Is Qantas Platinum Status too easy to earn?

[drsmithy]

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.

I read stuff like this and I struggle to tell whether it's serious, or satire...

 

[deadfish]

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?

100% points bonus, plat shadow, better seat selection, higher chance of Op-Ups and upgrades.

Heck let's throw in the Plat line and coasters in there too.

Also rewards them by offering the option of flying Y/Y+ after gaining status with full benefits. Not every premium flyer flies on premium cabins 100% of the time.

EDIT: Oh, and more awards seats and baggage.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

It is fascinating that those who live in glass houses throw the most stones.

QF have determined the SC method of ranking their FF'ers. End of story.

The people who cough and moan about 30+ domestic sectors in Y somehow being 'more eligible' than the twice a year J/F int'l flyer is just rubbish, as I guarantee you QF make more money out of the latter than the former.

Frankly, levels aside, I'd just like to get a consistent offering as published.

 

[FxTrader]

Frankly, levels aside, I'd just like to get a consistent offering as published.

Benefits as published, is such an interesting subject.

Well we did finally get QF to give us, after quite a struggle, Domestic Priority Boarding.
Of course Virgin helped heaps.
When in reality all QF did was to meet the OW standard.

Now it is so good to get on and seated in my whY exit row seat and have no issue putting my rollie and Straw Hat into the overhead.
Then see my overhead stuffed full of things that are way in excess of the carry on limit.
Why my overhead?
Because I get a WP shadow and normally my overhead is somewhat empty.
A perfect target for overhead stuffers.
Maybe we campaign for QF to stop the once a century holiday makers (that paid the lowest deep discount price they could get) carrying enough souvenirs on board, enough to start a corner shop back home and smashing my Straw Hat.

Sorry QF not fair.
Not good enough.
WP shadow make my overhead a target to be stuffed.
My Straw Hats deserve a "Fair Go Mate".

Hey maybe QF can create a WP Overhead Shadow that keeps the riff raff out of my WP Overhead Shadow's space allowance.
Now that would be a nice benefit.

 

[Deleted member]

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

I think the current qualification requirements are fine, save for the minimum flights requirement. 4 flight segments a year doesn't make you a frequent flyer. It should be 15-20+.

Why not a hundred then?
that is way more frequent.

I suspect the minimum is there to ensure frequency has a base line. I fly frequently, ( but not regularly) And not as much as 20 flights a year. I fly as often as possible in the J cabin. Does that make me more or less valuable than a consistent Y cabin user?

 

[Deleted member]

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

<Irony>
Why not differentiate between "payed out of my own pocket" and "payed by company"?

Payed by company do not deserve a status. They have no decicion. It is an other person that pays - so no benefits for the traveler!
So you only should get WP if you can prove that you payed out of your own pocket!

So your boss/travel manger is loyal to QF! He should be rewarded and not the traveler. If he can travel in style that should be reward enough!

</Irony>

PS: I read those arguments on an other board with an other frequent flyer program!

Mine is Paid for by me, so I value the status more I think than if someone else paid

 

[FxTrader]

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

Mine is Paid for by me, so I value the status more I think than if someone else paid

Spot on there.

 

[Deleted member]

My suggestion was 2,100 SCs to attain Platinum and 1,800 SCs to retain Platinum which is 50% above current levels.

It does sound a little high when you think about it but that level may weed out some of the people that go for Platinum simply because they have received their 2nd double SCs offer in 6 months and Platinum sounds too good to be true. Well eventually it does sound too good to be true as benefits are diluted.

I believe there should be a sizeable gap between Platinum and Gold not just in qualification levels but in benefits as well.

YMMV!

Just what VA would want QF to do methinks

 

[Hvr]

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

Mine is Paid for by me, so I value the status more I think than if someone else paid

As is mine and like anything you value enough to use your own money to obtain it is valued more than something received through other sources.

 

[FxTrader]

Just what VA would want QF to do methinks

Did the VA status match.
Flew VA.
Even being a Plat (comped) with VA I had to pay for a bottle of wine and food.
Flew to a wedding with a very old and mostly blind uncle on VA.
Got 3A - 3D which was great.
Except uncle needed to go to the aft toilet as whY Paxs could not use the J toilet despite there being NO ONE in J.
That ended my VA relationship.
Now down to VA Gold and dropping.

 

[markis10]

Did the VA status match.
Flew VA.
Even being a Plat (comped) with VA I had to pay for a bottle of wine and food.
Flew to a wedding with a very old and mostly blind uncle on VA.
Got 3A - 3D which was great.
Except uncle needed to go to the aft toilet as whY Paxs could not use the J toilet despite there being NO ONE in J.
That ended my VA relationship.
Now down to VA Gold and dropping.

