Qantas Platinum One experiences?

[sudoer]

TKWYA!

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Usually don't like complaining about CS staff over the phone but I had an unsavoury experience yesterday evening with the VIP line. I had made 3 calls discussing different options for a flight change. I was on a through fare from NZ to AUS and had an extended layover in SYD but wanted to change the final destination.

Understandably it's a complex situation but I expected more than this. The first two were fantastic and tried to help as much as they could. I was given a few options and I opted to call back later. The 3rd CS staff went on a tirade about how the fare was illegal and shouldn't have been allowed to book it and that their colleagues should have picked this up and the information they provided was incorrect.

I don't really get why they had to do that. The encounter was very unpleasant and made it seem like I was at fault for booking the ticket. Unfortunately I didn't get their name to provide some feedback.

 

[QFFHntrGthr]

Usually don't like complaining about CS staff over the phone but I had an unsavoury experience yesterday evening with the VIP line. I had made 3 calls discussing different options for a flight change. I was on a through fare from NZ to AUS and had an extended layover in SYD but wanted to change the final destination.

Understandably it's complex situations but I expected more than this. The first two were fantastic and tried to help as much as they could. I was given a few options and I opted to call back later. The 3rd CS staff went on a tirade about how the fare was illegal and shouldn't have been allowed to book it and that their colleagues should have picked this up and the information they provided was incorrect.

I don't really get why they had to do that. The encounter was very unpleasant and made it seem like I was at fault for booking the ticket. Unfortunately I didn't get their name to provide some feedback.

If you didn't opt out, I think the call would have been recorded. Note the date and time of that 3rd call then send in a feedback giving as much detail from that unpleasant exchange. The staff member obviously didn't leave you with the short feedback at the end of the call.

 

[New to this]

Hi gang. Am entering semi-retirement.
Obviously, trying to retain P1 is a very vain and silly goal, for dubious and limited value.

However, I’ll be silly and try and retain it, because…reasons..!

Ideally, I’d like to retain it without actually having to fly QF long haul. Sorry Qantas, but your customer service is functional, at best.

Hopefully, can focus on Emirates etc.


So, to the mechanics. I calculate 2xF to London on DSC will get me close.

Without going into some exotic combos, any advice for how to retain without sweating too hard?

Thanks!

 

[sudoer]

I calculate 2xF to London on DSC will get me close.

DSC only works on Qantas metal - unfortunately you won't get any DSC on EK codeshares....

 

[New to this]

Thanks. Yes. i was assuming I’d need QF metal.

That was Plan A. Just wondering if the clever peeps had alternate ideas.

 

[mviy]

Indirect flights to New Zealand in J on QF metal on DSC can be good and much cheaper to earn SC than going to London. If you got P1 at the start of your membership year, you would have it for nearly 2 years. You could consider doing status runs after losing P1 or after dropping down to Gold a year after losing P1 to minimise your costs keeping P1 some of the time.

Consider which benefits of P1 over and above what WP provides are important to you, and whether you really need those all the time or just some of the time.

I have done runs to NZ, but I have only ever got as high as WP. To get/retain P1 you’d need to do this more times.

 

[New to this]

Thanks

By ‘indirect’ do you mean going to destination (say, Tokyo), via NZ?

 

[mviy]

Thanks

By ‘indirect’ do you mean going to destination (say, Tokyo), via NZ?

No, doing e.g. MEL - BNE - CHC or OOL - MEL - AKL etc.

Fly to NZ via another Australian city to get more SC.

 

[New to this]

No, doing e.g. MEL - BNE - CHC or OOL - MEL - AKL etc.

Fly to NZ via another Australian city to get more SC.

A-ha. Thanks. Got it.

Mostly, my travel has been point-to-point, for business, so I’ve not developed an understanding of these routes
I am learning! Presumably, in retirement, I’ll have more zen time to contemplate the opportunities.

Like I said, I reckon (using 2x QF F DSc) I could retain P1 for about $45k
The challenge will be to do it for less than that.

I am sure the team on AFF is up to the challenge.

 

[mviy]

Indirect flights to NZ on DSC,

OneWorld RTW with maximum QF flights on DSC and standard SC for the other flights.

Classic Reward bookings if you have Points Club and a pile of points.

Plus more.

There are a variety of things you can do to bring down your costs for doing this.

 

[DejaBrew]

Like I said, I reckon (using 2x QF F DSc) I could retain P1 for about $45k
The challenge will be to do it for less than that.

I am sure the team on AFF is up to the challenge.

Using @mviy’s suggestions, it wouldn’t cost anywhere near $45K (albeit it would take more flights).

 

[New to this]

Thanks. That’s helpful.

I like the idea of organising holidays via a clever points-maximising scheme!

I had not thought about those concepts.

Visit the rellies in Brisbane, on the way to visiting the other rellies in Auckland.

Although I didn’t set out on this road., it certainly begs the question…

What’s the (technical) least-cost way to get P1 (using conventional ticket prices)?

 

[DejaBrew]

What’s the (technical) least-cost way to get P1 (using conventional ticket prices)?

It’s most likely the same, i.e. indirect trans-Tasman flights from the east coast of Australia. Just costs twice as much as if you’re doing it via DSC (and requires twice the number of flights)

Perhaps indirect Domestic J on sale as well, but same argument applies re: cost + # of flights.