The Law of Unintended Consequences - and the Roo

[Ansett]

Found this slide on the QF Agent industry website. Does it help the discussion?

View attachment 42343

One of the big issues I have with all of this is that at the time of booking and or enquiring you can not see what fare bucket you are being quoted and or booking. Having to wait until you have proceeded with the booking is an absolute pain in the back side.

 

[kevrosmith]

One of the big issues I have with all of this is that at the time of booking and or enquiring you can not see what fare bucket you are being quoted and or booking. Having to wait until you have proceeded with the booking is an absolute pain in the back side.

Not disputing/disagreeing with your comment, though other than needing to know if it's a Red e-Deal or Flex fare now, is there much distinction as to which specific fare class within those categories the booking falls into?

 

[medhead]

I agree that a number of Qantas changes over recent years has made it very easy to eat elsewhere. They might be fixing the bottom line, but they are cutting the strings that bind as a consequence. Perhaps that is their intention.

 

[opusman]

I agree that a number of Qantas changes over recent years has made it very easy to eat elsewhere. They might be fixing the bottom line, but they are cutting the strings that bind as a consequence. Perhaps that is their intention.

Someone inside QF has decided that all they need to do is keep a few thousand WP1s happy and everything else will just fall into place

 

[RichardMEL]

I agree - and I didn't. Please re-read my OP.

Regards,

BD

Not to harp on this rather minor digression to this thread, but I read the post and it was listed as point 1 in the list of changes QF has made that have "changed your behaviour"

further in my post I wrote that I *felt* it wasn't, or shouldn't be (just my opinion) a factor in making a decision on "changing behaviour"

anyhoo.

and re your (non made up ) invoice... my first thought, as others noted, was a corporate rate/discount being applied vs published rates in SABRE.

 

[medhead]

Someone inside QF has decided that all they need to do is keep a few thousand WP1s happy and everything else will just fall into place

Perhaps it's a flipside of that thing about not wanting to be a member of a club that would have me (was it Groucho or Oscar Wilde?)

Treat them mean to keep them keen

 

[RooFlyer]

I agree that a number of Qantas changes over recent years has made it very easy to eat elsewhere. They might be fixing the bottom line, but they are cutting the strings that bind as a consequence. Perhaps that is their intention.

Perhaps it's a flipside of that thing about not wanting to be a member of a club that would have me (was it Groucho or Oscar Wilde?)

Treat them mean to keep them keen

Groucho.


I've been contemplating on this thread and think you are in the right direction.

I think Qantas - and other airlines - have moved beyond the 'give frequent flyers some perks so they will keep flying with us' model. Too many people will buy solely on price. These are the people that fill planes, not the few status pax in J or the first couple of rows in Y.

You give someone status, a nice lounge, extra baggage, and what happens? Half the time they go on Virgin, or Emirates or some-one else.

"Screw 'em" I believe I hear Qantas 'Loyalty' saying. "We'll truly reward them only if they are rusted on, cast iron loyal passengers." "The rest we'll sprinkle a little fairy dust, coo nicely in their ears, and take they fares when we can. But no easy freebies (actually NO 'freebies' at all)."

"But mainly we'll take their membership and e-mail addresses, and market this database to companies who will pay us cash to access it."

Qantas Frequent Flyers - welcome to the new reality. You are the product that's being sold, not the market being sold to. They'll give you a few baubles to keep you at the table, but the real game is elsewhere, in the marketing and budget office of corporations around Australia who want to direct market you. Golf, supermarkets, parking, stationery, accounting, banking, electronics, retail - you name it. They want to reach YOU, who have, on average more discretionary spend than others. And you are all wrapped up in the QFF membership list.

So sorry, we'll all continue to get the occasional finger from QFF, and if a few drop off flying, you won't be missed. They still have your e-mail address, and that's worth a lot more to them, in aggregate.

 

[RichardMEL]

Interesting idea and has a lot of validity.

