Qantas refusing to fix "East Coast Penalty" on MH Business (D Class) - Sanity Check needed

[AndyW2026]

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping for a sanity check from the community here.
I’m currently in a deadlock with Qantas Executive Relations regarding what looks like a clear database error in the Partner Earning Tables for Malaysia Airlines (MH), and a lack of update for East Coast -> KUL post the September 1, 2025 enhanced partnership agreement - and I’m trying to decide if I’m banging my head against a wall or if I should push this to VCAT. I'm actually more annoyed at the lack of understanding, escalation and acknowledgement of the issue than the SCs and will likely make Platinum regardless, but of course the extra 120SC will get me there faster!

I recently flew MEL -> KUL -> BKK on Malaysia Airlines in Business Class (Fare class "D") return.

• I received 60 Status Credits for the MEL -> KUL leg and another 60 for the return KUL -> MEL leg.
• If I had flown PER to KUL or ADL to KUL — on the exact same airline and exact same Fare Class D, I would have earned 100 Status Credits each way.

It seems obvious what has happened here. When the Partner Earning Rates were updated on September 1, 2025:

• Perth/Adelaide (Zone 4): Were correctly updated to the new "Business" rate (jumping from ~50 to 100 SC).
• Melbourne/Sydney (Zone 5): Appear to have been left stranded on the legacy pre-September rates (staying at 60 SC), effectively treating "D" class as Economy/Discount Economy from the East Coast, despite Qantas's own updated table defining "D" as Business post the September 1 changes!
• Note: Qantas does not operate their own metal on this route, so "route protection" differences shouldn't be at play here.
  
  

I have spent weeks trying to explain this mathematical impossibility to the Service Centre and Executive Relations, with repeated emails, requesting escalations and review.

• They refuse to acknowledge the announced changes in the airline earning table on their own website post September 1, and lack of updates to the calculator. They simply point to the calculator and say "The calculator says 60, so it is 60." - and "apologies" for any confusion - with Executive relations attempting to offer me 5000 FF points for the misunderstanding, and to "help me" get to platinum at the end of my membership year if I fell short (I should qualify before then anyway)
• I pointed out that it is illogical for shorter flights (PER-KUL/ADL-KUL) to earn nearly double a longer flight (MEL-KUL) for the same fare class. Their Executive Relations team replied claiming the difference was due to "complex factors, but predominately Fare Class type"—which is patently false, as I was comparing D Class to D Class.
• I went to the Airline Customer Advocate. Qantas responded to them by stating my flights were "not eligible for Status Credits" (factually untrue, as they credited 60) and they refused to engage further.

Question for others - Has anyone else dealt with this specific "East Coast Penalty" on MH since the September 1, 2025 changes?

It feels like they are knowingly relying on a database error to under-reward East Coast flyers, and refusing to fix it because "the computer says so." They have also provided no plausible explanation for the significant differences and lack of update for East Coast -> KUL

Am I being silly for pushing this over ~120 Status Credits, or is this a legitimate case for VCAT given they are publishing contradictory value tables for the same product?

Cheers,

 

[markis10]

Think your PCV at QF is now well and truly in the negative!

 

[MELso]

QF is well-known for nerfing status credit earn on partner airlines out of the east coast of Australia to SE Asia and the middle east. BA, AY, CX, MH, QR and JL all have dreadful earn rates.

60 SCs in business class each way is correct. See this table.

 

[opusman]

At least they don't distinguish between discount and full business any more!

 

[moa999]

It may be illogical on a SC / km basis, but it's a printed table that you can look at in advance and make your own choices about.

Just like when the medium jar of Vegemite is cheaper than the large one on a $/ gram basis at Colesworths. They aren't going to change the price, you just pick the medium one.

And I should add it's not just Malaysia..
The same East Coast nerfing applies to Hong Kong (Cathay), Singapore (BA) and Colombo (Sri Lankan) (not specified from Perth, so distance table would apply)

If Qantas changes anything, it will be the tables from Perth and Adelaide.

 

[AndyW2026]

Thanks for the link to the calculator .... I’m definitely aware of the traditional "Qantas Metal Protection" nerf (especially on CX/QR), but this specific case smells different because of the Perth/Adelaide anomaly.
This table (https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...s/earn-category-tables.html#malaysia-airlines) specifically calls out changes on the earn rate pre/post September 1 2025 ... but the calculator and the link you provided for East Coast was never modified or updated post September 1 - whilst ADL/PER were, and effectively doubled in SC earn rate. Despite repeated requests for an explanation/justification from Qantas - no clarification was provided.

