Upcoming Qantas Frequent Flyer Changes

[serfty]

...
Now let's go and make use of the "enhanced" benefits

I would if I could, but there's nothing beneficial for this "l'il black [WP] Duck". :-|

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ok - I'm going to get shot down here... but I for one hope the new WP1 level WILL bring some restrictions to current WP access to First class lounges.

Having recently been on several paid QF F flights, I was surprised at the number of people in the F lounge who boarded the aircraft and turned right.

I'm not sure I want to be sharing lounge resources with people taking jetstar Flounge runs to take maximum advantage of the spa and champage. I've even had to eat a meal balanced on my lap at my seat because the restaurant was 'full'.

If you fly enough to make W1 -fair enough. You're paying enough in fares/time on board to be in that lounge - similar to the LH HON status which requires 600,000 miles a year. And it's such a tiny group anyway.

But someone doing a few YUPs and star class status runs?

 

[samh004]

Ok - I'm going to get shot down here... but I for one hope the new WP1 level WILL bring some restrictions to current WP access to First class lounges.

Having recently been on several paid QF F flights, I was surprised at the number of people in the F lounge who boarded the aircraft and turned right.

I'm not sure I want to be sharing lounge resources with people taking jetstar Flounge runs to take maximum advantage of the spa and champage. I've even had to eat a meal balanced on my lap at my seat because the restaurant was 'full'.

If you fly enough to make W1 -fair enough. You're paying enough in fares/time on board to be in that lounge - similar to the LH HON status which requires 600,000 miles a year. And it's such a tiny group anyway.

But someone doing a few YUPs and star class status runs?

I can see where you’re coming from, but even if you removed the WP’s in the F lounge flying JQ, you wouldn’t be able to get rid of the OneWorld Emeralds that also have access, and I’m sure there’s a large number of them on any given day.

Perhaps what you should be asking for is a bigger F lounge, like how Hong Kong has two…

 

[docjames]

The interesting part to me is that Platium 1 is not based on QF-travel but any OW travel.

In theory, you could never travel QF (apart from 4 red e-deals earning 10SCs each as the minimum requirement), credit to QFF and get all the proposed benefits.

I would have thought that more valuable to QF are those who earn on QF-stock tickets (081- iirc). And QF metal.

I note lots of discussion recently about "lifetime average annual SCs" - on this board being called PCV. I'm perosnally not convinced it exists in the form presumed around here.

Having said that, I would have thought QF had a measure of a customer's worth to their business that is more than just average annual SCs and would be weighted towards "recent" loyalty, without discounting past loyalty. An example is the way the ITF (tennis) does the Davis Cup team rankings - weighted points based on year of earn over the previous 4 years. ie. Last year = 100% , 2 yrs ago = 75% etc and are summed before dividing. In the case of Davis Cup, it's done over 4 years. ie. if you win the davis cup two years in a row, but then lose first round the next, you're still ranked quite highly due to previous performances.

In this method, recent travel is prioritised for "ranking" but past loyalty is not discounted. Earn on QF metal / code would be worth more too i'd have thought. Essentially each pax on each flight could be ranked according to business value, and this would be the upgrade/op-up priority order. Sure, mostly this would be reflected in current status (Plat, gold etc), but would allow rankings within the status groups.

 

[jaffa]

So the 1st.......3 "Platinum One" cards were issued yesterday by the mad irishman.

And the recipients don't yet know their new entitlements in full.

I wonder what they look like.

I look forward to seeing QF's 12 celloists & bowed rose petal throwers paving the way, for the gold plated scooters, as security "presents wands" at Attention for the new champaign welcomed super elite, mega fastracked, valet personalised VVIP boarding parade and flight crew inspection for the new number 2 POO's on their next TSV- Mt Isa Dash 8 service.

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

 

[james1]

I have just been invited (and have accepted) an invitation to take part in a Qantas focus group discussion next week. Will be happy to represent some of the feedback expressed in this forum.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Hi all, long time reader first time poster!!

