Qantas releases extra 1.5 million Frequent Flyer seats

[Keith009]

Qantas releases extra 1.5 million Frequent Flyer seats | Herald Sun

AIRLINES battling to fill seats are offering super deals to allow cash-strapped travellers to escape the financial crisis.
Qantas has released 1.5 million Frequent Flyer seats to stimulate Christmas travel.
The seats will be available on services to all capital city and popular Australian holiday destinations.
Family members, including grandparents and other relatives of club members, will be eligible to travel.
"The sale aims to stimulate travel within Australia and to encourage people to holiday at home this year," said Simon Hickey, the airline's head of Frequent Flyer business.
Qantas hopes to generate additional cashflow as would-be travellers transfer points from their credit card reward programs.

Doing a random search QF11 SYD-LAX showed U5, QF15 BNE-LAX at U3. This is for next month. :shock:

 

[futaris]

Great. These should be available using AAdvantage miles. :mrgreen:

 

[simongr]

Good news I think - lets just hope they release some for SYD-LHR-SYD in Sep next year as well

 

[Keith009]

Just when I don't need those seats...:-|

 

[v8Statesman]

This news was also mentioned as a side note in http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...points-balance-and-november-offers-15384.html

SG's and WP's should know about it as we got the email 3 times

 

[NM]

SG's and WP's should know about it as we got the email 3 times

You can say that again !

 

[simongr]

I guess they weren't targetting lowly Silvers

 

[dajop]

Qantas hopes to generate additional cashflow as would-be travellers transfer points from their credit card reward programs

Not to mention the extra cashflow from fuel fines associated with frequent flyer seats, which they are very very very slow at dropping despite the falling oil prices.....

 

[Keith009]

Not to mention the extra cashflow from fuel fines associated with frequent flyer seats, which they are very very very slow at dropping despite the falling oil prices.....

It's not uncommon for airlines to hedge their fuel purchase and a decrease in oil prices doesn't automatically ease the squeeze. In a way it's like a gamble as fuel prices have been so volatile of late. IIRC QF has hedged about 47% of its fuel requirements for the year ahead. Several, including a large HKG-based OW member, have coughed it all up massively by hedging their purchases at a much higher price than the present cost of fuel and at high quantities.

 

[dajop]

It's not uncommon for airlines to hedge their fuel purchase and a decrease in oil prices doesn't automatically ease the squeeze. In a way it's like a gamble as fuel prices have been so volatile of late. IIRC QF has hedged about 47% of its fuel requirements for the year ahead.

Yes you are right, but they also hedge on the way up ... and that didn't stop them increasing fuel surcharges. It disappoints me as a QFF with lots of points (earned through flying and not cc's) that they are playing around with prices a lot (2 for 1 offers internationally, cityflyer route red e-deal sales at prices that a lower than they have been for quite some time) as well as this "release" of extra seats - so there is room to move on pricing to accommodate falling demand. But fuel surcharges are more or less sacrosanct.