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?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Always feels weird now when I have to dig around for my BP if Nestor isn’t on the door. As a side note I got a ‘hello again’ at the BA CCR yesterday. While the recognition is always good customer service I do wonder what I’m putting my liver through to gain it

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

The crew on board were all good - but yet again I didn't know any of them - which always amazes me as I fly SYD-SCL so much. (at baggage collection I saw one female crew member I recognized - none of the others!)

It amazes me how large their crew size really is and how segmented they can be. I had a guy up to HKG the other day who was a 34 year veteran of Qantas. I asked where his favourite destinations were and they were all in Asia. I asked about the more distant parts of the network and if he liked going to JBurg or Santiago and he said "Oh I used to hate JBurg and haven't been in over a decade and I've never done a Santiago." Considering he is confined to the 330 or 747 and had no specific special Asian language skills that really surprised me.

 

[kermatu]

It amazes me how large their crew size really is and how segmented they can be. I had a guy up to HKG the other day who was a 34 year veteran of Qantas. I asked where his favourite destinations were and they were all in Asia. I asked about the more distant parts of the network and if he liked going to JBurg or Santiago and he said "Oh I used to hate JBurg and haven't been in over a decade and I've never done a Santiago." Considering he is confined to the 330 or 747 and had no specific special Asian language skills that really surprised me.

From what I’ve been able to learn from chats and observe over the years, I think Qantas has a good record of accommodating staff preferences and looking after staff who have a need to be home every night (eg, parents).

I see the same faces on short haul domestic routes and obviously the JetConnect crews, but everything else it’s often new (to me) people.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Another SST anecdote. I’m in London now after departing SYD at the weekend. Got my call from the F host as usual but forgot to ask about delaying my chauffeur drive pick up in London so I could visit the ArrivAAls Lounge (was having lunch at the time with Mrs 340). Rocked up at SYD F front desk the next day and asked about changing the time to be told that wasn’t possible, but of course I know it is.

In my opinion that’s not acceptable for a no status F pax, let alone an F/P1.

Sat down in the restaurant (great confit duck leg by the way), emailed the SST and within 10 minutes they’ve called back to say “no problem, we’ll contact the car operator and confirm with you by email by the time you reach Singapore.”

Of course it all went smoothly after that and had a call from the driver while in the ‘fast track’ immigration line at T3.

You can’t fault service recovery like that.

Unfortunately I had the exact opposite response to trying to change the pick up time at LHR with the Chauffeur due to me wanting to go for a shower and brekkie in the arrivals lounge.
I emailed the SST and they confirmed it was organized.
In the lounge briefly and had a call from the driver asking where I was.
He was very angry once I got downstairs and muttering about me owing him waiting time money. I told him to contact QF.

 

[kermatu]

Zero P1 love on a handful of recent domestic Y flights. And in Y is when a bit of love would be nice. Did get row 4. No shadows, no CSM greetings - despite two of the flights being >90 minutes and sat on tarmac for a while - no offers of anything from upfront. Meanwhile QF and Jetstar staff sitting comfortably in J.

On the plus side, SST was able to get me a spa appointment in the F lounge the other day, on the morning of my visit. Was only arranged a few hours beforehand and while in the air on a connecting flight. Incoming flight was delayed so almost certainly wouldn’t have had a treatment if I had just rocked up (lounge was it’s usual zoo around midday) and I’d probably have rushed for no reason.

 

[kermatu]

Always feels weird now when I have to dig around for my BP if Nestor isn’t on the door.

No Nestor now 3 visits in a row, including one earlier this week. Too sad.
On the plus side, a P1 benefit just realised. Upgrade on points J to F secured, a touch over 7 days in advance. Good benefit, even if it is only QF F / J+

 

[GoldCanyon340]

... even if it is only QF F / J+

If anyone from QF reads this thread they should start worrying that F is now being called J+. That's normally the domain of BA F! (and if anyone from BA is reading is thread I'd like to point out that I'm on record as liking BA F a lot)

 

[kermatu]

If anyone from QF reads this thread they should start worrying that F is now being called J+. That's normally the domain of BA F! (and if anyone from BA is reading is thread I'd like to point out that I'm on record as liking BA F a lot)

No no no. Haven’t you read all the hype about J being a mini F? I’m complimenting Qantas. Really. Genuinely. Seriously.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

No no no. Haven’t you read all the hype about J being a mini F? I’m complimenting Qantas. Really. Genuinely. Seriously.

I'm willing to drink some of the Kool-Aid, but not that much.

 

[kermatu]

I'm willing to drink some of the Kool-Aid, but not that much.

To be fair, I haven’t flown QF F for a couple of years, so will have an open mind. But suspect it will struggle to match my EK, and single SQ and JAL experiences in that time.
While I haven’t flown the Dreamliner J product, I have grown to really like the A330 suites. J class travel would be fine for me going forward on QF. Can’t see I’d ever pay outright for QF F.

