Qantas Platinum One experiences?

[aus_flyer]

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?

 

[RichardMEL]

marki it's great SST got the points back... but BS that you had to do this (contact them) in the first place. very disappointing imho. the system should recognise you as P1 and waive it as with just about every other charge they claim to waive. another IT "glitch" imho

 

[marki]

marki it's great SST got the points back... but BS that you had to do this (contact them) in the first place. very disappointing imho. the system should recognise you as P1 and waive it as with just about every other charge they claim to waive. another IT "glitch" imho

Yes that’s what I was thinking. Telephone booking fees is another one. Although these have been at least for me none existent recently. Which is a fresh change.

 

[funkyr]

My F upgrade request came through on QF2. I’ve noticed in the last few months Qantas have upped the game with P1. I’ve been escorted several times at the F lounge check in area to where I’m going (eg restaurant or seats) and the LHR lounge has reserved areas for dining as well as a F, CL and P1 menu.

 

[ChrisGibbs]

This week had a quick trip SYD-HKG (QF127) on Tuesday 25/9 returning HKG-SYD (QF128) on Wednesday 26/9. Between the Wednesday morning / afternoon meetings at Cyberport I received a call from from the SST (Natasha) advising the outbound QF127 SYD-HKG on Wednesday 26/9 was delayed which would have a consequential impact in delaying the return QF128 HKG-SYD service (8:00pm departure - 06:55am+1 arrival). Natasha had already grabbed a seat for me on the CX111 service (6:50pm scheduled departure - 6:05am+1 scheduled arrival) which allowed me to get to my son's Yr12 graduation (09:00am start. A nice proactive touch from the SST - well done.

BTW - the PE product on CX A330's is absolute rubbish from a quality of product (food, booze, seating, service) perspective. The QF A380 / 744 PE product is way better than CX A330's.

 

[calmelb]

Hey All, I know it is a Qantas benefit for P1s to have free extra legroom seating, but does this also apply to Emirates? I booked a Y reward flight for myself and 1 other through Qantas and when I tried to book exit row seats on the Qantas MMB it errored and now says we are not-eligible for seat map selection. The EK MMB will only let us choose exit row seats for $150pp each way. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[marki]

Hey All, I know it is a Qantas benefit for P1s to have free extra legroom seating, but does this also apply to Emirates? I booked a Y reward flight for myself and 1 other through Qantas and when I tried to book exit row seats on the Qantas MMB it errored and now says we are not-eligible for seat map selection. The EK MMB will only let us choose exit row seats for $150pp each way. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Somebody did using the Turkish airline site but on Qantas seat map.

 

[calmelb]

Somebody did using the Turkish airline site but on Qantas seat map.

Doesn't help as both PNRs (EK and QF) dont work on Turkish's MMB

 

[kermatu]

Doesn't help as both PNRs (EK and QF) dont work on Turkish's MMB

I thought it was another OW carrier - maybe Finnair, or SriLankan?? Just speculating though.

 

[sudoer]

I thought it was another OW carrier - maybe Finnair, or SriLankan?? Just speculating though.

It was UL's website with QF metal - but it seems this mightn't be possible anymore. I get an error trying to loading Y bookings on UL MMB now, but I can load J bookings without issue (and select seats which would not otherwise be available for selection)

That aside I don't know whether UL's site recognizes EK PNRs.

 

[RichardMEL]

Having just had seats easily released for the QF55 tag flight this Thursday in J, and the agent even accidently cleared me all the way to LAX in J (which I found highly amusing, let alone tempting!) the P1 much much easier access to reward seats is fast becoming a key benefit for me. Really impressed.

 

[downgraded]

Having just had seats easily released for the QF55 tag flight this Thursday in J, and the agent even accidently cleared me all the way to LAX in J (which I found highly amusing, let alone tempting!) the P1 much much easier access to reward seats is fast becoming a key benefit for me. Really impressed.

I think P1 has become the new WP.
WP benefits seemed to have largely disappeared in the area of flight redemptions for WPs at least. QFF programme became largely worthless as premium award seats become inaccessible and upgrades remain a lottery but with ever decreasing odds.

