AA Plat Challenge gone wrong so far

[serfty]

I was thinking about enrolling in this, but it's beginning to sound like too much hassle, what with having to ring the US and possibly ring more than once to enrol and then having trouble getting the points allocated right.

Once you've earned the AA points, do you have to ring the US again to be able to use them?

I dunno, I'm happy with gold, do I really need a short cut to platinum when it looks this difficult?

Anna, Unless you wish to progress to AA elite status (or, perhaps obtain 20,000 mile AA rewards for OZ/NZ round trips) there is no need for you to undertake the challenge.

As a Qantas Gold, you are already oneWORLD Sapphire, the equivalent Tier of AA Platinum!

 

[albatross710]

It is definately worth it

My travelling companion was successful in taking the challenge on the same flight itinery without any problems and has received confirmation from AA. He's and his family are looking forward to taking his trips whenever he has time.

In hindsight, my problem was that I was using my QC card for our access to the QP at which time the helpful desk staff would keep offering to enter my QC number again as it was 'missing' from my booking.

 

[JohnK]

As a Qantas Gold, you are already oneWORLD Sapphire, the equivalent Tier of AA Platinum!

If AA platinum is the equivalent to QF Gold I would rather have QF Gold any day.

Living in Oz wouldn't it be difficult to transfer credit card points to AA and still get a 1:1 transfer. So you would still need QF membership for award flights with credit cards points? I would rather have the QF status to open up the possibility of more award seats. I apologise if I have got these facts wrong.

And BTW I am 30 status credits in front of you this year. Although my year started in June and yours started 2 days ago. :roll: :shock:

 

[Dave Noble]

I would rather have the QF status to open up the possibility of more award seats. I apologise if I have got these facts wrong.

There is additional availability for QF Gold members from the T inventory instead of just X. For business and 1st awards, the inventory is the same so no benefit to QF

Considering of course elements such as r/t 1st class award UK-Oz is 160k AA points or 120k business class compared with 128k for economy from QF points and the benefits are def there

Dave

 

[NM]

Considering of course elements such as r/t 1st class award UK-Oz is 160k AA points or 120k business class compared with 128k for economy from QF points and the benefits are def there

And the down side is no lounge access on AA domestic flights unless same-day connection to/from an international flight. People will put different values on the pros and cons.

 

[Dave Noble]

Considering of course elements such as r/t 1st class award UK-Oz is 160k AA points or 120k business class compared with 128k for economy from QF points and the benefits are def there

And the down side is no lounge access on AA domestic flights unless same-day connection to/from an international flight. People will put different values on the pros and cons.

True indeed. Since this was predominantly an Australian board, I did think that that was not likely to be that much of an issue to ppl here, but a good point

Dave

 

[JohnK]

And the down side is no lounge access on AA domestic flights unless same-day connection to/from an international flight. People will put different values on the pros and cons.

I am glad that a lot of the people here place a huge emphasis on lounge access. You are all very used to it and love it. But is not the end all and be all of airline travel.

I couldn't give squat whether I am in a lounge or not. I can just as easily sit on the floor for 8 hours waiting for flight, and BTW I have done this many times. When I used to smoke this was easy but I gave up 2 years ago and it still just as easy to wait. I am not alone there either :!: :roll: Many people have done it with me. People like my parents and most friends would not even know what a lounge looks like and do not even care.

I am just happy if I can find McDonalds/Pizza Hut/KFC/ Burger King, any junkfood place, if I am hungry and if I can buy a beer somewhere for under $10 I am also happy. In SYD and BNE I can have 2-3 beers for around $10-$15 which is still a little more cheaper than QC membership. In BKK it is around $10 for 3 beers outside of lounge, in SIN a little more but still not expensive.

Personally, and most people I know, could not give squat if they had access to showers or not in between flights. In case anyone cares it is a very small percentage of people who want to have to showers between flights and most frequent this site. My biggest worry is how I get there, not whether I have had shower or not. Ever heard of European showers? They work quite well. My shaving kit and all essentials are in checked luggage and this is where they reside. Could not be bothered keeping a change of clothes annd essentials on board plane. Also I use razor blades, not electric/battery shaver as I have a real beard not bum fluff, so these can't even be carried on board on plane.

If I was able to use lounge access 22 times per year to recover $330/year membership it may be worth it. Other wise I will have to wait until the day get QFF Gold or QFF Platinum to even worry about lounge access unlees someone invites me.

This is just my whinge. Again. :roll: Free society we all have our beliefs. Please in no way am I demeaning anyone that disagrees with what I have mentioned. Just think that majority of people flying are people that fly once a year or every 2-3 years. QF WP and QF SG are a very very small part of society. Your beliefs are a very small percentage of the population. I cknow I can sit/stand in an airport for hours on end without any hassles. I don't think you can. :!: And that is all about being spoilt.

