This is an experience I put down to just that - experience. It shows that nothing is guaranteed no matter how hard you try - and I tried hard!!
I rarely travel much domestic other than connections to an international departure point, solo. So this was a big learning experience for me. My concern on a flight to Canberra was that some CL bigwig would try to squeeze us out of row 1. As a family we have had the fortune to do some quality international travelling, much reduced lately, so just being in the whole front row meant a lot to me. So I monitored everything with QF and expertflyer. I never thought that the entire flight would be cancelled.
As I said, the delay to the new flight was not long, but when you travel heaps (as all P1's do) it is the small things that start to count. You suffer an expectation that is bigger.
If the SST only monitors international travel, I get that. They have finite resources, and travelling international is a whole different kettle of fish. The SST has saved me on international bloopers that made me love them.
And the staff aboard did a great job. It was a win/fail.
Besides the travel stuff, this is the first time I have been in canberra since a kid, and I actually am loving the experience!!
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OT but I highly recommend going up to either Telstra Tower or Mt Ainslie to get a good view of the city. It’s pretty fantastic up there. Especially if you go at night
Otherwise yeah even though I travel a lot less than some of you here, the smallest things are the ones that start to matter to you
Some lovely views to be had from Red Hill or the (still young) arboretum too if you have a chance.I did Mt Ainslie today. Spectacular view. For such a young country, Canberra is set out very well.
As a non P1, can I ask: Is it documented anywhere that the SST only 'monitors/services' international flights? If so, does that include domestic connections to international flights.
I can but again compare the SST's performance I read here to that which I experienced from Air Canada's 'Concierge' team, when I was P1 equivalent on Air Canada for two years ('100K Super Elite' ). Besides very pro-active re-booking etc in times of domestic or international irrops (as in "You don't even know there's a problem yet, but here's a replacement boarding pass"), they could make restaurant bookings for you, get and hold lost property (eg if you left something at security - ). There were 2 Concierge team members at every major Canadian airport, plus a number of international hubs you could actually go and chat to. Thems were the days ....
I'd be more concerned there wasn't a general announcement that flight was cancelled and you found out at the gate.I cannot help but perceive the flight cancellation as simply a planned economic manouvre to blend two under-full flights.
No intervention or communication from the SST.
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Are we sure there wasn't a general announcement? Sometimes these things are very last minute. I was recently in the position of being able to discuss my cancelled flight with a FA who was on the flight. I'd been keeping an eye on the gate from the Melbourne lounge. Everything I could access was telling me the flight was fine but I could see no plane, where I should have seen plane. I wandered up to the lounge service desk to query and they first told me it was fine, and then said, flights just been cancelled.I'd be more concerned there wasn't a general announcement that flight was cancelled and you found out at the gate.
Hi all, just wanting to share today's experience that is, on the balance, quite negative.
All in all, it was a win/fail experience. My original flight was cancelled, our seat selections disappeared, and my family was split up. And not a word, not an email/call/message form the SST. For the record, I am P1, my wife WP, my eldest WP also, and the youngest Bronze.
I cannot help but perceive the flight cancellation as simply a planned economic manouvre to blend two under-full flights.
No intervention or communication from the SST.
That QF55 tag on SYD-BNE was on the 12NOV - It finally left about 2100 instead of 1400 as scheduled...you prob had to overnight in BNE?
I've found the SST team very willing to help domestically but they seem to be very limited in what they are capable of. In almost all instances, the service desk in the lounge seems to be in a much more powerful position.
Have any P1s been invited to the Australian GP? Or are QF no longer sponsors?
Thanks, looks like they've pulled back and Emirates have stepped up.Yes Qantas are no longer sponsors.
Over the last few years they had some Qantas corporate box tickets for sale at Pit exit trackside International. I think it was shared with a few other companies. Whether or not they've given away tickets to this I dont know.