Is Qantas Platinum Status too easy to earn?

Status
Not open for further replies.
As for business class I do not agree they deserve exclusive use of the overhead bins or the toilet. If the overhead bins are going to remain empty then why not use them?

This would not/does not happen on Qantas. The cabin crew could not be more helpful if I ever ask for assistance in finding space for my bag in front of where I am sitting not behind me somewhere. And when I am in row 23 on a 767 and the last to board I open the overhead bin just above row 5 and put my laptop bag in it.

And the cabin crew do not come rushing down the aisle shouting "business class passengers only". This where the term professionalism comes to mind and Virgin cabin crew are far from it.

i know this is slightly OT... but the sign clearly says 'business class passengers only' when you fly on qantas. you are disobeying a printed instruction.

when sitting in business class I ask crew to remove a bag(s) if is placed there by a passenger not in that cabin. apart from diluting my amenity (I don't want to have to poke someone else's bag aside to get mine in and out during flight, or I might just want to put mine in sideways rather than lengthways), it is also a potential security threat to have an unattended bag.

if we want to keep benefits, we shouldn't dilute them either in the ff program or on board.
 
Back on the original topic and I am sorry but I have to say I find these sort of topics to be really selfish. I should state from the outset that I don't have any status with anyone. I tend to just purchase the cheapest seat when paying for my own flying and when with work it is best fare of the day. Even if I did all my flying with one airline I would make silver at best. I do however love this forum for all the valuable tips you get one if which (buying AA points) is going to allow me to fly first class in about a month, not something I ever thought I would do.

So I tend to read these sort of threads for interest rather than it ever directly affecting me.

What it seems to me that people don't understand is that the QFF program is a business and Qantas are free to reward whomever they like. What it seems is that some people see benefits of status not as "I get treated well" but "I get treated better than others".

What does it matter if others also get treated well? Does that diminish your traveling experience?
 
Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

The mere fact you know what a status run even is, let alone engage on them, puts you well outside of "normal".


PS requires 300 SCs. Most people fly discount economy, even on work trips. Most trips they take are going to be between capitals and major population centres. Ie: 20 - 40 SCs return each time. Let's average it out to about a return flight once a month.


For most people, that's a LOT of flying. Heck, I'd be surprised if the average Joe or Jane on the street more than twice a year.


"Normal" people don't chase status. "Normal" people rarely even have an airline preference. When they want to fly somewhere, they log onto webjet, or similar, and pick the cheapest flights on the right days at roughly the right times.




Of people who do chase status, I'd be willing to bet most of them fly inferquently, but "big" - ie: DONE4s, international trips, JASAs, etc). So while they might have SG or WP status, their burden on the system is small because of the infrequency with which they use it.




Of people who gain status through their normal lifestyle - typically lots of work trips, or just by being rich - I'd argue their extensive usage of the facilities is completely reasonable and justified, or paid for outright by their usage of premium fares.




In short, I think the notion of status "freeloaders" extracting disproportional benefits from the system, or the implicit argument that the commoners are taking over because getting status is too easy, are a complete load of bollocks.

Spot on, most people who fly do not have a clue about what is discussed here. if a small number of people get WP then so what. if it is made too hard then the FF's will simply shop around and fly where it is cheapest rather than where they can maximise points and SC's.

winners and losers but I think QANTAS are smart to make Platinum attainable. I am WP but might use the First lounge twice a year, if it was impossible to meet WP then I would fly with the cheapest REPUTABLE airline rather than solely QANTAS as I do now. In terms of what QANTAS get from me they do pretty well for the use I make of the benerfits and I don't reckon I would be Robinson Crusoe.
If I was not WP and could not reach it then they would lose part of my business
but that is how I see it and I realise not all agree
 
i know this is slightly OT... but the sign clearly says 'business class passengers only' when you fly on qantas. you are disobeying a printed instruction.

when sitting in business class I ask crew to remove a bag(s) if is placed there by a passenger not in that cabin. apart from diluting my amenity (I don't want to have to poke someone else's bag aside to get mine in and out during flight, or I might just want to put mine in sideways rather than lengthways), it is also a potential security threat to have an unattended bag.

if we want to keep benefits, we shouldn't dilute them either in the ff program or on board.

I think that is drawing a long bow. It is highly unlikely that someone is going to put an explosive in row 5 then sit in row 40 and not have it effect them. What is the plane going to split in two and the front half goes down whilst the back half flies merrily into the sunset?
 
What does it matter if others also get treated well? Does that diminish your traveling experience?
That is not what it is all about.

It is all about diluting benefits further and further. At the risk of mentioning the war some of those benefits were

- Anytime access to lounges
- Complimentary exit row seating on international flights
- Loyalty bonuses and before that Upgrade credits

Which benefit is going next? Arrival lounge access? Lounges are overcrowded. First lounge access on domestic flights?

Apologies for being selfish but I do not want less so I can share it with a few extra people....
 
Back on the original topic and I am sorry but I have to say I find these sort of topics to be really selfish. I should state from the outset that I don't have any status with anyone. I tend to just purchase the cheapest seat when paying for my own flying and when with work it is best fare of the day. Even if I did all my flying with one airline I would make silver at best. I do however love this forum for all the valuable tips you get one if which (buying AA points) is going to allow me to fly first class in about a month, not something I ever thought I would do.

So I tend to read these sort of threads for interest rather than it ever directly affecting me.

What it seems to me that people don't understand is that the QFF program is a business and Qantas are free to reward whomever they like. What it seems is that some people see benefits of status not as "I get treated well" but "I get treated better than others".

