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?

 

[JohnPhelan]

Got a nice invite to Qantas's 95th Birthday party black tie gala dinner in a hangar at SYD Jetbase in November.

Don't take Kate Ceberano as your date!!

 

[Hvr]

Don't take Kate Ceberano as your date!!

Doubt that ReLoad has a chance because young boys are her weakness.

 

[Red Roo]

Doubt that ReLoad has a chance because young boys are her weakness.

I see what you did there.

 

[kermatu]

P1 flight monitoring was in action on Sunday. I was scheduled on the 1250 from Sydney to Perth. At around 1200 an announcement came over the loudspeaker to the effect that there would be a delay and that the engineers were on board checking things out. Within seconds my phone rang and it was Romy from P1. She advised that the problem wasn't likely to get fixed anytime soon and asked if I'd like to move to a later flight. Of course I would. The next flight was a 737 and the choice of seating wasn't great. Romy asked if I would leave it with her. She called back within 5 minutes and had secured me a seat on the 3pm flight...with an upgrade. It still got me into Perth on time to watch the RWC, so I was happy. Great pro-active service. Makes me glad I've just secured another year at P1. Thanks Romy and P1

Sadly, like marki I have never benefitted from such proactive monitoring.

A story from this week - nothing dramatic but still illustrative of complete absence for me: Flew into Sydney on BA from Singapore this week, connecting to a CBR flight at 8.15am On landing at 6.05 switched on phone. No messages from QF. Had plenty of time so leisurely walked to duty free, purchased a couple of things, spent a few minutes in queue then sat for 5 before picking up bag. Get to transfer desk at 6.50. Nothing on phone. At desk, BP (issued in Singapore) couldn't be scanned. Lady reissued then noticed boarding was at 9.30. She checked and said my 8.15 had been cancelled. Moved to 9.50 flight. But there were earlier fights I could make. So she moved me to a 9am one. On a Dash-8 but in Y anyway so not fussed.

Then while actually transferring to Dom and sitting in lounge I get 4 generic text messages - one saying flight canceled, 3 saying flight time changed - go to Qantas.com to sort out. 4 very different phone numbers too. No personal details in texts so I assume automatically generated. Not that helpful directing you to the website an hour before your flight but at least it alerts you to a problem. I confirmed at the J lounge desk I was still ok on my new flight.

Admittedly it was early; in the end I think my original flight was just delayed by 2 hours (not cancelled); and I was looked after at the airport - but nothing from the P1 team through any of this.

 

[QF WP]

Got a nice invite to Qantas's 95th Birthday party black tie gala dinner in a hangar at SYD Jetbase in November.

The invite arrived the day after I requalified for P1 for the 3rd year.

Thanks P1, have to do some serious rescheduling with the good wife to be able to make it. fingers crossed!

Having been to a similar event at BNE Hanger back in 2004/5 IIRC, I'd be moving heaven and earth (which I did for my wife, as the guest was John Travolta and his 707 ). Hope you can make it.

 

[kermatu]

A few weeks back I noted I was to be flying a number of OneWorld partner flights, and that I was interested to compare treatment with QF - as a OWE (but just in case any recognised the P1). In summary, no better and while QF is inconsistent and P1 remains very underwhelming, the grass ain't always greener.

Had a few J long-haul flights on CX, BA and AY, plus European J flights on AY, and a handful of Y Iberian flights (including Air Nostrum - where I'm convinced the qualifications for being a FA include being a supermodel) and some Y connecting QF flights. Priority baggage, priority boarding, priority security and full lounge access to best one available all given everytime (including the IB Y flights) - noting not all airports had separate security lanes, or lounges (smaller Spanish airports for example). Other than this, no extras of any kind, no greetings on board other than one CX flight. In the case of the Air Nostrum flights where food needed to be purchased, no offer of anything free for any pax.

So essentially stated benefits for a OWE, with no need to ask, but nothing more.

No P1 love on the QF Y flights either, but they were short and full flights after the usual cancellations out of CBR (which stuffs everything around anyway).

 

[trippin_the_rift]

A few weeks back I noted I was to be flying a number of OneWorld partner flights, and that I was interested to compare treatment with QF - as a OWE (but just in case any recognised the P1). In summary, no better and while QF is inconsistent and P1 remains very underwhelming, the grass ain't always greener.

Had a few J long-haul flights on CX, BA and AY, plus European J flights on AY, and a handful of Y Iberian flights (including Air Nostrum - where I'm convinced the qualifications for being a FA include being a supermodel) and some Y connecting QF flights. Priority baggage, priority boarding, priority security and full lounge access to best one available all given everytime (including the IB Y flights) - noting not all airports had separate security lanes, or lounges (smaller Spanish airports for example). Other than this, no extras of any kind, no greetings on board other than one CX flight. In the case of the Air Nostrum flights where food needed to be purchased, no offer of anything free for any pax.

So essentially stated benefits for a OWE, with no need to ask, but nothing more.

No P1 love on the QF Y flights either, but they were short and full flights after the usual cancellations out of CBR (which stuffs everything around anyway).

For partner/oneworld airlines your status would sit well down the list so expectations need to be re-aligned.
If you had the same treatment on CX as Emerald as you on QF as a P1... in my eyes this means QF isn't up to standard.

