A sign of things to come? Points + Pay your way to UK and Europe

[dajop]

Received an email today from QFF, with a points + pay early bird offer.

Making the big trip to the UK and Europe is easier than ever before with Qantas Holidays' exclusive Earlybird Points + Pay offer.

From just $1461* + 100,000 points you can fly between Melbourne and London and enjoy a $300 land credit which can be used towards accommodation, car hire or sightseeing booked through Qantas Holidays.

Valid for travel for 4 Oct - 11 Nov. Includes fuel fines etc.

Can book same deal sans the $300 land credit on QF site for $1958. So that makes 100,000 pts worth $497 + $300 land credit (or maximum $797 if fully value land credit) Or max of 0.8c per point (less if you discount the land credit value as I would to probably $150). Sign of what's to come with new any available seat philosophy?

 

[JohnK]

Looks to be a very poor value offer for low season travel over 10 months in advance.

But then I would not expect better offers from an airline with a very high FF point liability.

 

[straitman]

Looks to be a very poor value offer for low season travel over 10 months in advance.

But then I would not expect better offers from an airline with a very high FF point liability.

Agreed JohnK. There are many examples of these extremely poor value uses of points available. Pretty much all you ever see is worth 1c per point or less.

It really shows up the value of sites such as AFF and the assistance they offer to travellers in getting value for money (or points in this case) :!:

 

[serfty]

As I posted on FT, I guess Qantas are targeting those not so worldly when it comes to frequent flying/card spending.

As "PT Barnum" was quoted as saying - "There's a sucker born every minute ..."

 

[straitman]

As "PT Barnum" was quoted as saying - "There's a sucker born every minute ..."

Which is probably why he was called 'The Shakespeare of Advertising' and 'The Prince of Humbugs'

 

[Alanslegal]

Qantas, what's the points? | NEWS.com.au

Saw this article mocking this promotion............

 

[simongr]

Some great comments - something dear to our hearts.

 

[josko]

Does Qantas really think we are all idiots???

What's worse is that these are not even full economy fares but rather heaviliy retricted ones!

I really hope that the Qantas exec's who thought up this rubbish get relagated to economy class travel (seat 64K next to an overflowing toilet on a long haul flight to London) for being such fools.......Mind you, there are bound to be suckers out there who will think this is such a good deal.

Then again, what was that saying...oh yes "A fool and their QFF points are soon parted"

I'll stick to 256k points for a business class return to Euro land

Josko:evil:

 

[serfty]

... I'll stick to 256k points for a business class return to Euro land ...

Or,even better, a 282.5K Business class trip around the world (or up to 16 segments and 5 stopovers travelling no more than 35,000 miles).

 

[bambbbam2]

Wouldn't points plus pay direct from Qantas be a better deal?

 

[macca172]

What...the early bird ticket price is $1997.00 and they want 1000,000 points plus $1,400.00 forthis so called members deal....give me a break for Pete's sake! I hope the idiot that came up with this idea is looking at the position vacant in the SMH calssifieds tomorrow morning.....I will stick to the 128,000 points and the $600 rip off taxes myself.

 

[Dave Noble]

Nobody is forcing anyone to use these awards.

They may be of benefit to some people and not to others ( like many awards). Personally I would rarely use points for economy award flights since I think that they tend to be bad value but others are happy to use them

if people do not like them, then they will not redeem for them but I dont see a reason for insulting people who do use it or those that instigated the award

Dave

 

[Alanslegal]

Nobody is forcing anyone to use these awards.

They may be of benefit to some people and not to others ( like many awards). Personally I would rarely use points for economy award flights since I think that they tend to be bad value but others are happy to use them

if people do not like them, then they will not redeem for them but I dont see a reason for insulting people who do use it or those that instigated the award

Dave

so I pose this question, will any member here on AFF utilise this promotion?

my prediction is that nobody here on AFF will.....

 

[dajop]

but I dont see a reason for insulting people who do use it or those that instigated the award

I don't know, I occassionally enjoy reading a colourful post like that, as long as its not personal (ie attacking a specific individual by name or implication), it gives an insight into the posters real views and personality

After checking, in reality the pts value is somewhere around the same value as a typical Amex voucher style reward $50 = 6750 pts, and probably better than a typical JQ domestic award. What worries me though is this is from the airline not from a CC provider, so when we get the anyseat awards ("coming soon"), does this mean J class awards from AUS-LAX using the 0.8c per point valuation will come in at around 500,000pts one way?

 

[Dave Noble]

so I pose this question, will any member here on AFF utilise this promotion?

my prediction is that nobody here on AFF will.....

One key (imo) question is whether this award still books in X class or into a revenue class since that could make a difference to its usefulness

Dave

 

[JohnK]

Nobody is forcing anyone to use these awards.

That is absolutely right. But you know what! There are gullible people that trust everything QF proposes, or any airline for that matter, and don't know any better. These are the people that need to be protected. Not QF.

The more I look at it the more this offer looks like a joke. QF you should be ashamed.

 

[straitman]

Nobody is forcing anyone to use these awards.

They may be of benefit to some people and not to others ( like many awards). Personally I would rarely use points for economy award flights since I think that they tend to be bad value but others are happy to use them

if people do not like them, then they will not redeem for them but I dont see a reason for insulting people who do use it or those that instigated the award

Dave

Dave Noble,

Not sure what your problem is here Dave. The only 'word' used was 'idiot' which has several meanings, one or more of which are very appropriate in the context of this discussion.

Idiot is a word derived from the Greek ἰδιώτης, idiōtēs ("person lacking professional skill," "a private citizen," "individual"), from ἴδιος, idios ("private," "one's own").[1] In Latin the word idiota ("ordinary person, layman") preceded the Late Latin meaning "uneducated or ignorant person."[2] Its modern meaning and form dates back to Middle English around the year 1300, from the Old French idiote ("uneducated or ignorant person"). The related word idiocy dates to 1487 and may have been analogously modeled on the words prophet[3] and prophecy.[4][5] The word has cognates in many other languages.

 

[Mal]

One key (imo) question is whether this award still books in X class or into a revenue class since that could make a difference to its usefulness

Personally, I think that people who sign up for this either have too many points and are happy to waste them, or aren't educated enough to know how to best use their points.

I agree though, the booking class does have some effect as to the value. If I put $500K/year through my credit card thanks to my business (like a lot of people do), then 100000 points is nothing to me and the additional SC's might mean something to me.

Knowing Qantas and their interesting ways, I have no doubt they are using this as a test of something to 'improve' the FF scheme.

 

[straitman]

Knowing Qantas and their interesting ways, I have no doubt they are using this as a test of something to 'improve' the FF scheme.

Interesting terminology :!:

 

[gaia]

Sign of what's to come with new any available seat philosophy?

Any details on this yet? Or it might not happen?