100+ Points Planes to Noumea

[ChrisMars]

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/more-reward-seats-for-frequent-flyers-qantas-announces-noumea-points-planes/

" More than 100 dedicated Points Planes from Sydney and Brisbane to Nouméa
Thousands of new Classic Flight Reward seats available August to November"


Nice initiative, I wish I didnt burn all my leaves already

 

[exLXCXFF]

The related Executive Traveller article hints that something similar is coming for Incheon and India in a few months - I will definitely wait and try to jump on that!

 

[OATEK]

I love the way the examples are all AU-Noumea, would be funny if all one way!

For those who enjoy South Sea getaways it would be a great boon to say book a whole family in points.

 

[offshore171]

Is this initiative subsidised in some way by the Noumean government?

There was something in the paper last weekend saying that Noumea was absolutely dead quiet.

Wondering if this is some sort of campaign to restart their tourism industry?


Found the item in question on traveller.com.au

PACIFIC BLUES​

I am an independent traveller attempting to return to normal post-COVID. I recently visited New Caledonia (newcaledonia.travel) the French territory in the South Pacific whose national airline declared it open for business. Beware and do your homework carefully. Normally a cruise destination, the capital of Noumea was dead, especially on evenings and weekends. I was the only tourist staying at the YHA and could find no group tours operating to the reef or other parts of the island. Bus services were limited and I ended up hitchhiking, at 67. Being a glass-half-full gal, I met the locals, practised my French, and de-rusted my travel skills as it was a rather challenging experience reminiscent of pre-internet times. Travel light with a sense of humour.

 

[AIRwin]

I wish I didnt burn all my leaves already

Autumn leaves?

 

[AIRwin]

Is this initiative subsidised in some way by the Noumean government?

There was something in the paper last weekend saying that Noumea was absolutely dead quiet.

Wondering if this is some sort of campaign to restart their tourism industry?

Aircalin has also launched flights to SIN recently...

 

[Cognac]

What would be the downside for Qantas if they made every plane a points plane? They get paid when the frequent flyer point goes out the door right, when whichever partner buys it from them?

 

[offshore171]

What would be the downside for Qantas if they made every plane a points plane?

Likely a massive short term impact on cashflow.

Revenue per seat from selling points for those seats is nowhere near what they get for cash sales of the seats.

 

[Cognac]

I feel like there would just be so many benefits that would heavily outweigh that short-term cashflow hit (which really would be short-term).

They clearly have a huge liability of outstanding points and are trying to incentivise the use of them to clear that backlog. Never mind that you can already use points + pay (at a severely reduce value), buy stuff in their shop, or they'll expire.

But if they changed their policy to open up classic rewards for every flight, while in the short-term they'd see a huge rush of people spending their points, if it was that easy to redeem and use there would also (I imagine) be an enormous uptick in people wanting those points. My initial thought is that the balance of awards-seats vs revenue seats probably wouldn't change a super huge amount in the long term, but the customer goodwill that would come with it would be enormous...

 

[SYD]

I love the way the examples are all AU-Noumea, would be funny if all one way!

For those who enjoy South Sea getaways it would be a great boon to say book a whole family in points.

I can see return options!

The downside obviously is this is limited to QFs narrow body service and not the SB wide body codeshares. But I can seem some interesting “status runs” for PC/PC+ members.

What I can’t see is the ability to pay $ over on the SB codeshare (QF flight number) and points for the return on QF metal (for optimising lounge access, flight timing and onboard).

 

[Brissy1]

I can see return options!

The downside obviously is this is limited to QFs narrow body service and not the SB wide body codeshares. But I can seem some interesting “status runs” for PC/PC+ members.

What I can’t see is the ability to pay $ over on the SB codeshare (QF flight number) and points for the return on QF metal (for optimising lounge access, flight timing and onboard).

Yes OATEK, just booked the family on points, J.
Qf outbound, codeshare on the return. Limited J class ex bne but heaps ex syd.

 

[Franky]

What would be the downside for Qantas if they made every plane a points plane? They get paid when the frequent flyer point goes out the door right, when whichever partner buys it from them?

I did advise after the first FCO-PER flight that a crew member handed out cards(signed by AJ) which I assumed went to all pax on the flight, and stated that all onboard had booked on points. The aircraft was full. I still doubt it to this day, however, that's what I was told. The card actually read 'Qantas Rome Perth Points Plane Flight'.

 

[Kerrodt]

I’m considering booking a points trip to New Caledonia and take advantage of this offer. A couple of questions:

1. Any recent post-pandemic experience on how things are now in New Caledonia- Noumea and other areas? Have the reopened sufficiently etc to be enjoyable to tourists.
2. Any suggestions, or trip reports from others, on what to do, where to go etc.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Dr Ralph]

The related Executive Traveller article hints that something similar is coming for Incheon and India in a few months - I will definitely wait and try to jump on that!

This would be much more interesting for me if true.

I've zero interest in Noumea.

 

[levelnine]

What would be the downside for Qantas if they made every plane a points plane?

They already do. It's called Points + Pay. And you can see how worthless points are in that scenario.

 

[gibboflyer]

Booked all four of us return to Noumea on points too

 

[get me outta here]

I spent a day in NOU once …

 

[SYD]

I spent a day in NOU once …

You’re a hard marker. It’s a quirky tropical French tart worth exploring. Just a pity the airport is in the middle of nowhere…

 

[get me outta here]

I do remember there’s a really nice open air museum just out of town. Tjibaou Cultural Centre. The building was designed by Renzo Piano.

 

[Austman]

It seems it's an awful place:

Ticking all the Boxes in Noumea

Sitting at home one morning and the phone rings. It’s @Fifa. “Did you see QF has a double status credit offer?” Yes, I reply. She suggests +1 (@Gem56) and I join her and Mr Fifa for a status run to Noumea. “$2,600 return and you’ll earn 880 SCs if we start from ADL. We’ll go...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

I have never been.

If anyone is interested, I will be traveling there, in QF/SB J-class MEL-SYD-NOU-BNE-MEL, quite soon. In less than a week in fact.

I could do a mini TR?