How to get Chairman's Lounge Membership ?

[NYCguy]

It certainly would surprise me ... if it happened consistently, I can't see the PA staying in that role for very long.

I concur with that!

 

[oz_mark]

It certainly would surprise me ... if it happened consistently, I can't see the PA staying in that role for very long.

Don't know about the PA's, but I do know with mine that the TA's are quite diligent about ensuring whatever is in our profile makes it to the bookings. I would imagine most TA's are the same. If the PA actually making the booking I would expect that they would also be diligent if they valued their job!

 

[JohnK]

In my organisation we have several CL members, they don't do their own bookings ever, in fact everything they ever do is handled by PA's. It wouldn't surprise me if the PA's leave it out.

I have never had a PA but when I was travelling for work a few years ago the travel request form had a field for Qantas FF#. The QFF# made it through to every booking that was made through the corporate travel agent....

 

[SeatBackForward]

It certainly would surprise me ... if it happened consistently, I can't see the PA staying in that role for very long.

I think what was going on was that the CL members concerned, were totally oblivious to the processes involved in booking flights, to them it was always a "book me a flight to such-and-such" and that was as far as they ever got in the process. I often hear the PAs around the office on the phone, changing flight details, requesting certain seats, checking that CL member's wives have their correct FF#'s against flights etc...

 

[Flying Fox]

I have never had a PA but when I was travelling for work a few years ago the travel request form had a field for Qantas FF#. The QFF# made it through to every booking that was made through the corporate travel agent....

I've unfortunately had the opposite experience with the Corp Travel Agent that the company that I worked for used. They were totally rubbish.

They couldn't ever get my FF number in, they couldn't ever get the flights I requested (even though I could get them online) and in some cases got the cities wrong (eg. I needed ADL - MEL - ADL so they promptly booked me on MEL - ADL - MEL even after I provided all the flight numbers!!!).

I swear that someone's 5yr old child was doing all the bookings. Either that or their seeing-eye dog was using the keyboard.

 

[jandk]

apologies if this has already been covered but did someone indicate they obtained CL status purely because their parents had it?

I'd be very interested to hear about this as i'm sick of transferring points to dad's account

 

[v8Statesman]

Lachlan Murdoch maybe or perhaps James Packer

 

[jandk]

my first name is james....i doubt that has much sway

 

[straitman]

my first name is james....i doubt that has much sway

Probably only useful if you surname is Packer :!:

 

[SMH1971]

I have a parent who is a current (I belive lifetime) CL member as is my mother - neither of my parents travel much these days and tend to split it between Emirates and Qantas. They don't seem to find a reason to promote/invite me (have been either Gold or Plat since I returned to Australia about 6 years ago) but do know our relationship and I do tend to get treated a little better on the upgrade/seat allocation.

My parent was a senior member of corporate/banking world for many years and as such new Qantas senior management very well in addition to being a 6-8 times per annum round the world first class customer + perhaps 30 domestic business class flights.

Having said that I tend to fly economy - so keeping Plat is a full time job - I've been in to CL a number of times over the years and am 'surprised' as some of the faces who are there! Have a friend who's 'working' on his CL through the direct to Qantas route!

Final, somewhat amusing fact from is is that - I have his FF number with me when I travel - when checking in I sometimes ask - would an upgrade be available if I was a CL member .... if the answer is maybe - I tend to pull my (one step removed) rank!

 

[Harpoon]

They don't seem to find a reason to promote/invite me (have been either Gold or Plat since I returned to Australia about 6 years ago) but do know our relationship and I do tend to get treated a little better on the upgrade/seat allocation.

As others have mentioned, if they have a reasons to invite you they will. I don't think they go looking for reasons. if you're CEO/CFO etc. then that will help your chances Having CL parents seems to make little difference.

How do you know you get better treatment due to your folks being CL members? Surely being Plat would get you plenty of upgrades and the seats you want anyway.

Have a friend who's 'working' on his CL through the direct to Qantas route!

