The great Qantas con

[kjcrombie]

Singapore Airlines had an A380 go SIN-LHR with 22 passengers and 39 crew last week. Why would Qantas be different? So more FF seats?

 

[JohnK]

Singapore Airlines had an A380 go SIN-LHR with 22 passengers and 39 crew last week. Why would Qantas be different? So more FF seats?

Was this a scheduled service? I agree they should release more FF award seats.

I don't see the big deal about CBD check-in unless you are very close to the check-in facilities. Assume that Sydney CBD check-in facilities are in Central and you are in Woolloomooloo you would be better off going directly to the airport. Or if you were in Circular Quay you would cart your luggage on the train to Central, get off and check-in and then go to the airport on another train. Seems like a waste of time to me but maybe I am missing the point....

 

[docjames]

Singapore Airlines had an A380 go SIN-LHR with 22 passengers and 39 crew last week.

Really? Seems unlikely. Any proof of this claim?

 

[serfty]

Geographically, HKG works as much of the custom is via Central or Kowloon. Note there is no such Check-in service ex Tsing Yi which is far closer to Chek lap Kok.

 

[jpk]

I don't see the big deal about CBD check-in unless you are very close to the check-in facilities. Assume that Sydney CBD check-in facilities are in Central and you are in Woolloomooloo you would be better off going directly to the airport. Or if you were in Circular Quay you would cart your luggage on the train to Central, get off and check-in and then go to the airport on another train. Seems like a waste of time to me but maybe I am missing the point....

The big advantage to it is you can checkin 24 hours before your flight. So most people checkout their hotel in the morning, checkin for their flight and leave their bags, then they cruise around town all day, get a decent dinner in town, then train it to the airport for the evening flights.

As Serfty said, it also works because of geography - 90% of the population is at Central/Kowloon, and the airport is quite remote and 30km away. In SYD the population is quite spread out and the airport relatively central, and not far from the CBD.

 

[Dave Noble]

The big advantage to it is you can checkin 24 hours before your flight. So most people checkout their hotel in the morning, checkin for their flight and leave their bags, then they cruise around town all day, get a decent dinner in town, then train it to the airport for the evening flights.

most people are not on evening flights.

For those at hotels in Sydney, can check out of the hotel and leave bags with concierge and then go to airport

LHR used to have a check in at Paddington, but was very lightly used and so eventually dropped. I don't see that Sydney is set up in a manner that is suitable. In London , the HEX, was a dedicated service to airport which originated in Paddington and terminated in Heathrow plus had secured luggage facility for transporting checked baggage to the airport.

In sydney, the train is just a regular suburban line

Online checkin facilities provide options for people to collect boarding passes in advance

Dave

 

[jpk]

most people are not on evening flights.

For those at hotels in Sydney, can check out of the hotel and leave bags with concierge and then go to airport

LHR used to have a check in at Paddington, but was very lightly used and so eventually dropped. I don't see that Sydney is set up in a manner that is suitable. In London , the HEX, was a dedicated service to airport which originated in Paddington and terminated in Heathrow plus had secured luggage facility for transporting checked baggage to the airport.

In sydney, the train is just a regular suburban line

Online checkin facilities provide options for people to collect boarding passes in advance

Dave

I wasn't clear when I wrote that paragraph - I was referring to HKG and why it works there, (and hence why it wouldn't in SYD).

 

[ethernet]

Dictionary: to swindle; trick
No, con is not the right word, but the credibility that they knew, is credible.
Misleading - Nope.
With shares languishing, of course they manage the bad news, and cover up destructive news - like baggage price increases that had other airlines leaving. They should not continue to treat/view staff like Bond's, lest control be lost. I don't feel people have 'lost' as aggressive cutting was going to occur anyway - and the other airlines are offering stonking good deals.

Now in the days of Ansett, the FF deal racket was nearly blown open, if you knew you knew how many seats were really, or simply not available on some routes.
When they converted kilometers to Miles - that was a con, because the zones worked very strongly to their favor - no one appeared to pick that one up.
On Privatisation, well that proved where the moral fibre was, and I don't think attitudes and probity have improved much since.
Qantas was once 'easy' on trippers who wanted to change their dates - now the Indian call centres lie over the phone about availability changes. One pax was told nothing doing for 2 weeks - full up. He rang up a day later wanting to know if room for a rugby team - no worries they said! He then asked for a ticket change

IF Qantas wants more business:
1) They should ask for my 'calendar' and which flights and time preferences I like - so they know what to offer me. Ok remain low tech like the others.
2) SMS me with 48 hour deals or 'get to the airport and we will put you on this, or the one after'
3) Seriously investigate laying on transport to avoid hassles.
4) Hold or store daypack/suitcases for me/high wealth or security cleared persons, so I don't have to nip home for the emergency travel bag.
5) Above deals offered for loyalty.

Right now, Tiger is meeting me on price terms, but I am not flying with them, because booking is a hassle, and because of the 45 minute trick deal - it takes a lot to rub me the wrong way - but they have succeeded.

 

[geoffl]

I have obviously misread my calender, I didn't realise today was April 1st!!

 

[dajop]

now the Indian call centres lie over the phone about availability changes.

Since when do QF have Indian call centres? News to me, or have I been WP too long? I know they have call centres in US for US calls, but hadn't heard any confirmation they actually service Australian calls with an Indian call centre.

 

[sadlier]

Singapore Airlines had an A380 go SIN-LHR with 22 passengers and 39 crew last week. Why would Qantas be different? So more FF seats?

