Qantas frequent flyers ignored by both Qantas and Emirates

[wisewoman]

I am a Qantas platinum frequent flyer. Living in Perth, I have no choice but to fly on Qantas codeshare flights on aircraft operated by Emirates when flying to and from Europe which I do regularly. Often I cannot even obtain a QF codeshare flight such as a current flight I have booked from Venice to Dubai. So I will earn no no points or status credits on this flight.

Recently i booked flights through a travel agent as part of a European trip. Three of the four economy flights have QF flight numbers while the fourth has a EK flight number as no QF flights were available. So it's not bad enough that I cannot use my FF points to upgrade on any of the flights, or that I get no status credits and very few FF points for the EK flight, now I find that I can no longer choose my seat or purchase exit aisle seats on the Qantas website. Imstead when I log into my FF account on the Qantas website and try to choose my seats (or in fact try to manage my booking in any way) it directs me to the Emirates website where all of the better economy seats including all the exit aisles are blocked, presumably held for Emirates skyward members. Again Qantas has sold its FF out. Why would I continue to spend many thousands of $ per year with Qantas to retain my platinum status when it is close to worthless?

I imagine i will fare no better when I fly business on QF codeshare international Emirates flights as I also do regularly and will also get shunted to Emirates.

When did Qantas start kicking its FF off its website and sending them off to Emirates where they are treated as strangers?

It's been a long time coming but this is the last straw for me. I will be abandoning Qantas for Singapore Airlines internationally and only flying Qantas domestically if it is more cost effective than a similar flight with Virgin.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Yes good idea, switch to SQ. Good luck there as a krisflyer elite gold flying economy.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

The issues you're encountering are not unique to qantas. However if you're based in Perth with international travel, I'm surprised you've stayed with qantas this long.
If you fly Emirates a lot, they treat gold/plat skywards members like royalty. Every EK platinum member I know has a near 100% free upgrade rate.

 

[Princess Fiona]

The issues you're encountering are not unique to qantas. However if you're based in Perth with international travel, I'm surprised you've stayed with qantas this long.
If you fly Emirates a lot, they treat gold/plat skywards members like royalty. Every EK platinum member I know has a near 100% free upgrade rate.

Not any more.....
Emirates Changes Operational Upgrade Procedure

 

[mannej]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't exit/bulkhead seats held until airport control on EK, so part of your comment isn't totally correct.

 

[Quickstatus]

The issues you're encountering are not unique to qantas. However if you're based in Perth with international travel, I'm surprised you've stayed with qantas this long.
If you fly Emirates a lot, they treat gold/plat skywards members like royalty. Every EK platinum member I know has a near 100% free upgrade rate.

That might be "enhanced soon". Upgrade algorithm to apparently now favours price paid for ticket so a bronze who pays an expensive ticket probably has priority over WP who buys discount.

If you want to keep QF status the other is to fly CX.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

That might be "enhanced soon". Upgrade algorithm to apparently now favours price paid for ticket so a bronze who pays an expensive ticket probably has priority over WP who buys discount.

Skywards is nothing like Qantas and the bias for earn is on long haul flights.
Attaining EK Platinum is much harder than many other loyalty programs. It's almost on par with QF Plat1. This means the majority of fliers with elite status are not flying on discount economy tickets. It's a different makeup of frequent flyer base compared to many traditional programs.

Clearly and simply there are more upgrades for elites on EK because they run fleets of a380s and 777s with large capacity compared to 737s which are consistently full and run small premium cabins which leave little room to upgrade elites.

Essentially, if you're buying cheap economy tickets, you won't get far in the EK program so the changes won't affect many.
As opposed to Qantas, where short haul is the backbone of the product, and it's easier to obtain status (in terms of time and frequency) than EK.

For the OP - SQ won't ever upgrade you for free so scratch any dreams of op-ups off your list if that is important to you, however when switching airlines it's important to consider your inputs and what the output from the program will look like.

Your inputs would include: Types of fares you purchase (cabin and fare types), how many credit card points/miles you can send to a program, and what kind of benefits are most important to your lifestyle (upgrades? lounge availability in every city? mile redemptions).

 

[JohnK]

If you fly Emirates a lot, they treat gold/plat skywards members like royalty. Every EK platinum member I know has a near 100% free upgrade rate.

TheRealTMA would totally disagree you.

Personally I don't think EK treat Qantas Platinums better. Some Qantas Platinums, and Golds, have been lucky.

 

[Comoman]

I concur with the OP - however QR is also a very good option to Europe. You earn SC's and points (like CX). I've also given up on QF to Europe from Perth - looking yesterday for flights in a month time to LHR the only business fares available included Dubai - LHR in economy on EK metal/QF flight # (but for ~$8500!). That little "!" under the fare price is very annoying....

SQ and QR are my monthly chariots at the moment.

