Qantas Platinum One experiences?

[aus_flyer]

To all the newly-minted Platinum One frequent flyers out there... I'm curious to hear... what's been your experience so far?

Anything different?

Free upgrades?

... or all hype?

 

[juddles]

Interesting response tbh. I honestly expected(as I was reading through) a canned sort of nothing response. That's fairly decent even though I think they misunderstood the upgrade thing, but overall while obviously unable to promise anything, it was on the whole a pretty reasonable response IMHO.

very interesting response indeed. And it actually made a lot of sense.

My understanding was that there are two main issues for QF in regards to the concept of upgrades for domestic P1 flying:

1.- Shadows. I totally get what QF said there. "Most" higher tier travelers who do economy want to sit in the first couple of rows of economy, the most sought after Y seats, but they also all want an empty seat next to them. Just cannot work. (at least it cannot be a guaranteed right)

2.- Upgrades. If I read a hell of a lot between the lines, my interpretation there is that QF will give upgrades, but they seem reluctant to make it a guaranteed thing and therefore destroy actual purchased J seat revenue. Further, it is likely that many domestic P1's will probably travel at peak times, so less empty J seats for "space-available" upgrades. And also, if you are already in J in an aircraft with no F, then an upgrade is a tad hard!

 

[mviy]

And also, if you are already in J in an aircraft with no F, then an upgrade is a tad hard!

Even where there is F points upgrades would trump "space-available" upgrades.

 

[kermatu]

Not a bad response but confirmation that P1s actually aren't that special.

CLs get automatic Y shadows which regularly hold. Also in J but these are less successful. Why for CLs and not P1s?

It is a rare flight when I don't see at least two pax on staff travel in a 737 or 717 J cabin and I'm travelling (solo) in Row 4 Y. Harder to tell in the A330s but still quite frequent from my observations when in J. In such cases it would hardly be destroying J revenue fares to bump a P1 into J rather than a staff member setting off on a holiday to Cairns.

No offence to staff travellers, but it's clear who is valued more.

I've never been asked for feedback. I will offer some when my year ticks over shortly.

 

[Pleb Status]

1.- Shadows. I totally get what QF said there. "Most" higher tier travelers who do economy want to sit in the first couple of rows of economy, the most sought after Y seats, but they also all want an empty seat next to them. Just cannot work. (at least it cannot be a guaranteed right)

What QF could do is provide some extra legroom to the seats located in the first three rows of Y which their best FF could preallocate for free prior to committing to any form of payment. Sounds like a familiar solution....

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Why for CLs and not P1s?

Possibly because a CL who goes on social media to praise/complain about Qantas is a big deal compared to a P1 who does the same

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Possibly because a CL who goes on social media to praise/complain about Qantas is a big deal compared to a P1 who does the same

Even though, in the case of the CL, they would probably get their secretary/PA/publicist to do the complaining.

 

[TonyHancock]

Even though, in the case of the CL, they would probably get their secretary/PA/publicist to do the complaining.

I hope CL's have a better secretary than mine.

 

[juddles]

...... In such cases it would hardly be destroying J revenue fares to bump a P1 into J rather than a staff member setting off on a holiday to Cairns......

But if that was the norm no P1 would be booking/paying J - they would rely on the upgrade.

 

[mviy]

But if that was the norm no P1 would be booking/paying J - they would rely on the upgrade.

Yes it would need to be done sensibly. If the upgrade is only once every 10 flights or so, I don't think P1s would be relying on free upgrades all the time, and in any case points upgrades would trump free upgrades.

 

[RichardMEL]

I think there's 2 different things being discussed here.

1. Complimentary P1 upgrades
2. P1 upgrade certificaes/credits(whatever you want to call them)

(1) currently exists as an undocumented benefit, allegedly every 10 flights but hardly set in stone
(2) is something that has been discussed here as a wish list item (BA GGL for exmple provide a number per year I believe.

QF could easily offer P1's (2) and have it a published benefit - much like the US carriers do with their SWU's and the like. They can be capacity controlled any way QF likes - indeed they could just add it to the current system as a method of payment for an upgrade request and thus it still comes under the same umbrella, or they could oiffer a special CONFIRMED upgrade that books into a revenue bucket... maybe at the 5k SC level or something.

