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?

 

[RichardMEL]

General comments to Juddles, funkyr and anyone else regarding P1, requalifying (or not) and the greener grasses elsewhere.

The question of if one should aim to retain P1, to me anyway, has two main answers... and it seems to me they conflict a little.

One answer is "What is the benefit YOU derive from the P1 program that make it appealing?" - and do those perks match up with future travel? The second answer is more or less "If you feel you need to chase it, it's probably NOT worth it"

Go back through this thread over the years and consensus has been, more or less, that the P1 program is more an extension to the Platinum tier. Sure it has some really nice perks when they can be made use of - but is it the holy grail? Most of us agree nope. Also most of us have gotten there on the back of road warrior type efforts and would make the SC's either way. Sure I've played the DSC game (but never, EVER heard of asking for one?! lol - might as well ask for 50% off on F fares ) but I've also gotten there without any (cool)aid. Next year I won't get close, and I'm not that upset or worried. eg I've earned 230 SC's in nearly 3 months of my membership year. Actually making WP may be difficult, though the suggested soft landing from P1 probably helps. I wouldn't chase P1. Maybe if my planned flying had me to ~3300-3599 SC then sure I might get creative, but anything less... nah.

And fur some, like Juddles and funkyr, the other options out there are far better (I absolutely agree SQ is lightyears ahead service/product wise on many routes, for example). And wile SQ may not help much on the Dubbo-SYD-BNE route, for example, it can work great for the long hauls to many parts of the world.

I've always thought of P1 as more a bonus level for the AU locate and majority flying within oz and the region customers - most of them on corporate deals - which limit their flexibility.

Many of us in this group though are lucky enough, for whatever reasons, to have the ability to pick and choose more and it's good to be able to "spread the love around" a bit. Both for different product and service options, route network etc but also for when it comes time to not pay, options are opened up via having fingers in multiple FF pies (eg QF/SQ elite status mix and mileage balances open up oneworld AND Star alliance for rewards making most places on earth available, and different options for popular city pairs). Many of us have combined rewards over alliances and made it work.

I am not cutting QF ties by any means a la Juddles, but I certainly understand and appreciate the sentiment of pulling off those rosy red handcuffs.

At the end of the day I reckon we all seek the best experiences and value from our travel and that will be a different scenario and value for each of us - and there's also no "right" or "wrong" answer - it's all very subjective too.

Except for the new QF F bubbles. That Heisdeck is rubbish. if they send that for chrissy, probably via Sendle, then I'm out. I'll go fly UA

 

[Fergo747]

Great recent experience with SST and onboard. Wife and I were heading to CNS for first wedding anniversary and I emailed the SST requesting note on boarding pass (thanks for the idea from the others that have posted about this). I got a call from SST day before flight confirmation message and asking whether we wanted to change seats as we were in 4A and 4C and given the way the flight was looking it was likely that 4B would end up being needed. I politely declined as neither of us like a middle seat and the very nice Gai said she would put a block and a note against 4B.

Once on board and with the CSM seeing the message on my wife's boarding pass we were treated very well with champagne brought down straight after the seatbelt sign was switched off much to the chagrin of those in J who then had to wait another 30 mins or so for a drink. It was freelowing drinks for the remainder of the flight which was particularly nice as it was a flight for which booze were meant to be paid for. Also the shadow stuck on what was a relatively full flight so was overall very pleased.

 

[juddles]

Possibly last experience with the SST - needed release of some domestic awards tickets - so in my laziness contacted the SST - and of course (correctly as per QF procedures) got told to contact the "Premium Res" team by phone. The outcome of the subsequent events was OK, but certainly I saw no benefit as P1 as opposed to vanilla WP.

 

[juddles]

General comments to Juddles, funkyr and anyone else regarding P1, requalifying (or not) and the greener grasses elsewhere.
......

And fur some, like Juddles and funkyr, the other options out there are far better .....

I am not cutting QF ties by any means a la Juddles, but I certainly understand and appreciate the sentiment of pulling off those rosy red handcuffs.
.....

This is where I despair at QF. There are truly many better or good options for general international travel. But for me QF was easy as it flies where I want it to, and I do often like the experience. Not much competition Aus - Sth America.

But the thing that galls me, or alarms me, is the lack of any real customer care factor. The fact that a pax can be P1 for years with gazillion spend, then go silent, yet not be fought for, is to me an indication that in some areas Qantas is clearly out of sinc in an international market.

They did send me one email, essentially saying they noticed that I had stopped using them. I replied that despite fantastic SST service, the actual onboard experience was getting very unsound. They replied in turn that they were sorry for that. And that was the end of it!?

