Would you still fly Qantas if it had no frequent flyer program?

[Mattg]

A hypothetical question...

If none of the Australian airlines had loyalty programs, and you chose which airline to fly purely based on price, schedule, service quality, etc... would you still choose to fly with Qantas (or Virgin Australia if that's your current choice of airline)?

For the purpose of this discussion, let's assume that there are still airport lounges but that you can only get in with a Business Class ticket - which you'd need to pay for since there's no such thing as frequent flyer points.

 

[Ade]

Wow Excellent thread & question.

would you still choose to fly with Qantas (or Virgin Australia if that's your current choice of airline)?

To answer this question - Depending on the below ;

1. On the outset, I'd be flying BFOD, with reasonable adjustment to the travel time (depending on the schedule, etc) There is no benefit in being loyal to any airline as there is no FF program.

2. If my experience with one airline is not good, I'd fly the competition next time to compare and see if they are any good.

3. Honestly, I'd be changing between airlines, just so that I can experience something different each time I fly (or so, I say myself that last time I flew QF, this time VA or JQ or ZL etc)

Edit: 4. I'd also be looking at covering as much aircraft types as possible. For instance, I did J on a B737 this time, next time I'll see I can do J on A330 etc .. or I have done Y in A380 now, let me see if I can get a Y seat on a A350/B737 etc ..

let's assume that there are still airport lounges but that you can only get in with a Business Class ticket

1. If personal trip, I'd fly the cheapest Y ticket, sit at the gate with Netflix and pass the time. Bring a packed sandwich or a snack, water to keep me fed & hydrated. Will try to take the direct flight as much as possible, unless of course it is $$ cheaper to connect.

2. If personal trip and the J fares are cheap, then I'd choose to fly with that airline often. VA or ZL come to mind as they are wayyyyyy cheaper the QF when it comes to interstate J fares.

2. If work trip, if approved, I'd purchase a J ticket (lounge included).

 

[SYD]

I can honestly say that I wouldn't be flying VA overseas - not exactly spoilt for choice of international routes nor international lounges.

But would presumably lean towards the best value of Biz for hard and soft product products as well as schedule/destinations.

 

[MooTime]

I can honestly say that I wouldn't be flying VA overseas - not exactly spoilt for choice of international routes nor international lounges.

But would presumably lean towards the best value of Biz for hard and soft product products as well as schedule/destinations.

What's VA got to do with this thread???

I struggle flying QF currently, the FFP makes little difference. Their poor phone service, poor website services, PR fakeness & feed the executives pockets while lower workers constantly get shafted.

O/S not likely, but possibly as they have far stretching destinations & they are at least 40% Australian which I like to support AUS.

 

[bertflyer]

Great thread! I’d absolutely fly BFOD, both domestic and international, instead of choosing QF/Oneworld as I do now to maximise and retain my QF Gold status…
Would buy lounge access here and there on overseas trips to make a long haul flights and stopovers more palatable when travelling in Y

 

[Pete98765432]

What's VA got to do with this thread???

This:

...

would you still choose to fly with Qantas (or Virgin Australia if that's your current choice of airline)?

 

[kpro]

there are still airport lounges but that you can only get in with a Business Class ticket

This would likely never be the case though. Airlines would still sell lounge membership and internationally there are lounges accessible by schemes such as Priority Pass. Even Qatar, which generally restricts its best lounges to class of travel, allows pay to access.

However, if lounge access was strictly by class of travel, I would expect higher quality lounge offerings at all major cities. Similar to how Qatar has a la carte dining in their premium lounges. Otherwise, VA/QF/JQ/ZL/AB are going to have to offer something else as a value add to differentiate their offering in J.

If all airlines are mostly equal in their offering, similar to others on this thread, I'd just book the cheapest flight in the cabin I wanted within +/- 1 hour of when I want to leave.

 

[33kft]

If price were the only factor, we'd all be flying JQ, including long haul. Just the fact that the statement conjures up uncomfortable feelings reflects the range of small luxuries we are prepared to pay extra for.

That said, if an airline wasn't delivering at their price point, they would go bankrupt faster in this scenario than they would today, but ultimately would go bankrupt either way.

 

[Quickstatus]

BFOD even with a FF program

 

[dylarr]

BFOD even with a FF program

This is what I've been doing a lot of lately. I've moved a large portion of my golden triangle flying over to Rex as they are often a lot cheaper. If Qantas is slightly more expensive I'll go with them as I do place some value the FF benefits but not when the difference is significant.

 

[jase05]

I already fly with which ever airline offers me the best all up package for what we need on a horses for courses basis but domestically I’d still fly most of my leisure flights with VA as I do know and my work flights are all with QF just as they are now

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

This is an extremely difficult hypothetical question as if there was no QF loyalty arguably the prices would come down and then there would be a whole self fulfilling spiral.

Let’s not even dream of such a world please

For me, a big part of airline selection is the fellow pax. I run into a lot of clients in the lounge who also commute and travel frequently and I feel the business clientele at VA is very different. But without loyalty that may also change

There are just too many variables!

 

[clifford]

In answer to the OP's question, in a word, NO. Or, most likely not.

But then, Qantas or something like it would have to be a different animal to survive.

 

[flyingfan]

Hard to imagine this world, considering the FF part of QF made more money than its international operations. The logical answer seems to be no I wouldn't fly them (and it's probably logical even now back in reality).

 

[Matt_01]

No points, no status no perks for domestic I would be BFOD. For international it would most likely be SQ, EK, JL or CX.

 

[BAM1748]

Yes, they have the regional routes I like.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It would come down to price. And if the prices were the same… or close enough… QF would win hands down.

Snacks or meals on every flight in economy with wine and beer in the evenings, and during the day to PER. Fast and efficient wifi for all. Polished crews.

For business class if the prices were the same… or close enough… VA would probably win. While QF has wifi on most flights, I find their seat a bit narrow, and VA has PDBs, which is a huge plus. Rex would probably come next for exceptional catering.

 

[Matt_01]

I noticed that a few mentioned ZL, what about AB assuming they expand their network.

 

[jase05]

I noticed that a few mentioned ZL, what about AB assuming they expand their network.

No J would exclude them from our plans. We are at the stage of our life now where we won’t even fly ADL-MEL in Y

 

[RnD]

Great thread! I’d absolutely fly BFOD, both domestic and international, instead of choosing QF/Oneworld as I do now to maximise and retain my QF Gold status…
Would buy lounge access here and there on overseas trips to make a long haul flights and stopovers more palatable when travelling in Y

+1