The point being that say QF gave 2/year of these "Upgrade Credits" for say a one cabin upgrade on a QF flight, you put your request in as per usual just opt to use a Upgrade Credit instead of points. If you have one voilia it goes in. if it clears, you essentially have a free upgrade courtesy ofQF, worth up to say 72,000 points. That would be a real benefit IMHO. That's not destroying revenue or yield management but providing for free upgrades that are quite different from (1) which are more or less "you're on am empty flight in the next cabin up, 24 hours out we'll throw you a bone" type nice upgrades, but maybe even ones you don't need or want (eg: I wouldn't pay for an upgrade on MEL-CBR, but if they put me in J for nix I won't complain.. but I *would* pay for J->F on SYD-DFW and if I could get that with a "free credit" well yes please save me a bunch of points and feel QF wants to reward my loyalty.

QF choose to not provide (2) or a variation on this even when other carriers like BA do. That's their call, and the response quoted above from the SST goes to explain the issues with providing (1) because that's what they do currently.

I've had a couple of the P1 complimemtary upgrades (which some consider to be op ups, but I do not, as they are totally different in execution) over the journey and it's been great, but I NEVER have counted on it (Well OK, this one time, not at band camp I looked at the loads on a 330 on a Sat arvo and figured chances were good I'd get one on MEL-SYD and was not surprised when I did but I would have been happy to stay in 23A if not. ). I kind of consider these types of upgrades as a bit like te event invites and stuff... nice to get, not expected.. but not something to be expected.

If QF wanted to show more value to P1 in a defined sense, I reckon they could implement something like (2) with minimal impact on yield and revenue if tied in to the current upgrade system. P1's would feel there was a real benefit, specially if you could use one of these things on a long haul, save some points and basically have something the other tiers don't have. And you know what, there could even be some P1's out there who would never use these things (eg if their travel is already always in the highest cabin there is) and again QF loses nothing.

I just think in discussions about upgrades for P1 members it would be good to be clear about what we're talking about - what currently exists vs what we'd like (or at least I assume most of us would)

 

[kermatu]

Sorry my post was confusing two separate issues. 1 is availability in J or F. 2 is guaranteed upgrades.

On the first, I simply make the comment that given staff seem to me to regularly travel in J, this cannot be a barrier to upgrades for P1s - however they are allocated (on day, or as one of say 5 guaranteed upgrades you could use per year).

On 2 - I am not advocating for more of the occasional / random upgrades. (Although it does irk me a bit when I see staff travelling in J and the empty seat next to me disappear last second as it's a full flight, I recognize the conundrum an airline faces with P1s or CLs coming to expect an upgrade as you say Juddles. I was given this very same reason by an ex-QF employee who was involved in yield management at the time a decision was made not to displace staff in J for WPs.)

In fact I'd be happy if they stopped the P1 "Enjoy your flight" upgrades altogether (op-ups excluded) and replaced them with some form of guaranteed upgrades. Ideally ones you could book in advance (say 5 per year, or to a value of xx_ points) and be guaranteed free. Given that would cost QF some revenue, perhaps limit it to those where there are award seats available at the time; or even tighter only those that have 'space' say a week out from the flight. Lots of ways you could do it.

Goes back to the same issue - get rid of the vague, intangible, random 'benefits'; introduce more guaranteed and meaningful ones. And give a passenger choice, so that if Partner Platinum isn't relevant you may choose instead:
- the guaranteed upgrades; or
- 5 CL lounge entries; or
- 7 Chauffeur drives; or
- 10% discount all-year round in the QF store; or
- 10% discount on all award / upgrade requests; or
- ...

This will be my feedback - some additional defined benefits and a choice.

Edit: Just saw RichardMEL's post after typing mine. Pretty much the same points.

 

[Pleb Status]

Sorry my post was confusing two separate issues. 1 is availability in J or F. 2 is guaranteed upgrades.

On the first, I simply make the comment that given staff seem to me to regularly travel in J, this cannot be a barrier to upgrades for P1s - however they are allocated (on day, or as one of say 5 guaranteed upgrades you could use per year).