It's a pity I shun the epicure, and don't play golf, and don't care too much for wollies or the others. I make my own choices (or OK, have the ILLUSION that I do ) and try to make the most of the various programs out there.

Definitely is far more of a case of your "value" to them on a revenue basis... but we do the same whenever we shop for goods and services.... eg: what is the value of a flight or hotel room or whatever to us.

I feel a bit dirty being marketed around though!

 

[medhead]

I guess that's the bit that confuses me. I was rusted on, qantas changes are like a wire brush to that rust, an angle grinder even. They've removed the rust completely. Before the changes started I was mindlessly giving them cash 6 to 9 months in advance.

But even if we ignore my example, I think of my children. They could have been rusted on, but that single change to make loyalty bonus an annual event means there is no point to qantas loyalty for them.

 

[zainman]

I will continue to strive for Platinum as it's not that hard to do.

Plus I couldn't possibly imagine flying Virgin almost weekly.

I can. Because all that flying on Virgin means you get to fly EY using points and save money on award tickets, which is better than QF or EK.

 

[RooFlyer]

Oh, I'm sure there will be a bunch of 'collateral damage' - losing clients who give them positive net revenue, but think of the numbers. Is it 10 million in QFF? How many million transactions with partners (hundreds of millions?); even millions of flights bought.

They would model at - I dunno - the million passengers/transactions level. Trying to shift the behaviour of these blocks to increase profit by - again, I dunno; 5%? - doesn't leave much room for finesse.

They are moving passenger liners, and won't notice the couple of passengers who fall overboard if they get 5% more for the journey.

 

[boomy]

I can. Because all that flying on Virgin means you get to fly EY using points and save money on award tickets, which is better than QF or EK.

No need to compromise, can fly QF, credit to AA and book EY

 

[RichardMEL]

But even if we ignore my example, I think of my children. They could have been rusted on, but that single change to make loyalty bonus an annual event means there is no point to qantas loyalty for them.

A little confused - how do you mean "that single change to make loyalty bonus an annual event"? can you clarify what you mean?

 

[opusman]

A little confused - how do you mean "that single change to make loyalty bonus an annual event"? can you clarify what you mean?

The loyalty bonus used to be coughulative across membership years. 250 SCs in one year, 250 SCs the next year, you got your 5000 points (or whatever). Cost QF nothing and provided masses of goodwill. Now the loyalty counter resets every year, meaning people who never make enough SCs in one year never get any recognition of loyalty.

 

[Hvr]

A little confused - how do you mean "that single change to make loyalty bonus an annual event"? can you clarify what you mean?

Previously when you earned 450 SCs you got a 5000 point bonus regardless of how long it took to earn the SCs.

Now the count starts at the beginning of your membership year so if you earned 445 SCs in your membership year you don't get the bonus when you earn the remaining 5 SCs in the new membership year.

 

[RichardMEL]

The loyalty bonus used to be coughulative across membership years. 250 SCs in one year, 250 SCs the next year, you got your 5000 points (or whatever). Cost QF nothing and provided masses of goodwill. Now the loyalty counter resets every year, meaning people who never make enough SCs in one year never get any recognition of loyalty.

aah - I understand. thank you. I had not noticed that twist, but then again for me personally making over 2000 SC's in a year over the last few years it's not something I'd considered recently. Fair point. Thank you

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

That pretty much describes all QF enhancements in the past few years. How do they keep coming up with this stuff???

Just pure luck I guess ?

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Previously when you earned 450 SCs you got a 5000 point bonus regardless of how long it took to earn the SCs.

Now the count starts at the beginning of your membership year so if you earned 445 SCs in your membership year you don't get the bonus when you earn the remaining 5 SCs in the new membership year.

Fairer and simpler !

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

As a result of the "simpler and fairer" changes made last year I've moved my travel to BFOD (ie am flying more with Virgin Group) and am no longer doing status runs. As a result I won't retain Qantas Platinum this year, but am saving thousands of dollars. Thank you Qantas for making me come to my senses.

Qantas Loyalty - "Slowly making you realise that your money is worth more than our points"