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?

 

[dkr]

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.

How does Govt P1 treatment differ from non-govt? And how does Qantas attribute gov/non gov to pax?

 

[kermatu]

How does Govt P1 treatment differ from non-govt? And how does Qantas attribute gov/non gov to pax?

In my case it was from my primary email address for a few years being a .gov.au one - that was the reason given. Once they realised the majority of my flights were non-govt work and leisure, I was reclassified.

Again in my case at least, the differences were a lower $$ value Christmas gift, and being excluded from any invitations (so as not to give rise to any conflicts or breach DoF gift limits - sensible policies in my opinion).

 

[Matt_01]

I could have posted this in any one of the threads about reticketing issues, there was also an article posted by @Mattg / @AFF Editor about the QF plans to address lost flight rewards situation. From experience I have lost rewards (F&J) through changes and the QF ticketing delays mainly with EK, QR, MH and to a lesser extent JL all of which seem to have strict TTLs, whenever I have lost the seats QF have always been able to get them back. Yesterday was no different about a month back I received notification from QF and MH that the flight details had changed, as I was still working through the plan I did not accept the changes online.

Yesterday I noticed that the number of flights I had in my account had dropped and checked my bookings. Sure enough x2 MH flights had disappeared so I called QF and they confirmed MH had dropped the flights as I had not accepted the changes. The agent was more than helpful and I was informed they would just send a request to the OW desk and get the seats back. It took roughly 4 hours to get the seats back and a ticket reissued.

Yesterday's experience was no different from pre covid. At some point I will drop from P1 and when things like this happen in the future, which they will as it just part of travelling, I am sure I will get frustrated when I call up and some agent informs me "it was cancelled the other carrier and there is nothing we can do".

Over the years I criticised and praised the P1 status level. IMO it is still good however QF is still lacking in the overall experience when compared to programs such as SQ (PPS and Solitaire status levels).

 

[lsmi4126]

Big Brother is watching. Just received an invite to the Backstreet Boys in the QF Box at Qudos Arena on the 4th March.

 

[RichardMEL]

Incredible service from VIP today and I have to share.

As I posted in the other thread, I was on MEL-DFW on Wednesday MEL-DFW which was cancelled. Eagle eye observers may recall my recent post that this trip was postponed a week due to covid at the other end but VIP had managed to open up a U seat for me on that flight.

QF automation, or however the rebooking was done worked PERFECTLY* imo - rerouted me MEL-SYD-DFW on the same day, all in U, that is scheduled to arrive just 3ish hours after MEL-DFW. Given everything this is the absolute best outcome. Yeah I lost my more private seat, but I keep J which, on a points seat which was only just opened up, I consider this really impressive and clearly thanks to status. So that's great and I have no complaints about that. How could I?

Well, for reasons I then wanted to change the return date, but this was a commercial fare (ugh) and a sale one at that in I class. I feared a huge fare change and all but thought I'd ask the question. I saw a couple of later flights had reasonable availability but only to the D bucket, and no I. So I thought I'd ask before I accept the new booking in case I could use the disruption for some potential wiggle room on this, but honestly not expecting much. Well, knock me over with a feather! The wonderful agent was able to change dates with NO fare difference to charge. I was, to be honest, quite shocked but hugely thankful for that.

Sure, status played a huge part on all that I experienced. Absolutely. I also recognise that so many other impacted pax would have been impacted so much more than me and who knows where they got sent and how, but I definitely felt the love of the team over the past few weeks. I wish everyone could get this kind of service tbh but I know that's not how it goes.


