What’s the point of being in a loyalty program with qantas?

[Mara]

i have been in the qantas frequent flyer program since 2003, as has my husband, we have been continuously at the gold status, travelling for both business and leisure. We undertake at least one overseas trip, sometimes 2 a year and several interstate trips. In that time we have only ever been upgraded once! Indeed in our last three trips overseas, we have left from Athens airport and have been seated, all three times in the second row from the back of the plane. Those sitting around us paid less for their ticket, were not frequent flyers and were in their early 20s - we are in our 60s. When we tried to change our seats in Dubai, at the lounge, we were made to feel like criminals and in fact they called the security guards, as I said we are in our 60s, professionals with post tertiary educations! Shame on qantas and shame on emirates. We no longer expect anything from these airlines! We leave from Athens tomorrow I am expecting a back row seat!

 

[kelvedon]

Mods,I don’t think this belongs in the qatar airways privilages club forum.

 

[Mara]

Well I can’t even get my complaint right, have no idea we’re i should have posted this. Help!

 

[BAM1748]

Why did security get called for a seat change? More of this story please if you want me to make a judgement.

And don't take this the wrong way, but post tertiary qualification, how does that fit in to the story. I'm not that educated but have never had security called at an airline counter.

If you've been gold for 15 years, so that's 15 years of lounge access at least. That's pretty good and a lot food and Beveridge over the years.

 

[Mara]

just Saying that we were not some drunken ruffians but you are quite right, not trying to br offensive to anyone, educations shouldn’t matter. Lounge access was supplied by the company I worked for so not really a benefit.

 

[Denali]

......in fact they called the security guards, .....!

A lot must have happen between asking for a seat change and security being called.

Hope you have a good flight home

 

[Mara]

No that’s the point. At Athens airport the Emirates repersentative said that they would call ahead to Dubai and make sure that they changed our seats on the next leg of our journey- to melb on a qantas plane. When we got to the lounge in Dubai the woman at the desk claimed no such record of any contact, she didn’t even make an effort. We asked her to have a look and when she wouldn’t we asked to speak to some who might help us - and that’s when she called security.

 

[moa999]

In general QF opups (operational upgrades) are very rare. And plenty of Plats and Plat1s ahead of you.

If you want upgrades you need to apply online (if your booking class is eligible - many cheap economy fares aren't) and go into that lottery.

As for seat selection you shouldn't be finding out about seats at the airport. You should be selecting seats online when you make your booking (as Gold it will always be free) and will get some priority as Gold. And again checking 3 days before flight (T-80) to see if more seats have opened up.

 

[Mara]

Yes you can make seat selections on qantas flights but if the carrier is emirates the system doesn’t allow you to select seat on emirates, even if you have bookeked it as a qantas flight!

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF @Mara

Have you tried putting your Qantas booking reference into www.emirates.com and selecting seats from there?

 

[serfty]

@Mara , if your Qantas Gold status is properly reflected in the booking then unless it is too late, some good seats can be available.

But check Now ... Not tomorrow!

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Extreme reactions to seat changes seem to be en vogue. Is there something in the air?

 

[juddles]

i have been in the qantas frequent flyer program since 2003, as has my husband, we have been continuously at the gold status, travelling for both business and leisure. We undertake at least one overseas trip, sometimes 2 a year and several interstate trips. In that time we have only ever been upgraded once! Indeed in our last three trips overseas, we have left from Athens airport and have been seated, all three times in the second row from the back of the plane. Those sitting around us paid less for their ticket, were not frequent flyers and were in their early 20s - we are in our 60s. When we tried to change our seats in Dubai, at the lounge, we were made to feel like criminals and in fact they called the security guards, as I said we are in our 60s, professionals with post tertiary educations! Shame on qantas and shame on emirates. We no longer expect anything from these airlines! We leave from Athens tomorrow I am expecting a back row seat!

Oh my lord. Where do I start?

Mara, many people post situations without revealing the details, and it appears to me to be the case here. Whenever someone says that security was called, with no indication as to why, little alarm bells start ringing. Almost always it turns out that the poster threw a tantrum. What was the story here? (for the record I travel almost permanently drunk, yet have never managed to attract the need for security in over a 1000 flights)

As far as only one upgrade, I am understanding you mean a freebie? Not a points upgrade. Let me get you back down to earth on that point, as you no doubt have been misled by "frequent flyer" hype. I am P1 with Qantas. Do between 100 and 200 flights a year. (not bragging - just setting the background) I think I have had two upgrades in the last 5 years. Forget the notion of freebie upgrades - they are so rare as to not warrant even hopeful contemplation!

In your post you refer to "those sitting around us paid less for the ticket", "were not frequent flyers", and that they were "in their early 20's". How do you know they paid less, and what does that matter? And how do you know they were not frequent flyers?? And as for their age, what on earth does that matter?

