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?

 

[flyingfan]

Classic seat releases - was going to post this in the WP thread but being P1 may (or may not) have made a difference. Asked the nice VIP team for two J seats, to SIN and from BKK for my family (and I got a cash fare myself when DSCs came around). The website showed one seat available but I needed two. The bot rejected my first date and the next date had reached its ‘quota,’ so the team sent them off for manual review.

A few days later I got an email saying they had my seats. I checked and the placeholder PNR was for four days after I wanted it, which would have made for a very compressed trip. Rang VIP again and they couldn’t say why a date other than what I’d asked for had come back, so asked them to resubmit.

Again a few days later, new email with my seats. This time it still wasn’t the exact date I wanted, but close enough. Guess when they can’t give the exact date they put in something close. Sure although would be good if they mentioned this - “Your exact date is unavailable but will these do?” Rang to lock it in.

A week passes and the PNR is there but points still haven’t been deducted. After reading enough horror stories I contact the team once more, they resend it to ticketing, points deducted and it will be my family’s first time in international J

And I’ve never been contacted about disruptions. Have some DSC status runs coming up so will see what happens.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Even pre covid my experience in proactive assistance for irrops has been patchy. Great when it happened but can't count on it.

With the much higher volume of disrupted flights they really do not have enough staff to be proactive for p1s. So any favorable treatment is probably down to a great staff member dealing with the disrupts in general, rather than the vip team.

 

[RichardMEL]

re seat release and this waiting for days thing? that's so odd. Yes, I know that is or used to be a thing for WP but every time I've called VIP it's either been done on the spot, or in one case agent called me back within about 20 minutes and again it was all done while I was on the phone. I do understand if they are still somehow sending requests for manual review to yield management (or whoever) that would have a turnaround time, but I've actually never had that happen. I got the impression the agents I usually spoke to either had authority to do it, or - in the case of the aforementioned callback - worked it out at the team level.

Sounds like a very frustrating experience

 

[Princess Fiona]

re seat release and this waiting for days thing? that's so odd. Yes, I know that is or used to be a thing for WP but every time I've called VIP it's either been done on the spot, or in one case agent called me back within about 20 minutes and again it was all done while I was on the phone. I do understand if they are still somehow sending requests for manual review to yield management (or whoever) that would have a turnaround time, but I've actually never had that happen. I got the impression the agents I usually spoke to either had authority to do it, or - in the case of the aforementioned callback - worked it out at the team level.

Sounds like a very frustrating experience

There are definitely manual processes for seat release in the event that the bot says no.
If it hasn’t happened to you that’s fortunate but it’s definitely a process that happens and is actually quite a good one IME.

The staff in HBA call Centre aren’t the ones who do this. It goes to the particular route controller for the seat you are looking for eg SYD-LAX.
The manual process is something that is only done for P1.

Any other delays for WPs are due to the way the requests are getting submitted online to the bot.
Eg. The person who said they got SA and it took two days.

 

[RichardMEL]

Thanks PF. Yes, definitely am happy I have been approved on the spot (but I'll say again there was not an automatic yes in one case, which is why they had to confer and call me back - bu it was an unusual situation of a released F seat that was downgraded to J due to 380->787 swap, then I asked if I could move to the next day's 380 and get the F back, and I think bot said no (A0), but someone(s) made a decision to override that for me - I was very happy).

I certainly hope I don't have to go through the approval process as described above!

 

[jcwhizz]

re seat release and this waiting for days thing? that's so odd. Yes, I know that is or used to be a thing for WP but every time I've called VIP it's either been done on the spot, or in one case agent called me back within about 20 minutes and again it was all done while I was on the phone. I do understand if they are still somehow sending requests for manual review to yield management (or whoever) that would have a turnaround time, but I've actually never had that happen. I got the impression the agents I usually spoke to either had authority to do it, or - in the case of the aforementioned callback - worked it out at the team level.

Sounds like a very frustrating experience

I think they have maybe changed how they do it - used to be an instant / 1-2 min response or at worst a call back within the hour - but I rang VIP the other day early morning to request 3 J or Y seats MEL-CBR on a flight that was pretty full in both cabins (yeah I know, no-hoper but may as well ask).... request went off into the system and was told they would get back to me within the hour - flight then appeared as "on request" in the QF app (which I hadn't seen before but which raised some crumbs of hope)... That night hadn't heard anything and flight still on request, so rang VIP again and they checked and said it had been rejected early that morning and were surprised I didn't know - perhaps they like to string out the agony and / or rejection doesn't automatically feed into their system....

 

[Peasant]

I'm a mere WP, but whenever the above happens, denoted with "on request" it's usually the result of me getting someone in the Auckland, Fiji or South Africa call centres.

Invariably these requests are never successful. I had an experience with the above last week, then I hit the jackpot with a Hobart agent who was able to successfully do it for me in 2 minutes using the bot.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I'm a mere WP, but whenever the above happens, denoted with "on request" it's usually the result of me getting someone in the Auckland, Fiji or South Africa call centres.

Invariably these requests are never successful. I had an experience with the above last week, then I hit the jackpot with a Hobart agent who was able to successfully do it for me in 2 minutes using the bot.

That’s not the case for P1.
On request for us means it’s gone for manual review to the route controller.

