No more Priority Baggage for Qantas Club

[justinbrett]

I travelled today from DRW to ADL (and soon on to MEL) and was informed on check in that as of midnight tonight, QC members without FF status will no longer be entitled to priority baggage. She said she thought it was weird none of the passengers knew about it - I just searched their website and it has nothing about it.

I know the person and she is a senior employee - I don't know what to think.

If it's true it's probably a good thing, Priority baggage is a joke when have the plane has it.

 

[NM]

Priority baggage tagging is still listed as a benefit of Qantas Club membership. So anyone paying for a new membership today would certainly be of the understanding that they are purchasing a membership that includes this as a benefit.

Flying with Us - Qantas Club - Benefits

 

[Shano]

Hmm, first I have heard of this too. If that is in fact the case then they need to update their website as it still clearly states:

Priority baggage handling & allowances

Your baggage will be Priority tagged when you travel on Australian and New Zealand domestic flights marketed and operated by Qantas or QantasLink. Additional baggage allowances for all Qantas marketed and operated jet flights with a Qantas flight number on your ticket apply.

Priority tagging is a bit hit and miss. IME, the priority tagged luggage about 25% of the time comes out on the carousel after the untagged luggage, probably because their is less untagged than tagged. :shock:

I also find that CIA's often don't tag platinum members luggage properly (should be BUSINESS but is often PRIORITY), but I guess this doesn't matter a whole lot when the bags come out in such a random order.

 

[justinbrett]

Priority baggage tagging is still listed as a benefit of Qantas Club membership. So anyone paying for a new membership today would certainly be of the understanding that they are purchasing a membership that includes this as a benefit.

Flying with Us - Qantas Club - Benefits

Yeah true, but I'm pretty sure they do have that clause in there that gives them the right to vary the conditions of the program.

 

[oz_mark]

Yeah true, but I'm pretty sure they do have that clause in there that gives them the right to vary the conditions of the program.

Yes, they can, but they must use reasonable endeavours to contact members about it. While not wanting to debate the semantics of 'reasonable endeavours' , the fact that it is still displayed on the website as though this benefit still exists and no-one has received any other notification, would be an indication that they have not tried to update the members.

 

[Dave Noble]

Yes, they can, but they must use reasonable endeavours to contact members about it. While not wanting to debate the semantics of 'reasonable endeavours' , the fact that it is still displayed on the website as though this benefit still exists and no-one has received any other notification, would be an indication that they have not tried to update the members.

Of course it is always possible that there is no change occuring tonight and that the agent was mistaken

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Of course it is always possible that there is no change occuring tonight and that the agent was mistaken

Dave

Yup, and also possible the website will be updated tonight.

Reminds me a bugbear of mine when FFP T&Cs are changed significantly online without telling the members. The online T&Cs are deemed to be notifying members, but really who reads this several page document every day just in case it has changed?

 

[oz_mark]

Of course it is always possible that there is no change occuring tonight and that the agent was mistaken

Dave

I must have thought it but not typed it, but was going to say that as there was no notification anywhere, my money would be on there having been no change.

 

[NM]

Yup, and also possible the website will be updated tonight.

Reminds me a bugbear of mine when FFP T&Cs are changed significantly online without telling the members. The online T&Cs are deemed to be notifying members, but really who reads this several page document every day just in case it has changed?

Some days I think I just about qualify - depending on what questions are asked here :shock: .

 

[NM]

Of course it is always possible that there is no change occuring tonight and that the agent was mistaken

Or the new policy will only apply to those Qantas Club passengers with no FF status and who are checked-in by this particular agent after midnight tonight.

 

[N860CR]

I think the most likely explanation is that the agent in question is wrong and, if you happen to have thier name, I'd suggest pointing it out to Qantas Customer Service so they can correctly educate this individual.

I recall reading a while ago here about someone who had spoken to a member of the call centre staff who said BA were leaving One World.... Staff can often be wrong

 

[simongr]

Staff can often be wrong

Or even just bored and looking to spice things up

 

[Febs]

Maybe her and her colleagues had a game going - "spread a rumour each, see which one makes its way onto AFF first."

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Some days I think I just about qualify - depending on what questions are asked here :shock: .

Okay - but probably the only one of the 5 million odd QFF members that does so.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Staff can often be wrong

:shock:

You mean they are not the infallable gods they sometimes portray?

:shock:

 

[Shano]

No change in the priority baggage handling benefits on the QF website this morning, so it would appear that the particular agent was incorrect.

 

[serfty]

No change in the priority baggage handling benefits on the QF website this morning, so it would appear that the particular agent was incorrect.

Perhaps Qantas have failed to update their web site in a timely manner; that would be a first, wouldn't it...

Maybe it's a new local rule for ex-DRW QP members?

I am tending towards the idea that it's one of those rumors, he heard, she said, they think .. :-|

 

[Groundfeeder]

Yeah true, but I'm pretty sure they do have that clause in there that gives them the right to vary the conditions of the program.

This priority tagging is getting right up my nightie as, most QC-ers would attest, it is a lottery if your tagged baggage is given priority AT ALL.

This is a service offered to QC members for the payment (or not) of the membership fee and as QF are responsible for the baggage handling and stowage within their aircraft they can easily ensure that this is carried out by their staff/contractors whatever. On most flights, (maybe excluding the busy Citiflyer services for suits) only a small percentage of pax are entitled to this service, but it still doesn't happen and you are often waiting for the prams, cargo and whatever to go by until your tagged bags appear.

I have written to QC seeking an explanation of the lack of provision of this service/benefit to QC members but no response received. I consider it to be on a par with denying you entry, snacks or drinks at the QP, simply because they're too lazy to do it. It only requires firm management by QF of baggage handlers to make it work as it is supposed to, so join in and protest at this lack of provision which is discounting the value of QC membership.

 

[mabunji]

This priority tagging is getting right up my nightie as, most QC-ers would attest, it is a lottery if your tagged baggage is given priority AT ALL......

It only requires firm management by QF of baggage handlers to make it work as it is supposed to.......

Cast your mind back to the weeks following Schapelle Corbys arrest in Bali. Remember the baggage handler who 'acquired' the novelty camel outfit from a passengers luggage and paraded in full view of passengers and other staff on the tarmac ?. Action was only taken when the passenger relayed the story to media. All of this apparently happened with video security monitoring in place.

I suspect there is very little supervision of baggage handling staff. If any management are present it is always easier to look the other way. I think your suggestion of 'firm management' to ensure priority tagged bags are unloaded first would most likely result in a stop work meeting to discuss managements unreasonable behaviour. Nobody would get their luggage.

 

[d15.in.oz]

One sometimes gets the feeling that with all the QF privileged people on a domestic flight - CIP, topXhundred, J, CL, WP, SG, QP… it might just be easier to tag the bags of everyone else with “last”!