Who has achieved WP only flying in -Y?

[rotor]

I've only recently started to frequently fly, but it seems impossible that anyone with WP, let alone WP1 exclusively flies Discount Economy!

I read a lot of threads where the attitude seems to be "pay for J if you don't like Y" - I work for a company whose policy is to go for the cheapest possible flight, let alone for Qantas. It's a battle for me every time just to get the PA to put me on a Qantas flight...

Recently at a check-in desk, after asking if there was any spare seats in J after having been switched flights (had already been airborne for 20 hours), the girl told me I should be more loyal if I want to ask for upgrades. I was a little annoyed - I fly int'l at least once a month, but only in Discount Economy, so I get very few SCs. I understand the argument that if you're worth more to Qantas you're more entitled, but in all fairness if I wasn't scrabbling for Qantas flights they wouldn't have made a cent from my company.

Is there anyone out there who can empathise? I promise I'm not bitter, I'm just sick of looking at the back of a Qantas seat 2 inches from my face without any payback!

 

[jono88888]

A lot depends on where you're flying to. I spent all last year flying between SYD and WLG. Two weeks there and one week back, which felt to me like I was continually on the road yet I worked it out that once I took vacations into the equation I would still fall short of Gold as I was only getting 20SC a flight. And let's face it, Silver is hardly worth having. So I did feel much as you do, that flying at the back of the plane it was impossible to make any inroads into status level.

This year it's Perth, one week there one week back. And even though I have to buy the cheapest ticket available, it's often Flexi Saver which gives me 40SC a flight. This year I made WP, largely thanks to a double SC offer, but even without that I would only have fallen one flight short so I'm sure I would have worked something out to get me over the line had it been needed.

But I do sympathise with where you'e coming from. When I was struggling to get points and I'd read posts about people earning hundreds of points from a single flight it did feel unachievable at the time for those of us poor folk at the back of the plane.

 

[markis10]

I have only had one J flight company funded, Y is the norm for me with domestic travel being the bulk of my flying in the last five years. Despite this I have maintained SG or WP for twelve years earning LTG at the start of the year, my boss just wonders why I get him to fly me to TSV when I am working in DRW .

 

[Grooba]

Earning 1400SC in 12 months flying deep discount Y, that would really be an accomplishment!
However in Y (deep discount outbound, flexi saver return mostly) I went from nothing to WP in 8 months when I changed to my current role a few years ago.
Then I found out about the little gems over in the USA and haven't looked back.

 

[QF WP]

I'm very similar to markis10 and vec, so empathise with your plight.

I was "old silver" (equiv to current Gold) from 1990 to 2002 flying mainly disc Y, both Dom & Intl. Finally hit Plat in Aug 2002 (with usual disc Y getting me almost to Plat and one AONE4 give total year of 2,395SC's). The following 5 years had the same as vec (mostly domestic outbound red e, inbound Flexi) with a smattering of Intl.

They were the hard years of BIS. Now it's Gold x 2 programs (thanks to QF's JASA's and DJ's family pooling). Less flights but more comfort

 

[mrpooky]

I work for a company whose policy is to go for the cheapest possible flight, let alone for Qantas. It's a battle for me every time just to get the PA to put me on a Qantas flight...

I share your pain.

I've managed to reach SG and maintain it (now in my third year), using 10SC flights for the most part, with an occasional 20-SC flight where I could get it. It's been very painful.

One year I almost made WP, thanks to a DSC offer and flights BNE -> PER instead of the usual BNE -> NTL, but I missed out by about 100 SCs or so, and hadn't found this forum then.

Your international flights will definitely help.

 

[medhead]

It's hard to say. I fly mostly I the back and the vast majority of my SC are from Red-e-deals. However, I do make strategic use of business awards. I'm fairly certain I earn the required 1200 to retain from my routine flying. I did think JQ starclass might have pushed me over the threshold when I first made platinum.

Where do you fly?