You include the detail that you have "post tertiary education". With an exclamation mark! Unfortunately for you, that perceived value to your life only matters amongst other academic persons. Unfortunately for you and your situation, some of the most ridiculous tantrums in aviation history have been made by academics who for some bizarre reason think that their life choices and achievements in their small field somehow make them better than others. That is a notion that, I repeat, only holds true within that tiny circle of said academics.

Last comment, with "at least one overseas trip, sometimes 2 a year and several interstate trips' you feel you are a "frequent flyer". And you are, compared to many 20 year olds with no tertiary education. But in the big pond of world travel, that is not actually much in this day and age.

Sorry to be so confrontative, but hopefully these comments may help you reappraise your reality, and so hurt less

 

[GoldCanyon340]

FWIW a Simpsons character could count on their fingers the number of opups I’ve had as a P1.

 

[Mara]

Thanks mod. Have taken your suggestion and it worked! I contact both emirates and qantas and no one has suggested this before! As to the rest of the posts I am appalled by your respones, I really wanted some helpful advice but all I got was horrible judgments! Why are you wasting my time and yours. Clearly you have nothing better to do!

 

[Mara]

Oh my lord. Where do I start?

Mara, many people post situations without revealing the details, and it appears to me to be the case here. Whenever someone says that security was called, with no indication as to why, little alarm bells start ringing. Almost always it turns out that the poster threw a tantrum. What was the story here? (for the record I travel almost permanently drunk, yet have never managed to attract the need for security in over a 1000 flights)

As far as only one upgrade, I am understanding you mean a freebie? Not a points upgrade. Let me get you back down to earth on that point, as you no doubt have been misled by "frequent flyer" hype. I am P1 with Qantas. Do between 100 and 200 flights a year. (not bragging - just setting the background) I think I have had two upgrades in the last 5 years. Forget the notion of freebie upgrades - they are so rare as to not warrant even hopeful contemplation!

In your post you refer to "those sitting around us paid less for the ticket", "were not frequent flyers", and that they were "in their early 20's". How do you know they paid less, and what does that matter? And how do you know they were not frequent flyers?? And as for their age, what on earth does that matter?

You include the detail that you have "post tertiary education". With an exclamation mark! Unfortunately for you, that perceived value to your life only matters amongst other academic persons. Unfortunately for you and your situation, some of the most ridiculous tantrums in aviation history have been made by academics who for some bizarre reason think that their life choices and achievements in their small field somehow make them better than others. That is a notion that, I repeat, only holds true within that tiny circle of said academics.

Last comment, with "at least one overseas trip, sometimes 2 a year and several interstate trips' you feel you are a "frequent flyer". And you are, compared to many 20 year olds with no tertiary education. But in the big pond of world travel, that is not actually much in this day and age.

Sorry to be so confrontative, but hopefully these comments may help you reappraise your reality, and so hurt less

I am actually appalled by this response. My family are not academics but medical practioners! On a number of occasions we have volunteered our services when travellers were sick or had panic attacks! Flying drunk is irresponsible and I'm am concerned that either Qantas or Emirates have allowed you to fly in such a state! Makes me rethink flying with either airline again! Shame on you!

 

[trooper]

Appalled? Really? You make no effort to find out HOW to use the benefits your Gold status provides.....and you clearly suggest that you think QANTAS should be upgrading you for free...WHY? Where are free upgrades ever promised??? Of course you get judged when you manage in one short post to demonstrate a clear lack of knowledge of "your" FF program... and ALSO indicate that you feel entitled to free upgrades!

Have you ever used your accumulated points to actually SUPPORT an upgrade???

 

[Mara]

If you read my email all I wanted was to get a seat that wasn’t in the 2 back rows. And now I am beginning to think that all these responses are planted by the airlines to smear me. I will no longer read them! I am appalled about the drunken traveller who has been allowed to fly with qantas and emirates and not in relation to being upgraded. This is starting to look very bad for the airlines and you really need to stop this smear campaign. My family have been decent human beings and this is now quite ridiculous qantas and Emirates!

 

[Moody]

Mara - usually by now one of the usual suspects has said "Welcome to AFF ....", but alas you got them out of the wrong side of the bed.

Putting aside your spat with the Oompa Loompas, serfty had some good advice - be proactive and if the Qantas site doesn't allow you to manage your booking, then try the Emirates site. You could even ring them.

I have successfully managed seat selection on Emirates on both award and paid flights (QF codeshare for the latter), and have subsequently been treated like a celebrity. It was almost embarrassing the way they reserved a row of 4 seats to myself, or apologised when they could only find me 3. I think it was mainly down to getting myself up the front of the aircraft, and travelling at non-peak times. It seems that you relied upon your status to automatically get recognition, and that is where the system and a full plane has let you down somewhat.

So next time try a little harder to work on your seating options, and also try a little harder not to be a DYK .... but nice put down of Juddles.

 

[Mara]

No I didn't rely on my status I relied on the Adice from Qantas and Emirates on line, phone staff and on ground staff. Cabin staff have always been respectful. In particular by my families quick responses to medical emergencies. This response has now confirmed the airlines plants on this website. Perhaps they would have a better profile if some one would acknowledge this.