Whose winning & losing your patronage?

[DaveB]

Probably already done numerous times elsewhere but though we seemingly love to kick our own airlines, particularly QF, when push comes to shove, did we actually change our choice of airline in 2013, FF program and flights planned for 2014? Is it in fact all doom and gloom for our airlines and QF in particular? Who has or are going to be your winners and losers involving airline patronage?
For me, I had not flown QF for many years unless forced to. Thru AFF, I belatedly got on the online JASA bandwagon and belatedly put half of our 2013 flights with QF, though this all changed post the removal of the online service mid last year. Despite being a more heavy use of points than alternatives normally used involving SQ, EY and VA to the US and had even started sending approx third of my points earn to QF for a few months in 2013.
QF points earn (apart from the Woolies account top up purchase) stopped in July with points now being pooled primarily for use between SQ, CX and VA. Domestic flights for 2014 have resumed with VA with SQ booked for 2014.
QF has therefore been the biggest loser for me in 2014 and with no OS flights to the US, SQ preferred over EY as having tried both, prefer to transit via Asia.

 

[Deleted member]

Who's winning and losing?
I'm sure it's largely " horses for courses."
Whose loyalty programme do I favour?
For me it's simple. QF wins for me ( Alan Joyce notwithstanding )
I live here, travel less frequently than many on this site, most of my travel is in fact to overseas destinations. NZ and UK. with some local travel for business from time to time. I don't fly in Y if I can absolutely avoid it ( in fact I don't fly if I can't do it in J or better, most times)
QF offers a good service ( for me) to those ( OS ) destinations.
I'm able to accumulate points less painfully with QF, ( EDR is the tipping point here) and due to my life membership from my Australian Airlines days I have life time access to the QP ( I now have status which renders that redundant for now) and a few other perks .
So if I don't make LTS ( Life time gold is a bridge too far I think, at my age) I still have my QP life to fall back on.
I haven't enjoyed the flights I flew with VA ( no status and no experience of the J experience) in the past and so I stick with what I know, I am a creature of habit, and I have made a few meaningful relationships with some QF personnel that have made any shortcomings in other areas, less of a concern.
I suspect there are others with a similar story, but with a different airline?

 

[drron]

When it came to a loyalty program when started travelling seriously~ 2000 it had to be QFF.
But it wasn't perfect so in 2002 opened an Aadvantage account.In 2006 I was already less than impressed with QFF so switched to Aadvantage as my primary scheme.I was also lucky enough to have had life QP purchased when way below $1000.
By switching early I was able to obtain AA LTP before it became virtually impossible.
Mrsdrron has stayed with QFF as easier to get lifetime status now.So did a lot on QFi.Recently they have annoyed both of us so only do the 4 segments necessary for mrsdrron to retain status.
So to and from Australia we have or have booked OW flights on CX,MH and JAL.
But also thanks to Avianca,Amex MR we now have booked flights on SQ and TG as awards.

So a gradual process but QF is losing out.
But remember virtually all of this is with knowledge freely given here on AFF.

 

[RooFlyer]

International airlines: QF is gradually losing out as I become more sophisticated in choices of cabin, scheduling and routing (preferring CX and EK) and less forgiving of higher prices. Used to be 80% QFi, with only QFF, but now its probably only 50% and I maintain high Air Canada status (Star Alliance Gold).

Domestic airlines: VA maintains most of it based on pricing and scheduling ex and to HBA.

Hotels: Hilton has lost me due to Australian pricing. Did a lot of Accor last year as travelling with friends who were Gold on that; got to Gold myself so will go with that strength this year. Not convinced its a great scheme; may be able to ratchet that up a Status notch this year.

Holiday destinations: Eastern Europe and russia is winning hands down due to pricing, accessibility and unexpected wow factor! UK and USA done to death and I hate LHR.

 

[DrA]

I'm still crediting my FF miles to QFF most of the time, but I've found myself booking on AA, MH or CX rather than QF metal. Mainly because most of my travel is OS and QF now only operates one flight a day ex-PER and it leads to cough connection times in SIN. And as of this year, most of my travel will be to Africa, so I will probably be doing most of my flying on EK from now on and crediting the miles to an EK account. I might also look into whether I can transfer my existing QF miles to EK, but we'll see.

I still fly QF domestically, but only because that's my employers preferred supplier and it's too much hassle to apply for an exception.

 

[JohnK]

It is hard to say.

I am fairly loyal when it comes to flights and credit the majority to QFF as they are able to offer what I want.

The majority of credit card points are Amex MR and stay in the account until I am ready to use them. Mainly to VS and SQ.

Hotel stays and car hire mainly credit to VS but there are many hotel stays I book cheaper hotels through Agoda, HotelClub etc.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

*A the big winner and QF the big loser


* I only put points to QFF now if I have to (though still have 800K there). Points get stored on CC, and mainly redeemed via SQ. Some points are earnt direct to SQ

* I fly mainly internationally on *A and mainly SQ in J or F. Though will give Malaysian J a try next year as it is simply such great value.

*** Apart from a better product IMO, the other BIG winner is that it is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH easier to actually redeem J and F than via QFF...and you get J/F at lower point cost too.


* I redeem for Internationals flights..... Only pay for some domestic private flights, with some paid work flights too. Generally whatever is cheapest. If marginal will go Qantas due to the 1000 points minimum.

 

[Robbi]

* I only put points to QFF now if I have to (though still have 800K there). Points get stored on CC, and mainly redeemed via SQ. Some points are earnt direct to SQ

* I fly mainly internationally on *A and mainly SQ in J or F. Though will give Malaysian J a try next year as it is simply such great value.

*** Apart from a better product IMO, the other BIG winner is that it is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH easier to actually redeem J and F than via QFF...and you get J/F at lower point cost too.

* I redeem for Internationals flights..... Only pay for some domestic private flights, with some paid work flights too. Generally whatever is cheapest. If marginal will go Qantas due to the 1000 points minimum.

Which does the *** belong to?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Which does the *** belong to?

*A and mainly SQ

( the *** was just a sub-bullet point to the one above it)


I find it extremely easy to get premium cabins on *A airlines via SQ