 

[Boris spatsky]

I got QF WP through J business travel (corporate policy on QF) last year, but now i have changed jobs i am doing discount Y on DJ. Half way to DJ WP with 7 months to go.

But gee is it painful! I do upgrade myself on pts a bit to keep my sanity!

 

[alto25]

It can definitely be a grind!

I am hopefully about to make WP for the first time as I'm at 1215 SC with 3 mths to go. Mainly SYD-MEL and SYD-ADL disc Y, one trip to PER 20 SC each way, and one JASA ADL-SYD which coincided with DSC promo!

This has been more flying than I ever thought I would do ...................... but I know that there are plenty of FF's who do more.

Looks like coming up I'll have 3 trips to MEL for 60 SC, one to BNE 20 SC, and one to ADL for 30 SC so without a status run I am going to fall short.

cheers,

 

[serfty]

...
I was "old silver" (equiv to current Gold) from 1990 to 2002 flying mainly disc Y, both Dom & Intl.

Old Silver required 50 domestic flights in any class during your "year" & until 1999 (IIRC) did not provide lounge access.

I was "Old Gold" from 1996 which required 80 domestic flights, which did provide lounge access.

So I maintained "Top Level" with economy only flights during that period.

With the introduction of Tier (Status) Credits in 1998, that was the end of top level qualification in economy only for me.

 

[nlagalle]

I made WP mainly on Y fares traveling DOM. I was boosted to WP a bit quicker as a planned trip to TSV was booked in full Y so i paid to upgrade to J, the offer was just too good!

Since then, I've re-qual'd on DOM travel in Y, and even without a DSC offer (which made it faster) I still would have made the mark.

 

[Fantic125]

I made WP flying -Y in my 2010/11 QF year all from work-related flights.

I ended up with 1,750 SC's from 62 QF/OW sectors, 194,453 miles, and 534 hours flying time.

Countries and number of times visited were;

Germany x 4,
USA x 3,
Taiwan x 3,
India x 2,
Ireland x 1,
China x 1,
Korea x 1,
Indonesia x 1.

This doesn't include the other 25 sectors and 41,364 miles I flew on *A during this time in -Y as well......

 

[smit0847]

If you were commuting to PER from ADL once a week for 10 months of the year you would easily make WP.

 

[Shelf]

Didn't someone post they made WP1 by only flying Y ?

 

[cptchris]

I can probably be put into the lunatic cases that are WP flying deep discount Y, I fly Sydney to Darwin and back every 4 days and heading to WP1 with the use of possibly 1 or 2 JASA's (I do break up the boredom by flying via different hubs and occasional points upgrades to keep me sane as mentioned by another poster!) these do add a few more SC and I got the DSC offer this year!

 

[rotor]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I can't imagine travelling so frequently as to achieve WP with discount economy fares...!

I generally fly int'l, not domestic - I'm hesitant to mention destinations, as the walls have ears, and the mere notion that one would seek additional benefits 'round these parts is a serious no-no - it's a cultural thing.

Anyway, I do think that there is too much of a disparity between SCs earnt between fare classes - earning WP "the hard way" seems to me to be worth more than one who is flown J. Frankly I'm surprised that there are still companies out there whose policy it is to fly J, with the economy the way it is.

 

[ozmille]

Didn't someone post they made WP1 by only flying Y ?

I think KitKat if I am not mistaken

 

[userlame]

I'm going to make WP this year flying only domestic Y (with a status run at the last moment if I won't make it). It's really not that hard, return trips from Sydney to any other Australian city/town every week.

 

[Ewing]

My old boss earned P1 flying Y on the "golden triangle". Always cheapest ticket (which still meant that some were flexi due to availability).

I did not envy him.

 

[danny09]

Didn't someone post they made WP1 by only flying Y ?

Made WP1 mostly in Y Dom, had to throw in 4 jasa's to tip me over the line, which was a total waste as i ended up with 4450 sc's in my membership year (500 SC's from DSC offer) All on QF Dom & as a foot note, out of 115 dom flights, 6 Op-up's, deffinetly on par for about the 2-4% Op-up average