WP "soft landing" to Gold ?

[ant-au]

Simple question I think, although reading other threads seems there no hard written rule from QF...

I'm currently WP, expiring in 3 months. I've not done any qualifying flights this QF calendar year, but have redeemed a few via points.
If I don't re-qualify for WP, will I still get Gold for the next 12 months? The so-called "soft landing" ?
Or is it worth me aiming to get 600SC using the DSC promo now just in case? Or will that even matter if I'm WP?

Thanks!

 

[RichardMEL]

The only soft landing that QF does that I'm aware of is P1->WP but I do not believe other levels soft land as with some of the US programs (or at least they used to).

There's the option also that QF *MAY* offer a points offer for Gold or Plat retain (80k/120k) as an option, but possibly not with no SC earn at all...

 

[Pushka]

A few years ago now, maybe five, we had soft landing WP to Gold.

 

[blackcat20]

The only soft landing that QF does that I'm aware of is P1->WP but I do not believe other levels soft land as with some of the US programs (or at least they used to).

There's the option also that QF *MAY* offer a points offer for Gold or Plat retain (80k/120k) as an option, but possibly not with no SC earn at all...

Ah, yes they do.

 

[maia200]

There was a previous discussion on 80000 points for Gold.....if you don't get a soft landing

 

[serfty]

Qantas have an unwritten soft landing rule.

If a statused member does not re-qualify with SC and/or eligible flights there are many anecdotes they 'soft land' down one level.

WP1->WP, WP->SG & SG->PS have all been noted.

 

[serfty]

There was a previous discussion on 80000 points for Gold.....if you don't get a soft landing

That was more of staying at a level. i.e. Someone who was SG who did not Qualify for another year of SG via SC could fork out 80K QFF points to keep that SG for another year rather than drop to PS.

 

[ausfox]

I dropped from WP to SG this month with reduced travel on QF the past year.
I was a offered the 120k top up option to retain my WP.
Declined this but will go WP this year with a little help from DSC. I was about to desert QF but the DSC was a sweetener.

 

[RichardMEL]

That was more of staying at a level. i.e. Someone who was SG who did not Qualify for another year of SG via SC could fork out 80K QFF points to keep that SG for another year rather than drop to PS.

True, but there's also today's thread suggesting a member who did not make Gold (was Silver) was offered a buy UP to Gold for 80k.

I am corrected on the soft landing. I suppose in these more difficult times they may do this more given the circumstances currently.

I guess I was thinking given the days of status comps (ie: retain) seem long gone I was not sure if they did do soft landings.

Anyway - always happy to be informed

 

[moa999]

Think soft landing has always been there.

What went away was the comped status (always rumoured to be based on 3yr average), seemingly now replaced by the 120k Plat, 80k Gold offers.

The buy up suggestion is new (although reading that post it's possible the poster meant renew)

 

[RichardMEL]

OK here is an exercise for the reader to figure out.

Consider the situation of member X. Member X has earned Gold status which they currently hold through this membership year, expiring end July. However Member X has been gifted Plat by friendly P1 member Y, and that gifted status is valid until Y's membership anniversary which is a month later than X's. X has only earned minimal (<100) SC during this membership year.

So, if we assume a soft landing occurs...

would it be:

- Gold->Silver (based on X's membership year and earned status)
- Plat -> Gold (based on the gifted status)

I tend to think it would be Gold->Silver as the gifted status is just that.. a gift valid till a certain date then they revert to their membership year and earned status.

Any thoughts on alternative options?

 

[moa999]

Any thoughts on alternative options?

No idea. Don't think we've seen any examples. Eg. Possibly the recipients member year changes?

 

[knagelli]

OK here is an exercise for the reader to figure out.

Consider the situation of member X. Member X has earned Gold status which they currently hold through this membership year, expiring end July. However Member X has been gifted Plat by friendly P1 member Y, and that gifted status is valid until Y's membership anniversary which is a month later than X's. X has only earned minimal (<100) SC during this membership year.

So, if we assume a soft landing occurs...

would it be:

- Gold->Silver (based on X's membership year and earned status)
- Plat -> Gold (based on the gifted status)

I tend to think it would be Gold->Silver as the gifted status is just that.. a gift valid till a certain date then they revert to their membership year and earned status.

Any thoughts on alternative options?

When the SG member was gifted WP , what was the membership status review date ?

Was it an year from the gifted WP date or the initial date from status SG ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There IS a soft landing

Qantas isn't doing it any more or less frequently... it's always been there. Even if you don't take a single flight, or earn a single status credit, or perhaps you only do one flight but on a partner airline and not Qantas... you get your soft landing. One tier at a time, one year at a time.

Paying to maintain your current level is not a soft landing, and operates separately.

 

[opusman]

There has always been a soft landing for status you've earned afaik. Certainly this has always been my experience.

However Member X has been gifted Plat by friendly P1 member Y

I was under the impression that gifted status did not receive a soft landing.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was under the impression that gifted status did not receive a soft landing.

This is also my understanding.

 

[RichardMEL]

I thought it would be a bit much to expect the gifted status to soft land. I had assumed that it would revert back, and be based on, the members earned status.

In the example scenario above, member X's gifted status is valid until member Y's membership year end (per QF policy) which is a month longer than X's.

I expect what would happen is X, after July 31(membership anniversary) will retain Plat for August, then drop to Silver. They had gold valid till July 31 this year, did not earn enough to even get Silver, but if there's a soft landing it *should* be from the Gold.

complicated but an interesting situation.

they may find another friend to gift them status of course and then it won't matter

 

[ant-au]

Thanks for all the info ladies & gents! Much appreciated!!

 

[Deleted member]

there was a suggestion that if you had two or more consecutive years as a WP then based on "averages" you would soft land to Gold. I have seen a partner platinum soft land to Gold with zero flights .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

there was a suggestion that if you had two or more consecutive years as a WP then based on "averages" you would soft land to Gold. I have seen a partner platinum soft land to Gold with zero flights .

You mean in relation to the partner getting a soft landing? A platinum with just a single year would get a soft landing to gold, no average required.