Qantas boosts high-flyer perks, mulls lifetime Platinum status - from Ausbt

[Maca44]

FYI only, just an article found on Australian Business Traveller
Qantas boosts high-flyer perks, mulls lifetime Platinum status - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Qantas boosts high-flyer perks, mulls lifetime Platinum status

Qantas is splitting the top Platinum tier of its Frequent Flyer loyalty program into three levels to satisfy the appetite of business travellers for even more perks in return for their loyalty.

Even the allure of lifetime Platinum membership remains on the cards.
"We looked at lifetime Platinum in the context of the new Platinum One level" Stephanie Tully, Head of Airline Loyalty at Qantas, told Australian Business Traveller


Mod edit - removed full article quote, guidelines require partial quoting only.

 

[connieguy]

Qantas is splitting the top Platinum tier of its Frequent Flyer loyalty program into three levels to satisfy the appetite of business travellers for even more perks in return for their loyalty.

Would be nice for QF to deliver the "Board at Convenience" benefit before they start doing other "Enhancements".

So now we will have?:

WP at 1,200 SCs - been there

WP1 at 2,400 SCs - done that, hey I'm a WP1 :shock:

WP2 at 3,600 SCs - I need a Sugar Daddy to buy me J tickets.

 

[samiam]

All credit to Maca44 - there's little new information from QF's perspective in this article (apart, perhaps, from a couple of interesting quotes). AusBT/QF drip-feeding, maybe?

The business lounges were built for Platinums (because) the core need was for Platinum members to have a sanctuary of their own. It just happens that business class people are allowed in there as well.

I'd seen that tossed around in other threads on AFF, but hadn't (myself) seen a direct quote from QF before.

We found there’s a group of people who are earning well above three times the Platinum level – 3,600 status credits – who are also sharing their flying with other carriers, and are also tiered in other carriers.

So what's the incentive to put all of your eggs in one basket?

 

[oz_mark]

“Platinum One is a way of trying to consolidate that flying with Qantas because there was a growing group of people who need more aspiration to keep flying with us.”

While trying to get people to consolidate onto Qantas is a worthy goal, it has been getting harder for some folk to do that. If Qantas are heading toward using partners more (especially internationally), then it is going to get even harder. If I was in the position of being able to hold multiple top tier status levels, I would be doing that, rather than consolidating.

 

[serfty]

That article seems just a rehash of things already out there ...

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....y-head-airline-31189.html?highlight=interview

 

[lovetravellingoz]

As Virgin completes it's morph into Qantas Mark 2, we see Qantas getting more and more protective of it's business customers with the fear that many switch, and so hence the recent spate of genuine enhancements vs years of "enhancements" that were actually stripping off value.

 

[TonyHancock]

Not too much new to go on.

I'm keen to learn if there will be a requirement for some or all SC's to be earned on QF Metal. :?:

 

[Robert K]

If I was in the position of being able to hold multiple top tier status levels, I would be doing that, rather than consolidating.

they'll need to introduce really amazing perks. like a dedicated FA so every time you fly QF, you'll have someone familiar attend to you. Same reason why i like to go to the same restaurants all the time, sure, the food needs to be good, but i like seeing the same waitress and have a chat.

And instead of walking to the boarding gates from the lounge, you get chauffeured by the buggies!

 

[Mal]

I'm keen to learn if there will be a requirement for some or all SC's to be earned on QF Metal. :?:

I'm pretty sure there will be. It's a pity that QF hasn't officially mentioned this, but rather has been dancing around extolling it's virtues in other ways.

I think the Qantas polling is a little off. There are MANY people who credit 1200SC to QF and then credit to other programs. They have no idea of the extent of this. I suspect people earning > 3200 SC per year on QF aren't really doing the same thing as much. And, yes their polling has failed to see some of the core reasons... Routes available, poor plane equipment used on several routes, timetable, certain cities being abandoned etc etc etc.

 

[samiam]

they'll need to introduce really amazing perks. like a dedicated FA so every time you fly QF, you'll have someone familiar attend to you.

Sounds like an amazing idea - I'd guess it would be both logistically impossible (who gets first dibs on Deborah if 'her' passengers are flying different routes on different days) and cost prohibitive (surely the plan is to increase margin, not dip into this 'new' revenue to pay for a PA).

My thoughts.

 

[pshepvic]

I'm pretty sure there will be. It's a pity that QF hasn't officially mentioned this, but rather has been dancing around extolling it's virtues in other ways.

I think the Qantas polling is a little off. There are MANY people who credit 1200SC to QF and then credit to other programs. They have no idea of the extent of this. I suspect people earning > 3200 SC per year on QF aren't really doing the same thing as much. And, yes their polling has failed to see some of the core reasons... Routes available, poor plane equipment used on several routes, timetable, certain cities being abandoned etc etc etc.

