Qantas Staff Perks

[Platy]

All I know is that when I travel with a QF GM I always seem to get upgraded to First where he always is.

Obviously its handy to travel with a QF GM!

 

[straitman]

Ahh, that explains it


Ahh, that explains it


Ahh, that explains it

That explains a lot :!:

 

[serfty]

That explains a lot :!:

Thanks for the analysis/summary of the explanations ...

 

[straitman]

Thanks for the analysis/summary of the explanations ...

serfty,

You know I'm a man of few words

 

[Lonely Flyer]

Admittedly, I have only travelled AA 12 times but I have not seen a spare seat in First class on any of these flights.

Last year when i flew several AA dom it was mainly service personnel who were given the last First class seats with much applause from the rest of the cattle class

 

[user101]

Yeah, fine staff get cheap seats as part of their package (In some cases) BUT such subload staff are SUPPOSED to be at the end of the queue, but I have certainly had many eperiencs of failing to get a domestic upgrade when there are subload staff in J.

I have also had experiences of them getting favoured seating in preference to real customers.

I have also personally witnessed such staff being allocated boarding passes well in advance of the flight departure here in CNS.

I have also been denied a FULL FARE J seat on a SYD-CNS only to find J full of staff.

So whatever the system is supposed to be in actuality real customers are suffering disadvantage - possibly through mates helping out mates on a local level.

The fact that QF management sit back and let this cough happen is one of the reasons I dislike QF so much.

Firstly who's business is it what qantas staff get! This quote above is cough, firstly how do you know that they are all staff? If they are in uniform then they are probably working...It's called deadheading. And normal paying customer would never be denied for a staff ticket! Thats major cough... Coles workers get discounted groceries, why shouldnt a qantas worker get discounted flights!

I travel with staff travel and I can tell you now that most of the time I pay normal/discounted fares or use frequent flyer points as it is much easier than getting a flight with staff travel. I had to wait in the airport for 3 days once, waiting for a flight to America. That was fun... Also I am going on holiday this year and have to flight separately from my partner and go a couple of days earlier so I make sure I get there in time for my full fare connecting flight.

Also if you hate QF so much, fly with someone else, get your points with Virgin or something...

 

[ejb]

Firstly who's business is it what qantas staff get! This quote above is cough, firstly how do you know that they are all staff? If they are in uniform then they are probably working...It's called deadheading. And normal paying customer would never be denied for a staff ticket! Thats major cough... Coles workers get discounted groceries, why shouldnt a qantas worker get discounted flights!

I travel with staff travel and I can tell you now that most of the time I pay normal/discounted fares or use frequent flyer points as it is much easier than getting a flight with staff travel. I had to wait in the airport for 3 days once, waiting for a flight to America. That was fun... Also I am going on holiday this year and have to flight separately from my partner and go a couple of days earlier so I make sure I get there in time for my full fare connecting flight.

Also if you hate QF so much, fly with someone else, get your points with Virgin or something...

Is it me or are 1st posts becoming more and more agressive:?:

ejb

 

[serfty]

Firstly who's business is it what qantas staff get! ...

Hi user101, welcome to AFF.

The post you refer to is nearly 12 months old. Having indicated that, the OP of this thread was referring to situations where it appeared that some staff were getting travel over and above what would normally be the case when travelling on some IDnn fares.

If you peruse the thread a little more you should see several references to where such travel may have been appropriate.

 

[BAM1748]

Would seem to be a whole thread on others getting more than himself even harking back to the Ansett model of doing business - and we all know how well that model ended up.

I have no objection to a staffer being in the front when I am not, my only concern is that I'm getting what I paid for myself, anything extra is a bonus not a right.

 

[oz_mark]

I'm getting what I paid for myself, anything extra is a bonus not a right.

A principle seemingly lost on many.

 

[BAM1748]

Oh, and with the heading "staff perks" I'd suggest is misleading.

Possibly, because of the length of time an employee needs to work before receiving this benefit it would better termed - "employee loyalty program". Do your time and there is a benefit, we can't pay everyone a different rate for the same job but we can make something easier for you at holiday time. (I don't work for Qantas)

 

[meloz]

I've been a plat for 4 years and was also ID90 for the middle 2 years. During that time my greatest chance of upgrade was through staff travel.