What does it matter if others also get treated well? Does that diminish your traveling experience?

Please understand that QF WPs do ..... FLY A LOT.
That makes them different to you.
When you spend a good part of your life in an airline lounge or sitting / sleeping in an airline seat, little things make a BIG DIFFERENCE.
Like being called by your name as you board, getting a Welcome visit from the cabin crew and offering you a drink or 2 from the pointy end of the plane.
Why would QF do that for a WP and not other PAXs?
Because we spend a LOT of money with them.

So are we, as you suggest, being selfish?
Maybe if you fly the miles we do, you just might have a different opinion.
 
The whole discussion is based on the premise that WP benefits are being diluted as a direct result of people taking advantage of Double SC offers and KUPP runs. I don't see the causation. IMO it's just plain old QF stagnation and cost-cutting.

If Qantas was ever in a situation where they need to cut benefits due to oversaturation of Plats wouldn't the more logical solution be to stop offering Double SCs, and instead offer other incentives, rather than piss off every Plat member?

As for status chasing, I'd say the numbers who spend cash solely for status are pretty negligible overall. AFF isn't a good sample of general flying patterns.
 
That is extremely unfair.

Why advertise any percentage of happiness in increasing the threshold?


Qantas wanted to see what was going on then my spin-off thread is not the solution to their problems.

Who knows? Plenty of people here feel that the XS thread killed it. The ATO thread stuffed the Citi cards & so on....

take one look at the Qantas frequent flyer forum and 2 of the stickies are

Then any number of threads on double SCs offers for this and double SCs offers for that and even a thread about double SCs offer webpages before they were even ready to be launched.

All of the above make attaining Platinum status very easy and Qantas has not attempted to shut any of these avenues down. And you think my spin-off thread is going to bring down the sky?

It's clear that QF earn far more from DSC offers than they do from members doing status runs in the USA, Taipei, Manilla Bangkok or Hong Kong;)

DSC offers are not a problem (I've received two in 1 year of 17 a year membership)......the easy SC on other metal deliver far less $$ and more expense to QF.......

Again, why are we even discussing this???
 
Sponsored Post

Struggling to use your Frequent Flyer Points?

Frequent Flyer Concierge takes the hard work out of finding award availability and redeeming your frequent flyer or credit card points for flights.

Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, the Frequent Flyer Concierge team at Frequent Flyer Concierge will help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

Perhaps instead of flying so many segments a year, it could be a percentage on Qantas/group that increases as you get higher. This way, those using YUPP's or CX are punished and those who fly infrequently in premium cabins are not (providing they're QF cabins).
 
Again, why are we even discussing this???
Good question. It is an open forum and it is not against any posting guidelines.

Also I made one comment in the other thread and now we have this spin-off thread. ;)
 
Please understand that QF WPs do ..... FLY A LOT.
That makes them different to you.
When you spend a good part of your life in an airline lounge or sitting / sleeping in an airline seat, little things make a BIG DIFFERENCE.
Like being called by your name as you board, getting a Welcome visit from the cabin crew and offering you a drink or 2 from the pointy end of the plane.
Why would QF do that for a WP and not other PAXs?
Because we spend a LOT of money with them.

So are we, as you suggest, being selfish?
Maybe if you fly the miles we do, you just might have a different opinion.

WP is nothing special....no matter how much you fly!
 
Good question. It is an open forum and it is not against any posting guidelines.

Also I made one comment in the other thread and now we have this spin-off thread. ;)

Fair enough.
 
AFF isn't a good sample of general flying patterns.

Correct.
He yea find all the old crusty flyers, with more air miles than we would like to admit.
Then we have the new professional flyers.
Together we can tell a few good tales.
But not so clear that many who do not fly as we do will understand or appreciate.

I too can get very upset when the overhead locker is full.
Especially when I boarded early to be sure I had locker space and a couple with 3 times the carry on they should have, crust my nice new $150 Panama Straw hat that was sitting on top of my roll-on.

So lets see probably their only flight for the year.
For me probably flight 30 or so.
So they get to bring on a lot more carry on than they should,
.. arrive late so there is no locker space
.. crew scan and find my locker space is half full (sitting in a window seat with 1 vacant seat)
.. get to take my locker space and
.. crush my hat
.. while helped by a male crew member to really shove their junk into my space
.. and then wander back 5 rows or so to sit down.

Not a good day.

BTW I'll take a QF domestic whY exit row seat over a QF domestic J seat any day.
That is one WP perk that is nice to have.
 
Last edited:
What you would like to be a NOTHING?
You must be joking? Right?

I've flown less than some & more than others.....status is nice. And thats about it.

Funny thing with status.....you achieve it whenever you pay the coin. A once a year F flyer is worth more than a WP in J.
 
Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

15-20 will punish those who fly infrequently, on premium classes. They are fantastic for QF - higher revenue/profit, with very little burden on the system.
Do you think someone flying in Business Class or First Class all the time needs Platinum status?

Lack of first lounge access for business class passengers without Platinum status is all I can think of and even that alone would not be a deterrent. Would it?
 
Miss 4A (bassinet seat) on QF 747 F.
Not a big fan of QF 380 F.
EK 380 F is too glitzy for me.
Showers and the bar are nice though.
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

Do you think someone flying in Business Class or First Class all the time needs Platinum status?

Lack of first lounge access for business class passengers without Platinum status is all I can think of and even that alone would not be a deterrent. Would it?

When flying with the wife, well the FLounge is now we start a trip.
If I flew J but did not have WP, well that would not be good.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top