 

[wandering_fred]

From Perth, the best long haul strategy is to buy KUL/BKK-PER round trip tickets (short enough to accept the Y cabin?) and base the long haul flying from those SE Asia airports. Even though the AU$ has fallen dramatically if you wish to fly in premium cabins on the long haul sections it will likely work.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[trippin_the_rift]

TheRealTMA would totally disagree you.

Personally I don't think EK treat Qantas Platinums better. Some Qantas Platinums, and Golds, have been lucky.

I mean EK treat their gold/plats well.

QF Plats are 1 step above EK Silver in the pecking order on EK.

 

[serfty]

AFAIK EK don't really block seats based on status - if a seat is available it generally available for all.

For bulkheads/exits you need to either OLCI into them or get to the airport early.

Since earlier this month they do charge non status PAX to select seats.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

AFAIK EK don't really block seats based on status - if a seat is available it generally available for all.

For bulkheads/exits you need to either OLCI into them or get to the airport early.

Since earlier this month they do charge non status PAX to select seats.

EK Platinums have hard, guaranteed blocks on request
Change of flights regardless of ticket type, including last minute change of limo services... and a host of other non-published valuable benefits!

 

[JohnK]

I mean EK treat their gold/plats well.

QF Plats are 1 step above EK Silver in the pecking order on EK.

I agree but TheRealTMA is/was EK Platinum and says they are treated worse than QF Platinums. Horses for courses?

 

[opusman]

I agree but TheRealTMA is/was EK Platinum and says they are treated worse than QF Platinums. Horses for courses?

They might just not like him though?

 

[JohnPhelan]

I am a Qantas platinum frequent flyer. Living in Perth, I have no choice but to fly on Qantas codeshare flights on aircraft operated by Emirates when flying to and from Europe which I do regularly. Often I cannot even obtain a QF codeshare flight such as a current flight I have booked from Venice to Dubai. So I will earn no no points or status credits on this flight.

You should receive QFF points for an EK flight (EK operated and EK number), just no QFF status credits.

 

[andyhui01]

It's been a long time coming but this is the last straw for me. I will be abandoning Qantas for Singapore Airlines internationally and only flying Qantas domestically if it is more cost effective than a similar flight with Virgin.

SQ treats their non PPS members pretty poorly and you'll never get into PPS if you don't fly much in J. I wouldn't suggest it.

FYI, you have Qatar as an option as well if you're QF Plat.

 

[RichardMEL]

"EK treats Perth like dirt"?

 

[Happy Trails]

I mean EK treat their gold/plats well.

QF Plats are 1 step above EK Silver in the pecking order on EK.

I dunno.

On a recent trip (but before the reported change to the upgrade process) the Mrs and I (as QF plats) received 3 upgrades from 4 sectors.
Our EK gold travelling companion got none.

And then there's the F lounge access.

 

[dajop]

When did Qantas start kicking its FF off its website and sending them off to Emirates where they are treated as strangers?

Actually, no they don't really treat them as strangers. I don't think anyone has been able to preallocate exit row seats etc with EK, best advice is to turn up to the airport early and request one when you check in. With the new seat fee, QF WP & SG members don't have to pay it, so that's hardly being treated as strangers, from the EK website:

If you are an Emirates Skywards or Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold or Platinum member, you and everyone in your booking will be exempt from Advanced Seat Reservation charges.

If you turn your attention to SQ/VA you will be no better off in preallocating seats, particularly if you are a VA WP or SG (no seating benefits flying SQ) and even moreso if you book a VA codeshare on SQ operated which will be almost impossible until check in opens..

Basically you should expect published benefits, anything else is a bonus. These days, airlines are more and more moving to revenue driven models of providing "above and beyond" type services, tracking overall spend on the airline rather than the old fashioned mileage and status credit ways.

SQ treats their non PPS members pretty poorly and you'll never get into PPS if you don't fly much in J..

Correct, t is impossible to get PPS status if not flying much in J (unless of course flying in F, in which case status doesn't matter .

However if you define providing lounge access (to better lounges at Changi), priority phone line, better waitlist clearance, priority luggage and checkin, express passes to Australian ports and LHR when flying in Y, $280/year in DF vouchers, taking meal orders ahead of other passengers in J and in Y (if in the second half of the cabin service), and suffering the general high standards on board in premium cabins (eg. 3 champagnes and 2 coughtails served to your seat within 75 mins of take off), as"treating them pretty poorly", yes they do. They are treated very similarly to QF WP's (but not WP1's) - the main exception is lack of alliance wide F lounge access.

Frankly, I find the QF partnership with EK works well, frequent flyers are provided published benefits when travelling both carriers. I'm far from a QF fan (a life time gold with about 6 QF sectors in the last 3-4 years), but have moved back to them since EK has upgraded MEL-SIN to A380. It works well for me - better aircraft and better timing than QF, and I get into the EK lounge which is great.

Bottom line - gone are the days of blindly following a particular airline and program - you need to work out what is important for you and take the time and effort to work out what is best for you, given what is important.