On 2 - I am not advocating for more of the occasional / random upgrades. (Although it does irk me a bit when I see staff travelling in J and the empty seat next to me disappear last second as it's a full flight, I recognize the conundrum an airline faces with P1s or CLs coming to expect an upgrade as you say Juddles. I was given this very same reason by an ex-QF employee who was involved in yield management at the time a decision was made not to displace staff in J for WPs.)

In fact I'd be happy if they stopped the P1 "Enjoy your flight" upgrades altogether (op-ups excluded) and replaced them with some form of guaranteed upgrades. Ideally ones you could book in advance (say 5 per year, or to a value of xx_ points) and be guaranteed free. Given that would cost QF some revenue, perhaps limit it to those where there are award seats available at the time; or even tighter only those that have 'space' say a week out from the flight. Lots of ways you could do it.

Goes back to the same issue - get rid of the vague, intangible, random 'benefits'; introduce more guaranteed and meaningful ones. And give a passenger choice, so that if Partner Platinum isn't relevant you may choose instead:
- the guaranteed upgrades; or
- 5 CL lounge entries; or
- 7 Chauffeur drives; or
- 10% discount all-year round in the QF store; or
- 10% discount on all award / upgrade requests; or
- ...

This will be my feedback - some additional defined benefits and a choice.

Edit: Just saw RichardMEL's post after typing mine. Pretty much the same points.

What QF could do is provide four free upgrades a year to their best FF which can be used to confirm an upgrade from a Flexi fare to J at any time award seats are available and also if there any seats are available in J on departure. Another familiar solution....

 

[RichardMEL]

Sorry my post was confusing two separate issues. 1 is availability in J or F. 2 is guaranteed upgrades.

On the first, I simply make the comment that given staff seem to me to regularly travel in J, this cannot be a barrier to upgrades for P1s - however they are allocated (on day, or as one of say 5 guaranteed upgrades you could use per year).

On 2 - I am not advocating for more of the occasional / random upgrades. (Although it does irk me a bit when I see staff travelling in J and the empty seat next to me disappear last second as it's a full flight, I recognize the conundrum an airline faces with P1s or CLs coming to expect an upgrade as you say Juddles. I was given this very same reason by an ex-QF employee who was involved in yield management at the time a decision was made not to displace staff in J for WPs.)

Totally agree with you here. My own post was, incidently, not directed to any one poster in particular... so apologies if maybe you might have taken it that way.

My understanding of staff travel is there are 2 types - your confirmed business travel, which includes crews deadheading and confirmed space company business travel, and the 2nd is the NRSA standby staff travel space available.. and we've all seen the staff in J, specially on domestic, but most of them seem to be NRSA - which is why that empty seat 20min prior to departure gets filled 5min prior.

Now I can't speak for QF as I have no experience from the business side of this, but I do happen to have a reasonable idea how it works atsome other airlines, where these "Space Available" (SA) standby pass riders (including buddy passes) have differing BP(Boarding Priority) which comes *after* upgrades and revenue standby (ie: paying passengers) are processed, and some airlines have different priorities for various kinds of SA travel - eg: your own airline staff based on seniority, then company buddy pass holders, then OA(other airline) staff standby pax and those can then be graded into what sort of fare they've paid ID90/ID75 etc (or osme use the ZED fare concept which is based on distance zones, but I digress) and it all winds up in how these standbys are allocated seats.

Again, dunno about QF, but I definitely doubt that staff on passes or standby travel occupy seats ahead of customers either on standby or upgrades. Having said that they likely wouldn't op up pax like P1's if there were staff standby passengers who are able to ride J. I could be wrong on that particular aspect though.

In fact I'd be happy if they stopped the P1 "Enjoy your flight" upgrades altogether (op-ups excluded) and replaced them with some form of guaranteed upgrades. Ideally ones you could book in advance (say 5 per year, or to a value of xx_ points) and be guaranteed free. Given that would cost QF some revenue, perhaps limit it to those where there are award seats available at the time; or even tighter only those that have 'space' say a week out from the flight. Lots of ways you could do it.

Goes back to the same issue - get rid of the vague, intangible, random 'benefits'; introduce more guaranteed and meaningful ones. And give a passenger choice, so that if Partner Platinum isn't relevant you may choose instead:
- the guaranteed upgrades; or
- 5 CL lounge entries; or
- 7 Chauffeur drives; or
- 10% discount all-year round in the QF store; or
- 10% discount on all award / upgrade requests; or
- ...

