Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

[samh004]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Personally I think it is time that QF restricted F lounge access to F passengers and WP1's. (It is also time for QF to come clean and admit that CL is more about keeping politicians, civil servants and celebrities as far away as possible from society.)

As mentioned already, doing that would remove what OWE is all about, but if you wanted to take that line of thinking there's no reason why QF couldn't follow the many other airlines who have sections of their First lounges that are only available for F pax. Concord Room comes to mind by BA, Private Room by SQ etc...

By that I mean, not even you would gain access, be it to a sit down meal in the F lounge, or perhaps take it even further, the whole lounge (or a lounge above it).

I realise your comment was meant to inflame, but it raises a very good point, not even P1's should get something for nothing, and if you're flying on JASA's and Y- fares and getting to P1, you're still not as important as a real F pax commuter, and that's the truth!

I disagree, it could be argued that both are. I personally think that a WP purchasing a rock-bottom priced JQ domestic flight solely for the purposes of visiting the F Lounges to eat, drink and have a spa appointment (often with guest in tow) is taking poetic licence with the current rules, using them as travel for lounge access rather than what the QFF program is designed for and that is lounge access for travel.

By that token, any SC run is basically the same. You might not be purchasing the fare to have a croissant in the J lounge admittedly, but you're doing it so next year you can. It's the same thing. Anyone doing SC runs is taking poetic license, not using the program as it was intended and it's abuse.

Yes, that includes JohnK routing through multiple Asian destinations instead of flying direct, but I'm sure we'll all just glaze over that.

 

[JohnK]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Personally I think it is time that QF restricted F lounge access to F passengers and WP1's. (It is also time for QF to come clean and admit that CL is more about keeping politicians, civil servants and celebrities as far away as possible from society.)

Didn't recognise you in your new coat.

Can you see if you can put in a good word for us lowly Platinums so that we can visit the First lounge once in a while if travelling Qantas?

 

[Kangol]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

I disagree, it could be argued that both are. I personally think that a WP purchasing a rock-bottom priced JQ domestic flight solely for the purposes of visiting the F Lounges to eat, drink and have a spa appointment (often with guest in tow) is taking poetic licence with the current rules, using them as travel for lounge access rather than what the QFF program is designed for and that is lounge access for travel.

I see where you are coming from with rorting the system and whatnot, however the important part of my post (that you didn't quote) was that QF has defined what the rules are and they designed them taking into account the possible extremities of what could be done within the rules.

QF allowed this, encouraged this to happen and have taken the responsibility with (somewhat obvious) repercussions.

I don't agree with abusing the system and know that the interpretation of this JQ issue is not well defined. Guesting above the allowance is obviously wrong, has always been wrong and can never be viewed as "not abusing the system". For an ex public servant and taxpayer funded CL (the person I quoted originally), to suggest that one form of activity - that is clearly breaking the rules - should be allowed in favour of another - that is open to interpretation about breaking the rules - is ridiculous.

What we don't know, and probably will never know, is truly how many people were doing these JQ access runs and what kind of effect it had on the lounge, other pax, QF brand, etc. The numbers, the prevalence, the actual effect is ultimately what would be interesting to know. QF is not going to give out that data - that is to say they are smart enough to collect it and analyse it properly in the first place.

We all know that AFF members are a very unrepresentative sample of all QFFs, frequent fliers in Australia and all the SGs/WPs/CLs out there.

It could very well be a pure numbers issue and that the busyness of the lounge is what they want to cull. These JQ pax in question could just be sitting on the chairs drinking water. We don't know. No one, except QF (if anyone) knows.

 

[nlagalle]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

I have it on excellent authority* that this is false..

*My brothers ex-girlfriend's best friends brother knows someone who's pet dogs vet wife's hairdresser as a friend who is a cleaner at QF and they said it isn't true!

 

[tuapekastar]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

I disagree, it could be argued that both are. I personally think that a WP purchasing a rock-bottom priced JQ domestic flight solely for the purposes of visiting the F Lounges to eat, drink and have a spa appointment (often with guest in tow) is taking poetic licence with the current rules, using them as travel for lounge access rather than what the QFF program is designed for and that is lounge access for travel.

I agree that QF almost certainly did not have this in mind when drafting the access rules. But while these 'Flounge Runs' may not be within the spirit of the lounge access rules, they are within the letter of the law.
Not sure of the exact details, but when checking in for JQ domestic flights, if you're 30 seconds late, tough cough, you've missed the flight, you've got to fork out big bikkies to catch the next, if there's even availability. And that is while looking at your original plane, which has been delayed for 3 hours (but you still can't catch it).
That's also operating within the letter of the law, but frankly outside the spirit.
Double standards.
I think I said somewhere else that Flounge runs for the sake of them do not interest me - too much bother with security and immi.

 

[gwilli1]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Red Roo , i see that you are observing the thread , can you shed any light onto the rumour ?

 

[Red Roo]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

To be honest, the first I've heard of this is on AFF today!

Without any disrespect to the OP's cousin (after all, working for QF in any capacity makes her family ), I'll be investigating this further.

 

[JohnK]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

I agree that QF almost certainly did not have this in mind when drafting the access rules. But while these 'Flounge Runs' may not be within the spirit of the lounge access rules, they are within the letter of the law.

So why do people abuse them and then come on an open forum and brag about the abuse?

Any Seat awards anyone?

 

[SteveJohnson]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

I can't see that this would be a bad thing, as many people here have already said the lounge was not created for JQ domestic runs in mind especially the way some people abuse this. Anyone who visits the Sydney First lounge these days can see how crowded it gets during peak periods which is also when the JQ flights run. QF has apparently done the sums and realised they can shift the JQs to the Business lounge. JQs runners still get lounge access and QF F lounge is cleared of a bit of riff-raff for higher-yield passengers. Easy solution!

