Should There be more Perks for Platinum???

[MK1974]

I fly 3/4 times a week and all my flights are with VA. I have made my Platinum renewel after 4 months. I do enjoy the service and the crew are always a helpfull Bunch! The Lounges are good (sometimes overcrowded) but I wonder there should be more perks for Being Platinum and Flying so much????. I dont sense much Diffrence being plat or being Gold, Except from 4 Free upgrades I use on my Perth trips. It would be nice to see any Spare Business Seats given to Platinums at the gate or maybe a Plat Lounge.

Is there any news of any other bonuses for Plat Flyers in the future???

 

[ms1]

I tend to agree. I recently qualified platinum for the first time after being gold for quite a while. Aside from the 4 free upgrades I'm not made to feel any extra special.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I read somewhere that VA are building business class lounges in Brisbane I believe? Only available to plats and those flying business class?

 

[Mal Ware]

I fly 3/4 times a week and all my flights are with VA. I have made my Platinum renewel after 4 months. I do enjoy the service and the crew are always a helpfull Bunch! The Lounges are good (sometimes overcrowded) but I wonder there should be more perks for Being Platinum and Flying so much????. I dont sense much Diffrence being plat or being Gold, Except from 4 Free upgrades I use on my Perth trips. It would be nice to see any Spare Business Seats given to Platinums at the gate or maybe a Plat Lounge.

Is there any news of any other bonuses for Plat Flyers in the future???

I am QF Platinum and I also agree with your ideas. Not trying to hijack your thread with QF talk but at least you get 4 upgrades.

I like the idea of giving any free business seats to those who travel all the time, it would also inspire people to reach higher levels and spend more money. There is no incentive for me to go above platinum the way things stand. The benefits do not outweigh cost and time spent to go there.

 

[samh004]

I believe it's just rumours on what the new lounges will be used for, as some say its equivalent to chairmanship lounge, which is far above a Platinum lounge.




 

[birder]

Yes, I agree. For international upgrades using points, Platinums get no preference whatsoever. For booking exit row seats, Platinums get no preference whatsoever. I am questioning why I'm with this airline at all.

 

[markis10]

I believe it's just rumours on what the new lounges will be used for, as some say its equivalent to chairmanship lounge, which is far above a Platinum lounge.




Given quite a few of the club lounges are open, yet there is work on another lounge adjacent still underway, I reckon it's more than a rumour.

 

[ms1]

Given quite a few of the club lounges are open, yet there is work on another lounge adjacent still underway, I reckon it's more than a rumour.

Which lounge are you referring to? Is it Brisbane?

 

[samh004]

Given quite a few of the club lounges are open, yet there is work on another lounge adjacent still underway, I reckon it's more than a rumour.

I'm not saying the rumour is the lounge being built, it's who will get access. Haha.




 

[anat0l]

If you are flying so much then I assume you have already Partner Gold and Platinum (e.g. for your friend or significant other).

I'm not sure whether more perks are the answer, but I will say that if one of the 'perks' is instant free upgrades to spare Business seats, then I think that is a bad idea.

 

[lovestotravel]

Needs to be a life-time status level

 

[Bolthead]

I'm not sure whether more perks are the answer, but I will say that if one of the 'perks' is instant free upgrades to spare Business seats, then I think that is a bad idea.

I agree, instant upgrades is not a good idea (IMO), it will devalue Business class. If you want business class then pay for it or use the tools you have now to fly business class, i.e. using points and your free upgrades. (if you're Plat) Also in you have a Virgin credit card 2 for 1 purchases 4 times per year is great if used correctly. I am not saying the programme can't be improved because I think it can however it needs to have a point of difference with QF or any other programme.

Needs to be a life-time status level

I agree as long as they take into consideration points you family pool to another members.

 

[Mal Ware]

I agree, instant upgrades is not a good idea (IMO), it will devalue Business class.

How would it devalue it?

If the seat is empty, why not sit someone who spends money with you regularly in it?

Are you a self funded traveler or does work pay for your flights?

 

[samh004]

A better perk, for those who fly so much, would be along the lines of QF's offer of valet vouchers when you his 2400SC. I think subsiding parking for a commuter or something along those lines would be a boon, especially considering how much parking costs these days.

Or why not take the middle eastern route and just provide free limo transfers at a certain threshold. It's something usable. Makes life easier.

How would it devalue it?

If the seat is empty, why not sit someone who spends money with you regularly in it?

Are you a self funded traveler or does work pay for your flights?

I self fund (not Virgin though) and would hate to see us moving to the US-model where every spare J seat has a free upgrade in it. Soon enough high status flyers (or those spending a lot for J) will start gambling on the upgrades and profits will tumble. I don't have shares but there's an ecosystem to be maintained.




 

[drewbles]

How would it devalue it?

If the seat is empty, why not sit someone who spends money with you regularly in it?

Are you a self funded traveler or does work pay for your flights?

Because WP's will become DYWKWIA's and no one will book a J flight, they'll just assume they'll get an upgrade. This, in turn, leads to the premium cabins becoming like the US Airlines, where their 'First' is generally not much better than a domestic Y product here in Australia, just with slightly better seats.

 

[MarkD]

Bi like virgin j class is now? TBH thw only real j thing is the seat ( a330 transcon obviously a different story)



I'm too poor to own a signature

 

[drewbles]

Bi like virgin j class is now? TBH thw only real j thing is the seat ( a330 transcon obviously a different story)



I'm too poor to own a signature

I disagree. All the DJ J flights on 737's non-transcon i've had are on par with QF for food and well above and beyond for service. Of course there is the infamous cheese platter, but QF have it too.

I've not flown in the past few months though, but it was definitely a superior service earlier in the year (and if you want to see what premium travel shouldn't be like domestically, look at US based airlines excluding trans-con widebody services).

 

[Bolthead]

How would it devalue it?

If the seat is empty, why not sit someone who spends money with you regularly in it?

Are you a self funded traveler or does work pay for your flights?

I believe samh004 & drewbles have emulated what I think. I am domestically 50/50 funded and international 30/70 (work/self) funded.

 

[markis10]

Those having a dig at the cheese platter could always fly QF Y at non meal times if trying to lose weight!

 

[yohy?!]

lifetime status always seemed a little laughable to me given the volatility of the airline industry!

 

[moa999]

As it is with four (or more) upgrade vouchers, and plenty of half price points upgrade offers, you could almost say DJ is offering guaranteed upgrades.

But I absolutely agree that we don't want to be like the US..
Interestingly on my last trip heard a (I assume) AA Plat complaining he had not been upgraded once in the last 12 flights, and complaining that ExPlat was too easy and there were too many of them in front of him -- obviously missing the logic that they all fly more than him!