Agree with you there. I'm looking like gaining Platinum with VA when it's introduced at the end of the year, meaning I'll have top tier with both VA and QF. There's no way I'll direct all that spend back to QF to even hit the 2400 SC mark - 1. Because VA is our contracted airline for work, 2. The benefits at 2400 are hardly worth it (the points are barely enough for a return MEL-BNE in J), and 3. I'm liking the path that VA are tracking along. They've managed to implement some great benefits in a pretty short time that QF can't even do after many years of "trying".

There are many more out there like me, who would rather keep options open and have elite status with 2 or 3 airlines rather than some ridiculous
"uber-Ryan-Bingham-status" with one airline (look what happened to everyone who'd put all their eggs in the Ansett basket...)

 

[Robert K]

- I'd guess it would be both logistically impossible (who gets first dibs on Deborah if 'her' passengers are flying different routes on different days) and cost prohibitive (surely the plan is to increase margin, not dip into this 'new' revenue to pay for a PA)..

if it's only for people with 5000 sc, I'd think there wouldnt be that many.

But if there were a lot, you could be assigned a team, maybe 3 PFA (personal FA)

the roster system can see when the superWP is flying and roster accordingly. Wouldnt be more expensive.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

(who gets first dibs on Deborah if 'her' passengers are flying different routes on different days)

Yeah, 'Deborah' is HOT. Does she work for QF or is she just a stand in model??

 

[samiam]

Yeah, 'Deborah' is HOT. Does she work for QF or is she just a stand in model??

Actually, she's a standard model

 

[Mal]

Sounds like an amazing idea - I'd guess it would be both logistically impossible (who gets first dibs on Deborah if 'her' passengers are flying different routes on different days) and cost prohibitive (surely the plan is to increase margin, not dip into this 'new' revenue to pay for a PA).

It is logically impossible. If someone wants their own personal FA, then buy a jet and employ someone. There is no way such a strange concept would be implemented by Qantas.

 

[yohy?!]

Something along the lines of AA ConciergeKey might work though - instead of dedicated FAs, dedicated airport concierge staff who meet and greet super-WPs, facilitate their swift departure and assist with rebooking during messy days

 

[pshepvic]

Something along the lines of AA ConciergeKey might work though - instead of dedicated FAs, dedicated airport concierge staff who meet and greet super-WPs, facilitate their swift departure and assist with rebooking during messy days

Instead of making so much song and dance about WP1, I don't know why they don't make it more like the "oh I didn't even know these existed" AA concierge key...

It's much more exclusive when people are not sure it really exists, and it's only ever a rumour

 

[Robert K]

It is logically impossible. If someone wants their own personal FA, then buy a jet and employ someone. There is no way such a strange concept would be implemented by Qantas.

you can use that answer for everything everyone whines about on the forum.

It's much more exclusive when people are not sure it really exists, and it's only ever a rumour

WPs want recognition. you can't brag about being in a secret club if no one believes it exists.

Maybe qantas needs to have someone with a big flag that says "THIS IS A PLATINUM FREQUENT FLYER. SHOW YOUR RESPECT" follow every WP that enters the airport until they get to the boarding gate, where the flag barer will yell "GET OUT OF THE WAY FOR THE PLATINUM FREQUENT FLYER. HE/SHE HAS PRIORITY BOARDING"

Now THATS a strange idea

 

[oz_mark]

Instead of making so much song and dance about WP1, I don't know why they don't make it more like the "oh I didn't even know these existed" AA concierge key...

It's much more exclusive when people are not sure it really exists, and it's only ever a rumour

That's how it has been - they're formalising it now

 

[pshepvic]

you can use that answer for everything everyone whines about on the forum.


WPs want recognition. you can't brag about being in a secret club if no one believes it exists.

Maybe qantas needs to have someone with a big flag that says "THIS IS A PLATINUM FREQUENT FLYER. SHOW YOUR RESPECT" follow every WP that enters the airport until they get to the boarding gate, where the flag barer will yell "GET OUT OF THE WAY FOR THE PLATINUM FREQUENT FLYER. HE/SHE HAS PRIORITY BOARDING"

Now THATS a strange idea

Sorry but I'd rather speak for myself on that, and I don't agree with you. I'm WP but don't go around "bragging" about it. Most non-frequent flyers wouldn't have a clue, just like most people wouldn't know what a Centurion Amex card is, or what an AA Concierge Key is. That's the beauty of something exclusive - not everyone knows about it. I like the fact that I can head into the Flounge without anyone really noticing, apart from maybe the odd QP or SG member walking past to the J lounge. Most people wouldn't know that such a thing exists and I like it that way.

Yes I like priority boarding and check in - not for the DYKWIA factor, but when you spend hours of your life every week in airports, you want to make it as painless as possible.

And no, I don't want a big flag being waived around in the slightest. I'd rather have a small unmarked door that I could slip through unnoticed to board the plane.