Confused, but happy at the time. Now I'm back to fighting for ODU's. Still quite doable though.

I have, I believe, experienced jumping the queue being ID90 over FF for ODU's. Additionally I have experienced missing out on ID90 upgrades with seats being empty in J.

Go figure.

Meloz

 

[Platy]

Firstly who's business is it what qantas staff get! This quote above is cough, firstly how do you know that they are all staff? If they are in uniform then they are probably working...It's called deadheading. And normal paying customer would never be denied for a staff ticket! Thats major cough... Coles workers get discounted groceries, why shouldnt a qantas worker get discounted flights!

I travel with staff travel and I can tell you now that most of the time I pay normal/discounted fares or use frequent flyer points as it is much easier than getting a flight with staff travel. I had to wait in the airport for 3 days once, waiting for a flight to America. That was fun... Also I am going on holiday this year and have to flight separately from my partner and go a couple of days earlier so I make sure I get there in time for my full fare connecting flight.

Also if you hate QF so much, fly with someone else, get your points with Virgin or something...

May I respectfully suggest that you read what is actually written, user101?

You mention getting staff travel - does this mean that you work for Qantas (or another airline)? I will assume that you do (I apologise if my conclusion is incorrect).

I don't have a problem with a staff member getting travel perks (I recognise this is part of the contract of employment), and within reason BUT....it certainly is the customer's business what QF staff get when:

1. That significantly impacts on a customer (eg cannot get paid seat or upgrade or seating preference or guaranteed catering)
2. Staff bypass the system which management have put in place to ensure customer comes before staff (eg get their boarding passes at 30 mins before a flight)
3. Management fail to deal with point (2).

And yes, I am smart and informed enough to tell the difference between duty and subload staff, as you would see if you read the posts.



As I have written previously, I know they are staff because:

1. I know some of them by sight
2. I know some of them personally
3. I have seen the manifest
4. I have asked the CSM
5. I have spoken to the people (staff) sitting next to me
6. I have seen their IDs, bags, etc even when they are in mufti (non uniform)

Sorry to disappoint you, but I have indeed had at least one instance of not being able to buy a SYD-CNS full fare in J class (which retails around $1350 by the way for a single sector) only to find the cabin crammed with staff.

I have had another occasion on a MEL-SYD flight when my fully paid up J fare could not be used on a certain flight - there turned out to be over 11 staff in uniform in J.

Now I might also inform you that I have discussed what is supposed to happen with QF management both at a local level (Airport Manager) and at a national level (GM Customer Service) and face to face with QF market research personnel, so I do have some idea what I'm talking about.

This system has been regularly abused by staff on a local basis in my experience and to the detriment of the customer.

Now I also know that there is a new check system recently launched. I also know that this new system makes it far harder for the system to be manipulated at the local level. I presume that one benefit of this new system is that it has become far harder for staff to abuse the system to the detriment of customers! If so, management has done its job!

As far as flying with another airline is concerned, yes, I did just that for 6 months and enjoyed many flights on Virgin, paying the $30 for Blue Zone thus sitting in front row or exit row for a fraction of the QF business class fare, whilst I awaited for someone in QF manmagement to be bothered to handle a clutch of complaints relating to this and about 25 other issues of poor customer service. I am very pleased to report that eventually someone in QF did indeed come good and won back my business by taking the time to listen to my feedback and positive suggestions.

However, in the process, QF has LOST my custom in terms of flying domestic business class - I never bother now having previously flown up to 100 flights in domestic J a year (many paid some upgrades) - that is a lot of lost business from one individual. I cannot be bothered to fight with staff over the best seats, fail to get upgrades when there are staff and/or empty seats in J, watch the service standards and catering standards slide whilst paying ever more exorbitant prices.

My spend with QF this year is currently at $250, down from about $30,000. I have retained Platinum this year for just $4,000 by flying on two instant upgrade fares on AA (plus a couple of local domestic Jetstar flights) so I can continue to enjoy the things QF does well, like the first class lounges in SYD and MEL without the need to frequent the limp over priced domestic business class service.

