Time to say goodbye to QFF?

[OS002]

Greetings first of all.

I'm a newbie here and apologies if this post is in the wrong spot...

Following being in-between jobs for 8 months and 75 status credits short in my last membership cycle, as of November 1 QFF downgraded my status to gold.
Now that I'm back in action doing even more flying for work, I wrote to QFF's member service centre and ask for their consideration to have my platinum status extended for another year.

The result was a disappointing "No".
Knowing that QFF has a 'Parental Pause' scheme, I struggle to understand why they could not extend similar courtesy to my scenario.
I hate to be a whinger, but this experience has given me quite a negative impression on Qantas, feeling my years of loyalty and all future business to the airline means nothing.

Now that I am based in Hong Kong, out of protest I feel like I should start fresh and move over to CX Marco Polo Club.
Does anyone know how to appeal my case with QFF or have the knowledge of how to do a status match with CX?

Cheers

 

[nlagalle]

But if they extend it to you then it opens up all sorts of scenarios. Sometimes they'll comp you once but it's based one previous years too.

 

[TheInsider]

'Parental Pause' is quite different to being in between jobs, so as they have already said no, i highly doubt they would change their mind now, no matter what intervention or appeals process.

CX don't offer status matches either. There is something with Etihad i saw somewhere, fly one business flight and get gold or one economy flight and get silver.

 

[mannej]

Discretion lends itself to inconsistency, which QFF is famous for.

Why do you feel that you are entitled to a comp if you were short of the published requirements for WP status?

 

[penegal]

Qantas do provide complementary renewals (unpublished) for those who don't quite make it. This forum has speculated that the requirement is SCs over the past 3 years being equivalent to 3 years of Platinum (or something like that). Perhaps you were just short of this requirement?

If you have an account manager for your business, a carefully worded email through them may help your case, otherwise you may be stuck flying 1400 SC to re-earn Platinum.


FWIW, Gold is the sweet spot IMHO. You still get lounge access, and most of the other benefits.


If you want to move over to CX then that is up to you. MP/AM is only really good if you do a lot of flying on CX metal. If not, AA or BA or even QF are better programs IMHO.

 

[Dr Ralph]

I understand your concerns. You can't always get everything your own way. Qantas is running a business, not a charity.

Stick with qantas is my advice.

 

[RichardMEL]

Welcome to AFF!

if your travel is not touching Australia much than moving away from QFF would seem sensible given the 4~ (QF flights) requirement for status.

75 SC is not that much if you earned 1125 in the last year... but if they don't wish to extend Platinum, that is their call.

if your future travel is more than it was, you should make 1400 easily anyway? True, one does lose access to the excellent CX F lounges at HKG, but you'd have that situation while you built up status with CX or some other AArline.

QF probably feel it's not economic for them to grant you Plat if your 3 year average was not enough AND being based in HKG they'll pay through the nose for ezch CX F lounge you visit (totally worth it, of course! ). I wouldn't be surprised if that may be part of the rationale there

I suppose an appeal could take the form of asking for reasons to not extend your status. Do you actually have any forward bookings with QF as proof of your new travel arrangements? If not that would prob also be a factor.

just some thoughts from this peanut. good luck!

 

[OS002]

Thanks everyone for your comments.
I think I'll humbly accept that things are the way they are and just keep travelling.

I guess I was just annoyed by the fact that I now have to re-earn platinum at 1400 SC.

 

[Pushka]

They didn't extend status to me with a DVT issue that made me cancel the flight that would have retained my status. Them's the breaks.

 

[JohnK]

Qantas do provide complementary renewals (unpublished) for those who don't quite make it. This forum has speculated that the requirement is SCs over the past 3 years being equivalent to 3 years of Platinum (or something like that). Perhaps you were just short of this requirement?

To be fair Qantas has also granted some very questionable comps especially to some who have never held that higher status and once you do that it cheapens status and leads some to ask questions such as this thread.