* Almost. The MEL-SYD showed confirmed in U, but when looked at the booking the seat assignment said 4E (in Y). And while I am more than happy to accept that downgrade given the circumstances I kind of wanted out of that middle (as I am sure the others in 4D/F would rather!) Here's the fun part, I go into MNB and select seats, and it shows me the J cabin (because Confirmed(U)).. I select a seat but the whole thing goes into a loop and barfs out on me. Weird! So I called VIP back after waiting some hours for the mess of extra work they likely had to calm a bit, and the agent (a different one) saw what was going on, and how it was weird. She then says it says it's an involuntary international downgrade and under airport control. So I said OK sure I can accept that, but can you move me out of that middle to one of the vacant row windows? She said she couldn't even change the Y assignment due to airport control. Puzzling. And I thought this would be a quick and easy minor thing to fix lol. Anyway she tried some nternal numbers but got nothing back, tried some other things, no joy then said "oh, well I can put you on the earlier flight and in Business" - I thought sure, I'll take a noon flight up, more time for syd connection and Flounge. sign me up! So, she moved that one easy (despite EF showing me zeros?!). so thats a big win imo

 

[dkr]

Checked into QF1447 at T-24hrs and was placed straight into 4A. Sitting on board now, and seems that row 1 is empty, and there's 4 people, each with a shadow, in the other 8 seats in row 2 and 3. I also didn't get a shadow (all good, not a published benefit), but a few empty seats behind me still. Wouldn't surprise me on the route to find that the folk ahead may be all CL, but thought at some point prior to boarding I may have had an option to select either of the empty row 1 seats... Shrug.

 

[lsmi4126]

Checked into QF1447 at T-24hrs and was placed straight into 4A. Sitting on board now, and seems that row 1 is empty, and there's 4 people, each with a shadow, in the other 8 seats in row 2 and 3. Wouldn't surprise me on the route to find that they're all CL, but thought at some point prior to boarding I may have had an option to select either of the empty row 1 seats... Shrug.

Row 1 on the Dashs is, in my experience, only opened up when loads are super high. I also haven't seen it available since pre-COVID. Perhaps something around the forward facing crew seat....

 

[Ade]

Row 1 on the Dashs is, in my experience, only opened up when loads are super high. I also haven't seen it available since pre-COVID. Perhaps something around the forward facing crew seat....

This is my experience as well. Never been able to select Row 1 (A/B) (to some extent Row 2 C/D ) as those 4 seats are always blocked. I once asked the lounge at SYD to see if they can seat me on Row 1 or 2 on the Dash, the lounge agent couldn't do it. She then called the gate (as boarding was due to commence shortly) and the gate agent was able to seat me on Row 2 C.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Row 1 on the Dashs is, in my experience, only opened up when loads are super high. I also haven't seen it available since pre-COVID. Perhaps something around the forward facing crew seat....

I nearly always get assigned 2C in the Dash.
It’s actually a better seat IMHO anyway.

 

[Princess Fiona]

This is my experience as well. Never been able to select Row 1 (A/B) (to some extent Row 2 C/D ) as those 4 seats are always blocked. I once asked the lounge at SYD to see if they can seat me on Row 1 or 2 on the Dash, the lounge agent couldn't do it. She then called the gate (as boarding was due to commence shortly) and the gate agent was able to seat me on Row 2 C.

I’m pretty sure 2 C/D are nearly always kept for P1 assuming there are some flying.

I get this row even on a very lightly loaded aircraft at OLCI

 

[dkr]

This is my experience as well. Never been able to select Row 1 (A/B) (to some extent Row 2 C/D ) as those 4 seats are always blocked.

Looking at my flightdiary history for Dash flights since making P1, I was 1A on both prior flights, and could select straight at OLCI if not already pre-assigned to row 1. Pretty sure they weren't full loads.

I’m pretty sure 2 C/D are nearly always kept for P1 assuming there are some flying.

I get this row even on a very lightly loaded aircraft at OLCI

Unless gazumped by a CL??

 

[Fergo747]

I’m pretty sure 2 C/D are nearly always kept for P1 assuming there are some flying.

I get this row even on a very lightly loaded aircraft at OLCI

I've no idea what it is with Q-Link / Dash flights as I've had many varied experiences since I became a P1. From up front (row 1/2) with a shadow on a full flight, row 3 or 4 with someone seated next to me despite the flight not being overly full and then down around row 5 or 6 without anyone next to me (can't say it was a shadow as it was a light load). When seated further back I can guarantee that those that were seated ahead were not all P1 / CL as I've seen boarding passes etc.

