Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[ajw373]

How about trying to understand what people are telling you. I also don't see it as a RIGHT. The FACT is that Qantas says that I get certain benefits if I fly X amount with them. I've done the fly hence I am allow to access the benefits. Or are you saying I'm selfish because I expect to get access to benefits that I have paid to have?

I do understand what others are saying, I just don't agree. As I said I think many are just being totally selfish and childish about it. Just read some of the posts on here. Also you will find that those terms and conditions you quote can change. So yeah have a whinge but move on.

You're also missing a massive point, this is not about being a good customer in the past - it is about retaining good customers in the future, encouraging loyalty. This is about what is going to make people be loyal to qantas, what is going to make Qantas BETTER than other airlines - not the same as other airlines. (there is an answer to your "basic" question, which just happens to miss the point entirely)

I do see that point and it is very valid. But it does not answer my basic question of what business allows customers of their competitors to use their facilities, just because in the past they have been loyal.

Finally am I selfish, or am I looking after my own best interests. Looking after myself went I fly. I want to be comfortable when I fly, I want to use a lounge when I fly. It used to be that I got that from Qantas, now I don't. Qantas doesn't fly to Ceduna or the gold coast do they? If qantas doesn't value all the flying that I do with them and don't want to continue to get all that flying because sometimes I might need to go somewhere that qantas doesn't fly - then I would have to be stupid to not get lounge access elsewhere if I can get it. That is not selfish. You might feel smugly superior because you continue to let qantas walk all over you, but sorry that is not selfless it is just plan stupid.

That is all fair except clearly the business should be giving you the reward/benefit for using their services, not that of their competitors. And it has nothing to do with not valuing your past travel, after all that is what the frequent flyer program is all about. To me it seems fair for you to get that benefit when using THEIR services, not that of a competitor.

edit:
Actually thinking about it more, you basic question is based on a false premise. Qantas has said if you buy 1400SC of flights then we will give you platinum status with these benefits. While anytime access remains then using that access is using qantas' facilities as a customer of qantas - anytime access is granted on the basis of what you buy from qantas - not as a customer of another airline.

Again true, except they have now changed the terms and conditions to make that point moot, again their right to do under the same very same terms and conditions.

Bottom line is yes it is taking away a benefit that was once there, but that is life and business both of which are full of change.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I'm in the QF J Lounge in BNE. There is no difference between the J Lounge and the QP at this time of the morning.

No hot breakfast.
No barista service.
Toast, fruit, yoghurt. (same as the regular QP)

QF, please lift your game. WP has really lost that 'wow' factor.

 

[Flashback]

I'm in the QF J Lounge in BNE. There is no difference between the J Lounge and the QP at this time of the morning.

No hot breakfast.
No barista service.
Toast, fruit, yoghurt. (same as the regular QP)

QF, please lift your game. WP has really lost that 'wow' factor.

Maybe it's a weekend thing? When I was in the MEL J Lounge at that time of morning it was certainly different, I had bacons, eggs, etc.

 

[serfty]

Easy.

I try on the trousers in DJs, work out what I want then go and buy them in Myer.

Not really a valid comparison IMHO :!: ...

Of course, one doesn't normally sip a beer/wine or three or have a plate of cheese and biscuits while trying on the trousers.

Personally I feel a lot of people have totally missed the point.

Anytime lounge access was a nice little bonus, reward if you like, for doing all those discount economy flights to get to Platinum. It is a reasonable benefit and a totally unreasonable and unjustified reason for QF to remove it. ...

Certainly a nice bonus, however, it is not unreasonable for them to make a commercial decision and take it away.

I don't like it much, (I have used anytime access one or thrice over the years) , but there it is.

...

froggerADL, we'll respectively disagree on this. I would note, however, that one of the biggest disappointments for Platinum members about the removal of anytime is the significant differential it provided between Gold and Platinum. ...

Actually, there are quite a large difference betwixt SG and WP for those who mainly travel internationally. Bonus QFF points and priority for upgrades being two of these.

...

froggerADL...
My belief now is that the 'concession' of arrivals access was never intended to be a compromise by Qantas but was, in fact, an omission from their first email. That is, arrivals access was always intended to be announced as part of the removal of anytime access but it somehow escaped the proofreaders of the final email. I mean no disrespect to Red Roo but I suspect the "we've listened" is not the case at all. ...