 

[bryanjones]

I was comped WP after only holding it for one year - but then made it again the year for which they comped me. Not sure if I will make it again this year, basically a Y flyer with maybe 1 J flight per year on UL from Europe. Vast amount of flying on BA... If BA gave a status match I'd probably jump (being based in Europe)

 

[Sdtravel]

Now that I am based in Hong Kong, out of protest I feel like I should start fresh and move over to CX Marco Polo Club.
Does anyone know how to appeal my case with QFF or have the knowledge of how to do a status match with CX?

My brother got a status match (well comp Silver / OWR status) from CX. Although he still lives in SYD. Used his Velocity platinum status with some already Christmas booked flights on CX & KA to get them to comp him Silver for a year. I believe he just wrote to them showing his Velocity card as well as already booked flights and then got the status comp. Not a match to his velocity status but still free status for a year or so.

I understand that CX wont comp / match QFF status due to OW gentleman's agreement but I could be wrong about that and you could try if you have no other status.

 

[Phirana]

My brother got a status match (well comp Silver / OWR status) from CX. Although he still lives in SYD. Used his Velocity platinum status with some already Christmas booked flights on CX & KA to get them to comp him Silver for a year. I believe he just wrote to them showing his Velocity card as well as already booked flights and then got the status comp. Not a match to his velocity status but still free status for a year or so.

I understand that CX wont comp / match QFF status due to OW gentleman's agreement but I could be wrong about that and you could try if you have no other status.

Not sure if any changes recently, but a couple of years ago wrote to CX and was matched to CX Silver (using my QF Gold). Got quite a few op-ups as silver too.

 

[Sdtravel]

Actually thinking back. My brother did get an opup on one of his first Syd to HKG flights on CX.

 

[OS002]

To clarify, I feel disappointed in Qantas only because I genuinely am serious about my membership.
We are talking about at least 3,600 SC over the past 3 years and 10,000+ SC overall.
I've even gone out of my way to retain QF platinum whilst living in Canada the past 1.5 years, when I could have gunned for AC 100K instead (I am still on AC 50K).
All I am saying is that don't let your loyal customers feel like they are liabilities to you as soon as they've stumbled.

 

[boomy]

To clarify, I feel disappointed in Qantas only because I genuinely am serious about my membership.
We are talking about at least 3,600 SC over the past 3 years and 10,000+ SC overall.
I've even gone out of my way to retain QF platinum whilst living in Canada the past 1.5 years, when I could have gunned for AC 100K instead (I am still on AC 50K).
All I am saying is that don't let your loyal customers feel like they are liabilities to you as soon as they've stumbled.

While I'm sure you are serious about your membership, so are many other QF elites. I think the current comp system is faulted and QF must establish clear guidelines to avoid situations where some get comped while others, like you who is clearly a loyal member, end up feeling left out.

 

[juddles]

To clarify, I feel disappointed in Qantas only because I genuinely am serious about my membership.
We are talking about at least 3,600 SC over the past 3 years and 10,000+ SC overall.
I've even gone out of my way to retain QF platinum whilst living in Canada the past 1.5 years, when I could have gunned for AC 100K instead (I am still on AC 50K).
All I am saying is that don't let your loyal customers feel like they are liabilities to you as soon as they've stumbled.

I think the best thing any frequent flyer can do is to be active members on this or similar forums - that way you get a great understanding of the realities out there, and can manage and plan for this sort of thing.

I actually agree with QF in your particular case - they have rules and enforce them. No-one likes to lose status, but there has to be some sort of framework or structure to manage that - QF (like every other airline) know only too well that opening floodgates is suicide. And it is a tough game, keeping an airline afloat.

I also think that QF's comp system where they average your last three years is a really decent and sensible approach to these issues.

 

[JohnK]

We are talking about at least 3,600 SC over the past 3 years and 10,000+ SC overall.

That would mean the theory regarding comps based on 3 year average is just a myth.

 

[samh004]

Skipping quite a few posts here... if you think you can extract more value out of Marco Polo Club, then feel free to leave, but if you've been loyal for this long I'd be working my way towards LTG before I'd consider switching!

 

[RooFlyer]

That would mean the theory regarding comps based on 3 year average is just a myth.

One example doesn't a myth make. More likely, its been inconsistently applied. Remember Qantas' is 'consistently inconsistent'.