How Generous are QF with Renewal

[mark62]

I am 30 SC short of QFF Gold renewal, due by 28 Feb. I recall last year I got renewed a couple of weeks before due date despite only having 580 SC's.

I am contemplating a Biz class 1-way SYD-CAN next week to ensure I can reach the 600 SC (I have to fly one-way anyway so will definitely get 10 SCs) but have no other likely flights at this point before renewal date.

So question is QF typically renewing Gold for members 20 or 30 SCs short at the cut-off date? In which case I may save myself $200 and just book a Red-e deal.

 

[JohnK]

If you have not already been comp'ed Gold status by now (normally happens ~8 weeks before reassessment) the chances are very slim of being given Gold status at reassessment unless you have the necessary SC's.

Up to you if you feel Gold status is worth it or not....

 

[straitman]

mark62,

Welcome to AFF.

I have not heard of QF comping someone two years in a row so I would be guessing you need to get the 30SC's or drop back to silver.

As JohnK said 'Up to you if you feel Gold status is worth it or not....'

 

[Must...Fly!]

I have read on one or two occassions that QF did comp twice in a row, but don't count on it.

As others said it's up to you to determine if Gold is worth the cost from silver, but if it was me I would do it. Complimentary QP membership is a good advantage.

 

[11sjw]

Spend $200 top save on one year of QC Membership (biggest benefit as I see it). I guess it depends on how much you intend travelling in the next year.

If it was me I'd go do it.

I'm 30 short but have another Hedland return this Thursday so I'm sweet.

 

[markis10]

If you have not already been comp'ed Gold status by now (normally happens ~8 weeks before reassessment) the chances are very slim of being given Gold status at reassessment unless you have the necessary SC's.

Up to you if you feel Gold status is worth it or not....

I beg to differ based on experience, last year I had 175SC's approaching Oct 30, received no email or call about my plans, on the 2nd of November my account was updated to reflect Gold for this year. I never received any of the bonus SC emails during the year either, but did meet the level the previous year to remain GOLD. I think Mal was in the process of doing a SC run when a comp came through, but could be wrong. I have been WP or SG since 98 or thereabouts so not sure how that figures in the occasion:


31 OCT 09 EXPIRED STATUS CREDITS 31OCT09 ---0 -175

 

[Mal]

I think Mal was in the process of doing a SC run when a comp came through, but could be wrong.

I was in the middle of my run when I was comped. I think I was 40 or 50 or something like that short... Now sitting ~1400 SC's for the year (and possibly another 80 or so still to come), so well over my requal requirements.

For the OP, I suggest that it is prudent to fly what is required if it makes economic sense to you. It's a long way back to Gold once you lose it and have to earn it again, and by maintaining the required sc's it most likely puts you in a better positiion to be comped next year if it is required.

 

[Warks]

So it is still 700 SCs to get there but 600 SCs to retain?
Does PS have a lower retention as well? I got there with 300 SCs to retain this year but I thought it was 300 to attain as well.

Back on topic I got comped three times in a row but two of those years were 'enhancement' years when they changed the program so I think everyone with any number of SCs got comped? Not sure if it happened to others. I know I was SG from 2000 to 2006 and I'm pretty sure I only qualified once or twice but did go close and I got the email a couple of times - also well out from my anniversary.

 

[drewbles]

so it is still 700 scs to get there but 600 scs to retain?
Does ps have a lower retention as well? I got there with 300 scs to retain this year but i thought it was 300 to attain as well.

Back on topic i got comped three times in a row but two of those years were 'enhancement' years when they changed the program so i think everyone with any number of scs got comped? Not sure if it happened to others. I know i was sg from 2000 to 2006 and i'm pretty sure i only qualified once or twice but did go close and i got the email a couple of times - also well out from my anniversary.

LEVEL    EARN    RETAIN
PS       350        300
SG       700        600
WP      1400       1200
WPPG    2100

*stupid thing won't let me write it all in caps but you get the idea*

 

[JohnK]

I beg to differ based on experience, last year I had 175SC's approaching Oct 30, received no email or call about my plans, on the 2nd of November my account was updated to reflect Gold for this year. I never received any of the bonus SC emails during the year either, but did meet the level the previous year to remain GOLD. I think Mal was in the process of doing a SC run when a comp came through, but could be wrong. I have been WP or SG since 98 or thereabouts so not sure how that figures in the occasion:

I you read the post carefully you have noticed the words "normally" and "very slim".

What has happened to you does not "normally" happen and the chances of it happening are "very slim".

If you want to keep the status with insufficient SC's and you have not been comp'ed the status ~8 weeks before reassessment or been sent a please explain letter the chances are you will not be comp'ed status at reassessment.

