Qantas Club Price Rise

[Rono]

I know that people say you only read the parts of the newspaper that you personally agree with but I liked your analysis NM. This is one of the better debates I've read. Interesting for me to see the diversity of opinion out there. Do I agree with it all, no. Intrigued by it, yes. (Even better, I would love to see the actual P&L behind the Qantas Club, memberships and fares)

regards

Paul R Ronis

I don't blame cheap paid memberships for lounge crowding. In my view, paid memberships are not a major factor in the number of people in the lounge. Paid membership only entitles you to be in the lounge when flying with Qantas (or BA/AA). If such a member was flying regularly enough to be making lots of use of the lounge then they would qualify for lounge access based on FF status and not require the paid membership.

So it is my view that paying members use the lounge less frequently than status members. I expect the majority of people in the QF lounges at any time are there based on FF status rather than paid memberships. And I expect paid memberships, even the discounted ones, are a good source of revenue for Qantas, especially given the member can only use the lounge when flying with Qantas. And those companies that have the benefit of discounted club memberships are the ones more likely to be using flexible fares rather than BFOD or N/O/Q type fares. So the combination of paid membership and higher fares is likely to be a good revenue source for Qantas.

From QF's perspective, overcrowded lounges is a good problem to have - certainly a better problem than empty lounges. It means there are lots of high-value customers buying your products. The best solution for Qantas is not to restrict lounge access, but to build bigger lounges to meet the demand, and I understand that is what they have planned.

 

[Speedbird001]

Indeed, as a 'Cashed Up Bogan' may I suggest that those that get access through 'status' on account of flying enough on someone else's account (i.e. their company's) take issue with Qantas itself for the overcrowding (aka Grand Central Station like feel of SYD and MEL QCs) rather than users?

 

[Kendall Roy]

Just went online to receive a dummy quote and low and behold.. Life Membership = GOOOOONE :shock:

 

[simongr]

Hmm - interesting that it is still listed on the main page of the applications/quoting page not when a quote is requested.

 

[Rono]

Sydbloke I don't understand, top right of your post says QC lifetime??

regards

Paul R Ronis

 

[beardoc]

Just went online to receive a dummy quote and low and behold.. Life Membership = GOOOOONE :shock:

I just found this thread - I decided a while ago that I was deciding on a QC Life Membership as I like the priority check-in and I would take advantage of the extra baggage allowance and priority bag tags (this to me is more important than the lounge itself). I travel only about once a month, and usually on economy travel, so the best I'll ever achieve is QFF Silver membership, and rarely will I achieve status that will be Gold or higher. My career is one which doesn't offer me a lot of travel other than conferences - my line of work tends to be in one place.

I noted that Life Membership had been removed from the quote page, and realised that not only are the prices going up, but I might have missed the boat on Life Membership altogether. I decided to call the QC Service Centre by phone, and asked to join, asked for a Life Membership, and was quoted the $4200. I gave them my credit card number, and moments later, they said I would have my card in two weeks.

I don't know if they're removing QC Life Membership, but for me who was 80% sure I was going to get it, I decided it could be now or never. Just to let people know that if they do want to get QC Life and beat the price rise, you can do it on the phone with no worries.

I have about 35 years of my working life left, and years on top of that, so I figure it's going to be a good deal. I will apportion some of the cost via tax deductions (via the fact that I do travel for work/education related conferences and professional exams), so it'll be an even better deal!

 

[Maca44]

so I figure it's going to be a good deal.

It is huge initial outlay for QF Life, however, I was lucky to get it in 1994 when QF ran a promotion to get Life Members of the Golden Wings Club to join as Life Members of the QP at a very much reduced price. After checking I was Life at Ansett they offered me life at QP for $980, and naturally paid it two days later. Like beardoc I only fly occasionally now and mainly utilise the benifits of QP membership for check in. When you consider the number of years I have been a member, and the cost of annual fees it has been worth it for myself.

 

[beardoc]

It is huge initial outlay for QF Life, however, I was lucky to get it in 1994 when QF ran a promotion to get Life Members of the Golden Wings Club to join as Life Members of the QP at a very much reduced price. After checking I was Life at Ansett they offered me life at QP for $980, and naturally paid it two days later. Like beardoc I only fly occasionally now and mainly utilise the benifits of QP membership for check in. When you consider the number of years I have been a member, and the cost of annual fees it has been worth it for myself.

Maca44:

How much did you pay to Ansett in the first place?

 

[serfty]

OK, you can no longer enroll for life membership on-line.

Life member ship is mentioned in the Membership Types Page. However, the link takes you through a sequence of pages where Life Membership is not offered.

Effective 4 September 2006

That's the current revision date for the QP T&C's.

Life Membership is no longer mentioned in the Definitions. ('Senior Life Membership' is however).

Life membership is mentioned here and there through the text.

Something is afoot?

 

[Maca44]

Maca44:

How much did you pay to Ansett in the first place?