I doubt (hope ) that any P1 has been redirected to an offshore call Centre but you never know.
I did once get AKL but I wasn’t asking for a seat request

 

[lsmi4126]

That’s not the case for P1.
On request for us means it’s gone for manual review to the route controller.

I doubt (hope ) that any P1 has been redirected to an offshore call Centre but you never know.
I did once get AKL but I wasn’t asking for a seat request

I was redirected to the Fiji call centre last week to make a 'Same Day, No Mistake' change to a trip to LHR. Took the op about 20mins to the move the return flights back a day. She said it was all done, I questions a fare difference (as I knew there was one) and she said it was waived (a new P1 perk? hahaha)

I knew it was too good to be true. Flights hadn't been reticketed by Friday so I emailed SST on Saturday. Fare difference isn't paid, need to call them. Will be hilarious if I get Fiji again...

 

[RichardMEL]

I got AKL a few weeks back but I was calling during the US afternoon and I knew VIP were not open, so imo AKL was the next best thing (and several agents I spoke to were very helpful and I had no problem at all).

 

[JohnK]

I don’t know how long you have been P1 for but in the past the SST would ring you and have moved you before the flight was even cancelled.

7-8 years ago they were doing that for a Platinum. How times change.

 

[Ansett]

MCA Lounge has anyone used this and what was it like. I will be in Sydney this weekend and considering taking a friend there.

Are there any good views, is there any finger food or snacks available.

Would you back there again?

Many thanks for the feedback in advance.

 

[lsmi4126]

MCA Lounge has anyone used this and what was it like. I will be in Sydney this weekend and considering taking a friend there.

Are there any good views, is there any finger food or snacks available.

Would you back there again?

Many thanks for the feedback in advance.

Pretty sure it's a room off the side of the Library. It may have a coffee machine, can't quite remember.

I wouldn't really call is a lounge with the same meaning as the QPub or J Lounge. It's more of just a space to sit.

 

[kermatu]

MCA Lounge has anyone used this and what was it like. I will be in Sydney this weekend and considering taking a friend there.

Are there any good views, is there any finger food or snacks available.

Would you back there again?

Many thanks for the feedback in advance.

I recall a (very old) AusBT article that said it was a comfortable space with coffee and maybe biscuits or sweets. But ground floor so I assume no view. I was staying nearby earlier this year so looked the article up to see if it was worthwhile checking out - decided not to in the end as we didn't need such a space in the area.

 

[aus_flyer]

I recall a (very old) AusBT article that said it was a comfortable space with coffee and maybe biscuits or sweets. But ground floor so I assume no view. I was staying nearby earlier this year so looked the article up to see if it was worthwhile checking out - decided not to in the end as we didn't need such a space in the area.

It's in a different space to where it was a few years ago. Was previously on the ground floor. Now a couple of floors up with some views.

 

[JW]

The good old days!

True that Recently got a msg from BA re cancelled flight. Called oz and they were unaware. Turns out no flights to LHR. Called oz again and they sorted alternate flight via spain with a bit of prompting. Shudder to think how many folks rocked up at the airport a few hours later and missed flights that day. So helps to be proactive and get ahead of the curve as it were.

 

[Matt_01]

Flying to WLG this evening and pretty happy the shadow as stuck, I am in 1C.

 

[pretentious git]

I gave the example of the minimum number of QF flights to retain WP just because at work this year I've seen many colleagues who pre-covid would have booked QF, now booking QR (but still crediting to QF). So basically WP who don't give much money to QF.
You are right that how one attains WP is not really relevant to P1 benefits, but I think it's more to highliht to QF how little difference there is between WP and P1. I have the impression that QF really believes the P1 status is amazing, while I consider it marginally better than WP.

I keep filling the surveys, maybe they do help. For years I suggested P1 should come with some hotel status, and then we all got Accor Platinum (not suggesting I had a direct impact, but I think QF needs honest feedback about P1).

How does P1 get Accor Platinum?

 

[jcwhizz]

I think it’s closed now?

Qantas boosts Gold-level perks in expanded Accor partnership

Turbocharging your points balance just got a lot easier – on the ground and in the air.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[chooms]

I think it’s closed now?

Qantas boosts Gold-level perks in expanded Accor partnership

Turbocharging your points balance just got a lot easier – on the ground and in the air.

www.executivetraveller.com

This was a superb promo. Never had Accor status in my life until I signed up via this. Platinum for (at least) two years with the benefits: breakky, exec lounge, suite upgrades (both via guaranteed certificates and comp... even in flagship hotels such as the Sofitel Darling Harbour and Melbourne). The Hilton Diamond promo offered through Virgin Platinum was also a doozy. Been a HH Diamond for close to three years now and similar to Accor, made a complete switch to them for a good year pre/post covid but I think Hilton in Aus (a bit like the US) have gone backwards a bit in value.

With these promos I completely ditched IHG which were my staples (IC Syd/Mel) given IHG Platinum's woeful offerings.

It's a smart move for airlines/hotels to do this, particularly for the WP/P1s who obviously need hotels a fair bit as part of their travels. I'd like to see a permanent link between re-qualify for P1 (or even WP) and maintaining the hotel status... but I think that might be a stretch too far.