 

[JRR]

“Enjoy your flight from the platinum one team” - I sure will you wonderful people with a shift from Y to J on the red eye back from Singapore!

 

[kermatu]

I have now been asked for my meal preference first three times in a row despite being 3rd, 4th and 2nd in line (by usual order) in J flights. As others have posted above, this would seem to now be a P1 benefit.
Hope it applies on my upcoming F flights.

 

[Matt_01]

To be fair, I haven’t flown QF F for a couple of years, so will have an open mind. But suspect it will struggle to match my EK, and single SQ and JAL experiences in that time.
While I haven’t flown the Dreamliner J product, I have grown to really like the A330 suites. J class travel would be fine for me going forward on QF. Can’t see I’d ever pay outright for QF F.

I have been fortunate enough to travel on all the same carriers in F, JL was a while back. It all depends on what you expect or want to "experience" from the flight. I like to be just left alone most of the time with EK and SQ it seems like every time the fizz runs out (my glass) they refill my glass and I have to start again . Personally I would like to have reported the inattentiveness of the QF staff but never experienced this, but that is just me. I find the QF seat/bead more comfortable than the EK or the SQ product.

I am also happy with the QF Business suite on both the a330 and 787, you just need to remember that seat type and row are not consistent. i.e. I do like the seating right on the aisle, so on the a330 even rows on the A side. On the 787 odd numbered rows on the A side.

I have now been asked for my meal preference first three times in a row despite being 3rd, 4th and 2nd in line (by usual order) in J flights. As others have posted above, this would seem to now be a P1 benefit.
Hope it applies on my upcoming F flights.

Agree, to date I have never not received my first meal choice.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I have now been asked for my meal preference first three times in a row despite being 3rd, 4th and 2nd in line (by usual order) in J flights. As others have posted above, this would seem to now be a P1 benefit.

Back in the day when I was CX Diamond and flying J on CX metal I'd regularly have a crew member ask me my main meal preference and they'd bring it to me before the 'trolley display' got wheeled down the aisle.

Even though we have just anecdotal evidence it is good to see QF allocating meals by status.

 

[danielt25]

Interesting on my recent flight to HKG sitting in 2A the FA asked me my meal choice ahead of those sitting in row 1 explaining he wanted to make sure i got my meal choice (even though i had booked it online)

Come dessert (which i hadn't chosen at time of main meal) i asked for the rhubarb custard upon which he said actually "that's run out" but he will quickly run upstairs (on A380) and grab me one!

I suppose the intention was good (to ensure meal choice) even if i couldn't have the custard because i didn't choose my dessert at time main meal choice was taken.

 

[kermatu]

I’ll post what happens on my upcoming F flights where I’m at the back of the bus. Well, row 4.

 

[kermatu]

No Nestor now 3 visits in a row, including one earlier this week. Too sad.

Make that 4 in a row. Fortunately the new younger gentleman on the door now also knows me and waves me through. Haven’t chatted to him or caught his name unfortunately.

 

[kermatu]

So, a very average QF F experience. Aside from the phone call the day before and booking a spa session, could have been any other visit to the F lounge in Sydney. To be fair, that’s not a bad thing. But it was basically acknowledged in the phone call the day before that the spa booking was the extent of the F treatment I’d get. No offer of use of the meeting room, no offer to reserve a table for lunch. Obviously no greeting or support through the terminal(s) — not that I needed any of this, but interesting.

Met halfway down the aerobridge by a lady with an iPad. Said hello then handed me over to a FA (not one of the F ones). Never saw either of them again. Greeted by the two F attendants who were very friendly and efficient but the boarding and settling in process was pretty rushed and chaotic. Handed everything in a cluster. Menu, amenity kit, PJs. Barely had half the champers before it was whisked away. I’d had it for maybe 5 minutes plus the security briefing time. Taken away straight after, even though we had a further 15 minutes on the ground, about half of which was taxiing. Amenity kit laughable. Menu average (will post in thread).

Food and drink orders taken fairly quickly. First drink order done before takeoff. Food was done soon after. But (and probably my only point relevant to this thread - sorry) food orders taken in strict row order. The F and K side done first, then As. Given there were 9 seats available after the P1 and CL upgrades were processed, I find it hard to believe we were all equal status. Or maybe, as my good FA said, there’s plenty of food. Wasn’t quite borne out in the end. But I didn’t miss out on my initial choices.

CSM introduced herself early but was clear if anything was needed, ask one of the F FAs. I suppose that’s fair enough if she isn’t around. Only saw her again on descent.

There was nothing bad. And I wasn’t expecting much from my first QF F flight in 3years. But even so, the whole experience was very underwhelming.

 

[Matt_01]

Received an unexpected upgrade from SST today . Maybe given as I just rolled over into a new year and had re-qualified, I am not going to complain.

 

[Matt_01]

@kermatu reading your post above what were you expecting from QF F. The experience as posted above is pretty much standard QF F.