Lost My Status - What Did I Do Wrong?

[Deleted member]

........... And people on this site have bragged about the number of cheap Any Seat awards they can find that are no different to Classic.

Reward people for flying not for shopping or paying company tax bills....

I didn't mean to sound like I was bragging. However, IF one is prepared to spend time searching 12 months out (Mrs. GPH does this every morning for about 15 minutes) and "IF " you are able to plan trips around availability , then discount FASA or Discount JASA are definitely the way to go....for us anyway.
BUT I do get your point, I agree that regardless of how you pay , cash, ASA or classic the status should apply, fair enough about ASA earning miles and classic not earning miles though.

 

[serfty]

AirNZ gives Status Points to NZ residents people based on spend with certain affinity cards.

 

[simongr]

No need to pretend that value isn't the primary determinant in QFF (and I guess other FF programs). We are talking about level in QFF here not a strict dictionary definition of "frequent".

I wholeheartedly agree that value is the key driver for QF - compared to AA where distance and frequency is not as far behind value. This is why QF is much easier for me to maintain status than AA (although this QF year I have probably flown enough to hit EXP 2/3 ways - only 78 sectors)

It was the OP who highlighted frequent FLYER over frequent PAYER. I just don't think the OP is a frequent FLYER by any stretch of the imagination - in this qualifying period.

 

[juddles]

..... I just don't think the OP is a frequent FLYER by any stretch of the imagination - in this qualifying period.

Totally agree. My interpretation of the OP´s post is a spit in the heat of the moment. I personally think that QF´s LTG is a pretty bloody good deal. How many on this forum would complain about ONLY being gold?

I am firmly in the camp that it is a frequent flyer program. I do over 100 flights a year, probably closer to 200, but I cannot count. But many are tiny non-OW things. Call me elistist or whatever, but I feel that if you do ¨just¨ a couple of trips a year, no matter what class, you are not a frequent flyer. The QF program is open/honest/easy to maintain status. You just cannot please some people.......

 

[Alanslegal]

I am firmly in the camp that it is a frequent flyer program. I do over 100 flights a year, probably closer to 200, but I cannot count. But many are tiny non-OW things. Call me elistist or whatever, but I feel that if you do ¨just¨ a couple of trips a year, no matter what class, you are not a frequent flyer. The QF program is open/honest/easy to maintain status. You just cannot please some people.......

Well for arguments sake, a person can earn QF FF points without flying and can then spend those points on non-related flying. Where is the frequent flying attribute to that?

However for QF's purposes, what's frequent flying? Well I would think its the BIS sectors you do that counts towards SCs. Some say flying a few returns in J long haul isn't frequent flying, well in that instance probably not, however in QF's eyes, it earns enough SCs to be some meaningful status.

So one J return to USA or LON is enough to become a PS. So a Silver Frequent Flyer? Which seems more important, well on face value, than a NB who did SYD-MEL 15x returns on red e-deals.

 

[JohnK]

"You cannot earn status without flying".

There, problem solved

Agreed. Not yet anyway. How long before people will be able to use the hard earned points from paying company tax returns to earn status? Perhaps even lifetime status without flying.

Just my opinion but I think points earned from flying should be worth a lot more than those earned from frequent spending.

 

[TonyHancock]

If QF did not have double status credit offers I think the program has a pretty good balance. That said I do understand the need to make the double SC offers, I just don't like it.

 

[amaroo]

If QF did not have double status credit offers I think the program has a pretty good balance. That said I do understand the need to make the double SC offers, I just don't like it.

As a 16+ year member that has only received one DSC offer........I think the balance is way out of order

 

[Deleted member]

Fair point re the US thing - I misread that.

Re the reminder - I will point out that 1,120 is not 1,800



I will happily state that four flights isn't frequent flying.

Sure under the SCs four flights could still be a highly valuable customer to QF but it is not frequent. In my current QF year I will have about 60 flights - about 54 of them on QF metal. To me that is frequent flying. To others that actually wouldn't be that frequent.

You make a very good point. I wonder if status credits were paid on classic awards , but to achieve a status level and accumulate you have travel say 12 sectors a year. (That's 6 return flights) on QF metal.
It would still be the low end of frequent flying, but it would reward real FF's . And let's face it. If you fly infrequently , but do it in J or F , then the benefits of lounge access and baggage allowance will accrue for that trip anyway.

Mind you a plat who flies 4 sectors a year is still only at the airport 4 times anyway.


It is I, Leclerc !