I am possibly typical of many who are leaving QF. We only hung in there due to our devotion to an Aussie icon and some good experiences. What business in the WORLD lets a tens of thousand spend customer go without even getting someone to make a simple phone call to try to win them back?

I am not a crusader, am too old and tired for that sort of thing. And I really think that the bean counters in QF are really good at their job, mainly. So maybe all the P1 fliers out there need to also get used to the fact that they are not core business, that they get served fluff to ostensibly keep the love, but at the end of the day in all of QF's modern calculations, they are just high spenders, not priority customers.

 

[RichardMEL]

They did send me one email, essentially saying they noticed that I had stopped using them. I replied that despite fantastic SST service, the actual onboard experience was getting very unsound. They replied in turn that they were sorry for that. And that was the end of it!?

I promise you that I do NOT mean this next comment as criticism despite how the way it would come across.

What would you have them do? I mean you note the lack of care, you were P1 for years.. they DID notice your fall away and send an email.

It may be token, it may even be autogenerated... but it's SOMETHING

And you correctly responded your decisions due to poor onboard product, experiences etc.

I wonder, if the person answering your email had responded "Oh that's terrible to hear. I'll push this right up to our head of customer experience and we'll do all we can to make it better" - which in itself would be token and probably BS. A manager would go "A former P1 hates our onboard. Oh well." (or maybe even the new catch all "OK Boomer" type response).

I mean though they noted you'd gone.. asked about it.. your reasons are totally valid and all but there's not much "they" can do about it in response to one (former) customer. It could well be that the agent who read your response agreed fully but they can't even respond with that can they?

I understand you feel unloved by all of this but I'd hardly say there was NO customer care?

And unfortunately QF does seem to have this mindset, no doubt underpinned by cost pressures, that their product is pretty good, it competes on te world stage (they don't care about all those SCL flights on 744's when the shiny 787's will do BNE-ORD, etc). VA does offer some competition, and one would have thought domestic at least would have improved a lot. but it seems stuck in a rut (and VA's struggles and recent changes like making J paying for BoB items tell QF that they are still "ahead" on product).... they can't compete with SQ/CX and the ME3 on product or service (costs) so they're stuck a bit. They could improve a lot onboard for sure. They are doing things like new routes, new SIN F lounge and so on... (gag it seems like I've swallowed their marketing g guff !)

End of the day we make our choices and decisions. Not much QF can do if someone has decided they're out (and proved it by taking business elsewhere).

tbh I would credit QF for actually noting it with some contact - as token as it may seem.

That's just me though

 

[Matt_01]

I have not chimed in here for a while so the only thing that I can report is I received an upgrade on a domestic flight on my regular Sunday evening commute. On another note after JL moved JL3 from arrival into NRT (connecting to QF80) to an arrival into HND at 04:30 this was somewhat annoying and although there would have ample time (16 or so hours) to get from HND-NRT we did not like the option. JL were first to come to the party and moved us to JL5 then SST released a couple of seats on QF26 released after the bot said no. At this stage there is still a 5-6 hour layover in HND and I am waiting on any announcement on what QF will do with their new HND slot.

 

[juddles]

I promise you that I do NOT mean this next comment as criticism despite how the way it would come across.

What would you have them do? I mean you note the lack of care, you were P1 for years.. they DID notice your fall away and send an email.

It may be token, it may even be autogenerated... but it's SOMETHING
....

tbh I would credit QF for actually noting it with some contact - as token as it may seem.

That's just me though

RichardMEl, first off I would never ever take your comments as criticism - you are unfailingly diplomatic and thoughtful.

But you have in a perfect way highlighted my criticism of QF here - they sent me a generic email. And essentially a generic response to my feedback. Literally a few seconds of their time. I get more feedback and care from a two-bit business locally....

It appears to me that the whole Qantas system avoids anything personal. I do not expect anything amazing. But they do not decide to introduce a human factor, that lack of literally a physical phone call of some minutes in duration, makes it clear to me that "service recovery" is not a concept that is within the current QF plan. I really do think they are making a mistake here.

I have always been a solid Qantas fan. And I am sure others that are also leaving the fold are similar. It would not take much to keep some of us with them. But a bland and impersonal "Noticed you no longer fly with us" email is an extremely half-hearted approach. In my view

"If" I was in charge of any business I would have a team fighting like crazy to keep the best customers.....

 

[TonyHancock]

"If" I was in charge of any business I would have a team fighting like crazy to keep the best customers.....

