Qantas. You've got to be kidding!

[infinity]

I just wanted to book a return SYD/LAX/SYD in J class.

Being WP I had to asked the premium desk to release some seats for October/November flights

All good, 192,000 points (I get that, no problem), then another $943 in taxes!!!!!

I had open at the same time as I was talking to the QF premium desk, my Velocity account looking at the same flights on VA same days

Total points with VA for same J flights on their aircraft 205,100

VA taxes $136

QF where do you get off charging a further $807 in taxes compared to VA extra points of 13,100!!

The products are very similar and in fact I have used both a lot. More than happy with VA if choosing J class

Someone at QF should take a hard look at this one

So its off with VA on this occassion!

 

[opusman]

Taxes or fuel fines?

 

[infinity]

Does it matter what they call it?

 

[smit0847]

How have you achieved WP with QF without knowing their ridiculous fees and taxes on award bookings?!?

 

[AndyGoodyear]

While I agree that the taxes are high, it is not as simple as comparing VA's 13,100 points to the $ difference of $807. On Qantas the earn rate is a minimum of 1,000 per domestic flight, however on VA you earn 5 points per dollar spent. Depending on the flight cost the VA could net you more points, but in my experience is generally less than a Qantas equivalent. For example, the average cost of a SYD - MEL flight in Y is about $100 OW on both Qantas and VA. The Qantas flight would bag you 1,000 FF points, however the VA only 500 points. On Qantas international Y you earn 1 point per mile - even on discount economy, however on Virgin the discount economy earn rate for INT is just 0.5 points per mile.

So while the VA reward redemption is 13,100 difference - you generally have to spend more money on Virgin to earn that amount of points.

 

[Fruitcake]

Does it matter what they call it?

Of course it does. Taxes are actual cashflows that QF or VA pays out to transport you. Fuel fines are the fees you pay for the privilege of being a loyal Qantas customer.

 

[lovestotravel]

Yep the QF taxes are a joke in comparison to VA

I prefer VA in J to QF in J (777 product)

I am also surprised that VA haven't "enhanced" their taxes/whatever on award seats... yet....

 

[infinity]

In simple terms, this is just a comparision of spending points and cash to get some where.

No points earn on QF class flights And I assume VA, but dont recall

If these differneces were the norm ( I suspect not as market forces should make these quickly correct the imbalances), then there would be a big queue for VA1 rather than QF 11

 

[AndyGoodyear]

In simple terms, this is just a comparision of spending points and cash to get some where.

No points earn on QF class flights And I assume VA, but dont recall

If these differneces were the norm ( I suspect not as market forces should make these quickly correct the imbalances), then there would be a big queue for VA1 rather than QF 11

I understand that for sure - however as I mentioned if you are giong to compare the points and taxes difference, you also have to consider how much more you would have spent on VA to actually get those points.

 

[knightman7]

One must also consider that a revenue seat on a QF J seat SYD - LAX return is around 2-3k more than with VA, so the fact that the point value or a VA redemption is similar to QF means the value of the VA redemption is less, even with the higher QF fuel taxes.

 

[medhead]

The point remains that 13000 VA points cost a minimum of $1300 to obtain (if someone is platinum).

 

[BD1959]

I agree that the taxes are high

Legally, aren't taxes comparable? (OK, there may be slight differences depending on equipment etc)

I get fed-up with airlines lumping together taxes and fuel fines etc into the one bracket. If there's one thing that the ACCC could do, it is make airlines itemise fares into: taxes and other charges which are passed to Governments etc and pure (company) revenue. To me, it's the next logical step after inclusive pricing.

Regards,

BD

 

[kpc]

I just wanted to book a return SYD/LAX/SYD in J class.

Being WP I had to asked the premium desk to release some seats for October/November flights

All good, 192,000 points (I get that, no problem), then another $943 in taxes!!!!!

I paid a similar amount of taxes / fuel surcharges for +1's flight Syd-Lax in J next April so i feel your pain!

Total points with VA for same J flights on their aircraft 205,100

VA taxes $136

Fortunately, VA are here to (sort of) keep QF honest by providing some competition. Highlights the importance of keeping points not only with QF! Now, if SQ were allowed to fly Syd-Lax....(but the taxes surcharges on Sq are not insignificant as you know)

 

[opusman]

I'm sure if you hand over your silver card at the front desk they could scan it and verify your QP membership.

 

[eastwest101]

I understand that for sure - however as I mentioned if you are giong to compare the points and taxes difference, you also have to consider how much more you would have spent on VA to actually get those points.

Just my opinion - but in the case of the OP where they were comparing approx 200K point redemptions on either QF or VA then I would suggest that for most people - those 200K QFF points or Velocity points would not all be earned in the air. To acumulate that many points you would expect that most people would have acumulated 200K QFF or Velocity points through a considerable Credit Card spend - say anywhere from 20-80% of those points would have come via Mastercard/Amex/Visa and other associated frequent flyer scheme retail partners. A massive simplification I know - but with a conservative/lousy 1:1 or say 1:1.25 $/point earned its quite an effort at spending on a credit card.

I think the OP's point is that after a considerable effort like this - that QF is expecting customers to cough up an extra $943 versus VA asking for an extra $136 to redeem thier respective points to fly to LA.

That is quite a difference, an 400% difference - if you would like to think of that as saying that QF think their J class is 400% better than VA J class.

 

[medhead]

Just my opinion - but in the case of the OP where they were comparing approx 200K point redemptions on either QF or VA then I would suggest that for most people - those 200K QFF points or Velocity points would not all be earned in the air. To acumulate that many points you would expect that most people would have acumulated 200K QFF or Velocity points through a considerable Credit Card spend - say anywhere from 20-80% of those points would have come via Mastercard/Amex/Visa and other associated frequent flyer scheme retail partners. A massive simplification I know - but with a conservative/lousy 1:1 or say 1:1.25 $/point earned its quite an effort at spending on a credit card.

I think the OP's point is that after a considerable effort like this - that QF is expecting customers to cough up an extra $943 versus VA asking for an extra $136 to redeem thier respective points to fly to LA.

That is quite a difference, an 400% difference - if you would like to think of that as saying that QF think their J class is 400% better than VA J class.

The difference as stated in the OP was an extra $807 (QF) versus an extra 13100 points (VA).

192000 + $943 versus 205100 + $136. It's not the same 200000 points unfortunately. 13100 points is going to cost a minimum of $1310 to get via flying

 

[eastwest101]

The difference as stated in the OP was an extra $807 (QF) versus an extra 13100 points (VA).

192000 + $943 versus 205100 + $136. It's not the same 200000 points unfortunately. 13100 points is going to cost a minimum of $1310 to get via flying

Sorry if I may be misunderstanding here but to clarify - do you mean an extra 13100 VFF points over the example given of 192000 QFF points? That is how I understand it. Correct me if I am wrong. I do not think the 13100 points difference between the VA and the QF redemption was really the issue of the OP anyway, it was the difference in the fuel surcharges that was the issue.

 

[medhead]

Sorry if I may be misunderstanding here but to clarify - do you mean an extra 13100 VFF points over the example given of 192000 QFF points? That is how I understand it. Correct me if I am wrong. I do not think the 13100 points difference between the VA and the QF redemption was really the issue of the OP anyway, it was the difference in the fuel surcharges that was the issue.

I'm simply pointing out that there is also a difference in the number of points required, not just a difference in the fuel surcharge. An award costs Points plus Cash. The OP is only considering the difference in cash cost. Whereas a few in this thread also see the difference in the points cost. In particular, that it would be pretty rare to be able to get 13100 VA points for $807. So the OP has saved $807 by using points that potentially cost them a lot more to obtain.

 

[amaroo]

I just wanted to book a return SYD/LAX/SYD in J class.

Being WP I had to asked the premium desk to release some seats for October/November flights

All good, 192,000 points (I get that, no problem), then another $943 in taxes!!!!!

TBH it doesn't seem that bad when compared to this example (copied from another thread)

Oct 2013 | Business | MEL-SIN | 60k + $428.96

If the return flight cost the same......the $ charge is sitting at $857.92:evil:

NB - the above example is a JASA

 

[eastwest101]

With some current credit card offering sign-on bonuses of 20-30K QFF or VFF points just for a $100-$300 annual application fee most people would consider the $807 cash difference much more significant than the inconvenience and the application fee for a credit card.

Even if you just end up getting the points and then cutting up the card like a lot of people do.