 

[Deborah66]

Thanks everyone for the feedback (positive and negative) I have my answer. As one questioned, I have recently moved to US for work, and this brings up another issue - it is harder and harder to maintain QFF status from here - still fly a ton, but not with Qantas flight numbers, sadly.
I think Frequent Flyer should mean Frequent FLYER not Frequent Payer, so when you use FF points for flights, this should still count (to some degree maybe?) towards status - count the flights, not the PAYMENTS. FF points are burned fast, so it is not like regular people are going to be able to stay Platinum on purchases/points alone. And if they do by earning tons of points, they are still being loyal to Q and possibly using other Q flights. Or maybe they could set a minimum of Q flights in addition for that year. ANyway, story ends here. Thanks all.

 

[ermen]

Well flying has a distance component too?
Say a person does 2 x Syd-sin-lhr p.a compare that to syd - mel return once a fortnight for around a year...

 

[mannej]

Thanks everyone for the feedback (positive and negative) I have my answer. As one questioned, I have recently moved to US for work, and this brings up another issue - it is harder and harder to maintain QFF status from here - still fly a ton, but not with Qantas flight numbers, sadly.
I think Frequent Flyer should mean Frequent FLYER not Frequent Payer, so when you use FF points for flights, this should still count (to some degree maybe?) towards status - count the flights, not the PAYMENTS. FF points are burned fast, so it is not like regular people are going to be able to stay Platinum on purchases/points alone. And if they do by earning tons of points, they are still being loyal to Q and possibly using other Q flights. Or maybe they could set a minimum of Q flights in addition for that year. ANyway, story ends here. Thanks all.

Think about your argument there for a second. To gain status, you do need to fly. You do not get status on the number of points you have period.

You say count the flights. Not a bad idea. I for one think Classic's should count towards eligible sectors. However, if you are counting these redemption flights, you are indeed rewarding some of these spenders. There are those who could probably earn enough points each year on credit cards to redeem enough flights to gain status.

I agree there should be some sort of recognition for classics, but not to the level that is suggested in the OP.

 

[cove]

When a one way JASA comes up at more than 200,000 points one way to go east or west my eyes glaze over and I would try for a Classic at 36,000 and some levies that can be paid on Amex Ultimate to earn 2.5 points a dollar.
You can always try using the other brand but every time I have looked when QF is tight on availability they have been worse.
It is only 8 JASAs to SYD or MEL per year from PER to maintain Platinum status and less if you want to do a convoluted status run through some other cities as a long cut.
The QF frequent flyer system is published and well read as Classic redeemers miss 4 eligible sectors rule to crash and burn their status unless they are beyond 14,000 Status Credits for permanent Long Term Gold. I crashed and burnt Mrscove's status one year and it took 4 months to get her back up to Platinum. Naturally it was my fault......
When you have a partner who expects you to know how the Frequent Flyer scheme works it is a good idea to read the rules of the game.

 

[medhead]

That's the difference with AFL those supporters just get tickets for the grand final even if their team is at the bottom of the table. I think they buy them in about round 2. You probably should have booked flights at half time.


Sent from the Throne

 

[cove]

My son cancelled his Classic J flight when the Dockers lost and it only cost him 5,000 points.

 

[Simo]

You have learn't a lesson,

Don't book classic awards books ASA

 

[serfty]

Thanks everyone for the feedback (positive and negative) I have my answer. As one questioned, I have recently moved to US for work, and this brings up another issue - it is harder and harder to maintain QFF status from here - still fly a ton, but not with Qantas flight numbers, sadly.
... Thanks all.

Thanks for coming back and responding.

Being in the USA, the AA scheme may suit you better going forward. Also with your Lifetime Gold status you get Admirals Club access even with crediting to AAdvantage.

However, QFF Platinum status is certainly easier and cheaper to earn when based in the USA than here in Oz. I suggest you look at the posted references herein to JASA's and look to book some of them for trips back to Oz.

Credit them to QFF as they count toward your 4 sectors requirement and will earn points/SC's. A couple of Trans Pacific returns can easily see your status climb.

Combine that with a few "Instant Upgrade" fares in First class and Platinum status is well within you reach.


Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[Kefci2000]

Perhaps they should ditch the whole SC thing and simply do it on an actual dollar spend? Say silver at $10000, gold at $30000, platinum at $60000, and P1 for $100000? LTS at $50000 accumulated spend, LTG at about $250000. And have a LTP at a round million dollars. Easy.

That would suck.......I can retain platinum with one $13k RTW ticket if I do enough stops particularly in the US