In what I can only describe as a never ending battle against businesses offering consumer products and services I can only agree with this sentiment. It does seem odd that companies, and please stand up to be counted the entire mobile phone industry, value new customers over existing profitable ones. (Not that I am at all bitter about it. )

I guess if the new customer acquisition numbers outstrip the wastage then all looks good, but it does seem that the cost of retention would be low and require little effort in many cases and if this could be done in conjunction with the acquisition of new customers then that would be a huge win. (I am a barely literate buffoon though and I am sure the marketing peeps know what they are doing.)

That said I still think Sid James can help you on one of his courses!!

As a datapoint I received no communications at all from QF when I dropped off the P1 radar after four years, but then again I exploited the mASA to maximum effect. I do not expect BA to be too disappointed when I drop off their radar in 10 months either. (Thank the mighty god of frequent flying for the ex EU fares!!)

 

[RichardMEL]

Points well taken Juddles, and I agree that you'd think, even with 5k-ish members, they would call. but then again what if someone reviewed your history, saw the huge decline in QF flying and figured you'd already made your choice? And, had someone called you up and said "Oh Juddles, we're so sorry to see you're not with us anymore.. how can we keep your business?" and you replied with your comments about onboard product and service standards.. what on earth is that human to do with that? They can't change what the organisation does, and any platitudes made would be seen as just that. I guess that was my point.
A generic email is better than nothing.. as the man from BA GGL said he got nothing from QF - so you're already ahead of someone who clearly is a VERY high value pax (as you are).

I guess "Service recovery" in the situation where one is jack of the airline product and service is pretty difficult. What would it take to keep you? F lounge passes? (doubtful) extra QFF thrown your way? (doubtful?) ... I guess I struggle to see how, given the current QF system and mindset, they could make you happy enough to come back. Again not meant personally just thinking if I were in this situation.

I absolutely agree QF seems to have an almost arrogant attitude at times both to thinking their Neil Perry "inspired" food is wonderful and their service is always excellent (we know better!) and even their hard product is right up there (787's maybe, refurb 380 possibly bar F, 744's nope, 737's nope, 330's probably).

The other thing is.. a lot of this is VERY subjective. I fly UA transpac in J then go to QF and it's night and day (seriously) in terms of F&B and even hard product (tho UA has wifi) but in general I'd prefer a QF 787 to a UA 787 in J. The next person would say nope.. they value other metrics.

This is a bit OT to P1 really because I think QF trying to keep premium/high value pax is a topic in and of itself - and you'd think they should try harder.. but seems they don't really care (hence my "arrogant" comment above).. and maybe even in this world with inflated P1 ranks thanks to DSC there might even be a factor of "we'd like to thin the herd anyway"

 

[pjm99au]

And the fun begins for another year. According to a txt just received I’m to expect a delivery tomorrow from Qantas via Hatcher

 

[Matt_01]

Well I saw this and went to check my phone, no txt. Please let us know what arrives.

 

[KSC]

Points well taken Juddles, and I agree that you'd think, even with 5k-ish members, they would call. but then again what if someone reviewed your history, saw the huge decline in QF flying and figured you'd already made your choice? And, had someone called you up and said "Oh Juddles, we're so sorry to see you're not with us anymore.. how can we keep your business?" and you replied with your comments about onboard product and service standards.. what on earth is that human to do with that? They can't change what the organisation does, and any platitudes made would be seen as just that. I guess that was my point.
A generic email is better than nothing.. as the man from BA GGL said he got nothing from QF - so you're already ahead of someone who clearly is a VERY high value pax (as you are).

I guess "Service recovery" in the situation where one is jack of the airline product and service is pretty difficult. What would it take to keep you? F lounge passes? (doubtful) extra QFF thrown your way? (doubtful?) ... I guess I struggle to see how, given the current QF system and mindset, they could make you happy enough to come back. Again not meant personally just thinking if I were in this situation.

I absolutely agree QF seems to have an almost arrogant attitude at times both to thinking their Neil Perry "inspired" food is wonderful and their service is always excellent (we know better!) and even their hard product is right up there (787's maybe, refurb 380 possibly bar F, 744's nope, 737's nope, 330's probably).

The other thing is.. a lot of this is VERY subjective. I fly UA transpac in J then go to QF and it's night and day (seriously) in terms of F&B and even hard product (tho UA has wifi) but in general I'd prefer a QF 787 to a UA 787 in J. The next person would say nope.. they value other metrics.

This is a bit OT to P1 really because I think QF trying to keep premium/high value pax is a topic in and of itself - and you'd think they should try harder.. but seems they don't really care (hence my "arrogant" comment above).. and maybe even in this world with inflated P1 ranks thanks to DSC there might even be a factor of "we'd like to thin the herd anyway"

In the fashion QF responds to issues and complaints it seems their data points are not very organised. I’m confident they run on multiple legacy systems with allot of fragmented info on customers.