On CX for example, your priority would be here:
VIP (Heads of State, Government Bodies, or Canto Pop/Movie stars)
CX Diamond Plus, CX Diamond Invitation
CX Diamond
CX Gold
CX management staff on travel duty
Oneworld Emerald <--- YOUR P1 STATUS
CX staff on duty nominees , other airline staff nominees, CX staff on personal travel
Oneworld Sapphire
CX Silver
Oneworld Ruby
CX Green
Asia Miles
Non status

 

[esquire]

Friday will see me tick over to another year of P1 mostly on domestic Y (with over a month to spare so I am now in my self-imposed 'period of regeneration' ) and I finally got an invitation to something after 14 months of nothingness:

The official launch of Sesion Premium Tequila with Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall with some amazing beach theme party at some fabulous harbour front mansion in Point Piper ..

Amazingly I can make the date - but declined as it is so not me - I don't think I even own a piece of the required dress code that is "Beach Club Chic" .... oh and I hate tequila too

But thanks QF for an offer to an event (finally!)

 

[kermatu]

For partner/oneworld airlines your status would sit well down the list so expectations need to be re-aligned.

Not sure what my expectations were really - but yes knew it would be less than the P1 treatment (when I get it). Most flights were in J anyway where the service is very good and there aren't any extras really one would expect.

While you never know who is around you, I don't recall anyone else getting any kind of greeting / thanks on the AY or BA flights, and I was towards the front of these cabins. On one of the long-haul AY flights the FAs did a bit of seat hopping when taking food orders, before reverting to a front-to-back check. I presume that was status-related.

Of interest, a couple of times on QF I have seen other OWEs be greeted with recognition they are of status with a specific partner program (not just a generic thank you).

 

[kermatu]

Does QF FFPO (on a boarding pass) stand for Plat One specifically, or is it the same designation for Platinum?

 

[Pleb Status]

Does QF FFPO (on a boarding pass) stand for Plat One specifically, or is it the same designation for Platinum?

Yes it does.

 

[kermatu]

Yes it does.

Thanks. Not that it made any difference but my AY boarding passes had my QF number on one line, QF FFPO on the next, with OW emerald status on the next line. So system does pick it up and it potentially could be used to recognise another airline's higher tier pax.

 

[defurax]

Does QF FFPO (on a boarding pass) stand for Plat One specifically, or is it the same designation for Platinum?

It's FFPL for Platinum

 

[defurax]

Thanks. Not that it made any difference but my AY boarding passes had my QF number on one line, QF FFPO on the next, with OW emerald status on the next line. So system does pick it up and it potentially could be used to recognise another airline's higher tier pax.

Just looked at my AY BP and it says FFPL, so it seems AY has decided to show non-oneworld tiers on their BP.

 

[kermatu]

Clearing out my BPs and while I normally don't pay much attention, I have been of late and the AY BPs certainly stood out for ease of seeing useful info (like priority status - easy for the guy checking the priority security lane - lounge locations/access and number of guests allowed etc).

Back to QF - I had BPs printed for me in CBR the other day for flights to HKG and HEL which were on a different ticket to my QF flight to SYD. The check-in agent had done a great job connecting my flights and baggage, but when I saw the BPs for the 2 onward legs they were missing all status info. Was a bit worried that would cause me problems in HKG re the Pier Lounge so in the SYD First lounge I asked for new BPs. The host was able to add all sorts of info with no hassle at all. I assumed BP content was 'fixed' but clearly not.

 

[cmon0005]

Back to QF - I had BPs printed for me in CBR the other day for flights to HKG and HEL which were on a different ticket to my QF flight to SYD. The check-in agent had done a great job connecting my flights and baggage, but when I saw the BPs for the 2 onward legs they were missing all status info. Was a bit worried that would cause me problems in HKG re the Pier Lounge so in the SYD First lounge I asked for new BPs. The host was able to add all sorts of info with no hassle at all. I assumed BP content was 'fixed' but clearly not.

This is standard no problem as such, even when CX issued a BP in KUL for a connecting QF flight (on separate ticket) KUL-HKG(CX) HKG-SYD(QF) the QF leg didn't have status information, as they only have access to basic information when on a separate ticket, I just got HKG QF lounge to reprint the BP on QF stock and it had the status.
Others with more understanding of checkin systems could probably explain it better.

 

[kermatu]

Makes sense. It was a completely different ticket, and the poor QF check-in agent had to manually enter all the details of my flights which took her a solid 10 minutes. She was great but I did feel for the pax in the queue behind me (probably cursing me and QF for a non-functioning priority lane).

 

[rory breaker]

Made it to P1 a few weeks back.

Called the P1 team to ask for reward seats to be relesaed (none showing on line when trying to book), they were super helpful, and next day, seats available - very happy.

Was a little suprised when I received a Platinum pack (card and tags) a week after reaching P1, I would have thought there were different tags and cards for P1s.

 

[danny09]

Made it to P1 a few weeks back.

Called the P1 team to ask for reward seats to be relesaed (none showing on line when trying to book), they were super helpful, and next day, seats available - very happy.

Was a little suprised when I received a Platinum pack (card and tags) a week after reaching P1, I would have thought there were different tags and cards for P1s.

Yes, the SST are great with releasing seats, yesterday I had 2 J seats opened for me, also numerous others over the last couple of months with no issues.

Your new FF P1 card should be white, same as the bag tags?

 

[rory breaker]

Yes, the SST are great with releasing seats, yesterday I had 2 J seats opened for me, also numerous others over the last couple of months with no issues.

Your new FF P1 card should be white, same as the bag tags?

Bag tags I recieved were the dark grey platinum ones, same as the half a dozen other platinum ones I have!