QF/EK issues with passengers and FF

[trippin_the_rift]

I've been thinking about this for quite some time and here are some issues I can see arising...


- EK passengers booking QF# (QF plane) on Emirates.com without realising it's not the product they originally wanted to book.
- Lounge confusion. Which lounges to use and when? EG: the itinery is AKL-SYD-DBX on a QF# but on EK metal, which lounge do you use in AKL?
- Emirates trans tasman on EK will become very expensive as pax book a380 flights instead of a cramped 737.
- Once QFF premium pax try EK premium cabins they'll no doubt question their loyalty to QFF (hello onboard SHOWERS, INTERNET, NETWORKING BAR, BETTER/CONSISTANT LOUNGE OFFERRINGS, CONFIRMED UPGRADES IN ADVANCE, PROPER STATUS RECOGNITION ONBOARD, FLAWLESS PRIORITY BOARDING....)
- Once QFF members have been lured into the EK Goodness, there is nothing to stop EK from poaching these flyers.... risk++;
- Will this open up First Class tickets trans tasmanon QF#?

 

[JohnK]

The biggest one for me is seating for a QF Platinum on an EK777.

I love the timings of the MEL-SIN and BNE-SIN flights to arrive in SIN early morning. That means I can play a round of golf on a Saturday or Sunday and leave SYD late afternoon and be in BKK the next afternoon/evening. The long way....

 

[madrooster]

EK or QF code won't matter. You'll be able to use either lounge.

 

[Fruitcake]

[/quote]

I've been thinking about this for quite some time and here are some issues I can see arising...


- EK passengers booking QF# (QF plane) on Emirates.com without realising it's not the product they originally wanted to book.

Doesn't seem too much different to EK passengers booking flights operated by any other EK partner. Or BA passengers booking a QF number on the BA website, which seems to have worked fairly well for a long time.

- Lounge confusion. Which lounges to use and when? EG: the itinery is AKL-SYD-DBX on a QF# but on EK metal, which lounge do you use in AKL?

The lounge that checkin staff direct you to? I flew SQ out of HND on the weekend. I asked the checkin staff which lounge I was entitled to access, and they showed me a map and told me where to go.

- Emirates trans tasman on EK will become very expensive as pax book a380 flights instead of a cramped 737.

That's a matter of conjecture, I guess. But not all pax will find the EK timetable suitable.

- Once QFF premium pax try EK premium cabins they'll no doubt question their loyalty to QFF (hello onboard SHOWERS, INTERNET, NETWORKING BAR, BETTER/CONSISTANT LOUNGE OFFERRINGS, CONFIRMED UPGRADES IN ADVANCE, PROPER STATUS RECOGNITION ONBOARD, FLAWLESS PRIORITY BOARDING....)
- Once QFF members have been lured into the EK Goodness, there is nothing to stop EK from poaching these flyers.... risk++;

Why does it matter? There is a revenue sharing agreement in place, so QF and EK will be partially indifferent to the combination of marketing and operating carrier that you choose. In any case if you move to booking all your flights on EK numbers you're going to end up with EK status which will give you QF status benefits domestically anyway. Wedding yourself to Skywards internationally but then flying VA or TT domestically would be an unusual combination.

EDIT: Some high-level detail on the master coordination agreement (ie revenue sharing):
Qantas rebuffs ACCC over Master Coordination Agreement with Emirates


And many members here highly value oneworld benefits - shifting to Skywards status will mean losing those.

- Will this open up First Class tickets trans tasmanon QF#?

Well, that's a genuine question. I have no idea but I don't see why not.

 

[markis10]

EK or QF code won't matter. You'll be able to use either lounge.

If they are open!

 

[moa999]

- EK passengers booking QF# (QF plane) on Emirates.com without realising it's not the product they originally wanted to book.

Not the first codeshare for EK. No doubt not the last

- Emirates trans tasman on EK will become very expensive as pax book a380 flights instead of a cramped 737.

For QFFs maybe not due to lack of lounge access, and less point bonuses.

- Once QFF premium pax try EK premium cabins they'll no doubt question their loyalty to QFF (hello onboard SHOWERS, INTERNET, NETWORKING BAR, BETTER/CONSISTANT LOUNGE OFFERRINGS, CONFIRMED UPGRADES IN ADVANCE, PROPER STATUS RECOGNITION ONBOARD, FLAWLESS PRIORITY BOARDING....)
- Once QFF members have been lured into the EK Goodness, there is nothing to stop EK from poaching these flyers.... risk++;

EK has as much inconsitency as QF if not more.... lie flat v sloping business, A380 v the rest in first, the 10across Y 777, lounge network is equally inconsistent, can't see QFFs getting benefit of confirmed upgrades, QFs priority issue is only domestically which EK don't fly
As for the poaching... QFF has some big benefits - Australian based - multiple credit card partners and Woolworths.

 

[Berlin]

EK has as much inconsitency as QF if not more.... lie flat v sloping business, A380 v the rest in first, the 10across Y 777, lounge network is equally inconsistent, QFs priority issue is only domestically which EK don't fly
As for the poaching... QFF has some big benefits - Australian based - multiple credit card partners and Woolworths.

Yea- I think some people over-rate EK massively. Sure- the A380 trans-tasman makes those cramped little 737s look just bad. But otherwise- not all of EK's planes are A380s, the service generally seems to be very inconsistent on EK as staff simply varies to much in my recent experience- from very good to outright shocking, all within one and the same crew (go ask any EK flight attendant on their view on this over a beer and you'll hear stories! :shock and you can argue about the quality of drinks and food vs. QF as well as the comfort of their J seats.