loss of surplus SC

[Chonsa2]

Is it correct that once you acheive enough SC to re qualify at WP, say 1 month before assessment, any surplus SC earnt up to the requal. date will be lost once you roll into the new WP year and you start again at 0 ? . If thats the case why would'nt one direct these last bookings up to the requal. date with Virgin (who have given me complimentary WP membership). The only loss seems to be QFF points earn.

 

[Hvr]

Don't forget about the lifetime earn to achieve LTS and LTG. Also if you're short some SCs one year QF may comp you WP if your average SC count would have met the number required over the years.

So it doesn't hurt to go over as it were.

 

[munitalP]

Is it correct that once you acheive enough SC to re qualify at WP, say 1 month before assessment, any surplus SC earnt up to the requal. date will be lost once you roll into the new WP year and you start again at 0 ? . If thats the case why would'nt one direct these last bookings up to the requal. date with Virgin (who have given me complimentary WP membership). The only loss seems to be QFF points earn.

It depends on how you see your future. VA status credits will expire as well on year roll over, at least with QF, your unused portion still goes toward life time status count. Im not sure this is the case now with VA, it has not been in the past.

 

[JohnM]

Correct - all tiers reset to zero on the anniversary. So 'extra' SCs above WP requalification can be considered 'wasted' and an incentive to move travel to the competition. However, some may be chasing the extra benefits at 2400 SC (eg. PG).

 

[moa999]

Also count to the loyalty bonuses..

 

[drewbles]

Also, as a few of the QFF people mentioned at the lunch yesterday (and I paraphrase) 'why would you bother to achieve status, and then fly with someone else and not use your benefits?'

Of course, YMMV.

 

[markis10]

Also, as a few of the QFF people mentioned at the lunch yesterday (and I paraphrase) 'why would you bother to achieve status, and then fly with someone else and not use your benefits?'

Of course, YMMV.

Its would be unusual for someone to do so, more likely its a case of flying with someone else for better fares/benefits/schedules that outweigh a lounge or seating. QF in some regional ports has pathetic timings, and I include HBA in that although its not regional, and lets not forget QF leaving most of MCY and OOL in the lurch! My flying next week is split 50/50 with DJ/QF because of schedules and costs.

 

[serfty]

Maybe QFF doesn't supply all the benefits I am looking for?

e.g. Confirmed Upgrades on International flights!

 

[drewbles]

Maybe QFF doesn't supply all the benefits I am looking for?

e.g. Confirmed Upgrades on International flights!

Oh but they're bringing that in...

48 hours in advance for WP's and 7 for P1's.

That's confirmed (a few hours earlier than currently) and the ability to waitlist for upgrades in the case of 'no show's. According to QF, 10% of pax are no-show's for flights, and they'll now allow WP's to wait-list for upgrades on DOM and INT flights (from Simon Hickey himself yesterday @ lunch).

(and yeah i know 48 hours is not really 'confirmed' but the waitlist is nice; it'll ensure that less empty seats go out whilst being declined an upgrade only to see the cabin is not full at push-back, a problem they openly acknowledged).

 

[serfty]

...
(and yeah i know 48 hours is not really 'confirmed' but the waitlist is nice; it'll ensure that less empty seats go out whilst being declined an upgrade only to see the cabin is not full at push-back, a problem they openly acknowledged).

Oh?

So no seats are going out empty?

Or does a no-show mean a seat was catered but the PAX did not show up so someone else gets it - still with an (uncatered) spare seat beside it?

What I mean was similar to what happens with Domestic upgrades.

In August I booked AirNZ LAX-xAKL-MEL vv for April and June on a sale fare. I have already selected my Business Premium seats for both transpacific legs.

 

[BVT]

Very topical thread.

I have already requalified for WP, with an anniversary date of 1 May. Most unlikley to ever achieve LTG, but LTS (yay) is likely next year.

In an attempt to gain value from my staus match, I have decided for the balance of this year to fly VA to try them out, especially the Lounges. I was surprised to see that their PE fares - return - were about $100 cheaper than JQ Max fare I usually purchase! I will be interetsed to see how the delivery of the "experience" goes.

 

[simongr]

I think the point re traveling on other carriers is a bit lost - it's not about hitting status and then switching - it is about managing your status over the course of a year/period. If I know I am going requal on multiple carriers then I can switch carriers on individual flights much more easily and enjoy the benefits of status on both.

 

[drewbles]

Oh?

So no seats are going out empty?

Or does a no-show mean a seat was catered but the PAX did not show up so someone else gets it - still with an (uncatered) spare seat beside it?

What I mean was similar to what happens with Domestic upgrades.

In August I booked AirNZ LAX-xAKL-MEL vv for April and June on a sale fare. I have already selected my Business Premium seats for both transpacific legs.

Well, that wasn't mentioned. Simon specifically did mention that people were getting upset at having an upgrade declined, only to see a empty seats on board in the requested cabin, after take-off.

There was talk of ODU's for International also being made available, something which they are not currently offering.

From the track of the conversation, it was certainly implied that they would do upgrades up to closing of the flight now, and acknowledge via SMS, so you may have checked in and not had your upgrade clear, only to have a no-show and then receive an SMS telling you to go get a new boarding pass.

International:
P1 = confirmation 7 days out (via SMS)
WP = confirmation 48 hours out (via SMS)
SG/PS/QP/NB = at check-in (no change; even though we've all seen upgrades clear up to 24 hours out at present, sometimes more).

