Qantas Platinum One experiences?

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aus_flyer

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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?
 
I have been P1 for 3 years now and its taken that long to really get my head around what it’s worth.
Sydney based and 5 or 6 Internationals a year and around 50 to 75 domestic flights a year

Good –

The ability to make changes if you are early or late into domestic airports. I can finish meetings early and get to the airport 2 or 3 hours early or run late and every time the service desk look after me and put me on a preferred or next available flight.

On holidays in Bali and stuck in traffic trying to get to our flight home. Rang SST while in the taxi. They contacted the airport and advised them we were running late. Called me back and asked me how we were going time wise. Got to the gate last ones in and they looked after us and knew exactly what was going on. A stressful time made easy for us by SST at Qantas.

Yes, we get the cards on some flights, the Champagne at Xmas and that’s great, not lotto winning stuff but appreciate the thought.

We have also been looked after in many international lounges being a P1 and have fond memories of them from previous holidays.

Yes, you get the hello at the gate and welcome back introduction so that’s nice. And while sometimes I’m in economy with my knees up to my chin, sitting next to the toilets at the back of the plane and unable to move I have had the Stewardess approach me and say so sorry you have ended up here. Made no difference to me at all but it is kind of fun in a way to go through it now and then, Real world stuff I say.

I have 3 kids and really the good being a P1 is we get looked after more often then not and the stressful flying holidays become more workable and less stressful. I count it as a privilege and being lucky to have the P1 status and I really think it helps us.

Due to flying a lot I have got to know all of the staff at the business lounges around Australia and they are all great, good to have a laugh at 6.00am in the morning trying to get on a flight or catching up with them again on a Friday night at 6.00pm with storms and delays left right and center.

The not so good –

I have realized that I must always understand that it’s the staff member your dealing with on the day and the training they have had that will ultimately determine how your treated and not your status.

Like stuck in economy and having to search through my pockets for $6.00 for a bottle of wine. While some days its given to me and noted as complementary.

Pushed around and not treated all that flash by a stewardess. Simple, everyone has a bad day, or they just haven’t been told or bothered to listened when trained to treat the top 5 percent of flyers with a little bit of a smile and can I help you. Actually, shouldn’t that be for the first-time flyer and the top flyers.

Now in saying all of that I have been told some stories of how some P1s act and demand and the don’t you know who I am stuff. So that would give us all a bad name, I guess.

End result is Qantas get me to my destination safely and 95% of the time with a smile and a lot of extra help and service. That’s why I fly them, and I guess that’s why I have a P1 status.

But wow I would love to get into the CL or be invited to join. Don’t think it will ever happen though.
 
I've not seen P1's or CL's doing the DYKWIA type stuff, but I guess they are out there and you can imagine it.

I certainly don't pull that cough at all. I only pull out my card to use at the kiosk or on the odd occasion it would be quicker for an agent to swaipe that (eg: int->dom transit at BNEor SYD) but I certainly never show it for any other reason or anything like that.

I reckon big noting ones self like that would be a good way to get staff offside imo. I politely ask for whatever (eg: can I get on an earlier flight) and they can SEE my status in the system and if it's do-able I thank them very much and if not I also thank the agent not jump up and down or have a hissy fit. That's just me.
 
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RichardMEL said:
I only pull out my card to use at the kiosk or on the odd occasion it would be quicker for an agent to swaipe that (eg: int->dom transit at BNEor SYD) but I certainly never show it for any other reason or anything like that.
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@RichardMEL Just some thoughts and my observations. If you pin the white card to your jacket or better still sticky tape to your forehead you can get through security and into the lounge quicker. If you leave said card attached to your forehead as you enter the lounge you are escorted to your preferred seating location and all other patrons within a 5 meter radius are moved so they do not encroach into your personal space after which you are provided with free food and drinks. If said card is still in place as you approach the priority boarding lane the masses step aside and allow you to go to the front. With said card still visible as you board the CSM will ask the PAX already seated in 1A and 1C to move to some other part of the aircraft so you can take either seat and retain a shadow. :p :p :p :p :p
 