I've got my next Dash flight next week so will be interested to see what I get.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I've no idea what it is with Q-Link / Dash flights as I've had many varied experiences since I became a P1. From up front (row 1/2) with a shadow on a full flight, row 3 or 4 with someone seated next to me despite the flight not being overly full and then down around row 5 or 6 without anyone next to me (can't say it was a shadow as it was a light load). When seated further back I can guarantee that those that were seated ahead were not all P1 / CL as I've seen boarding passes etc.

I've got my next Dash flight next week so will be interested to see what I get.

Next month for me
I’ve probably jinxed myself lol!

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

I've no idea what it is with Q-Link / Dash flights as I've had many varied experiences since I became a P1. From up front (row 1/2) with a shadow on a full flight, row 3 or 4 with someone seated next to me despite the flight not being overly full and then down around row 5 or 6 without anyone next to me (can't say it was a shadow as it was a light load). When seated further back I can guarantee that those that were seated ahead were not all P1 / CL as I've seen boarding passes etc.

I've got my next Dash flight next week so will be interested to see what I get.

It will depend on when you select seats. Initially restricted options due to weight and balance, and more seats open up as flight gets fuller.

 

[Fergo747]

It will depend on when you select seats. Initially restricted options due to weight and balance, and more seats open up as flight gets fuller.

You mean when I check in and select seats?

I understand potential seat restrictions due to weight / balance, what I don't understand is how I could potentially end up so far back or be the one person in the first 8 rows that had a neighbour given that a number of people either further forward or without seat buddies were SG / WP...

 

[chooms]

Took a SYD-CBR flight on Xmas morning and was handed another $200 voucher at the lounge. Thank you QF... Not sure if these are P1 targeted or some other criteria is in play...

yes they are apparently for P1's flying during the festive period.

Some clearly have lucked out with this promo. Those of us not traveling (and some others who did not receive even when flying over the festive period) it probably seems a bit unfair. You'd think QF could have done this a bit smarter - for example apply electronically.

At any rate it's a nice gesture that is of some value indeed.

So, I have on good authority the 2022 Christmas vouchers were random. Total discretion of the lounge to hand out to P1s/CLs as they entered lounges. Hence, no name attached.

The Christmas Gin/Champers/Magazine was apparently based on flying... apparently my only golden triangle flights were enough for the magazine only.

 

[flyingfan]

The Christmas Gin/Champers/Magazine was apparently based on flying... apparently my only golden triangle flights were enough for the magazine only.

interesting, I got the gin with <1,000 SCs which wouldn’t even have requaled WP if I had to do it.

 

[arrow]

So, I have on good authority the 2022 Christmas vouchers were random. Total discretion of the lounge to hand out to P1s/CLs as they entered lounges. Hence, no name attached.

The Christmas Gin/Champers/Magazine was apparently based on flying... apparently my only golden triangle flights were enough for the magazine only.

I know someone with 4,000+ status credits earned in 2022 and he only got the magazine

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

For NZ based P1s seems to have been bubbles or nothing. I got bubbles but know others who got nothing. I earned 11k SCs during 2022 (should have been more but cancelled trips due to getting covid). The others I know earnt much less.

And no Christmas vouchers either.

On a positive note the gent at qf syd f lounge (not nestor) now waves me in so I have obviously been recognised as a frequent visitor to that lounge.

 

[Fergo747]

You mean when I check in and select seats?

I understand potential seat restrictions due to weight / balance, what I don't understand is how I could potentially end up so far back or be the one person in the first 8 rows that had a neighbour given that a number of people either further forward or without seat buddies were SG / WP...

To close this one out, I have checked in and have been assigned seat 2A. I went to look to see whether other seats available however nothing in 1 or 2 and limited selections further back. Unclear as to whether I have a shadow at this stage as I cannot select 2B. The flight tomorrow will tell.

Edit: row 1 had people seated (couldn’t determine status but had come from intl flight) and myself and another P1 were in row 2 both with shadow. Relatively full flight

Post automatically merged: Feb 28, 2023

I know someone with 4,000+ status credits earned in 2022 and he only got the magazine

I’d be ropeable if that happened to me