Qantas Introduces New Domestic Fares and Further Frequent Flyer Enhancements

[medhead]

I can only comment on international upgrade requests as that is all I have done. Ok sure if done at the Lounge you get the upgrade approved or not. If done online, I have waited weeks, as a WP, for confirm or deny.

These changes don't apply to international. Domestic upgrades work differently to international

Ok different strokes for different blokes. Air fares are 75% or more of my yearly spend.

I'm not sure how that is even possible. You don't stay in hotels, don't eat, don't have a house and don't pay rates, electricity and water? I buy a lot more than just travel with cards. Everything I pay for with a card earns points, that is not limited to airfares and travel spend.

 

[connieguy]

These changes don't apply to international. Domestic upgrades work differently to international I'm not sure how that is even possible. You don't stay in hotels, don't eat, don't have a house and don't pay rates, electricity and water? I buy a lot more than just travel with cards. Everything I pay for with a card earns points, that is not limited to airfares and travel spend.

I live on planes. Sleep more nights in airline seats than hotel beds. At home 4 days a month. Ever see "Up In the Air"? No I do not have a house or car. Live with my girl friend who owns her house. We generate all our power from the sun with a 30 kW solar system. The excess from the feed-in tariffs pays the rates and almost all the other bills.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

I can only comment on international upgrade requests as that is all I have done. Ok sure if done at the Lounge you get the upgrade approved or not. If done online, I have waited weeks, as a WP, for confirm or deny.

International upgrades are on a waitlist basis (i.e. you go on a waitlist, and you find out shortly before the flight as the waitlist is processed). This benefits WPs, because it allows all WPs interested in an upgrade to register their interest, prior to the list being processed.

Domestic upgrade requests are processed immediately: as soon as you request it online it will be confirmed or denied. Thus WPs gain no benefit in this system: it's first come, first served.

BTW I like your signature.

? I don't have a sig. Do you like blank spaces?

 

[simonpenny408]

My call (2.5 cents worth) - Qantas - you fail

Upgrade from Red e-Deal - great - but do you think you will EVER get one - now that everyone can try for it and business is mostly full with crew dead heading or paying customers

No more super saver - so if I need to book reasonably short notice and no Red e-Deals are available, I am now going to be slugged up to an extra $150 one way (SYD-MEL). Sorry - I'd be straight over to the DJ site. What are they thinking? Surely there must be an economist with half a brain somewhere that understands that now is not the time to be giving customers an excuse to look at the competition

 

[Vinny]

The word 'enhancements' especially from QF media usually has a foreboding connotation. With so many more eligible frequent flyers on a flight, as opposed to Woolworths shoppers, doesn't this mean the upgrade lottery just became even more difficult to attain? Or even more difficult to fathom? Or worth flying with other carriers? There are plenty of them.

Another attempt to catch up with Virgin?


And Redroo why don't we see you more often on the board here when there are numerous other issues being discussed in regard to QF? It would alleviate to some extent at least a great deal of frustration and negativity towards QF if issues were to be explained truthfully and followed up to the many posters here. There seem to be Virgin reps making a regular appearance and offers of advice here. Great PR and it shows they are interested in their customers and they care about their paying passengers and especially want feedback and to keep in touch.

Off track but my recent BNE-LAX J class trip was faultless compared to anything I've experienced on QF in recent years. And it cost me thousands less. And I'll do it again.

 

[serfty]

Quick question, apologies in advance if already been answeredrior to July 7 no-one could upgrade a Red-e-deal and from 7th July anyone can upgrade from a Red-e-deal.What happens to the U inventory from 7th July? Will this result in less availability of J Classic Awards and /or JASA's due to flyers of any status on BFOD upgrading ?

It certainly may result in less U availability for Business Classic or discounted Any Seat awards.

Happy with what I see, however would rather the Jetstar fares match with the Qantas fares, or offer a bit more flexibility, eg:

Red E-Deal - Starter
Flexi Saver - Starter Plus (currently just a starter fare)
Fully Flexible - Starter Max

No - don't give them ideas :shock: - you earn SC's and QFF points on a rd e-deal, unlike "starter".

 

[equus]

Is it just me, or does this mean more people are just going to be loading up J without status or class

I don't know how much of a good thing this is, but I assume J will always be full from the 7th of July!