I will be very surprised if they had a single source view of a customer.

If they do have all data of a customer organised I wonder if there is an action to retain or at least find out why someone is defecting.

Some could be saved some cant, however without feedback QF are just poking holes on what they think valued customers want and most importantly why they are leaving.

Seeing that I work with some senior execs that don’t know there is a “zoom” function on PowerPoint, I’m not surprised that if there is allot of dinosaurs at QF wanting to run it like it’s 1990.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

But the thing that galls me, or alarms me, is the lack of any real customer care factor.

Until QF gets a CEO with core customer service focus nothing will change.

AJ is an OPEX man and his focus is the bottom line...customer experience can be expensive and the first thing to go when fuel prices go up (or down).

 

[RooFlyer]

In the fashion QF responds to issues and complaints it seems their data points are not very organised. I’m confident they run on multiple legacy systems with allot of fragmented info on customers.

I will be very surprised if they had a single source view of a customer.

That sounds about right. Yet we are told by some how Qantas are the masters of ‘big data’ on their QFF members, and know all this stuff about us that we don’t realise.

They struggle to put points against a flight.

 

[flyingfan]

That sounds about right. Yet we are told by some how Qantas are the masters of ‘big data’ on their QFF members, and know all this stuff about us that we don’t realise.

They struggle to put points against a flight.

I'm willing to say QF is probably a master of data to determine when and with whom it's profitable to target DSCs, double points, QC promos etc. QF may (or may not) know a lot about us but it seems it's enough to maximise profit of late - targeting the most profitable segments and betting that eg it's not worth targeting P1s with DSCs is probably different to QF's (in)ability to see or bother to check when P1s are in a certain city to offer them special events etc.

I suspect mastery of data does not translate to a fulfilling, optimised customer experience.

 

[KSC]

I'm willing to say QF is probably a master of data to determine when and with whom it's profitable to target DSCs, double points, QC promos etc. QF may (or may not) know a lot about us but it seems it's enough to maximise profit of late - targeting the most profitable segments and betting that eg it's not worth targeting P1s with DSCs is probably different to QF's (in)ability to see or bother to check when P1s are in a certain city to offer them special events etc.

I suspect mastery of data does not translate to a fulfilling, optimised customer experience.

Highly doubt mastery. Getting 3 emails a day of random irrelevant promotions is not mastery.
Getting emails on Economy when never booked one Economy ticket also not mastery.

Inability to follow up issues from one agent to another, due to lack of data handover. Also not mastery.

Giving me seats in advance as a lowly Bronze reserved for P1 & CL’s, ok I don’t mind that flaw..

 

[juddles]

Aaaaarrrggghhh! As always, nothing is simple, especially in the wee hours....

I have voiced that I think that Qantas has a problem in some specific areas of customer service (not the usual whinges, but specifically about high-spend pax). I agree that AJ is totally numbers-focussed. And I think that to a huge degree this is not a bad thing - you can have every fancy fairy thoughts about idealism, but if at the end of the day the bottom line is red, you sink. Which helps no-one.

My thoughts and comments re Qantas recently have been negative because I perceive that they lose high-value customers without a fight. I hope that this is not taken as being anti the "bottom line" - because I respect that is and should always be the primary driver in any private business activities.

Any business exists to make money, not to satisfy customers. Although customer satisfaction can help, sometimes, to improve profits, it is not and has never been the primary reason for a company to exist.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded. And should perhaps take a moment to ponder the economic success of communist ideals....

 

[Princess Fiona]

I'm willing to say QF is probably a master of data to determine when and with whom it's profitable to target DSCs, double points, QC promos etc. QF may (or may not) know a lot about us but it seems it's enough to maximise profit of late - targeting the most profitable segments and betting that eg it's not worth targeting P1s with DSCs is probably different to QF's (in)ability to see or bother to check when P1s are in a certain city to offer them special events etc.

I suspect mastery of data does not translate to a fulfilling, optimised customer experience.

I personally know of two current P1s who received the recent targeted double SC promo.
Sadly I wasn’t one of them

 

[Kangol]

And the fun begins for another year. According to a txt just received I’m to expect a delivery tomorrow from Qantas via Hatcher

Got an email today, mine is expected this week. Hatcher as well.

 

[La Mouette]

Got an email today, mine is expected this week. Hatcher as well.

I received the text, delivery today. In true P1 form, it arrived shortly after I left home. AusPost has offered the intriguing offer of leaving it in a safe place - a $300 bottle of champagne?