Note: They are still penalising Z class with a lower earn rate - but my fare type's were D on all legs which on the link I provided shows should've been changed to full business earn rate post Sep 1

 

[Captain Halliday]

If you wanted the higher SC rate, why didn't you fly via PER?

To answer your question:

Am I being silly for pushing this over ~120 Status Credits, or is this a legitimate case for VCAT given they are publishing contradictory value tables for the same product?

You're being silly (IMO).

 

[MELso]

Thanks for the link to the calculator .... I’m definitely aware of the traditional "Qantas Metal Protection" nerf (especially on CX/QR), but this specific case smells different because of the Perth/Adelaide anomaly.
This table (https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...s/earn-category-tables.html#malaysia-airlines) specifically calls out changes on the earn rate pre/post September 1 2025 ... but the calculator and the link you provided for East Coast was never modified or updated post September 1 - whilst ADL/PER were, and effectively doubled in SC earn rate. Despite repeated requests for an explanation/justification from Qantas - no clarification was provided.

Note: They are still penalising Z class with a lower earn rate - but my fare type's were D on all legs which on the link I provided shows should've been changed to full business earn rate post Sep 1

D on MH earns SCs at full business class rates for partner airlines.

The business class rate on partner airlines (including MH) between MEL and KUL is clearly stated in that table as being 60SCs. Before September 2025, it would have earned 30SCs at the flexible economy rate.

 

[torks]

Unfortunately this is a game where Qantas sets the rules. The rules may seem illogical but they get to write them so them's the breaks. Save yourself the stress and stop banging your head against the wall, you'll get nowhere.

 

[AndyW2026]

D on MH earns SCs at full business class rates for partner airlines.

The business class rate on partner airlines (including MH) between MEL and KUL is clearly stated in that table as being 60SCs. Before September 2025, it would have earned 30SCs at the flexible economy rate.

But 60SC is the Flexible Economy earn rate for Zone 5 - not 30? So that makes no sense? There was no change in the earn rate pre and post Sep 1 even though the table in the link in my previous post specifically stated it would change to the full business earn rate (120SC for Zone 5)?
The numbers and lack of updates make zero sense according to their own published tables.

@Captain Halliday - Noted and agree that I am spending far too much time on this and should just suck it up and move on .... But it is frustrating that the changes only seem to have been half applied to the calculators.
Exec relations team accepted there was a misalignment in the data (only verbally of course) and would pass the feedback on to the website team, but then only offered 5000 ff points and no SC's.

 

[MELso]

But 60SC is the Flexible Economy earn rate for Zone 5 - not 30? So that makes no sense? There was no change in the earn rate pre and post Sep 1 even though the table in the link in my previous post specifically stated it would change to the full business earn rate (120SC for Zone 5)?
The numbers and lack of updates make zero sense according to their own published tables.

There is no 'Zone 5' in the table I linked to above. Can you please point to it?

If you mean flights between 3500-5000 miles (which is the MEL-KUL distance), the 120SC earn only applies "if you're unable to locate your route in the tables above." In this case, there is such a table - the one "Between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and ..." Malaysia.

 

[offshore171]

Am I being silly for pushing this over ~120 Status Credits, or is this a legitimate case for VCAT given they are publishing contradictory value tables for the same product?

If I'm honest, I'd place this issue in the "pick your battles" category and forget about it.

Wouldn't fathom taking something like this to a tribunal.

 

[MELso]

If I'm honest, I'd place this issue in the "pick your battles" category and forget about it.

Wouldn't fathom taking something like this to a tribunal.

Particularly when the correct amount of SCs has been earned (even if the earn rate is pretty rubbish)...

 

[NM]

If you wanted the higher SC rate, why didn't you fly via PER?

Exactly what I was thinking ... Why fly direct when you can connect ...

Make the most of the anomalies.

 

[muppet]

If I'm honest, I'd place this issue in the "pick your battles" category and forget about it.

Wouldn't fathom taking something like this to a tribunal.

I’d agree and say pick your battles, and avoid those where you know you’ll lose in advance.

 

[jase05]

Yeah, sadly it’s just how it is.
We were sick and tired of the paltry earn rates on OW partners to and from Australia which made it a very easy decision to switch to better programs.