I travel on SQ several times a month and I have not seen an aircraft anywhere near half empty so far this year.

 

[straitman]

I wasn't clear when I wrote that paragraph - I was referring to HKG and why it works there, (and hence why it wouldn't in SYD).

It was perfectly clear to me :!:

 

[bambooculm]

Max is perfectly correct. It was a con, but with floating the frequent flyer program in mind. The idea was to inflate the value of the FF program and then sell it. The economic situation was not anticipated in March 2008, but inflating the value of the FF program was. The responses from Qantas Tragics have been pathetic in defence of the indefensible Qantas. They have become a joke, both Qantas and the Qantas Tragics. By crying wolf in order to justify screwing the shareholders and telegraphing much reduced dividends, they have shot themselves in the foot. No sane business would consider taking the FF program off them.

 

[dajop]

The responses from Qantas Tragics have been pathetic in defence of the indefensible

I was tempted not to take the bait you offered, but I will.

The OP made the following remark, as the basis for the "con" accusation:

now just a couple of weeks after the deadline to transfer points, shut down some flights, sack staff therebye reducing the number of reward seats available overall

Ask most people who have been long term Qantas FF members, despite the reduction in services - the availability of award bookings has never been better. I know in the past it has often been difficult to get any awards let alone preferred routings, but now, thanks the economic situation (that has caused the cut in flights) whenever I've looked there has been loads of seats available, certainly much more than in the past.

Now Virgin Blue have been offering promos to transfer pts (25% bonus) they too have cut services. That must be the "great Virgin Blue con". Air NZ have been offering bonuses for Amex members to transfer pts, that must the "great Air NZ con" . Isn't it better to cut staff and cut services than go bust? If the airline goes bust it truly will be a huge con for anyone who has points with QF. They will, like many people's Global Rewards Points, WORTHLESS.

Now, if you think I am a QF tragic, well think that. For the record, last year (not counting this year as I moved to SIN), I took 25 QF flights (most of these were regional NSW/QLD flights with no alternative or connections to/from), 12 DJ flights, 42 SQ flights, and various flights on other airlines.

QF have done many dubious things by it FF's over the years (including the very act of forcing them to choose directly earning QF points from credit card spend) but cutting services after this most recent campaign is not something I'd call a con.

 

[Ewok]

I never buy the cheapest flight, hoping and I stress only hoping the extra few dollars I spend will hopefully keep me up in the air and not spiral me down to the earth at a 1000k's an hour with a thud.

One of the most bizarre theories I have ever heard...

 

[Therma]

The only reason they are cutting flights is passenger numbers and yields are way way down (like every global airline).

Less yield typically means more FF seats.

I certainly do not see them
3 weeks ago I needed to book some flights 3 months in advance on points. Unfortunately I only had enough for 2 tickets. I could have booked online with SQ and got flights to Germany from Singapore for 51K or thereabouts but since that was stopover only and my wife and daughter were continuing on to Ukraine to visit wife's parents, I called SQ FF redemption. They called me back in 5 minutes, offered me the itenerary I requested, and suggested a better alternative. 70 K each for SIN-FRA-KBP-MUC-stopover-SIN. 10 minutes after original phonecall it was all over and flights were booked on Lufthansa without any problems. This however left me with 2K SQ points ( We have redeemed over 450 K last 12 months!). I started looking for return flight to MUC so I could join my family for a 2 week trip. Not enough NW points. All sale fares gone, everything over 1800SGD. Decided to try QF.
86K points
No tickets to anywhere
Not even close
I was ready to fly into LHR or AMS or CDG or FRA or pretty much anywhere else. Tried everything with a connection available via KLM/AF. I got offered 2 one way business class tickets, one from LHR, one from FRA via LHR with BA, both about 2 weeks off my desired dates.

So where are those numerous FF redemtions from QF? 2 completely useless flights for the full month?

Why bother with QF FF at all? I have ALWAYS got what I wanted with SQ and NW, sometimes with one or two weeks notice. So not only do they request more miles, there is Buckleys chance of redemption. The only reason to have FF is to get a status so as not to pay $35 a kilo once you hit 23 kg limit, and maybe to upgrade to J class (if Y expensive enough).

 

[ali62]

I don't think it's a con at all. All QF staff members have had hours cut and if people don't start flying again soon, I can see more cuts coming up before Christmas. Thats just my observation as a wife of a QF employee. Yes I would love someone to donate to "save a staff member". We all have to take holidays by the end of July, and we can't afford to go anywhere because of the hours having been down for so long.

 

[serfty]

I certainly do not see them
3 weeks ago I needed to book some flights 3 months in advance on points.
...
So where are those numerous FF redemtions from QF? 2 completely useless flights for the full month? ...

Two words: school holidays!

If you want award booking on QF in September/October you need to book far more in advance than 3 months - that's simply the way it is and has been for a long time.

 

[ali62]

I travel on SQ several times a month and I have not seen an aircraft anywhere near half empty so far this year.

I find that would be a very rare occurance if it did happen..usually they combine with another co-carrier with partial loads into one Aircraft. Wouldn't be worth it to send an aircraft up with only a small amount of people.

 

[holdenvxman]

I find that would be a very rare occurance if it did happen..usually they combine with another co-carrier with partial loads into one Aircraft. Wouldn't be worth it to send an aircraft up with only a small amount of people.

Thats what I would think, maybe they had a full return flight and cargo that made it worth sending