Media: Flyers win new deal on points

[NM]

From the Herald Sun on-line news service:

QANTAS frequent flyers will be able to use their points to pay for costly taxes and surcharges when redeeming domestic flights.

Loyalty program members are now slugged about $100 in charges for a supposedly free return flight to Sydney. The charges include $62 in fuel levies, government taxes and airport fees.

Other airlines also force their frequent flyers to pay the extras.

This makes the AA awards in Australia look even more attractive.

 

[celtic_cub]

Agreed, my partener and myself are looking at the AA challage next time we go around the world....

Its not really that big a news, but i heard it on the radio, one of my work collegues said "its big news, cause they havnt changed anything for better of the customer for ages"

i wouldnt get points normall if i didnt work for a big company.

 

[Doug_Mi16]

Likewise, I'm only sticking with QFF because I work for the gummint. Hardly seems worth it otherwise...

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I don't think this is an improvement at all. Quite expensive option and only limited to certain flights, so will be confusing.

 

[Mal]

As I posted elsewhere:

"I don't think it is a move to assist customers.

It's just a way to sneak up the redemption cost of award tickets, and to try and appease the many groups slamming Qantas for the fuel surcharges on award tickets.
"

I think the idea has some merit, but also feel that the points increase needed will outweigh any benefit of saving $$$.

 

[oz_mark]

As I posted elsewhere:

"I don't think it is a move to assist customers.

It's just a way to sneak up the redemption cost of award tickets, and to try and appease the many groups slamming Qantas for the fuel surcharges on award tickets.
"

I think the idea has some merit, but also feel that the points increase needed will outweigh any benefit of saving $$$.

While it doesn't look to be a particularly cost effective way of using points, I dare say that many people will take up the option. From the QF side, it will also help to reduce the number of points that are floating around.

 

[Yada Yada]

While it doesn't look to be a particularly cost effective way of using points, I dare say that many people will take up the option. From the QF side, it will also help to reduce the number of points that are floating around.

I think it is a reasonable move by Qantas and had to happen. Given that the fees payable on domestic award flights sometimes cost almost as much as purchasing a new fare outright, it made a mockery of using points. This at least makes it possible again to get yourself a free flight using points, even if the burn rate is a little high.

 

[thadocta]

It actually works for me.

I rack up far more points than I can ever hope to use, normally around one million points per annum - my current balance is over three million points.

As has been widely stated (and I agree) awards for short domestic flights in Australia are (at the moment) not cost effective, since the amount you have to pay in taxes makes a paid flight more cost effective.

With this change, I might be tempted to use points for flights like SYD-MEL (with zero cash outlay), since the points will eventually die with me, so I might as well use them.

This "enhancement" is actually one which could benefit some users of the program.

Dave

 

[Mal]

Virgin Blue's response:

Qantas points way to Virgin - Business - Business - smh.com.au

"
"We will be offering a similar deal with other incentives for our frequent flyer passengers," said a Virgin Blue spokeswoman, who declined to comment on any details or when the plan will come into effect."

 

[opusman]

Does anyone know how many points they're talking about?

 

[serfty]

Does anyone know how many points they're talking about?

"It is believed the airline is considering a flat rate of about 6000 points for each domestic-sector booking."

A recent analysis I posted here showed the +++ on an award MEL to SYD was about $51.

So that would in effect be .85¢ per point; a similar value to the rate for the 8K points needed for the basic award.

 

[NM]

Does anyone know how many points they're talking about?

Read the linked news article. It states:

It is believed the airline is considering a flat rate of about 6000 points for each domestic-sector booking.