This will be my feedback - some additional defined benefits and a choice.

Edit: Just saw RichardMEL's post after typing mine. Pretty much the same points.

yep.. and I like some of your variations too

What QF could do is provide four free upgrades a year to their best FF which can be used to confirm an upgrade from a Flexi fare to J at any time award seats are available and also if there any seats are available in J on departure. Another familiar solution....

and again, another option... all variations on the same theme.. but they don't seem to want to listen.. which is a pity because we're the customers they should be listening to you'd think.

 

[JohnPhelan]

I hope CL's have a better secretary than mine.

*Paging Griselda........

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Now I can't speak for QF as I have no experience from the business side of this, but I do happen to have a reasonable idea how it works atsome other airlines, where these "Space Available" (SA) standby pass riders (including buddy passes) have differing BP(Boarding Priority) which comes *after* upgrades and revenue standby (ie: paying passengers) are processed, and some airlines have different priorities for various kinds of SA travel - eg: your own airline staff based on seniority, then company buddy pass holders, then OA(other airline) staff standby pax and those can then be graded into what sort of fare they've paid ID90/ID75 etc (or osme use the ZED fare concept which is based on distance zones, but I digress) and it all winds up in how these standbys are allocated seats.

Again, dunno about QF, but I definitely doubt that staff on passes or standby travel occupy seats ahead of customers either on standby or upgrades.

That's pretty much exactly how QF does it.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

And give a passenger choice, so that if Partner Platinum isn't relevant you may choose instead:
- the guaranteed upgrades; or
- 5 CL lounge entries; or
- 7 Chauffeur drives; or
- 10% discount all-year round in the QF store; or
- 10% discount on all award / upgrade requests; or.

I thought the same about CL invites although more as part of the 'package'. Two CL visits per year wouldn't break the bank and would be a fantastic perk without ruining the exclusivity of said lounge.

Mrs 340 is Platinum so Partner Platinum means nothing to me. Would be nice to have been offered an alternative and I'm sure we're not the only couple in this situation.

 

[mviy]

I thought the same about CL invites although more as part of the 'package'. Two CL visits per year wouldn't break the bank and would be a fantastic perk without ruining the exclusivity of said lounge.

They could have a condition on the invites that they could deny access due to capacity constraints in which case you can use the invitation at another time (i.e. if too many P1s tried to use their invites at the same time - they could set quotas on how many P1s can be in the lounge at a time and once that limit's hit...).

Mrs 340 is Platinum so Partner Platinum means nothing to me. Would be nice to have been offered an alternative and I'm sure we're not the only couple in this situation.

And then there's those with no partner at all.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

They could have a condition on the invites that they could deny access due to capacity constraints in which case you can use the invitation at another time (i.e. if too many P1s tried to use their invites at the same time - they could set quotas on how many P1s can be in the lounge at a time and once that limit's hit...).

Or they could eject any MPs in the CL considering, as taxpayers, we are paying for their travel anyway

 

[TonyHancock]

Or they could eject any MPs in the CL considering, as taxpayers, we are paying for their travel anyway

A little harsh, our beleaguered MP's receive few benefits, well, apart from generous superannuation, family travel expenses, office expenses, nights away from home allowance and a generous salary.



It has always surprised me why access to the CL is not granted for P1's. (Particularly after they weeded the rough types like me out with the removal of the mASA.)

 

[kermatu]

Aside from thinking the whole CL programme is flawed, I actually don't have a problem with MPs having access to it or the lounges. In my experience they want as little time in airports as possible. In several guestings to the CBR CL I haven't seen one in there, but have seen them in SYD. See plenty of government agency heads (and deputies!!) though, which is ridiculous. Have been guested in by some, so perhaps it's not so bad.

I agree CL access for P1s should be the norm. But if not, 5 or so 'passes' would be a start. If you have a long transit, or a weather delay makes the J lounge a total zoo, or as will happen soon in MEL, the lounges are being renovated. These would be great.

I have been in CBR a few times, MEL and SYD a couple of times each. Never seen them crowded. But I appreciate this would be expected from CL members, so additional P1 riff raff would diminish the amenity.

Agree too that it should be part of the package, not an alternative.