I am one of those WP's that flys 110+ flights per year in economy (not 1 single business sector).
I am so disappointed with the lack of change for WP - as many others have stated already, I feel un loved. All WP's were a SG at some stage but some of us have to fly a serious amount to maintain WP whilst flying economy. My best mate make 3 business class return trips a year to London and maintains WP - I fly 110 flights and scrape through most years with 1400+ SC's. I feel that type of loyalty (even if its blind loyalty!) deserves more than the only additional benefits being a 25% premium on status bonus points from SG’s and access to the business lounges.
.

Oagroup, can I suggest that the frustration which you clearly feel may be a little misdirected - it's not QF you should be unhappy with, it's your own company for its travel policy.

Your mate presumably works for a different company, which has a much more civilised travel policy.

If I were in your situation, I would feel quite unhappy about it as well - but you find yourself there primarily because of your company's policy, not QF's.

 

[Fantic125]

Ok - I'm going to get shot down here... but I for one hope the new WP1 level WILL bring some restrictions to current WP access to First class lounges.

Having recently been on several paid QF F flights, I was surprised at the number of people in the F lounge who boarded the aircraft and turned right.

I'm not sure I want to be sharing lounge resources with people taking jetstar Flounge runs to take maximum advantage of the spa and champage. I've even had to eat a meal balanced on my lap at my seat because the restaurant was 'full'.

If you fly enough to make W1 -fair enough. You're paying enough in fares/time on board to be in that lounge - similar to the LH HON status which requires 600,000 miles a year. And it's such a tiny group anyway.

But someone doing a few YUPs and star class status runs?

I do agree with you about YUP's and status runs, however as noted in a few previous posts, a number of us turning right are doing so because the companies we work for have a 'cheapest fare' policy.

I've just qualified for WP with 1420 SC's earned, and still have 3 month's left of my qualifying year remaining.

To earn those 1420 SC's in 'Disc Y' I've had to do 172,517 miles over 58 flights (all on QF metal).

If all those flights had been booked in 'J' I would currently be sitting on 5680 SC's.


What benefits do I and all the other WP's who achieve WP by doing the miles in the back of the plane gain from this?

 

[serfty]

...
I note lots of discussion recently about "lifetime average annual SCs" - on this board being called PCV. I'm perosnally not convinced it exists in the form presumed around here.
....

That is not what PCV means.

It's a per flight rating given to each PAX. This takes into account various facets in relation to the passenger. Such facets may include but are not necessarily limited to:

• booking class
• FF status
• PNR associations
• SSRs

 

[jaffa]

"I have just been invited"

Tell them many here think,

There new POO's stink!

That the old POO's don't want to sink to the bottom of the new POO pile.
Also that "ALL" POO's should be treated the same.

Just because my POO is not as much as the next persons doesent mean my POO's any less valuable.

All l want is that my POO is recognised for what it is!

Is that to much to ask!.

 

[pshepvic]

I understand that a lot of people here are frustrated with some of the changes, mainly lack of improvement at WP level. There are some changes I don't like, there are others that are great, and others I'm neutral about. Probably all balances out to about even.

But what annoys me is when people have whinged and complained about stuff (both here and in the past) and then when QF actually do something about it, they still manage to complain. Either by saying "it's too late and not enough" (maybe it's time to be thankful for what you are getting - I whole heartedly agree with the "first world problem" take on this) or by saying "oh, look they've done a backflip, typical bla bla".

They can't win - they're damned if they do, they're damned if they don't.

Prime example in this forum - the terms that said the increase in points was only for flights booked from May 17. People complained (fair enough) and guess what? They fixed it. But people are still complaining about it now, when it was fixed about 200 posts ago, and they're calling it a backflip! Just say thank you gracefully, and move on. I'm actually impressed that they made the change as quickly as they did.

People have complained about no points on Jetstar repeatedly in the past. Now that it's available, they're still complaining that it's not how they wanted it. Reality is, it will never be perfect to suit everyone, but I think all in all it's not a hideously bad solution like some make it out to be.

