting business concept, our business is better off without customers, that way we can close it down and stop losing money. Anyway, I don't know if they are better off without me but I am 'better off' without them

Of course. As with any business, it is much easier to get stuff done without customers annoying the staff.

 

[JohnK]

I wonder how some people who bump up their SC's by flying on cheap J/F fares in Asia and the USA will cope?

I am going to do just fine.

Not sure I will make Platinum + Partner Gold but should make Platinum easily.