Value of Status

[Jama]

Got on a flight in Sydney yesterday and it seemed most of the flight had status, going by the queues and bag tags. This after coming from an uncomfortably full lounge. Got me thinking.

If everyone has status, is there really any status ! Kind of like, if a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it....... :mrgreen:

 

[EuroFlyer]

What I notice allot are the people who have qantas gold or plat tags also, which makes me think they are likely people who were comped status. I earned mine the hard way with mainly saver domestic flights of 10 - 15 credits.
In terms of status with VA I cannot see any real difference between plat and gold and havent seen any rise in service, yeah can guest 3 people but most of the time i travel alone with work anyways unfortunately. Plat call centre is good but youd hope not to have to call them much. Flexi upgrades are nice but theres 4 of those which is likely one return flight for 2 people and there gone. Maybe other people have gotten better service being platinum but I certainly have not.

Got on a flight in Sydney yesterday and it seemed most of the flight had status, going by the queues and bag tags. This after coming from an uncomfortably full lounge. Got me thinking.

If everyone has status, is there really any status ! Kind of like, if a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it....... :mrgreen:

 

[hydrabyss]

With the current ability to earn status on reward flights there will be alot more golds and platinums.Good for Virgin not so good for those who earnt it the expensive way.Will also make some lounges even more crowded, reason I always try to avoid peak flights. Although now my partner made gold I wont have to worry about were shes going to wait when the lounge is full.
As far as being treated theres no difference I have experienced , although onetime in row 3 I was offered a paper to read from the FA.

 

[casanovawa]

I've survived this long without it...

 

[Deleted member 29185]

If everyone has status, is there really any status !

My ROK-BNE last night had 18 pax on a 738. There was myself and a plat (saw the bag tag) in J seats, 2 in row 3 and I think one in row 4.

The rest of the plane were relocated at the gate to the bum end (to balance the plane I overheard the gate angel tell one of them).

I gathered the 5 or so up front had status and the rest did not!

So a very rough 1/3 with status on a non-peak flight out of a regional destination. I don't know whether that would be indictitive of anything or not.

 

[Warks]

Did they do the comp thing again for QFF WP and SG? I was comped last year (year ending October 2012) and actually qualified as SG with VA so continued while my WP at QFF dropped to SG.

On my flights (mainly SYD-TSV) I used to almost always get row 3 - not any more. No lounge in TSV though. SYD lounge is pretty good though, like the secret entrance.

 

[grubbidok]

I think the reduced number of orange vests in VA compared to QF lounges makes VA status seem a little more special for me. Nothing wrong with the people in the orange vests, there's just way too many of them! VA lounges seem positively roomy by comparison.

 

[AnneMarie999]

Good thread discussions. I am interested to hear what platinum status think the difference is from gold. Will be 20 status credits off platinum and not sure will be that close again. Should I take quick cash run for the extra benefits? Already doing lots of trips over next few months I but surely can find one more day

 

[Bolthead]

Good thread discussions. I am interested to hear what platinum status think the difference is from gold. Will be 20 status credits off platinum and not sure will be that close again. Should I take quick cash run for the extra benefits? Already doing lots of trips over next few months I but surely can find one more day

I have been Platinium for as a while now and whether I was Plat or Gold for me is not important. It depends what turns you on. For me it is the lounge access that is the important. I rarely travel with checked in luggage so prioirty luggage is not that important. As a Plat you also get more bonus poinst so for me that is also good. Updrades are nice but for short flights no bid deal especially if you get trow 3. I am currently in the Syd lounge and although it appears busy there is still plenty of sitting room. If you are only 20 points short I would do a quick run...

 

[medhead]

Good thread discussions. I am interested to hear what platinum status think the difference is from gold. Will be 20 status credits off platinum and not sure will be that close again. Should I take quick cash run for the extra benefits? Already doing lots of trips over next few months I but surely can find one more day

Why use cash? Reward flights earn status credits until 30 June. If you haven't booked your planned trips already you might be able to book a business reward flight instead to make up the extra 20 SC.

 

[AnneMarie999]

Why use cash? Reward flights earn status credits until 30 June. If you haven't booked your planned trips already you might be able to book a business reward flight instead to make up the extra 20 SC.

Thankyou Medhead; I have taken advantage of several J class reward seats which is getting me close to the Platinum. Since it's only 20 SC I will need; am thinking if there is a happy hour super saver fare etc that it might be better than rewards; but will see how I go... Whichever is best on the day of booking I will go with. Am keen to know if Platinum is worth it. I agree with others that a lot of people seem to have status now and the current promotion will increase that. Nothing wrong with that as I too might use it to get Platinum

 

[medhead]

Thankyou Medhead; I have taken advantage of several J class reward seats which is getting me close to the Platinum. Since it's only 20 SC I will need; am thinking if there is a happy hour super saver fare etc that it might be better than rewards; but will see how I go... Whichever is best on the day of booking I will go with. Am keen to know if Platinum is worth it. I agree with others that a lot of people seem to have status now and the current promotion will increase that. Nothing wrong with that as I too might use it to get Platinum

The only key difference is the 4 upgrades and the economy seat purchase. If you would normally book flexi fares then the upgrades may have some value.