 

[RichardMEL]

I think P1 has become the new WP.
WP benefits seemed to have largely disappeared in the area of flight redemptions for WPs at least. QFF programme became largely worthless as premium award seats become inaccessible and upgrades remain a lottery but with ever decreasing odds.

if you look at the thread about requesting reward seats release many WP members are getting seats released. Absolutely P1 ges much better and easier access but it's not totally gone for WP I think.

Also I'm currently waitlisted for a domestic upgrade as a P1, so... lol

 

[downgraded]

if you look at the thread about requesting reward seats release many WP members are getting seats released. Absolutely P1 ges much better and easier access but it's not totally gone for WP I think.

Also I'm currently waitlisted for a domestic upgrade as a P1, so... lol

Not totally gone, and I concede I've also recently found EK seats myself, but with Europe/UK my usual destination and QF's focus into Asia and the US, it's pretty thin pickings from QF on QF metal to their current only destination of LHR. Perhaps they are treating EK as a proxy alternative for themselves at the moment.

 

[RichardMEL]

I'm not entirely sure how relevant discussion of EK is when it comes to the idea of status having access to extra rewards seats because AFAIK QF have no control over any partner's provision of availability.

Although it occurs to me that potentially QF could choose to provide a codeshare reward seat out of the pool they've purchased as part of their codeshare agreement, but in terms of asking for inventory to be released.... I am not sure that has ever worked?

 

[downgraded]

I'm not entirely sure how relevant discussion of EK is when it comes to the idea of status having access to extra rewards seats because AFAIK QF have no control over any partner's provision of availability.

Although it occurs to me that potentially QF could choose to provide a codeshare reward seat out of the pool they've purchased as part of their codeshare agreement, but in terms of asking for inventory to be released.... I am not sure that has ever worked?

I was simply thinking QF might consider the availability of EK award inventory as adequate to offset its own lack of availability in the context of their current partnership. But then, as you note, EK is not QF so it doesn't really apply.

 

[jimbooooooo]

So I’ve just finished up my 2nd stint as a P1 - this time was, well, underwhelming to be honest.

A cold travel wallet at Christmas and the very, very occasional greeting onboard my almost weekly domestic flights in J this year were the sum total of any benefits I received this year.

Have decided that WP is the sweet spot and spreading to love to hit VA platinum as well this year.

My first year in P1 a few years ago was great - 2 or three events (concerts, sport, Australia Day) and a couple of upgrades internationally - but this time zip.


Won’t be chasing P1 again.

 

[kermatu]

My year rolled over a couple of days ago. Re-qualified in August. New card and very bland letter arrived about a fortnight ago (was out of country so not sure exactly when - not a QF/OW journey). No call or email.

Pretty certain this upcoming year will be it for me. Definitely not chasing; no DSC bookings; most flights already booked for rest of calendar year are EK, SQ and VA; work travel also likely to be less in general and not on QF.

Would need some pretty significant program improvements to entice me back. Zero sign of that.

 

[juddles]

Interesting to see some P1's who have given up on this status level. And I understand that. I agree that the very low-key (non-existent?) recognition of requalification, etc etc is not what most seem to expect. And event invitations are not exactly well managed (my only once ever invite was when I was already overseas on QF tickets). Likewise upgrades - I have had a couple, very nice, but nothing near any "1 in 10" or other such fanciful idea. Champagne at Christmas is nice, but I could buy a hell of a lot of champas if I just cancelled a single QF trip out of the year....

The thing that still makes me enjoy holding this status is because a couple of times when trips went pear-shaped, having the P1 team behind me was a God-send. They truly shone. It would be very hard for me to lose that.

It gets back to what I have already said - P1 is a great service if you fly way too much. But it is NOT a "status" worth chasing.

 

[shuuy]

The thing that still makes me enjoy holding this status is because a couple of times when trips went pear-shaped, having the P1 team behind me was a God-send. They truly shone. It would be very hard for me to lose that.

+1000 for this. comes through when you need it most.

 

[jimbooooooo]

Agree the sst is great when there are problems.

I guess I just reckon that “customer service” shouldn’t be a perk, and if there is a problem delivering on the contract to get me from A to B then sorting that out in a timely manner is just implied.

Imagine any other service you purchased where you accepted that only “super elite” purchasers were given after sales service!