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:
- I know some of them by sight
- I know some of them personally
- I have seen the manifest
- I have asked the CSM
- I have spoken to the people (staff) sitting next to me
- 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:
- 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)
- I then was surprised to find them "take over" the main part of the QF/AA lounge above Gate 26.
- 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.