Day to day seat selection I guess as well. Oh and the higher tier level for matching to hotel programs.

 

[Condo]

My ROK-BNE last night had 18 pax on a 738. There was myself and a plat (saw the bag tag) in J seats, 2 in row 3 and I think one in row 4.

The rest of the plane were relocated at the gate to the bum end (to balance the plane I overheard the gate angel tell one of them).

I gathered the 5 or so up front had status and the rest did not!

So a very rough 1/3 with status on a non-peak flight out of a regional destination. I don't know whether that would be indictitive of anything or not.

Regional yes, but a lot of miners use Rocky or Mackay as exit points out of the Bowen Basin.


I work a 6 days on 6 days off roster but know of mines that work a 4 days on 4 days off roster which means a lot of SC over a 12 month period. In fact I worked the 4/4 roster up until about 9 months ago.


I always book Mackay as my entry and exit port because of the VA Lounge which I use on both arrival and departure. It's funny when they call priority boarding in either Brisbane or Mackay and you get 30 people in the que, who then proceed to fill up the front section of the plane.

 

[GCBSYD]

QF Plat OK for domestic - no difference from silver/gold - J Class lounges always full. But, best worldwide for recognition when travelling both Dom. and International - SYD FRCL lounge outstanding, service from check-in (soon to be chauffeur pickup) to aircraft faultless.
Inflight FRCL A380 crew butler trained for a real in-flight experience - no impersonal smiles and ignored requests. Take the Mileage run and enjoy for the next 12 mths.

 

[Jama]

Am keen to know if Platinum is worth it. I agree with others that a lot of people seem to have status now and the current promotion will increase that. Nothing wrong with that as I too might use it to get Platinum

Will probably offend someone, although I would hope we are all thick skinned here, but Platinum has plenty of value if your wanting to say, look at me, look at me, I'm platinum.

Yes there were some great features, there still are to some extent, but they are fast deterioration. I used to always be up front and with a shadow, now days its not uncommon to end up stuck down the back crammed into a corner and last off the plane. The sector rule changes have halved the value of the complimentary upgrades, the priority queues that used to be no more the 6 people are now huge and the lounge often feels like a sardine can. These things are going to get worse as numbers increase. I think that the going from always being in row 3 to sometimes being in row 3 will soon be never in row 3. Definitely no difference to Gold and there was little difference between Gold and Silver. Although, Silver benefits are now somewhat less than when I had it. The only exception was the first few months of Platinum coming into being. I think we all felt pretty valued for a time back then. Many will argue that we get tier level matching etc, and that's great. But, many of us have those already, lets focus on the value of the flight experience as first and foremost this is what having status is supposed to be about.

After saying all that if your only 20SC's off, I would do it. 20SC's is certainly worth it for the 4 upgrades even if they only end up doing one return flight.

 

[medhead]

Will probably offend someone, although I would hope we are all thick skinned here, but Platinum has plenty of value if your wanting to say, look at me, look at me, I'm platinum.

I can't agree. Gold is so close to platinum that it doesn't even have that value. Given the relative youth of the platinum level there really hasn't been time to get tarnished. Basically there was about 3 weeks of specialness for platinum and then it was stopped. I've experienced no special on board recognition since, no welcome - nothing.

 

[Jama]

I can't agree. Gold is so close to platinum that it doesn't even have that value. Given the relative youth of the platinum level there really hasn't been time to get tarnished. Basically there was about 3 weeks of specialness for platinum and then it was stopped. I've experienced no special on board recognition since, no welcome - nothing.

That's exactly what I am saying. Bragging rights is, almost, all it's good for.

I for one like personal interest, I think it is the key to good service and what I am seeing is the same as way back when I had no status. I am sure others will disagree but that's my personal experience. But, I have continued to stick with VA and would possibly find that its industry standard if I strayed.

 

[medhead]

That's exactly what I am saying. Bragging rights is, almost, all it's good for.

I for one like personal interest, I think it is the key to good service and what I am seeing is the same as way back when I had no status. I am sure others will disagree but that's my personal experience. But, I have continued to stick with VA and would possibly find that its industry standard if I strayed.

I don't think it's even good for that. There is nothing to "turn heads in envy" that gold doesn't get.

I agree with your experience on board. The only good thing is the consistency on board. I'm consistently treated just like any other passenger.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Main WP benefits for me - VA: comp upgrades. QF - Int'l F lounge access. Both - better seat selection. That is about it really. No special treatment in 5 years of QF WP and 2 years (since WP implemented) with VA, one opup in all that time (QF int'l as compensation for a major QF stuffup).

 

[Jama]

Now you mention international, there is also the little matter of VA status not being recognised as meaningful by pretty much anyone. Not that I travel international much. What's an opup I've never had one. I'd be happy just to get exceptional personal service.