Soft Landing - clarification required

[gizzard]

I am currently WP with my status year ending at the end of the month. I have made 3 QF trips so far this year.

I'm assuming that I have to make one more to guarantee getting a soft landing to SG. How likely am I to get the soft landing and how soon would I know? That is, when are you informed or do you just have to wait until the first of the following month to find out?

I'm thinking of doing a "status run" to maintain status by completing one more QF flight.

I've checked the conditions here and it doesn't mention anything about dropping down a level only about needing to do 4 qualifying flights to attain/retain a level.
Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Status Credits
Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Benefits & Privileges

I can't see anything in the conditions that says you will drop one level if you have made 4 qualifying flights otherwise you drop to NB.

 

[BD1959]

Hi gizzard,

As far as I'm aware, there's no requirement to get the 4~ in order to soft-land. Should happen next month that you'll "sink" to SG. This usually happens a couple of days in.

Regards,

BD

 

[amaroo]

Thats my understanding as well.

IIRC if you have been WP for three years you will get comped another year at WP.

 

[JohnK]

There has been evidence posted on AFF and Flyertalk to suggest that you will need to get the 4 eligible QF/JQ flights in order to soft fall to Gold.

Can't find the threads right now but someone else may remember the post(s).

 

[amaroo]

These things can always change. FWIW, March this year my wife dropped from WP to SG without clocking up the 4 (paid) flights. YMMV

 

[N860CR]

I'll be able to report on this shortly. After my separation last year my travel basically stopped. I went from WP for many years to amounting just 30 SC and 3 sectors. The frustrating part is just as things get back on track and return to normal, I'll lose WP

I was actually surprised that nobody from Qantas has queried me on it. I'd have thought some software item might flag WPs and the like who just disappear off the radar.

 

[gizzard]

I'll be able to report on this shortly.

That's what I'm trying to avoid.
Thanks for the replies, so far. The consensus seems unclear. I think I'll give QF a call and report back.

 

[gizzard]

Phoned QF and they confirmed that it would be a soft landing regardless of how many qualifying flights I had taken. The 4 flight requirement is only for retaining/attaining and not to prevent crash landing.

 

[N860CR]

Thanks for the info. A bit of a relief!

 

[serfty]

While there have been anecdotes of the 4 ~ requirement in the past, more recent reports have backed up what gizzard was advised also I included SWMBO.

Here's one from FT: Minimum of 4 Qantas flights? - Page 3 - FlyerTalk Forums

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF is this new? plenty of times I don't set foot on a qantas plane during the year... the soft landing is to one below your current status.

Originally Posted by og I thought the soft landing related to failure to attain SCs rather than failure to attain the 4 ~

Originally Posted by gravii ... I failed to meet both the status credit and squiggle requirement to maintain gold. Was soft landed to Silver (with 2 or 3 months QP access).

SWMBO Qualified SG in 2011 and with 0 flights on QF was Soft landed to PS late last year. She received a pack with a PS card, 3 month QP card and a QP Invitation.

 

[Kangol]

SWMBO Qualified SG in 2011 and with 0 flights on QF was Soft landed to PS late last year. She received a pack with a PS card, 3 month QP card and a QP Invitation.

If you have some number of months of QP membership on hold when you make it to SG or higher, do those extra 3 months get added on to what you already had when dropping down to PS?

 

[serfty]

If you have some number of months of QP membership on hold when you make it to SG or higher, do those extra 3 months get added on to what you already had when dropping down to PS?

Dunno - SWMBO was Partner QP but about two months before before becoming Partner SG I had let her PQP membership lapse.

 

[Dino84]

This is good to hear. I will be making WP this year and don't have much flying planned for next year but would like to have SG for a trip to Europe just after that one expires.

Scott.

 

[Rebekkap]

IIRC if you have been WP for three years you will get comped another year at WP.

Really? That's good news! I will have been WP for three years (or hopefully more) when mine drops.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Really? That's good news! I will have been WP for three years (or hopefully more) when mine drops.

some members are given a complimentary extension of their status. it can depend on a number of factors, but is not guaranteed in the same way a soft landing is.

certainly if your total points over the last three years, averaged out over four years, would still see you as a platinum, then you have a good chance of being selected for this extension.

 

[N860CR]

No problems dropping from WP to SG today with just 3 flights. Bit sad after years of being at the top

Interestingly, not one phone call, email or letter from Qantas asking why the big change (albeit temporary) in my travel. Would have thought they'd keep on top of their supposed valued customers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No problems dropping from WP to SG today with just 3 flights. Bit sad after years of being at the top

Interestingly, not one phone call, email or letter from Qantas asking why the big change (albeit temporary) in my travel. Would have thought they'd keep on top of their supposed valued customers.

would your last few years as a platinum, when averaged to include the year just past, still have qualified you for platinum next year? (for example, you might have averaged 1600+ status credits for the last three years, which when averaged would still put you above 1200 last year and granted platinum for this next year?)

some people have been given a complimentary extension of their status, one example of this might occur when the total average for the proceeding years puts you into a higher category.

 

[zainman]

do mASA's booked in P, U, X class qualify for the 4 flights to retain WP?

 

[legroom]

They are eligible flights as they earn points / SCs and marketed / operated by QF.

do mASA's booked in P, U, X class qualify for the 4 flights to retain WP?

 

[HawthornFC]

I've got a similar question, I had WP+ last year >2400 SC, due to a variety of reasons only likely to end the year at 1000 SC. Anyone had any experience of the soft land, does WP+ soft land to WP or will I need to do a Status Run to collect the approximate 200 SC.

Cheers