 

[QF WP]

mark62, I have a similar issue (membership renewal due 28 Feb, currently Gold) but I am on 380 SC's now with another 30 to be flown prior to 28/2, so I will be well short (190 SC's).

I finally got correspondence from QFF today (dated 31 January) asking me for my plans for Feb and then the upcoming year, commenting on the one-off exemption they may extend to me and then asking my to submit my travel plans to their dedicated web site page.

If you get that letter, then you have the possibility that they will re-qualify you if they are happy with your proposed travelling. Better to do the flights to meet it, if you feel Gold status is valuable to you. Also allows to you "keep" the exemption for a future year's use. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

To further my story, I thought fantastic

. I go to the web page, log in as requested and then it tells me that my travel plans aren't in their database - and nowhere to click through to a page where I can insert it

. So I have to ring up the FF Centre, speak to a nice CSA who took down my expected travel plans for this month and for the next 12 months and will submit for appproval.

Now waiting on my re-qual to Gold (my first exception at Gold level, had one previously at Plat). Let's see what happens.

 

[Mal]

I finally got correspondence from QFF today (dated 31 January) asking me for my plans for Feb and then the upcoming year, commenting on the one-off exemption they may extend to me and then asking my to submit my travel plans to their dedicated web site page.

So was it a paper based letter from QF rather than an email? I haven't heard of that happening before.

Also, the date (31 Jan) is pretty late for them to be contacting you - I thought mine at 25 Jan was getting late... Sounds like things might have changed with how they are processing renewals.

 

[markis10]

I you read the post carefully you have noticed the words "normally" and "very slim".

What has happened to you does not "normally" happen and the chances of it happening are "very slim".

If you want to keep the status with insufficient SC's and you have not been comp'ed the status ~8 weeks before reassessment or been sent a please explain letter the chances are you will not be comp'ed status at reassessment.

I dont believe you can make such assumptions based on what is a very small sample of expereinces that may get posted here, versus what happens to the entire FF base. As the posts above suggests the 8 weeks would seem not to be "normal" now either, unless we work in the QFF loyalty area we really have no idea what the chances are of anyone getting recomp'd, all we can do is report our recent experiences as a guide for others to make a semi educated guess.

 

[mark62]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

I guess these things are either decided automatically via an algorithim in the Qantas FF system, or maybe some individual is actually making a judgement on a case-by-case basis (unlikely I know). But since Gold hasn't been renewed yet with only 10 days to go I'll assume it won't be unless I have enough SCs

So for an extra $200 or so I'll bite the bullet and fly biz class to ensure I pass the threshold. Real waste of money on a 55 minute flight but to get Gold for another year it's probably worth it.

 

[Tooner]

I dont believe you can make such assumptions based on what is a very small sample of expereinces that may get posted here, versus what happens to the entire FF base. As the posts above suggests the 8 weeks would seem not to be "normal" now either, unless we work in the QFF loyalty area we really have no idea what the chances are of anyone getting recomp'd, all we can do is report our recent experiences as a guide for others to make a semi educated guess.

To be fair this topic frequently comes up, and everyone has a slightly different experience. In my case it is always around 3 months prior in the following sequence (WP):

1st Year: auto renewed early from achieving 1200;
2nd year: comped 3 months prior then got 1200 anyway
3rd year: comped even though I didn't have enough 3 months prior and didn't get there;
4th year: credited 50 SC to help and got there by 30SC; and,
5th year: just received the 50SC offer, rollover end of May.

I've never been asked for my travel plans.

 

[QF WP]

So was it a paper based letter from QF rather than an email? I haven't heard of that happening before.

Yes and even included a paper based summary of my account 1 Jan to 31 Jan :shock:

Also, the date (31 Jan) is pretty late for them to be contacting you - I thought mine at 25 Jan was getting late... Sounds like things might have changed with how they are processing renewals.

I thought the timing was right (at 1 month out), but it took them 14 days to get it to me . Must have gone to their mailing house and got stored for a week.

 

[NM]

I thought the timing was right (at 1 month out), but it took them 14 days to get it to me . Must have gone to their mailing house and got stored for a week.

I guess Qantas does not need to report on-time performance for snail-mail deliveries

 

[oz_mark]

So was it a paper based letter from QF rather than an email? I haven't heard of that happening before.

I've had a paper form before, with an option to fill it in online.

 

[HardieBoys]

My partner was comped into Platinum for the first time (can't recall how many points were short, but not many), made renewal, and was comped at least once again falling just short of the mark. It does seem somewhat random.

 

[QF WP]

Further to my post above on 17 Feb, I've had a telephone call from QFF Service Centre to say that they've look at my "application for renewal" (ie. future flying that I told them I was expecting to do) and they have comped my Gold for next year. She stressed it was a one-time only and that I will need to get the 600 SC's to re-qual thereafter.

Yes ma'am, that's my goal :idea: