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?

 

[dairyfloss]

Very nice - he just won the Grammy for album of the year, last week, too. A hot ticket indeed!

 

[Matt_01]

My understanding is that it is QF hosted based on:

"On behalf of Qantas Platinum One, we'd like to invite you and a guest to join us in the comfort of a Private Suite to see Harry Styles perform live in concert.

Come along and enjoy a spectacular night of music whilst enjoying Qantas hospitality."

It also notes that it's for me and a guest and isn't transferable.

My ballet invitations were along the same same lines, it is just a form email. If I had received the same invitation as you I would would be calling the VIP for more information. I am unaware of what venue Harry is playing at in SYD (not my thing) and if the Private Suites is a thing. For my invites to the ballet the seats that were provided by QF were better than the box seats. My wife also informed me there were drinks available at some special location but this was not limited just to QF, I believe it was the major sponsors and they were given programs and other stuff. My invites also stated it was for me and a guest and wasn't transferable but in the end it was.

 

[Fergo747]

My ballet invitations were along the same same lines, it is just a form email. If I had received the same invitation as you I would would be calling the VIP for more information. I am unaware of what venue Harry is playing at in SYD (not my thing) and if the Private Suites is a thing. For my invites to the ballet the seats that were provided by QF were better than the box seats. My wife also informed me there were drinks available at some special location but this was not limited just to QF, I believe it was the major sponsors and they were given programs and other stuff. My invites also stated it was for me and a guest and wasn't transferable but in the end it was.

It's at Accor Stadium (old ANZ) so a private suite is effectively one of the boxes there. From years gone by when I managed to get a box for a rugby match I do remember seeing the QF box.

My prior Mary Poppins tickets from QF P1 were very much stated as that (i.e. just the tickets) rather than any form of suite / box or other hospitality.

 

[RichardMEL]

yeah sounds like what I had at the MCG at the footy (AFL) a couple of times - a corporate box with some nibbles and booze and hosted by someone from QF and yeah they did check, had special entry and things.

Gee what a great offer if anyone in the family is a huge fan (eg a teen+ daughter as a stereotype lol)

 

[lsmi4126]

I scored an invite to the Foo Fighters what seems like a decade ago now (I think it was actually my first year as P1 - maybe 2015 or 2016) and it was QF box event. I couldn't make it last minute, called the SST and managed to get it arranged for my best mate and his brother to go instead.

Then about two years later got an invite to a Wallabies training day. Same thing happened, called the SST however this time around it was a fat no.

Enhancements

 

[RichardMEL]

maybe. back around that 2015 timeframe I was given tickets to one day of the Boxing Day Test (no, not the first ) but they were more or less GA rather than a box, so I just got the tickets and my brother and his Indian mate went and had a great time,

Another time I had an invite to the footy (AFL) for a game I didn't have much interest in (Carlton v Sydney - neither my team). Anyway I accepted because hey why not.. pork up on party pies and get on the beers. Anyway shortly before the game (a day or two) SST contacted me and asked if I wanted to invite anyone else (I guess they didn't get enough takers!) so I got to take a friend and her hubby - both massive Carlton fans. Even better (for them) when the blues had a surprise win against the Sydney Swans so it was a great event.. but IIRC that was a "no substitutions" type offer - so I was surprised when I was asked if I wanted to take two more along.

Do miss the SST!

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Opened my emails today to see my third ever P1 invite - the the Harry Styles concert in Sydney. Still working out whether I can / want to go but nice to have received an invite. Gotta figure out how to get an invite to the rugby!

Looks like I missed the boat. Just checked personal emails then and event full.

 

[Fergo747]

Looks like I missed the boat. Just checked personal emails then and event full.

Interesting. Same here. I was still trying to determine whether we can go (am currently o/s) so didn't want to accept to then have to reneg. I'll know for next time to accept as soon as I receive anything....slightly disingenuous if you ask me!

 

[RichardMEL]

That's actually interesting to me (and sorry you both missed out). I had always assumed that those event invites were made with a spot more or less reserved until we accepted or declined. I certainly don't recall any language in the invite emails saying something like "Accept ASAP before the box fills up" or something.

Of course such an event would be wildly popular to many but it seems they're sending more invites than there's capacity for. QF overbooking?! Maybe this is a new thing, or just happened because of what a great offer it is.

As with my anecdote above about being asked if I wanted to invite others just a day or two before the event, I assumed that was either due to declines or late cancels (or maybe lack of acceptances of course).

I definitely think it should have been made clear that invite is not guaranteed or that you'll be notified if you're able to go when you accept the offer or something like that to make it clear.

Totally uber first world problem perhaps, but yeah it would leave a sour taste in the mouth - like the prospect of a Neil lettuce leaf perhaps...

 

[Matt_01]

After reading @RichardMEL response I went back through my messages and found an invite from 2021. After re-reading the RSVP section says "please register your interest by clicking the "yes, I will attend' button below" I had never really paid attention or noticed the "register your interest" maybe it is a bit of first-in. From experience they sometimes they have late notice invites if someone pulls out last minute. In 2019 I was called by SST on a Thursday and was asked if I would be interested in attending a Maserati drive on the Saturday. SST advised that a space had opened up and apologised for the short notice, I didn't even need to think about it. It was a great day.

 

[Fergo747]

After reading @RichardMEL response I went back through my messages and found an invite from 2021. After re-reading the RSVP section says "please register your interest by clicking the "yes, I will attend' button below" I had never really paid attention or noticed the "register your interest" maybe it is a bit of first-in. From experience they sometimes they have late notice invites if someone pulls out last minute. In 2019 I was called by SST on a Thursday and was asked if I would be interested in attending a Maserati drive on the Saturday. SST advised that a space had opened up and apologised for the short notice, I didn't even need to think about it. It was a great day.

View attachment 316552

Yes very interesting. I hadn't really picked up on that either Matt. Interestingly there wasn't a 'No I won't' button on my email.



Same here re late notices. I was called up by the SST back in March 20 to see whether I wanted to go to the Australia ODI at the SCG (which I did) but then something called COVID got in the way and it was called off. Well I'll know for next time to just accept the invite and then figure it out later...

 

[RichardMEL]

Thanks @Matt_01 - yeah I'd forgotten that

but it's, as per usual for QF it seems (sigh), kinda poor wording. Yeah "Register your interest" is fine but the big red button says "Yes I will attend" - I mean that implies yes, I am going and to me seems like a confirmation.

It really should say "Yes, I am interested in attending" or something.

Now granted, since this is the first time I recall any P1 being in this situation of going to accept and finding it's full, it's hard to know if this has been a thing previously or not (anyone have any prior experiences?) but still it's just almost two different things with the "headline" implying a positive outcome.

Am I raging about this? no of course not. Just that they should highlight more that this is an "expression of interest" in attending, and not a "I will attend for sure and there will be a ticket/spot for me"

imo

 

[kermatu]

I’ve definitely had (pre-pandemic) at least one invitation with a very clear disclaimer that there was limited availability so I needed to be quick. From memory it was to a cricket match at Manuka, but I’m sure it was just a couple of tickets/seats, no corporate box or anything like that.

I don’t consider such offers to be genuine invitations. Better to get than not I suppose, but pretty irrelevant if you get maybe an hour maximum to decide or even know if you can attend something days or weeks in advance - particularly if it’s interstate (not that I’ve had anything like that for years now.)

 

[Fergo747]

I guess I find the invite somewhat disingenuous for the fact with the exception of the line that says 'register your interest' (which is then followed confusingly by a 'Yes I will attend' button) the rest of the email / invite does not mention anything to do with limited availability. Ok, so usual QF fine print malarkey which I totally missed right at the bottom of the email...

Hey QF, maybe put that in the body of the friggen invite next time.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

At least you are getting invites. Some of us don't get them.

 

[RichardMEL]

Again, invites are a real privilege imo and I appreciate any one that comes along (I don't recall the last one I got.. it's been quite awhile). I think we all agree that the wording could be better to be more explicit.

I guess at least now all of us on here know this and it may shape future decisions when/if an invite comes. Perhaps to accept first if any interest in the event and cancel if down the track you can't make it.

 

[Brettmcg]

At least you are getting invites. Some of us don't get them.

...and not even just P1s based in NZ!

 

[arrow]

At least you are getting invites. Some of us don't get them.

Same here

 

[kermatu]

For those who have never received an invitation - have you raised this with the SST or VIP team? Apologies if covered before, but about 5 years ago when QF and I realised I was in incorrectly classified as a Govt employee P1, I did get some follow up calls and emails from the P1 invites person, trying to get me some invitations. I couldn’t attend either of them but was appreciative of a footy invite to the MCG (sounds like @RichardMEL ’s offers) and to an A350 test flight in Sydney. Those were definitely genuine invitations. All petered away pretty quickly (and I can’t blame them given I couldn’t attend) and since then I think I’ve just had the one aforementioned Manuka cricket invite.

Anyway, no harm in asking a question of the VIP team I reckon, if you haven’t already done so.

 

[jcwhizz]

A bit of an old school experience on MEL to DRW tonight. Plane not full and Shadow, good bit of relaxed banter / discussion about DRW plans with the exceptionally cheerful CSM after takeoff, rapid provision of G and T, and she gave me a heavy handed tasting of two different Chardys (went for the Coldstream - tip top, will move onto Heirloom in a minute), and three (!!) different menu offerings KP chicken with fried rice, Korean Salad or pasta - went for the chicken and not bad at all!! Actually the best domestic I’ve had for a while.