There seems to be a lot of confusion of thought resulting from the consideration of "upgrades" as a single beast (let alone confusion with the international upgrade process). As this change is for domestic only, there are the 2 separate upgrade routes which will be impacted, and my thougts are as follows.

1. Upgrades requested ahead of time. Will be confirmed or rejected immediately - currently come from U inventory, and no real indications of likely change to this. No advantage for status - it is either available or not, and you get it. Likely result is that U class is likley to be consumed quicker as red-e can be upgraded, and less points needed for what was previously super-saver. However, balancing this, it was always possible to check for availability before booking, and then if you were after an upgrade choose super-saver (if there was availability) and grab the upgrade, or simply book red-e if nothing was available. I am not sure how many people booked (either type of fare), and then some time later thought about upgrading. The biggest beneficiaries from the current change are those stuck with a BFD corporate policy which always forced red-e, and wished to use their own points for an upgrade (and I suspect most of these pax would have status of some sort). So whilst there is likely to be increased consumption of the U inventory, I am not convinced it is likely to be at the vastly increased rate that concerns are being raised about.
2. ODU. These (anecdotally) don't come from U. Presumably status pecking order (and possibly underlying fare class etc) come into the allocation. If this is the case (and I see no reason why it shouldn't be), then it is unlikey that anyone currently availing themselves of these upgrades (higher class fares, higher status pax) are likely to be pushed below cheaper fares that other pax are now trying to upgrade.

Yield management will continue to control capacity (not all seats get filled by ODU even if requests are made), and as this is essentially a return to the previous arrangement, I don't think that there is likely to be that much negative impact.

I don't think J is likely to be that much more loaded up by non-status pax, as they (QP members excepted, and they have paid for the privelege) can't access ODU. For a large number of other non-status pax, the ability to book the appropriate fare (or not) for an immediately confirmed upgrade exists now. The biggest beneficiaries are actually likely to be BFD corporate victims. In any event, I am expecting that the majority of any increase in J cabin as a result of this will come from those who have status.

 

[orac]

So it's generally the case that people have more points then SC's I think with how many companies and cards chew out points these days.

I would agree with that. Over the years my card spend to flights on gaining points has generally been around the 60%

 

[coyote25]

Since WPs seem to feel they have missed out by all these changes maybe QF could provide them with 2 free Dom upgrades a year.

Sure there is a cost as they won't be burning points but the good will and pax seeing this as a good reason to push to WP might restore some of the incentive for this level.

This could be combined with a guarantee upgrade for these 2 UPs ie don't need U availability.

Alternatively open up more fare buckets to allow WP to upgrade to. I know QF wants to protect the cabin so they can't / won't open all business seats for upgrade but some more would recognize WP.

Just a thought from a former WP who wouldn't benefit from this suggestion.

 

[orac]

---

Domestic upgrades are confirmed (or denied) at the time of request. It doesn't matter what status you are. So WP have no advantage over any other type of passenger.

I have been gold for around 7 years and have only been able to gain minimum domestic upgrades at the Qantas lounge before flying. Not sure on numbers but would have to be no higher then 20%.

Not sure how the changes will affect me, but starting from a low base anyway I am not hopeful.

 

[nlagalle]

Whilst I think that these changes will benefit passengers on QANTAS, I don't think they will benefit frequent flyers:
competition for J awards/upgrades will be tougher
there will be more people making Silver/Gold/Platinum
QANTAS will be forgoing revenue in making these changes
The net result will be lower profits, and cutbacks somewhere else.

It may be tougher for upgrades - but then there is a lot more J availability on the DOM network. I can't recall the last time I have had an issue booking one.

I don't see how you think more people will make Silver/Gold/Platinum with these changes. You don't get extra SC's for getting an upgrade.

Why will they forgo revenue? Look at the average punter buying a ticket, most wont be rushing for an upgrade! Yes we might, but think of the average!