There are definitely opportunities for improvement, and we can offer suggestions constructively here, but the attitudes and whinging is starting to get up my goat.

Rant over.

Now I think I'm going to check out of this thread, and not read any more of the constant negativity.

 

[awilcockson]

starting to get up my goat.

haha, mixed metaphor of the year goes to this post!

 

[JohnPhelan]

"I have just been invited"

Tell them many here think,

There new POO's stink!

That the old POO's don't want to sink to the bottom of the new POO pile.
Also that "ALL" POO's should be treated the same.

Just because my POO is not as much as the next persons doesent mean my POO's any less valuable.

All l want is that my POO is recognised for what it is!

Is that to much to ask!.

And you will still be recognised as a Platinum, with the same benefits as now. It's just that there'll be another level higher than you, of people who get a lot more status credits for their flying, and who will get additional benefits (we just don't know what, exactly).

The Platinum One members are already becoming targets of the 'tall poppy syndrome' .....

 

[Danger]

Interesting article on SMH here with Joyce directly contradicting his colleague, Ms Tully:

Tully: . . . She said "numbers [of Platinum One members] are still being finalised but it would be quite a small group" (AFR, p. 4, today).

Joyce: "They fly so much that once they get to Platinum we want then [sic] to keep on flying so they get to Platinum One . . . There is a lot of money in that because, believe it or not, there's a lot of people out there that get to those levels".
​

Hard to believe that QF's inconsistent service offering extends to management's inconsistent knowledge of their own product!

 

[jaffa]

JohnPhelan,

Please don't take me to seriously, it was a tounge in cheek post. I am not even a platinum at the moment.

It was just a fun post responding to all the negative POO pushers.

 

[samh004]

I have just been invited (and have accepted) an invitation to take part in a Qantas focus group discussion next week. Will be happy to represent some of the feedback expressed in this forum.

Good to hear, and if you could stress just one thing for me, it’s the loyalty bonus issue, as I’m mostly nonchalant about everything else. Have fun!

 

[simongr]

And you will still be recognised as a Platinum, with the less benefits as previously. It's just that there'll be another level higher than you, of people who get a lot more status credits for their flying, and who will get additional benefits (we just don't know what, exactly).

The Platinum One members are already becoming targets of the 'tall poppy syndrome' .....

Actually the annoyance is more about the fact that QF are handing out extra benefits to many people and taking benefits from WP. I updated your post to account for the fact that QF have taken away benefits from WP.

I have just done the calcs and it is likely that I can make AA plat this year but miss out on WP PG under the new rules.

I like the idea of W1 - I think it already existed informally but now it will be more formal. I am not a doomsayer like some that say QF will be intentionally getting rid of the base layer of WP - but I think in time the difference between WP and SG will be int'l F lounge access and check in.

This is the same as AA in terms of status bonuses - but obviously not in terms of SWUs.

 

[tuppaware]

They can't win - they're damned if they do, they're damned if they don't.
.

In the end they are a business in it to make money, they provide a service and thats all. Of course airlines have always been about 'an experience' but remember regardless of changes made by a company they have to be profitable.

I see the changes as a positive. I mean if users were not happy they would be flying with Virgin .... Right ??????

 

[Danger]

I see the changes as a positive. I mean if users were not happy they would be flying with Virgin .... Right ??????

It can take a long time to achieve status, though. If a WP was to suddenly turn their back on QF and divert all to DJ, they start at the bottom of the ladder (assuming no status match) which means they go from full lounge access with guests to sitting at the departure gate with a $6 coffee; from priority check-in to queues . . . My point is, for some, short of a status match, it's a significant decision to turn attention away from QF or any airline where they've spent hours upon hours over the years.

 

[JohnPhelan]

. I updated your post to account for the fact that QF have taken away benefits from WP.

I was referring to yesterday's changes only, not the previous loss of ATA and higher status credit threshhold for PG.