WPs don't get free wine compared to non WPs on QF, so not sure the issue there, and "food" can have interesting definitions at times. On the flip side QF won't give you the option to get gratis status in hotel chains that do include free food/ wine options, so it's a case of swings and roundabouts.

 

[FxTrader]

WPs don't get free wine compared to non WPs on QF, so not sure the issue there, and "food" can have interesting definitions at times. On the flip side QF won't give you the option to get gratis status in hotel chains that do include free food/ wine options, so it's a case of swings and roundabouts.

Hotels are not a biggie for me.
Lot of years brings lots of friends to stay with.
As they do when they visit.

What really got me upset was when on the outbound and inbound VA flights, my elderly uncle, sitting in 3C both times, was denied using the VA J toilet despite J being vacant and needing assistance to walk to the back of the aircraft as he has almost no vision. Sorry but that straw broke this camels back.

As for the Wine, fair call.
You must admit that QF to have a superior whY food offering.
OK plane food is not a biggie anyway and on the inbound flight I got the relatives to nosh out in the VA Lounge.
Guess I was a bad person for doing that.

Please Darling NOT more lashes...............

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I read stuff like this and I struggle to tell whether it's serious, or satire...

bag in sideways was a little tongue-in-cheek but otherwise I was semi-serious. Overhead bin space is part of my general amenity according to fare paid. Buying a premium seat buys me more space - including either having the entire bin to myself or only sharing the overhead with one other person.

 

[fersea]

See now FX trader you are being like JohnK in that you talk about wanting your exclusive benefits protected but then want exceptions when it suits you.

Would your feelings about the front toilet be the same if the person you were talking about was not your uncle but a "once a century" traveller sitting in row 8 (so still closer to the front than the back).

 

[fersea]

bag in sideways was a little tongue-in-cheek but otherwise I was semi-serious. Overhead bin space is part of my general amenity according to fare paid. Buying a premium seat buys me more space - including either having the entire bin to myself or only sharing the overhead with one other person.

Surely it gives you the entitlement you have paid for. That is whatever kgs the airline allows. Where is it stated you get exclusive access to a full bin?

With regard to having your posessions crushed I think everyone has a right to have their posessions looked after. Regardless of status.

 

[fersea]

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....

Your post assumes that all of these changes have been made solely because there are more high status FFs. I think that is somewhat debatable.

 

[FxTrader]

Surely it gives you the entitlement you have paid for. That is whatever kgs the airline allows. Where is it stated you get exclusive access to a full bin?

With regard to having your possessions crushed I think everyone has a right to have their possessions looked after. Regardless of status.

My poor Straw Hat thanks you for your kind consideration.
Now tell that to the QF crew that get trained by Japanese Tube Train Pushers and once a year bargain basement fair paying Paxs that are allowed to bring on board more carry on that they can carry.
We have all seen it, so we know it happens.
And we think "Please God" not in my overhead.

Well let me tell you the WP Shadow has a down side.
Your Overhead is less full and is a target for the Push Stuffers.
So much for the hand made Panama Straw Hat you just bought at Palm Beach.

 

[fersea]

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.

That is a fascinating response. I agree if you fly a lot more often you value the benefits more. And if you had said I love the extra points, the opportunity to relax in a nice lounge, the odd bottle of wine sent to me etc I would have said, fair enough. But you see the benefits as having your name mentioned when boarding, special greeting etc.

Seems to me that what you value is everyone looking at you and wondering "why is he so special"

Thats great that Qantas are there to boost your ego.

 

[markis10]

Please understand that QF WPs do ..... FLY A LOT.
That makes them different to you.

I am sure many do, then again the comment is something of a sweeping generalisation, WP can be attained with 10 flights a year, for some thats not flying a lot, the equivalent One World status can be had for no flying at all! It's been that way for a long time, just because we have reached that level ourselves does not mean there is a need to raise the bar so we reduce the chances of having to share the privileges with others IMHO.

 

[FxTrader]

See now FX trader you are being like JohnK in that you talk about wanting your exclusive benefits protected but then want exceptions when it suits you.

Would your feelings about the front toilet be the same if the person you were talking about was not your uncle but a "once a century" traveller sitting in row 8 (so still closer to the front than the back).

What planet you live on mate?
I blind guy that needs another person to guide them and they need to go from 3C to the cough end of the plane to relieve themselves when the J toilet was 5 steps away?
What happened to common sense?
Of course anybody in the same situation should go forward.
Of course VA didn't want to re-clean the J toilet and so, to stop them doing some work and getting their hands dirty cleaning the J toilet, they told the blind guy from 3C to piss in the aft toilet.
Happened outbound and inbound.
Showed them my VA Plat and my wife's VA Gold card card.
Made NO DIFFERENCE.
Was told, take your blind uncle to Piss in the aft toilet.
Well I'm now VA Gold and dropping.