Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[tuapekastar]

I've been to the MEL and SYD J lounges a handful of times since they announced this, mostly in the past couple of months, and nothing in my experience (limited though it may have been) has demonstrated this in practice.

I was in MEL Intl J lounge in June and was 'greeted' upon entry by a maitre'd type who asked if wanted the 'plate of the day' or somesuch name. I assented and was led to the 'winebar' area and sat myself on on one of those tall stools. The plate was served, it was nice, nothing special, just a snacky thing.

After I consumed that I sat in the main area of the QP in a more comfortable chair and I was approached by a 'waitress' a number of times with various plates of finger food, enough times that I had to start declining (I'd had enough ).

And the red wine was of a better standard than I had previously encountered so they certainly introduced/enhanced something!

Perhaps your experience is a sign that the 'enhancement' is somewhat spotty, or perhaps being cut back already? Or maybe just a time of day thing (mine was early to mid afternoon)?

 

[djfuzz]

I was in MEL Intl J lounge in June and was 'greeted' upon entry by a maitre'd type who asked if wanted the 'plate of the day' or somesuch name. I assented and was led to the 'winebar' area and sat myself on on one of those tall stools. The plate was served, it was nice, nothing special, just a snacky thing.

After I consumed that I sat in the main area of the QP in a more comfortable chair and I was approached by a 'waitress' a number of times with various plates of finger food, enough times that I had to start declining (I'd had enough ).

And the red wine was of a better standard than I had previously encountered so they certainly introduced/enhanced something!

That sounds great! Certainly would have been happy even with just the food!

Perhaps your experience is a sign that the 'enhancement' is somewhat spotty, or perhaps being cut back already? Or maybe just a time of day thing (mine was early to mid afternoon)?

Whatever happened must have started in July. Both outcomes are a shame - seems a little misleading to advertise it and only have it available sporadically - especially when on a paid J fare!

 

[dajop]

Perhaps your experience is a sign that the 'enhancement' is somewhat spotty, or perhaps being cut back already? Or maybe just a time of day thing (mine was early to mid afternoon)?

At MEL I wouldn't be at all surprised if the enhanced service is restricted to immediately prior to the departure of QF 9, 29 & 93. I was there a couple of months ago (as an EK freeloader), about the same time as a departure to AKL and there was no hot food, let alone people coming around serving. This was after the enhancements were announced and being confirmed on AFF. I didn't mind as I was travelling EK anyway, but I thought the folk travelling to AKL were getting a bad deal, whether travelling to AKL, LHR or LAX the offer shouldn't vary.

Maybe that has changed now.

 

[marki]

Make no Mistake this is a DOWNGRADE for Qantas Platinum members. It is now getting to a point when there is little use for it. I am for writing a class action letter to the FF at Qantas.
Virgin blue gets stronger on this news. I see members starting to drift across to the other side.

 

[simongr]

Class action? Seriously?

And DJ getting better? You have seen the recent news and their inability to get people in the air?

 

[samh004]

Make no Mistake this is a DOWNGRADE for Qantas Platinum members. It is now getting to a point when there is little use for it. I am for writing a class action letter to the FF at Qantas.
Virgin blue gets stronger on this news. I see members starting to drift across to the other side.

A class action because the T&C’s say they can change at any time?

 

[markis10]

Make no Mistake this is a DOWNGRADE for Qantas Platinum members. It is now getting to a point when there is little use for it. I am for writing a class action letter to the FF at Qantas.
Virgin blue gets stronger on this news. I see members starting to drift across to the other side.

Marki, welcome to AFF (from Markis - which is not the plural of Marki LOL), I think class action is a little bit overboard, generally action is justified when fairness has not prevailed and in that context for this scenario it does not fly, QF have always maintained their right to change the program and have provided fair notice.

While we may not like the changes, the mere fact that they are happening suggests that Virgin are not yet up to the point where QF feels competition to the level that will prevent them eroding benefits, change is in the wind and I suspect DJ are getting stronger, lets hope so for our own benefit.

 

[medhead]

Class action? Seriously?

And DJ getting better? You have seen the recent news and their inability to get people in the air?

Class action? probably more realistic to look at lounge access as a benefit for QFF status and then use the 6 month notice condition. That would then at least make them issue a new notice of the change and delay it a few months.

As for the recent problems. The hope would be that having had their problem they have addressed it and there wouldn't be a reoccurrence in the medium term.

 

[marki]

Yes better do something to draw attention to our collective dissatisfaction rather than just doing nothing = No change and agreement to status Quo.

Like consider upping t0 2400 - 2500 for the privilege.

Have CL members not had any downgrades/changes?

interesting

 

[samh004]

Have CL members not had any downgrades/changes?

interesting

I alluded to that in another thread, as the headers of the email suggested it went out to all members, Bronze through Chairmans, and I wondered out loud if we had one amongst us who could share what their email said.

In fact, you can compare just what was said here.

 

[maureeng]

Being only Silver and a Qantas club member there will be no priority check in at domestic terminals any more No enhancements for me. Couldnt see many benefits in the email they sent me. Maybe im just having a bad day.

 

[cwliew]

Since most WP on here state that they hardly ever use the any time access feature of their membership so who cares, I have to say, I really do.

Although I have only ever used this feature once ever, and that was due to a pick up of a friend whos flight was delayed, I have to say that it made a difference to my day in a big way.

With this in mind, I would think that it is one of those things unlikely to provide any real benefit to Qantas in terms of cost reduction since people are not EXPLOITING this, and only use it from time to time. Given that most people who are WP aren't just milling around airports waiting to steal a free artichoke and pocket some free sugar sachets, isn't it just silly to take away this feature?