What do you mean? Applying for the Qantas CEO job?

Final, somewhat amusing fact from is is that - I have his FF number with me when I travel - when checking in I sometimes ask - would an upgrade be available if I was a CL member .... if the answer is maybe - I tend to pull my (one step removed) rank!

Do you mean you carry your friends FF # or your fathers?

 

[v8Statesman]

Final, somewhat amusing fact from is is that - I have his FF number with me when I travel - when checking in I sometimes ask - would an upgrade be available if I was a CL member .... if the answer is maybe - I tend to pull my (one step removed) rank!

Sounds a little like DYKWIA syndrome. Can backfire.

 

[Harpoon]

Sounds a little like DYKWIA syndrome. Can backfire.

It also carries an "I'm a pompous knob" aura with it.

 

[straitman]

Sounds a little like DYKWIA syndrome. Can backfire.

It also carries an "I'm a pompous knob" aura with it.

I was thinking this but didn't quite know how to put it.

 

[serfty]

Please guys, don't put off any noob who possibly may have something to contribute.

 

[v8Statesman]

Please guys, don't put off any noob who possibly may have something to contribute.

I thought my comment was fair based on the information provided. No personal attack was intended. More like a If you keep this up, don;t be suprised if oneday it doesn't work and you end up in row 70 of a 747

 

[NYCguy]

Final, somewhat amusing fact from is is that - I have his FF number with me when I travel - when checking in I sometimes ask - would an upgrade be available if I was a CL member .... if the answer is maybe - I tend to pull my (one step removed) rank!

I really must agree that this is a good way to end up in 75G. If I was checking someone in and they did that to me, I'd sure as hell put them down there.

Anyhoo, seems to me that this whole "CL-seeker" thing is getting a little tired and repetitive. If you're not a pollie, or a very senior public servant, or some sort of celebrity, or responsible for funneling large amounts of revenue into the QFA coffers, then they aren't going to invite you to join. End of story. Let it go. That's it.

Be happy with your current status, and ask yourself why you'd want to sit in a box with a couple of Federal back-benchers, the Mayor of Newcastle, the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and one of the managing partners of some law-firm? If it's the upgrades that make you long for a CL card, I can save you the trouble by revealing a sure-fire way of getting a seat in First or Biz every time you fly - BUY it!

 

[oz_mark]

I thought my comment was fair based on the information provided. No personal attack was intended. More like a If you keep this up, don;t be suprised if oneday it doesn't work and you end up in row 70 of a 747

While I personally did not see any of it as personal attacks, I did decide to remove my post as it probably didn't add anything to the conversation

 

[SMH1971]

I don't take any of this as a personal attack, although some people seem a little precious - given the thread is about accessing CL. One of the shortcomings of the web is that people can misunderstand text - I don't stand at checking with my chest puffed out and say ' my father is CL ....'. As I'm sure many of us do - I chat with check in staff to understand the load, seat availability etc etc and try to work a better seat/class of travel.

To try respond to posters - my bookings are in my own ff number but qantas appear to have some sort of family relationship link within their systems that they can go review if needs be.

I tend to fly heavy traffic routes (syd-lhr) and (syd-lax (and through to east coast)) so being plat doesn't tend to make a huge difference with upgrades although does with seat allocation. My seat allocation doesn't tend to be 70G - however you are right - I do run that risk.

My friend isn't looking for the top job at Qantas - but is developing a relationship with some senior QF folks in his efforts to get invited to CL.

NYCGuy - interesting comment you make about getting a seat in Bus/First - surely the 'benefits' of being a FF are eroded if you're already sitting in a fully funded Bus/First seat to start with!

 

[NYCguy]

NYCGuy - interesting comment you make about getting a seat in Bus/First - surely the 'benefits' of being a FF are eroded if you're already sitting in a fully funded Bus/First seat to start with!

Not really. There is more to being in a top-tier than access to upgrades.

Besides which, if the F cabin is sold-out, all the CL memberships in the world aren't going to get you into 2A.