I doubt this; read the early quotes in this thread and refer to the emails QF sent out.

I am confident it was after the fact and they found it a concession they could make without altering the philosophy behind these changes.

All in all I don't like the removal of any time access; however since I rarely used it, for me it's not a big deal. The only issue was the arrivals access and this was sorted.

When it's all said and done; I can always fly another carrier - FWIW I had a great DJ travel experience last week.

 

[cove]

If we lower our expectations they are more easily achieved.
The Perth lounge has been a bit of a zoo for a year in domestic especially during the renovations.it can only improve I hope.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

My bad. There was some scrambled egg and some sort of bean concoction.

 

[medhead]

I do understand what others are saying, I just don't agree. As I said I think many are just being totally selfish and childish about it. Just read some of the posts on here. Also you will find that those terms and conditions you quote can change. So yeah have a whinge but move on.

I don't thing you do really understand. This thread isn't about being childish and selfish at all. No one has questioned the ability of qantas to change the benefits. They can change those benefits and equally we can respond and change our flying patterns and habits. This thread is about the changes and the response to those changes. It is not childish for me to mention that those changes will reduce my loyalty to qantas and to be puzzled about how qantas can possibly think that this will increase loyalty. It is also not childish for me to be puzzled about the dichotomy between screwing the most loyal customers and give benefits to the customers who fly the least with qantas - i.e. lower silver qualification and incentives to join the QP.

I do see that point and it is very valid. But it does not answer my basic question of what business allows customers of their competitors to use their facilities, just because in the past they have been loyal.

And someone has given you an answer - the Oneworld alliance.
How about tell us exactly how it is selfish and childish to see and discuss the ways that the "enhancements", supposedly to increase loyalty, are clearly reductions that decrease the loyalty of some?

That is all fair except clearly the business should be giving you the reward/benefit for using their services, not that of their competitors. And it has nothing to do with not valuing your past travel, after all that is what the frequent flyer program is all about. To me it seems fair for you to get that benefit when using THEIR services, not that of a competitor.

Actually, the frequent flyer program is about getting one to fly with them in the future. In any case Anytime access was a benefit for using qantas' services, 1400SC+ worth of Qantas services. This competitor argument totally fails in cases when Qantas does provide a service at all. I won't even get started about how Jetstar is a separate airline - well when the CSA at BNE feels like being extremely rude to me and doesn't realise that I'm a platinum flyer.

Bottom line is yes it is taking away a benefit that was once there, but that is life and business both of which are full of change.

Yes and I'm taking away my business as a result as the benefits of platinum will no longer be twice as good as the gold benefits for my flying patterns. That is not childish or selfish. They've made a choice and there are consequences to every choice.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

What I've gathered from this thread is that it doesn't matter who is right or wrong, either way you view the situation, Qantas will lose revenue.

 

[serfty]

What I've gathered from this thread is that it doesn't matter who is right or wrong, either way you view the situation, Qantas will lose revenue.

Probably ... also they would probably reduce costs.

The trick is, whether the reduction in revenue matches the reduction in costs ... :?:

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Probably ... also they would probably reduce costs.

The trick is, whether the reduction in revenue matches the reduction in costs ... :?:

Well... the 'cost' to provide anytime access is......

- Staff training (re-training staff is just as costly)
- Food/Drink (QF already bought the product, and some beers and wines are sponsored anyway, so they don't pay a cent for it. In any case the extra useage is minimal in comparision - because it's very difficult to drink/eat your flight costs)

FLounges - maybe, but there never was anytime access anyway.

I see the qantas corporate dramas this year as karma. No bad deed goes unpunished.

 

[samh004]

FLounges - maybe, but there never was anytime access anyway.

There was, but it was a while ago that it changed anyway. I think before the SYD/MEL revamps.

Serfty always knows the correct date.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I've said it once and I'll say it again. Redroo is here to suck every last 'trick in the book' out of us -- some of the savviest frequent flyers in the country. He is not here to listen to feedback or actually absorb the goldmine of information some members so freely give out. Wake up people!!!! :slap:

It's not obvious to me what 'tricks in the book' redroo is getting out of this thread, if anything one thing I've noticed is how few WP's actually have used anytime access in the past.

Other observations about this thread you want brought to QF's attention:

It was never about lounge overcrowding because QF would never have introduced a 90th birthday special offer to join the QP and furthermore not introduced the current holiday special to again join the QP. QF is insulting people's intellegence by lying to them & expecting them to believe this.

It's only about seemingly giving DJ a 'free kick' if WP's flew with the competitor yet availing the services of QP. So what? WP's have earned the right to do this by being loyal Qantas customers only to have the goal posts moved by beancounters who know nothing about aviation.

Some might say that QF have enjoyed a 'free kick' since 14 Sep 2001 (note to beancounters: demise of AN) as nil competition for full service carrier offering J class domestically.

Having followed this thread closely it seems that there's not too many people here who would use QP in one terminal then go to another to board their DJ flight & those who do have earned the right to in anycase.

QF will lose business by the removal of anytime access as there is very little difference now between WP and SG once members achieve SG they will spend dollars now on DJ to achieve Velocity Gold instead of spending those dollars on QF to achieve/maintain WP as no incentive now.

The irony is that QF have given a 'free kick' to DJ by removing anytime access not retaining it. The only that remains to be seen is how many millions of dollars will QF lose because of this decision.

 

[cove]

It may be as simple as the CEO not understanding what Platinum members want.
Remember he came from the cheap end of town and is withdrawing some First class travel when other airlines are moving their product levels higher.
I never used "anytime" when I was Platinum and lifetime QC is just for travel days.
I believe QF have their hands full with about $3 billion of A380 planes not performing to spec. There should be a statement on the A380 soon.
I hope they can get it sorted and then get back to pleasing their frequent flyers.

 

[serfty]

There was, but it was a while ago that it changed anyway. I think before the SYD/MEL revamps.

Serfty always knows the correct date.

There was "Any Time" access to QF F/L's for WP until it ceased on April 1st 2007 - a month or four before the new SYD &MEL F/L's and the Domestic J lounges opened.

 

[Martin J Cowling]

I have blogged about this and the Qantas response to me. The Blog is called: When Enhancements alienate a customer

123 Travel!
:!:

 

[straitman]

I have blogged about this and the Qantas response to me. The Blog is called: When Enhancements alienate a customer

123 Travel!
:!:

Your Blog is an interesting read.

 

[awilcockson]

Why should they?

Because it was a published benefit that they offered and provided as a reward to premium customers that had given enough business to Qantas to qualify for Platinum status;

Because Qantas offered it as a premium benefit to Platinum over the benefits given to Gold;

Because Qantas don't fly everywhere and according to the Platinum benefits handbook - "Qantas recognizes that sometimes circumstances mean that you need to fly another airline";

Because Qantas want to offer me (as a Premium customer) a benefit which is not offered elsewhere so that I am appreciative of the acknowledgement from Qantas of my patronage, and as a result I will happily continue to direct business their way;

Because I have spent money and BIS time to earn the published benefits, and if the benefits are going to be changed, then I expect some other benefit in return. Otherwise I could very well no longer feel that my premium business (ie. 1400sc per year or more) is sufficiently rewarded or acknowledged and I then take my business elsewhere.

This is the point of a loyalty program!

No-one here is asking for something for nothing. Qantas are asking for loyalty, and offering a loyalty program in return, in order to maintain business patronage.

If Qantas decide to devalue the benefits of the loyalty program, then in the absence of replacement benefits (adequate enhancements), then they should expect devalued loyalty from customers in return.

Customer loyalty and program benefits are directly correlated.

Loyalty Programs 101.

Post of the thread!

 

[Martin J Cowling]

Your Blog is an interesting read.

Thank you for reading and for your feedback!

 

[medhead]

Post of the thread!

For mine, the post of the thread is the one about us being childish and selfish because you don't agree with our response to the change. (or perhaps our opinion of the change)

I do understand what others are saying, I just don't agree. As I said I think many are just being totally selfish and childish about it.

 

[Smackbum]

For mine, the post of the thread is the one about us being childish and selfish because you don't agree with our response to the change. (or perhaps our opinion of the change)

For once I agree .... childish, sulky and petulant would have been the terms I would use.

BTW ajw373 - have you ever tried to argue the case with someone from the flat earth society, or the 'Apollo moon landings were fake' brigade, or any religious fundamentalist for that matter? Then you should realise that you may as well try to reason with a screaming toddler - they just want their dummy back and that's that.

One day they will all move on but it won't be any day soon.

(I should disclose that I am not of Platinum status and never will be so my reasoning is based on selfish motives. Just like everyone elses.)