International Upgrades - Improved Experience

[serfty]

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[TD="width: 601, align: center"]Request an upgrade from time of booking with successful upgrade notification via SMS[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Account details as at 15 Dec 2011
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[TD="align: center"]Membership number xx_xx_[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Points balance 123456[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Status credits balance 1234[/TD]
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[TD]Dear Mr Serfty We are pleased to announce that based on member feedback, we are making a number of improvements to the international Flight Upgrade Awards experience which are now available.

As you may be aware, Qantas Frequent Flyers are able to request a Flight Upgrade Award* on selected fares for eligible Qantas operated domestic and international flights (that is, with a QF flight number on your ticket), by registering online or via the call centre.

An improved international upgrade experience

Earlier requests - International Flight Upgrade Awards may now be requested any time after you have received your e-Ticket itinerary and receipt between 353 days and 24 hours before scheduled departure of your flight.

SMS notification - When you have registered for a Flight Upgrade Award, we may notify you with an SMS[SUP]+[/SUP] when your upgrade is confirmed so you can maximise the time to prepare for your upgraded Qantas journey. Platinum Frequent Flyers may be notified up to 48 hours prior to scheduled departure and Platinum One members up to 7 days prior to scheduled departure.

Simply ensure your mobile number is updated in Your Profile so we can notify you.

Fewer empty seats - We will be processing Flight Upgrade Awards closer to the time of departure. This will allow our members to access additional upgrade seats made available due to last-minute cancellations in First, Business and Premium Economy.



Keep an eye out for changes to domestic Flight Upgrade Awards in 2012.
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[Princess Fiona]

Re: upgrades

Just hit my inbox as well

 

[Leumas]

Re: upgrades

While most of the details were already hinted/disclosed at the lunch a little while ago, good to see it's finally official.

Bad to see that there is still no getting away from the lottery system.

I can see upgrades can potentially be all consumed by P1's, leaving nothing for others.

 

[serfty]

Re: upgrades

...

I can see upgrades can potentially be consumed by all P1's, leaving nothing for others.

TBH, unless it's a J->F upgrade, this probably won't concern most ÜW's and hence not affect WP's much.

Quite hard to earn 2700 SC's PA on "Qantas" flights if travelling down the back all the time.

Of course, there will be the odd occasion for this:

"An exception is made when Platinum One members, though not travelling, redeem points for an upgrade on behalf of eligible family members. In this case the eligible family members will enjoy the same high priority as a Platinum One member.".

 

[markis10]

OT - how do you get a status credit balance of 1234 (for the year as opposed to lifetime)?LOL

 

[serfty]

OT - how do you get a status credit balance of 1234 (for the year as opposed to lifetime)?LOL

OT - Such is only available to those with special member numbers of the format xx_xx_.

 

[ozmille]

Going over the website but am not finding it (probably my appalling search skills ) but do you need to have the required number of miles when you do the request or is it ok if the miles will hit your account by the time the request gets processed?

 

[Limewood]

Does this still mean the upgrade (if available) is not notified until 24 hours before?.

 

[serfty]

Going over the website but am not finding it (probably my appalling search skills ) but do you need to have the required number of miles when you do the request or is it ok if the miles will hit your account by the time the request gets processed?

Yes!

Does this still mean the upgrade (if available) is not notified until 24 hours before?.

It can depend on your status:

International Flight Upgrade Awards

If you hold an eligible confirmed ticket, which may be a Qantas & Jetstar Any Seat Award, for a Qantas operated service with a QF flight number, you may be able to register for an international Flight Award Upgrade. Please note however that Flight Upgrades Awards are not available on Qantas & Partner Classic Awards or airfares booked in E, N, O, P, Q or X class, which includes some Red e-Deal fares.

International Flight Upgrade Awards may be requested any time after you have received your e-Ticket itinerary and receipt between 353 days and 24 hours before scheduled departure of your flight. Requests will not be accepted within 24 hours of scheduled departure of the flight.

Flight Upgrade Awards will not be confirmed on international services at time of booking or when your registration is received. Requests for Flight Upgrade Awards on international services will be considered in accordance with the following timetable:

• Platinum One Frequent Flyers, from up to 7 days prior to scheduled departure
  
• Platinum Frequent Flyers or higher, from 48 hours prior to scheduled departure
• All Frequent Flyers, within 24 hours of scheduled departure.

 

[ozmille]

Yes!

Pfff will have to wait for the Westpac bonus to hit my account then .... Or find a relative with some spare points

 

[serfty]

Pfff will have to wait for the Westpac bonus to hit my account then .... Or find a relative with some spare points

Thinking about this - it certainly is the case for online requests, but ISTR reports of members calling up to submit a request while not having sufficient points (at the time).

 

[Anna]

I made upgrade requests this week for flights next May/June. I am currently 37,000 points short of the total required points but the QF system accepted all the upgrade requests.

I currently have enough points for any one upgrade that I have requested - just not yet the total points for the several upgrades I have requested. Not sure if that makes a difference to whether the system accepts it or not.

 

[TonyHancock]

I notice the usual "based on member feedback" phrase trotted out. (It is also interesting to see the word "enhancement" missing.)

Do these changes match the feedback of members here?

It will be interesting to see how it all pans out, it does seem to be a minor improvement for WP's and better again for WP1's. I wonder how many upgrades will be confirmed 48 hour or seven days out? A change in my travel plans means I won't be seeking the upgrades I wanted a year or so again so I'll probably only find out when the Euro crashes, finally, and I'm back in the less pointy end of the aircraft!

Overall I don't see this as particularly impressive and certainly not something that will prevent me from continuing to shift more business away from QF.

 

[ozmille]

Thinking about this - it certainly is the case for online requests, but ISTR reports of members calling up to submit a request while not having sufficient points (at the time).

Just been on hold for 15 minutes whilst the agent was figuring it out and you have to have the needed points amount when doing the request. Which then has the added question what if I have the points then buy another JASA taking me under again but no answer if the request is then cancelled automatically. I wouldn't want to lock in the 40000 for a year...

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have two J-F upgrades in for March on A380 to LHR and rtn. I'm running at 0 from 4 for those so far so fingers crossed

 

[serfty]

I believe Qantas.com requires you to have at least the point available for each individual upgrade request as you request it.

So if you are looking for 3 x 30,000 point upgrades totaling 90,000 but only have 45,000, you can still request each one separately online.

 

[docjames]

TBH, I cant see why they cant let all members register, then receive notification at any time up to 5hrs pre-departure. It'd just be your odds of finding out earlier is greater with greater status.

Plat 1 on purely long haul Y (or any Y!) would be hard work.....

 

[Happy Trails]

Just been on hold for 15 minutes whilst the agent was figuring it out and you have to have the needed points amount when doing the request. Which then has the added question what if I have the points then buy another JASA taking me under again but no answer if the request is then cancelled automatically. I wouldn't want to lock in the 40000 for a year...

I've been in this situation and the request did not cancel automatically when my points went below the amount required. Even at close to zero points balance.

 

[cgoh]

I have requested upgrade for my flight tomorrow SYD-SIN QF31.

My upgrade was confirm last night but I did not receive an SMS.

Just logged on to my bookings and saw the seat change.

 

[pshepvic]

When you view bookings online though it still only says upgrades will show 5 hours from departure: