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If you’ve just completed enough flights to qualify for a higher status tier, you’re probably excited to start using your new benefits. But your status doesn’t upgrade immediately after completing the necessary flights. Instead, you’ll need to wait until the status credits from these flights are credited to your frequent flyer account. This usually takes a few days, but sometimes delayed status credits can take several weeks or months to post. So, what can you do if you have another flight booked in the period between taking the flight/s and the status credits being awarded?
Unfortunately, not much.
R36snowbound recently completed a trip to Europe, flying Qatar Airways Business class. The flights from this trip should have earned them enough Qantas status credits to qualify for Platinum status for the first time. But, two weeks after completing the trip, the status credits from 1 of the 4 flights still had not posted. These status credits were the difference between qualifying for Platinum status or not.
After deliberately moving a fair chunk of travel from VA to QF over the past 6 months, my last trip should have qualified for QF Platinum (1,400 status credits).
I returned 2 weeks ago from Europe and after chasing QF, sectors 1, 3 &4 have been awarded (status credits and points). Points and status credits for sector 2 has not been awarded, this sector is worth 60 status credits.
Now, I am on the way to the aiport for another QF international flight and am “officially” 15 status credits short of Platinum according to Qantas, so no extra points earning and no access to the QF first class lounge for this evenings trip.
Unfortunately, the delay in status credits posting meant R36snowbound missed out on access to the Qantas First Class Lounge on their subsequent flight to New Zealand. This member contacted Qantas beforehand but as the flight was operated by a partner airline, they weren’t able to expedite the status credits or offer a solution.
QF call centre say that they acknowledge that I took the flight on Sector 2 but blame Qatar for the delay in confirming the allocation of points and status credits. They say there is nothing they can do.
One AFF member comments that Qantas may be able to expedite the posting of status credits for Qantas-operated flights in similar circumstances. But this is unlikely to be possible for flights on partner airlines. That’s because the partner airline has to pay Qantas for the points and status credits, and there can be a delay in this transaction occurring.
I can confirm from previous experience calling to request a manual adjustment has been successful. I also argued the case that I wanted to use platinum benefits and that delayed posting was not my fault.. I would note though that mine was DSCs with QF, not via a partner airline.
While many AFF members sympathise with R36snowbound, they agree that there’s not much that can be done in this situation.
Whatever the reason for the delay in status credits posting, our members agree that the lounge entrance is not the place to deal with this issue. Qantas’ lounge staff have a job to do, and many people try to gain lounge access when they’re not entitled to it. They will not care that you’re waiting for status credits to post. To avoid embarrassment, there’s little point asking the lounge agents to make an exception for you.
I have empathy for the OP with my rise to WP delayed because of late JQ SCs. However, I do not believe that asking at the F Lounge door is appropriate. They have a job to do and deal with chancers all day, everyday.
It can take several weeks for status credits to post after taking the flight. In fact, there are many reports of Qantas status credits earned on Jetstar taking up to 8 weeks to credit. So, do take this into account when planning your travel.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Should I be upset or am I being unreasonable?