I am sorry to hear that you have had difficulties getting staff flights to the US. Pershaps you should remember that us customers pay your salary!!! Actually I have a lot of sympathy for QF staff especially since senior management appears to treat its staff with contempt.

Incidentally, I just returned on a Jetstar HNL-SYD:

1. Even though I arrived in advance of the 3 hr check in opening time, I had to wait whilst about 6 staff dominated the Starclass queue (there weren't in uniform but had JQ flight bags etc so stuck out the proverbial mile)
2. I then was surprised to find them "take over" the main part of the QF/AA lounge above Gate 26.
3. I was also surprised that they were able to spread out in the Starclass cabin whilst regular passengers were crammed into the first few rows including people (real customers) having to sit in the dreaded centre seat

It is very poor form for staff to put themselves above customers, especially when they abuse the system.

 

[Platy]

Hi user101, welcome to AFF.

The post you refer to is nearly 12 months old. Having indicated that, the OP of this thread was referring to situations where it appeared that some staff were getting travel over and above what would normally be the case when travelling on some IDnn fares.

If you peruse the thread a little more you should see several references to where such travel may have been appropriate.

Yes, Serfty, this is over 12 months old. This is no longer an issue to me personally since I won't pay for QF domestic business class seats any more, nor even try for upgrades. Domestic J is very poor value IMHO and I would rather save up my points for trips to Europe in F class, something QF does well!

 

[Platy]

Would seem to be a whole thread on others getting more than himself

I'm not sure BAM1748, if that insight is directed at my ancient posts, but if it is, please do share your rationale!

 

[BAM1748]

Platy - dare I say it, sounds like you're the sort of customer that they will not miss. In spite of voting with your purse, which is the correct thing to do when one is not happy with a supplier, they have record profit, record number of new aircraft on order from both Boeing and Airbus.

And even in this old thread, with only flimsy evidence (i.e. I saw people checking in with Jetstar bags) are still angry about it.

I will be pleased knowing I will not be seated next you this Thursday on my Sydney to Cairns flight. What's the saying, build a bridge.......

hmmm, now if only I could get a job at Qantas.........

 

[Platy]

Platy - dare I say it, sounds like you're the sort of customer that they will not miss. In spite of voting with your purse, which is the correct thing to do when one is not happy with a supplier, they have record profit, record number of new aircraft on order from both Boeing and Airbus.

And even in this old thread, with only flimsy evidence (i.e. I saw people checking in with Jetstar bags) are still angry about it.

I will be pleased knowing I will not be seated next you this Thursday on my Sydney to Cairns flight. What's the saying, build a bridge.......

hmmm, now if only I could get a job at Qantas.........

Yes, BAM1748, I am sure you are right and I imagine the airline doesn't like people to make complaints, question why systems aren't working, or expect promised deliverables. (Incidentally, I have actually given QF a lot of positive feedback and many creative suggestions over the years in the spirit of "just in case this is of any use to you...", not to mention passed on numerous staff commendations, been attentive in thanking CSMs for well serviced flights, etc).

(By the way, those JQ folk, some of them had been crewing an earlier flight I was on, and both myself and travelling companion recognised them).

I am sorry to hear that you have prejudged the quality of my company on the basis of divergent discussions in blogspace - hopefully you will have a great time in Cairns.

 

[JohnK]

Is it me or are 1st posts becoming more and more agressive:?:

Who says they are first posts?

 

[straitman]

Who says they are first posts?

Good point. I'd considered this but didn't really believe that people would be that subversive on a public forum. :shock:

 

[JohnK]

Good point. I'd considered this but didn't really believe that people would be that subversive on a public forum. :shock:

On another forum I have been visiting for a couple of years it is not uncommon for some posters to have more than one active account. They use their primary account for most posts and then the secondary accounts to cause trouble or agree with the posts. Other people have been banned many times and keep creating a new account. It does not take long to work out the posting style.

I don't see the point of it all but I guess some people just want to stir the pot so to speak....