SMH: Frequent Flyers Left Out In The Cold

[Alanslegal]

Our own Gordon is here:-

Frequent flyers left out in the cold

 

[TheInsider]

What a sad world we have created when you FF Status is something to protect and be proud of. Shallow, egotistical nobodies in search of yet another freebie
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CommenterIreneApril 11, 2012, 12:01PM

Poor Irene doesn't like the idea of FF status!

 

[harvyk]

Poor Irene doesn't like the idea of FF status!

Irene jaded much?

I agree with the basic premise of the article, that FF points and status is not the be all and end all with traveling. However the programs are not called "once a year flyer" programs for a reason. They have been targeted towards the people who put in serious BIS miles even with credit card earning in place. I don't earn anywhere near the same number of points as others here, however I usually earn enough for a free flight somewhere, or a J upgrade once or twice a year, and even if the points to "buy" said flight or upgrade isn't as good value as they used to be, the points didn't actually cost me anything extra to get (ignoring JQ's pay extra to get FF points), and in my first year of serious flying, prior to joining an FF program, they where "points" simply going to waste anyway...

 

[Nigelinoz]

Poor Irene doesn't like the idea of FF status!

She probably didn't get the double SC offer from QF and is feeling unloved.:mrgreen::mrgreen:.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[medhead]

She probably didn't get the double SC offer from QF and is feeling unloved.:mrgreen::mrgreen:.
Cheers
N'oz

Combined with removal of ATA.


Sent from the Throne

 

[rechoboam]

So in the one article they say real frequent flyers are being cheated by people paying gst or whatever on credit cards, and they ALSO complain that status credits mean that infrequent flyers are being cheated.

I suppose if you are going to write a whiny article you may as well complain about everything possible.

 

[Paddy55]

I'm more thank happy for QFF'ers to redeem points for microwaves, toasters, vouchers... anything but Upgrades and JASA's... but that's just me :mrgreen:

 

[yohy?!]

The number of people commenting on how they get 'great' value with free domestic flights each year (esp JQ ones) is a little worrying

 

[sarvowinner]

SMH Article - are we shallow, egotistical nobodies in search of yet another freebie?

Frequent flyers left out in the cold Some very bitter people out there.

 

[yohy?!]

Re: SMH Article - are we shallow, egotistical nobodies in search of yet another freeb

My favourite comment was the guy saying he just gets gift cards because it works out better value than flights <whomp-whomp>

 

[Stephen65]

Re: SMH Article - are we shallow, egotistical nobodies in search of yet another freeb

My favourite comment was the guy saying he just gets gift cards because it works out better value than flights <whomp-whomp>

This is a view that should be strongly encouraged

 

[JohnK]

Re: SMH Article - are we shallow, egotistical nobodies in search of yet another freeb

As some parts of the article allude to it is not going to get easier with further erosion of benefits to come for lower tiers to make up for the added benefits handed out to higher tiers.

So be it but so far I have not have an issue redeeming my hard earned points for what I believe are worthwhile itineraries. But if you are stubborn and all you want is 4 First Class/Business Class award seats on the same flight to LHR during the Olympics then I am afraid you are in for a rude shock....

 

[cove]

Re: SMH Article - are we shallow, egotistical nobodies in search of yet another freeb

I was very quiet when I grabbed two first class seats on SQ for the Olympics. I used the maximum booking days out and then did the same for coming home.
With 11 million Frequent Flyer members in QF and Velocity it is little wonder that we need most members getting toasters and gift cards.

 

[QF WP]

That does make it easier for us to get our desired premium cabin seats. Toasters warm their hearts, F's anywhere does the same for us

 

[cove]

Articles like this are very helpful for us and help our 2 biggest FF suppliers to be quite profitable without everyone flying.

 

[Shelf]

...Toasters warm their hearts...

I lol'd

 

[pshepvic]

Poor Irene doesn't like the idea of FF status!

My favourite comment replying to Irene...


"I must admit though to a little bit of pleasure as we fly over Irene's house as she sips a lemon juice."


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[AVC]

"Shaw suggest paying your tax bill with your (Qantas branded) credit card"

Just not the Woolies one!

 

[whatmeworry]

Don't want to start a new thread, but this article is in a similar vain to the OP's thread starter.
Frequent Flyer versus Virgin Velocity

However, the whole frequent flyer lurk changed forever about a decade ago when the concept of “free” flights was abolished with the introduction of “taxes and charges” having to be paid whenever a redemption was made. On a route like Sydney-Los Angeles, those fees could amount to a third of the cost of actually buying a discount seat without using frequent flyers.
As airlines including Qantas have periodically devalued points to reduce the airline’s contingent liability in unredeemed rewards, the past decade has also seen average fares paid (“yields” in industry lingo) go down and the average percentage of seats filled (the load factor) has had to rise to compensate. With load factors now in the 80 to 90 per cent range, that means there are fewer seats than ever allocated to frequent flyers.
Qantas went first with a further skewing of points values by introducing status credits where the more you fly and the more you (or your company) spends on air travel, the greater the rate at which you earn points.

“The true value of points is well disguised thanks to a complicated set of algorithms that the airlines use to determine how much status you earn from a flight, as well as how many points you burn through when using them,” Amanda Bryan reported in the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this year.
At the top end, Borghetti is even now talking of a Chairman’s Lounge-style “product” at Virgin to match the exclusive Qantas lounge network used to pamper high flyers in business and politics.
But at the bottom end, people trying to accumulate points travelling infrequently down the back of the plane and sticking with one supermarket brand to buy petrol and groceries are arguably being forced out of the game.
Someone in the airline business mused a few years ago that Qantas was becoming more like Virgin and Virgin was becoming more like Qantas.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Is it a slow news day, or did someone somewhere signed some contracts stating that some bashings on some ff programs must be done some time every so often?