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P1 flyer said:
Like stuck in economy and having to search through my pockets for $6.00 for a bottle of wine. While some days its given to me and noted as complementary.
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I’m with you there on that. It seriously p*sses me right off.
Not enough to say anything though I just sit there and seethe quietly 🤣
 
Princess Fiona said:
Brilliant!!! I also got a cute Birthday Cake last month View attachment 190088
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Now I wish I travelled through MEL int during my Bday this year (when I was P1). Though had a very nice domestic flight instead with the crew absolutely spoiling me (Selfie with the whole crew in the aisle, bottle of wine and a card, F class style treatment in Dom J) I'm sure the other passengers were a little confused what it was all about!
 
Waiting for the regular commute that was delayed by 20 minutes, par for the course. As boarding time approached pulled out the headset and connected to the iPad and checked boarding time, another delay. Then I noticed that my seat in 4C has now changed to 1C.
 
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Just became P1 5 days ago! So I have 15 months of P1 ahead of me (I'd say no real chance of requalifying next year without DSC), so I'm looking forward to anything above WP especially early notification of international upgrades and free exit row seats if upgrade don't materialise...
 
Matt_01 said:
Waiting for the regular commute that was delayed by 20 minutes, par for the course. As boarding time approached pulled out the headset and connected to the iPad and checked boarding time, another delay. Then I noticed that my seat in 4C has now changed to 1C.
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Love when this happens!
 
defurax said:
Just became P1 5 days ago! So I have 15 months of P1 ahead of me (I'd say no real chance of requalifying next year without DSC), so I'm looking forward to anything above WP especially early notification of international upgrades and free exit row seats if upgrade don't materialise...
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The best tangible benefits are the v early upgrades on International and the ability to have Award seats released. Anything else is icing on the cake really.
Welcome to the not very exclusive club though 😍
 
Believe it or not, my main issue with Qantas as a P1 has been about water!

Imagine that you are flying in row 1, as a P1 on a QF 747 in business class (there is no first). You ask for an extra bottle of water (because you weigh 120kg and the single tiny bottle is a thimble designed for little people). Shouldn't be a drama. Should be a request met with a smile and that requested bottle.... but instead you get that dreaded eye-roll. Over a bottle of freaking water??

I forgave QF the first time - thinking that concept of a staff member having a bad day.

I forgave it a couple of flights later, again trying to justify the ill feeling as yet another bad staff day.

But the third time I blew a valve. Not on the flight. Not at the staff. I simply got home and cancelled every single upcoming flight I could. Quite a few tens of thousands of dollars value. After a few months the P1 team "reached out" to me asking why I had stopped flying QF, but I just couldn't be bothered fighting their staff issues.

As a P1 I have experienced absolutely magnificent support from the SST team. They are really very good. But despite that professional team being there to help with ticketing and flights that go amiss, they have no influence on the actual flight staff. And that was the feedback I gave them - that the SST was wonderful but the crew aboard had failed me once too often. And they apologized (but offered nothing) - which I understood as I know they understand the situation and really cannot do anything.

For anyone joining the P1 ranks, rejoice in your bottle of bubbly each Christmas. Enjoy if you get an invite to a P1 function - they are fun. And especially enjoy the awesome support that you get from the SST team. Best "perk" of P1 that exists.

But also be very prepared that on most flights the staff either have no concept what a P1 or WP is, or just don't give a rats cough.
 
calmelb said:
Now I wish I travelled through MEL int during my Bday this year (when I was P1). Though had a very nice domestic flight instead with the crew absolutely spoiling me (Selfie with the whole crew in the aisle, bottle of wine and a card, F class style treatment in Dom J) I'm sure the other passengers were a little confused what it was all about!
Click to expand...

Just for the record I have traveled out of MEL F, and on a number of flights on my birthday and nobody's said a word (not that I really worried about it.. it was my treats to me :) )
 
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