Good to see that Red Roo is looking into this though before another rumour gets out of hand. But this one seems to make sense and I honestly reckon that it is happening. Maybe QF won't want to admit to it right now, will leave the announcement until a lot later like the week before Christmas. Maybe QF will rethink the idea, delay it or squash it altogether. We will see in the morning!

 

[jeremyk]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Better get in and book my F Lounge run before the end of year might even book two...

 

[russ]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Good riddance to the WP riff raff.

I can't see why they should be allowed in a J or F lounge any more than they should be allowed in a J or F cabin.

 

[medhead]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

It's true. They have downgraded the razors and shaving cream.

I love the reasoning that JQ passengers are low revenue and its better to look after WPs in Y, as they are high value. Newsflash those JQ pax in the F lounge are also WPs. High value WPs!! Who knew they flew JQ? Well qantas should've known given the way they replace QF routes with JQ.

 

[Awesom Andy]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

I love the reasoning that JQ passengers are low revenue and its better to look after WPs in Y, as they are high value. Newsflash those JQ pax in the F lounge are also WPs. High value WPs!! Who knew they flew JQ? Well qantas should've known given the way they replace QF routes with JQ.

JQ Y is consistently more expensive than QF Y for return to MEL from SIN. Perhaps on this route, the WP pax on QF should be banned from the MEL F lounge on the return trip, and allow the JQ pax in.

Back on topic, instead of going through all the motion, all they need to do is remove the JQi flights from sale between SIN-MEL. Or, if they feel they absolutely must offer the capacity, simply offer full price fares only. I can't see anyone paying $600 return to have a couple of dine, wine, and spa sessions, but if somebody needs a last-minute ticket during peak season, they would probably need to pay that much in the first place anyhow - in which case, so be it.

 

[tuapekastar]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

So why do people abuse them and then come on an open forum and brag about the abuse?

Any Seat awards anyone?

Coz they can?

I don't see how it is necessarily abuse if it follows the rules.

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

It's true. They have downgraded the razors and shaving cream.

It's strange that Qantas should, on the one hand, apparently consider culling access to the F lounge so that only high-value passengers remain, but on the other hand nickle & dime these remaining passengers by switching to cheaper razors and shaving cream.

I've used the domestic razors once, and they were of such low quality that they drew blood. If that's what Qantas is now using in the F lounge for passengers who are paying thousands - or tens of thousands - of dollars per trip, that's shooting itself in the foot by cutting them in the face.

Even if the razors aren't as bad as the cheap & nasty domestic ones, the point remains. If people are paying a premium of thousands of dollars for a first class ticket (or have spent thousands of dollars to gain the necessary tier access) then they will be expecting a premium service. Saving a few bucks here and there is going to erode that value proposition.

On the other hand, if Qantas has determined that a substantial portion of F lounge passengers are relatively low-yield, eg Jetstar domestic passengers, then cutting the expense base makes more sense. Although even those low-yield (for that specific trip) passengers have spent thousands of dollars buying tier access to the F lounge. I would have thought that would be worth breaking even of losing a few dozen dollars on the odd JQ/F lounge flight.

 

[vertisol]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Given Red Roo's response I'm now a bit worried that the original rumour was false but our replies may have given Qantas a good idea..

 

[kpc]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

In 2007, I experienced the F lounge for the 1st time after being guested in by JohnK, a Qf Plat member; we were on the domestic sector of a Qf international flight (a la JQi); I liked the lounge so much that I directed nesrly all my flights to QF since..and I have been QF plat the last 4 years...at that time I was SQ PPS and QF Gold before I switched the majority of my flights to QF....if it wasn't for the opportunity to try out the QF F lounge in Sydney on a DOMESTIC sector of an international flight, I would not hsve directed tens of thousands of my travel budget to QF the last few years. ..so what if I now take the occasional JQ35 flight from Syd to Mel and enjoy the F lounge prior? I have certainly paid for the privilege several times over!!

 

[pauly7]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Meh I'm with Princess Fiona on this / couldn't care less if it's taken away.

IF all of this is true - I would be interested (but will never find out I guess!) how much JQ are paying QF per pax to access the F lounge. There is a transfer price that is charged for international lounges between QF and JQ.

I suspect as it is a short hop domestic flight JQ have a reduced chance of covering costs of a pax who accesses the QF F lounge and they are probably the ones behind pulling the access.

Makes total sense for WP JQ people to get the J lounge (still great!) for a domestic flight.

(Sorry to the people who seem to love this run)

 

[lovestotravel]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Firstly LOL that QF has to give us three months notice on a change from F to J lounge.

Secondly the availability of booking mel syd mel on JQi has been getting harder with lots of cancelations

Thirdly JQ paying QF for access to the F lounge LOL

The numbers of people doing this would be low relatively

5 to 7 flights per week
5 or so people, if that, per flight. Based on my random drunken observations.
30 people per week
1500 per year

Maybe a cost of $40 each. Of course a few on here, myself included would be higher than that. But we as geeks are a minority and not the norm.

So perhaps $60000 per annum....

Now how many people would fly VA or not bother flying if QF enhances F access..... who knows

But I personally spend about $1000 per annum to access the F lounge on JQi and a return QF flight. Eg next week $55 JQi fare mel syd. Then $139 QF syd mel...

I hope this is not enhanced but it wouldn't surprise me and it would lower my QF group spend slightly!!

 

[gizzard]

re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lounge

Even if the rumour turns out to be true, at least JQ passengers (like myself) will find the J lounge in the same terminal that the flight departs from (unlike SYD domestic).