Unlucky or was my method flawed?

[MEL_Traveller]

One of the problems is staffing - not just food. If there are empty seats then they don't need staff to support those seats.

But that begs the question of what are the staff going to do otherwise? Deadhead in the cabin?

Staff have rosters and can't just be left behind because there are lower pax numbers. Also the return flight may have more pax. 747s in general are usually provided with a crew of at least 12 to account for one crew member per door.

I have been on several 747 flights intra asia (not Qf) and we have been swimmig with crew on the upper deck. Last flight had 2 pax, 3 crew.

 

[Will]

But that begs the question of what are the staff going to do otherwise? Deadhead in the cabin?

Staff have rosters and can't just be left behind because there are lower pax numbers.

The rosters are a little more flexible than that, surely?

The staff might be put onto another flight that is more full, leaving around the same time.
Or, by not filling up the seats, they might not have to call in extra staff that are waiting at home by the phone in case someone calls in sick.

 

[browski]

Your questioning in the post suggests a lack of understanding of the rules of upgrades since it is nothing to do with laziness of the QC staff given that they have nothing to do with the allocation of upgrades.

I apologise Dave. My rash post was abrupt and rude.

I guess I felt that FF redemtions capping was limited to Y class only. I naively felt that upgrade redemptions were not capped. But it seems that even if there are spare PE/J seats then upgrades will not be entertained if the quota has been filled. That seems (on the surface) to be sad as well as a bit spiteful. I mean, if there is a very late cancelation/no show, then it has not affected hostess numbers (nor the J meal count) - so why not honor the points upgrade?

Anyway I guess we'll never really get an honest answer whilst airlines view the redemption of points in a far less enthusiastic tone to which they are issued. The whole scam invokes comparisons of insurance companies who spend fortunes to win your trade only to make claims an experience no better than receiving a hot knife thru your eye.

 

[Lucky_man]

I would not say the restricted points upgrades is sad or spiteful - even though I use them where possible.

Understand that QF welcome you to that business seat at the retail price.

Now a points upgrade say 25,000 points for a SYD-HKG segment upgrade that would cost at least $2500 more in business is a redemption of 10c per point. Which is pretty good value.

So it seems to be that the gripe really is that the business class product is too expensive for you and you can't get it at the price you want it at. You me both.

So QF must balance making the points desirable (by being able to upgrade sometimes) and between devaluaing the J product to the point where a full fare paying passenger feels he is a wally for paying the fare.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Understand that QF welcome you to that business seat at the retail price.

QF should understand they don't seem to have too many takers at the retail price right now

 

[russianrob]

This whole points issue is as close to being a scam as it's possible to go.
They "pretend" you have "currency", and then "pretend" you can "spend" it!

We have had a fairly good run lately with the downturn in J and F tickets, but I'm seeing it change in the last few weeks as things seem to pickup, and it's all going to be downhill from here for those trying to use their "currency" to purchase an upgrade.

And I love it when people on large, company expense accounts slag off people who buy their own tickets from hard earnt cash. Wait till you start spending your own money, and we'll see who's complaining then!

 

[Lucky_man]

And I love it when people on large, company expense accounts slag off people who buy their own tickets from hard earnt cash. Wait till you start spending your own money, and we'll see who's complaining then!

I and many others here do spend our own money - I own the company so it is my money. In fact I reckon one of the moderators here is tighter than a fishes backside - and that's water proof!

Last time I travelled in paid business it was the Global 2 for 1 deal. I can't/don't afford long haul J on full service carriers - I wished the fairs were cheaper but I don't complain that they get more for the seats than I would pay.

In fact you will find that repeat visitors here tend to be real 'value maximisers' with careful regard to their money. It does not mean they slag off airlines who acheive high yields.

 

[simongr]

I love it when people make broad sweeping judgmental comments with no basis in fact as well.

The majority of my points are earned from my personal credit card spend - does that count or is there another hurdle I need to pass to be able to comment?

 

[browski]

So QF must balance making the points desirable (by being able to upgrade sometimes) and between devaluaing the J product to the point where a full fare paying passenger feels he is a wally for paying the fare.

Complete dribble.

Points are a debt that Qantas (or any airline) owes us. When we request them to pay their debt, we expect it to be paid in a timely fashion. If there are spare seats on a flight and they choose not to repay the debt then the airline has missed their payment obligation; and should be severely penailsed.

Passengers (to whom the debt is owed) should have a facility available to them legally to FORCE the airlines to pay their debt. We should not feel GRATEFUL to the airline if they give an infrequent FF points redemption/upgrade.

 

[drron]

Complete dribble.

Points are a debt that Qantas (or any airline) owes us. When we request them to pay their debt, we expect it to be paid in a timely fashion. If there are spare seats on a flight and they choose not to repay the debt then the airline has missed their payment obligation; and should be severely penailsed.

Passengers (to whom the debt is owed) should have a facility available to them legally to FORCE the airlines to pay their debt. We should not feel GRATEFUL to the airline if they give an infrequent FF points redemption/upgrade.

No not complete dribble.I fly international J and it comes out of my own pocket.No company involved at all.I must say that this year I have thought more than once with many being offered discount upgrades to J or getting a skybed on a Y+ fare that I am a bit of a wally for stumping up the cash for the higher class-though i do pay a D fare rather than J.
As to points you are not limited to upgrades-my points are used for premium class awards which require just a little advanced planning.So just because they are stingy with what you want to redeem doesnt mean they are not offering to redeem the debt at all.Y awards of course are even easier to get.

 

[russianrob]

As always here, cooler heads prevail.
Thank you Gentlemen, I apologize for my dummy spit.

 

[simongr]

Complete dribble.

Points are a debt that Qantas (or any airline) owes us. When we request them to pay their debt, we expect it to be paid in a timely fashion. If there are spare seats on a flight and they choose not to repay the debt then the airline has missed their payment obligation; and should be severely penailsed.

Passengers (to whom the debt is owed) should have a facility available to them legally to FORCE the airlines to pay their debt. We should not feel GRATEFUL to the airline if they give an infrequent FF points redemption/upgrade.

Can you send me a copy of the contract that spells this out so that I can enforce it with QF as it would really help with redemptions.

 

[browski]

Can you send me a copy of the contract that spells this out so that I can enforce it with QF as it would really help with redemptions.

I would love to, but I only allocate 2 frequent Contract Redemptions per millenium, so unfortunately you've been declined. However, I want you to know that I reeeeeeally appreciate your patronage and encourage you not to give up and to consider the range of other redemptions I offer; such as a Qantas pencil (keenly priced at a gazillion points)