I liken it to an expensive hotel. You pay to stay somewhere, where there is a business centre. Yes, no-one hardly ever uses the business centre, but because its there, you feel safe knowing that if you ever need it its there.

In my opinion, flying to obtain WP in regular work and pleasure is actually fairly difficult. Although many on here have various ways to get it with minimal amounts of cash, I never did, and never bothered to chase it - it just happened because I never chose to fly on virgin or any non-OW carrier.

Although it doesn't really change things that much for me, its just annoying knowing that they are slowly eroding away the benefits, and therefore, make the whole experience somewhat, lesser.

Its probably purely an emotional response rather than measured, but it still makes a difference, and I am sure everyone on here would agree that the whole point of these lounges, benefits, upgrades, features are to decrease bad emotion!

 

[dajop]

With this in mind, I would think that it is one of those things unlikely to provide any real benefit to Qantas in terms of cost reduction since people are not EXPLOITING this, and only use it from time to time.

Generally, it's no much about cost reduction, it's about either "you're with us or you're against us". It's the same principle as direct sweep, you gotta choose, we're not going to let you keep your options open. But what about peripheral things like non OW partner airlines, etc, JETSTAR Asia (as opposed to JETSTAR JQ), FJ.

Restricting it to only departures and not arrivals does seem mean and very LCC-esque, and all about cost. However, think about it a bit deeper though, you could fly MEL-SYD on QF, go to a meeting, show you're inbound arrival BP to the QP and get access before flying back to MEL on DJ. So even arrivals is not about cost - it's about making sure top customers are not spending a single cent on rival airlines.

 

[samh004]

Since most WP on here state that they hardly ever use the any time access feature of their membership so who cares, I have to say, I really do.

They have? I think quite a few have used it, and some have used it very well

 

[straitman]

So even arrivals is not about cost - it's about making sure top customers are not spending a single cent on rival airlines.

Which is wonderful in theory but it would appear that on this occasion it is going far enough that it may just push the customers to spending all their cents on the rival airlines. :evil:

 

[QF WP]

Well, all the attendees of the FT AGM will be happy to know (it has been negotiated by willyroo with BNE QC management) about the retention of the AGM - I've just come off the phone with him.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I know by the sounds of thing people use the anytime access rarely but if there's really a time you think you will need to use it eg after arriving off a long international flight, seeing oldies off etc there's always a way around it.

Why not purchase a JetFlex fare out of your home town then change it to the day you know you'll need access so you legitimately do have an onward booking that day in this case on JQ.

You could either refund the ticket straight away that night after leaving the QP or change the ticket to the next date you will need "anytime access". I realise you shouldn't have to do this but just an idea for those that do use this 'privilege' as they put it.

The abolition of this WP benefit seems like a classic example of "penny wise, pounds foolish" and whilst not every WP uses anytime access, QF will still lose business from WP's in principle, because QF are moving the goal posts & no customer likes to be taken for granted or played for a fool. What other 'enchancements' do QF have in the pipeline I wonder?

JB at DJ must be having a quiet chuckle to himself as it's not so much a case of DJ trying to entice business away from QF, more a case of QF chasing it away & giving it to DJ on a platter.

If the numbers are true & QF get 80% of the business from 20% of their pax (plenty of WP's in that equation) why bite the hand that feeds you?

 

[Lendav Orav]

Sent my complaint email to QF and I encourage all others to do the same. It's not a benefit that many of us use often but, as others have said, it's really the only thing that sets platinum apart.

By the way (not sure if this has already been covered as it's such a looooong thread already) but what's the so-called priority boarding for platinum members (only) for domestic flights that appears on the QF web site? I've never seen a priority lane for domestic flights...

 

[Danger]

Sent my complaint email to QF and I encourage all others to do the same. It's not a benefit that many of us use often but, as others have said, it's really the only thing that sets platinum apart.

The email address is [email protected].

By the way (not sure if this has already been covered as it's such a looooong thread already) but what's the so-called priority boarding for platinum members (only) for domestic flights that appears on the QF web site? I've never seen a priority lane for domestic flights...

Nothing but a fluff piece, I suspect. It's like saying "your bags will be among the first off". Yeah, right.

For what it's worth I've written a letter to Simon Hickey, CEO of QFF. The crux of my letter focuses on (i) the withdrawal of anytime access, (ii) a big incentive now to switch to AAdvantage (one point per mile transatlantic with BA; points (miles) upgrades on BA and IB) and (ii) the now glowing similarities between Gold and Platinum (Next Generation Check-In, premium security lanes, Q bag tags, on departure upgrades, priority waitlisting, priority boarding, priority check-in (domestically) and complimentary Qantas Club membership are all benefits of Gold and Platinum).

 

[djfuzz]

By the way (not sure if this has already been covered as it's such a looooong thread already) but what's the so-called priority boarding for platinum members (only) for domestic flights that appears on the QF web site? I've never seen a priority lane for domestic flights...

On many busier Cityflyer flights, there is usually a nominal call for pax with children, who require assistance, and who are J and WP.

Given the fact that a rather messy unofficial queue has usually formed anyway, it's impossible for anyone who's not already at the front to negotiate it easily (are you pushing in front of someone who's legitimately in line due to being called or someone keeping their place warm?), and usually it is ignored by everyone else at the front for the simple reason that it's likely easier just to get them all on anyway rather than sift the queue for those that have been called.

Not sure what 'enhancement' is coming to remedy this situation, or if it has any hope of being effective - but not sure it matters to be honest, though perhaps overhead storage will continue to deteriorate with the new baggage allowances.