From memory, it was about $1600 but I can't remember what year it was. I joined as Life with QP in 1994, and was with Ansett for several years prior to that. However, in those days even $1600 was a big outlay.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Sydbloke I don't understand, top right of your post says QC lifetime??

regards

Paul R Ronis

I got in about 6 months ago. Was looking for a friend.

 

[NM]

Was looking for a friend.

Did you manage to find one? I understand the classified ads can be a good starting point .

 

[pasha]

I am a bit late joining this thread.

Don't mind at all about people having the right to pay for QC memberships. I attained Gold QC status years ago by travelling premium class (Business and First) internationally on personal account - hence, I have been receiving complimentary membership for years.

Agree with most that the QC lounges are getting too crowded these days - and even the First class lounge at Sydney international airport can be very crowded full (I assume) with platinum FF plus guests!

I think the fairest way for QF is as follows:

Dedicated F class lounge for F class paying customers (international)
Dedicated B class lounge for B class paying customers (international & domestic)
QC lounge (this should be the biggest lounge amongst the 3) for QC Gold and Platinum passengers and fee paying QC members (international and domestic).

As I usually travel economy domestically I am happy to use the QC lounge and only have access to the Domestic Business Lounge when I travel on business class. Same for international travel.

 

[NM]

I think the fairest way for QF is as follows:

Dedicated F class lounge for F class paying customers (international)
Dedicated B class lounge for B class paying customers (international & domestic)
QC lounge (this should be the biggest lounge amongst the 3) for QC Gold and Platinum passengers and fee paying QC members (international and domestic).

And what about OneWorld Sapphire and Emeralds ... which lounge do they use? Remember that according to OneWorld FF benefits, Sapphires should get Business Class lounge access and Emeralds get First Class lounge access. So you are suggesting that QF treats their own FF members worst than other OneWorld members (like AA does).

 

[Kendall Roy]

Did you manage to find one? I understand the classified ads can be a good starting point .

Ah it's all about accidently knocking that QC Club Card out of the wallet when buying a young lady a drink to impress. :mrgreen:

If only it was that easy

 

[UpTheFront]

And what about OneWorld Sapphire and Emeralds ... which lounge do they use? Remember that according to OneWorld FF benefits, Sapphires should get Business Class lounge access and Emeralds get First Class lounge access. So you are suggesting that QF treats their own FF members worst than other OneWorld members (like AA does).

I think pasha was implying that Sapphires would be treated the same as QF Golds, and Emeralds as QF Plat's. The relevant point is whether premium lounges should be reserved exclusively for passengers travelling in a premium cabin on the day, not whether access should differ between OneWorld programs. It wouldn't be hard to rewrite the OneWorld rules to clarify that distinction.

Yet, in a climate where airlines are fighting so hard to attract loyal premium travellers (constantly improving their J products; offering free one-way upgrades to First; giving unusually generous points bonuses) it makes sense to reward status more, not less. All the voices raised in defence of paid QC members are perfectly valid. But at the end of the day, airlines make their bread & butter from regular paid bums in premium seats, not from lounge fees. They will -- and should -- do everything they can to make the travelling experience as nice as possible for loyal travellers who fly with them a lot.

That implies that where the interests of high-status travellers clash with the interests of cashed-up infrequent or disloyal customers (such as in the case of access to an overcrowded lounge), the former ought to trump the latter.

But I think we can all agree that in an ideal world, there'd be vast free lounges for every passenger, where rivers flow with champagne and willing virgins cavort by the spacious lobster buffets...

 

[serfty]

As I have previously indicated, I have this feeling that SG and WP (especially WP) will soon become a lot more difficult to attain or retain.

I believe such 'enhancement' would thin out the number of elites in these lounges.

 

[JohnK]

As I have previously indicated, I have this feeling that SG and WP (especially WP) will soon become a lot more difficult to attain or retain.

Interesting thought and probably not too far off the mark.

Do you think that Platinum status will require more SCs to attain or retain? Could it also be restrictive on how Platinum status is earned, ie only certain fare types or classes, similar to PPS where only premium travel qualifies?

 

[Ekka]

I noted that Life Membership had been removed from the quote page, and realised that not only are the prices going up, but I might have missed the boat on Life Membership altogether. I decided to call the QC Service Centre by phone, and asked to join, asked for a Life Membership, and was quoted the $4200. I gave them my credit card number, and moments later, they said I would have my card in two weeks.

I don't know if they're removing QC Life Membership, but for me who was 80% sure I was going to get it, I decided it could be now or never. Just to let people know that if they do want to get QC Life and beat the price rise, you can do it on the phone with no worries.

Thanks for the advice beardoc, and to serfty for the link to the Terms & Conditions. It seems you can't join the Qantas Club over the phone for around sixty hours commencing at 7 p.m. on any Friday, so it will be interesting to learn what the QP admin types have to say about life memberships on Monday morning.

 

[NM]

As I have previously indicated, I have this feeling that SG and WP (especially WP) will soon become a lot more difficult to attain or retain.

I believe such 'enhancement' would thin out the number of elites in these lounges.

I think they have already started this process with the more stringent enforcement of status requalification and the enforcement of the 4-flight rule. Now we await what other enhancements are on the way.