 

[oz_mark]

No more super saver - so if I need to book reasonably short notice and no Red e-Deals are available, I am now going to be slugged up to an extra $150 one way (SYD-MEL). Sorry - I'd be straight over to the DJ site. What are they thinking? Surely there must be an economist with half a brain somewhere that understands that now is not the time to be giving customers an excuse to look at the competition

While the name 'supersaver' is going, the underlying fare classes are not. What exists as 'S' class now, is being moved into the red-e-deal bucket, while the rest of the supersavers are being moved into the flexi-saver bucket. So, all other things being equal, the red-e-deal bucket will have more in it, while the jump to flexi-saver should not be so steep.

 

[oz_mark]

1. ODU. These (anecdotally) don't come from U. Presumably status pecking order (and possibly underlying fare class etc) come into the allocation. If this is the case (and I see no reason why it shouldn't be), then it is unlikey that anyone currently availing themselves of these upgrades (higher class fares, higher status

ODU's have in my experience taken two different paths:
1) Front up to service desk and get a yes or no
2) Front up to service desk, and they take your boarding pass and get back to you later.

Case 1 is obviously a first come-first serve affair, but the second path maybe first come, or they may pick the highest status.

 

[markis10]

ODU's have in my experience taken two different paths:
1) Front up to service desk and get a yes or no
2) Front up to service desk, and they take your boarding pass and get back to you later.

Case 1 is obviously a first come-first serve affair, but the second path maybe first come, or they may pick the highest status.

Option 3, Quickcheck says yes or no

 

[oz_mark]

Option 3, Quickcheck says yes or no

Oops, forgot that one

 

[equus]

ODU's have in my experience taken two different paths:
1) Front up to service desk and get a yes or no
2) Front up to service desk, and they take your boarding pass and get back to you later.

Case 1 is obviously a first come-first serve affair, but the second path maybe first come, or they may pick the highest status.

And that matches the experience of myself and others as well.

I would hazard a guess that the first case occurs when U is actually available (so really just doing what you could have done up to T-24), so the same first come first served basis as applies to pre-requested upgrades. I think that the option 3 ("Quickcheck says Yes or No") is the same as this case - and is working from U availability.

In the second case, there is definitely no need for U availability, and no evidence of how any prioritisation occurs. However, given the reported capabilities of Altea, and its ability to rank for op-ups etc, I would be most suprised if the "ODU upgrade waitlist" is not processed in a like manner (for instance, if Y were overbooked, it would make no sense for op-ups to be occuring if pax were willing to expend points on ODU).

 

[TonyHancock]

I think these changes do make it easier to get to PS and SG. The jump from Red-e to flexi is not so great now. I have already taken advantage of this by canceling an existing flight and rebooking in flexi saver. Originally I was on a red-e out (MEL-PER) and a supersaver back. The cost was $55 more for flexi saver both ways. Basically $55 for 40 additional SC's. For me that's a good deal.

It seems my colleagues at work are thinking this way, with a few seeing SG within their grasp for the first time.

I think it is a smart move by QF to try to keep those wavering in the QF camp.

What I am keen to see are the international upgrade enhancements and benefits for Platinum One. I'm almost filled with hope!

(As a footnote I am empowering Misha to apologise, on my behalf, in the AFF forums...but only between the hours of 9:00PM and 3:00AM AEST....or directly after the first full bottle of red consumed, whichever comes first.)

 

[samh004]

It certainly may result in less U availability for Business Classic or discounted Any Seat awards.No - don't give them ideas :shock: - you earn SC's and QFF points on a rd e-deal, unlike "starter".

I realise they don't actually match up, I just want a greater degree of choice when I consider a mixed QF/JQ fare, as just having Starters or Max doesn't seem fair, what if I want the inbetween Plus fare?

Of course JQ could also go a long way by recognising status, but that's not for this thread, is it

 

[connieguy]

I realise they don't actually match up, I just want a greater degree of choice when I consider a mixed QF/JQ fare, as just having Starters or Max doesn't seem fair, what if I want the inbetween Plus fare?

Of course JQ could also go a long way by recognising status, but that's not for this thread, is it

What I found was if you select a JQ flight, the QF booking engine takes you to the JQ booking engine and there you get to select all the JQ options for that flight.

 

[markis10]

What I found was if you select a JQ flight, the QF booking engine takes you to the JQ booking engine and there you get to select all the JQ options for that flight.

If you have an itin with JQ only then that is the case, if its a mixed itin (which many of us try to avoid like the plague), the JQ option becomes a case of WYSIWYG.