Domestic:
Confirmed at time of booking if U class available (so same as present) with the ability to wait-list for upgrades (I'm assuming they'll process things closer to time of departure) with upgrade wait-list confirmation via SMS.

If not confirmed, wait-list will happen. Upgrades will then just be processed based on tier; When we mentioned Altea Steph said "how on earth do you guys know all these terms it's scary!" and then said upgrades are processed purely on status, although i'm sure PCV and fare buckets have to play some part in a 'tie breaker' situation as you've pointed out before.

It's a definite improvement; surprised that it wasn't really given much impetus over on the QFF lunch thread (perhaps this needs to go over there rather than in the SC thread ).

 

[simongr]

Oh?

So no seats are going out empty?

Or does a no-show mean a seat was catered but the PAX did not show up so someone else gets it - still with an (uncatered) spare seat beside it?

What I mean was similar to what happens with Domestic upgrades.

In August I booked AirNZ LAX-xAKL-MEL vv for April and June on a sale fare. I have already selected my Business Premium seats for both transpacific legs.

I am not sure re NZ's financials but the US airlines work on confirmed upgrades at booking and they are going bankrupt... It is great short term for us but not long term. The point made yesterday was that fewer seats would go out empty as people who in the past would have been knocked back get confirmed upgrades in the lounge perhaps.

We see lots of complaints on here of "I asked for an upgrade using points and when it was denied on board I saw hat J was empty" - this change will address some of this.

 

[drewbles]

I think the point re traveling on other carriers is a bit lost - it's not about hitting status and then switching - it is about managing your status over the course of a year/period. If I know I am going requal on multiple carriers then I can switch carriers on individual flights much more easily and enjoy the benefits of status on both.

I also look like being in a position to be quite easily able to retain WP on both Virgin and QF, meaning my future travel will be on either airline, with full status benefits (until next week and P1 comes in, but that's neither here nor there after the lunch; just give me more Shiraz please!).

For me it's about getting the status and maintaining it, making my *next* status year of flying more valuable. For people who fly to get shiny wallet candy and then don't use it, well, that just sounds crazy to me (I must admit I started off status chasing and it turned into a horrendously expensive hobby; and i'd do it all over again as well I love it )

 

[simongr]

Domestic:
Confirmed at time of booking if U class available (so same as present) with the ability to wait-list for upgrades (I'm assuming they'll process things closer to time of departure) with upgrade wait-list confirmation via SMS.

I didn't get chance to raise this but you don't need U class to get upgrades at booking - I find that I class is sufficient. They really didn't want to be drawn on fare buckets for some reason. Personally if they were open about that I would waste time calling the call centre if I knew that I class meant Upgradeable for example. Same applies for releasing extra award seats that they wouldn't be drawn on.

 

[serfty]

I am not sure re NZ's financials but the US airlines work on confirmed upgrades at booking and they are going bankrupt...

I should point out that such upgrades on AirNZ are a perk of being "Gold Elite". Others have to wait until close to flight time (e.g. Gold up to 100 hours). I doubt with the earn of 2700 SC's on QF/JQ/[SUP]~[/SUP] being required many WP1 would be too concerned with upgrades.

I also look like being in a position to be quite easily able to retain WP on both Virgin and QF, meaning my future travel will be on either airline, with full status benefits (until next week and P1 comes in, but that's neither here nor there after the lunch; just give me more Shiraz please!).
...

It's QF and NZ for me! (NZ status gives me most DJ Status benifits when flying DJ).

I didn't get chance to raise this but you don't need U class to get upgrades at booking - I find that I class is sufficient. They really didn't want to be drawn on fare buckets for some reason. Personally if they were open about that I would waste time calling the call centre if I knew that I class meant Upgradeable for example. Same applies for releasing extra award seats that they wouldn't be drawn on.

It could be the "U" is coming from the "sub class of U" fare bucket set aside for WP/SG etc. This does not show on E/F. I class availability may be an trend indicator of such availability.

(I may move this discussion to a more appropriate thread soon.)

 

[dfcatch]

When we mentioned Altea Steph said "how on earth do you guys know all these terms it's scary!" and then said upgrades are processed purely on status, although i'm sure PCV and fare buckets have to play some part in a 'tie breaker' situation as you've pointed out before.

Steph actually confirmed that it was Status, followed by Fare. She didn't specifically mention PCV.

(Sorry Serfty, feel free to move this as appropriate).

 

[serfty]

Steph actually confirmed that it was Status, followed by Fare. She didn't specifically mention PCV.

(Sorry Serfty, feel free to move this as appropriate).

The use of PCV is only conjecture (it would make sense if the facility was available); before that "booking Class" was almost certianly the case. (All this within status levels.)

It depends what Steph meant with use of the word "fare". Was it short for "fare bucket" with D > I and L > S?Wa s it the actual $$$ paid for the airfare?

 

[dfcatch]

The use of PCV is only conjecture (it would make sense if the facility was available); before that "booking Class" was almost certianly the case. (All this within status levels.)

It depends what Steph meant with use of the word "fare". Is it short for fare class with D > I and L > S? Is it the actual $$$ paid for the travel?

I can't remember the specific word after the word "fare". But I interpreted it as class.

Status ====> Fare class.