As mentioned earlier please do not take any offence to what I have said. This is a site for all flyers not just WP and SG. It is here for people that also fly once in a blue moon. Right or wrong? Who cares. Just my opinion.

Alcohol wearing off and I have run out of things to write. Again sorry if my view does not agree with anyone else's views. I sense that most people on this site do not like me but who cares!. I am entitled to my opinion and if you don't like it then don't read it. Have fun.

 

[meloz]

John K

I think you will find that the more sectors one does, the greater the boredom and the need for comforts.

The fewer the sectors, the greater the excitement of travel.

It is all relevant. I love travel, I don't particularly enjoy time in a tube even up the pointy end. The fun begins when you get your bags and get to your destination.

Gold's and Plats definitely represent a small percentage of the spectrum yet their spend for the year is substantial. They waste a truck load more time of their life in terminals and on aircraft, hence they have a greater need and desire for "the little things" that make travel a little more bareable. Additionally I can guarantee you any Gold or Plat worth their salt has had their fair share of hanging around terminals without the luxury of a lounge, a seat or a roof for many an hour.

I have often used razor blades prior to landing on long hauls. I must have been lucky enough to sneak them through though.

It would be advisable not to start screaming help, help the paranoids are coming to get me re: this board after a rant like that. I'm a tad disappointed that you put your warning not to read it in the last sentence, thereby negating your preceding offer of "if I didn't like it". Note to yourself, put warnings first.

Anyway have fun!

Meloz

 

[QF WP]

I think you will find that the more sectors one does, the greater the boredom and the need for comforts. The fewer the sectors, the greater the excitement of travel.

It is all relevant. I love travel, I don't particularly enjoy time in a tube even up the pointy end. The fun begins when you get your bags and get to your destination.

Gold's and Plats definitely represent a small percentage of the spectrum yet their spend for the year is substantial. They waste a truck load more time of their life in terminals and on aircraft, hence they have a greater need and desire for "the little things" that make travel a little more bareable. Additionally I can guarantee you any Gold or Plat worth their salt has had their fair share of hanging around terminals without the luxury of a lounge, a seat or a roof for many an hour.

I hear you, meloz, I hear you...

 

[NM]

I am glad that a lot of the people here place a huge emphasis on lounge access. You are all very used to it and love it. But is not the end all and be all of airline travel.

For me, it is a large of the travel experience. Probably because I spend so many hours at airports when travelling. A quick calculation shows 88+ hours over 42 lounge visits (taking 13 lounge showers) over 3 months and 200+ hours of flight time. That is a big part of my life to be spent sitting on the floor at a gate. I can get some work done, take a shower, have a massage (at LHR), eat, drink, surf etc.

I am just happy if I can find McDonalds/Pizza Hut/KFC/ Burger King, any junkfood place, if I am hungry and if I can buy a beer somewhere for under $10 I am also happy. In SYD and BNE I can have 2-3 beers for around $10-$15 which is still a little more cheaper than QC membership. In BKK it is around $10 for 3 beers outside of lounge, in SIN a little more but still not expensive.

I agree if not travelling regularly. But at 42 visits in 3 months, an average airport spend of $10-$15 soon adds up.

Personally, and most people I know, could not give squat if they had access to showers or not in between flights. In case anyone cares it is a very small percentage of people who want to have to showers between flights and most frequent this site. My biggest worry is how I get there, not whether I have had shower or not. Ever heard of European showers? They work quite well. My shaving kit and all essentials are in checked luggage and this is where they reside. Could not be bothered keeping a change of clothes annd essentials on board plane. Also I use razor blades, not electric/battery shaver as I have a real beard not bum fluff, so these can't even be carried on board on plane.

Each to his own. My personal preference is to commence a long flight feeling comfortable. After a days in the Kuala Lumpur humidity, I really appreciate a shower before embarking on an overnight flight home. Also, after making a long flight (say HKG-LAX) and connecting to another flight (say LAX-MIA red-eye), I find it is nice to spend part of the 6 hours layover under a shower.

If I was able to use lounge access 22 times per year to recover $330/year membership it may be worth it. Other wise I will have to wait until the day get QFF Gold or QFF Platinum to even worry about lounge access unlees someone invites me.

If those were 22 international flights (90% of my travel is international), you would probably attain Gold FF status anyway, so no need to pay out the $330. This is particularly the case if undertaking the AA Plat Challenge.

This is just my whinge. Again. :roll: Free society we all have our beliefs. Please in no way am I demeaning anyone that disagrees with what I have mentioned. Just think that majority of people flying are people that fly once a year or every 2-3 years. QF WP and QF SG are a very very small part of society. Your beliefs are a very small percentage of the population. I cknow I can sit/stand in an airport for hours on end without any hassles. I don't think you can. :!: And that is all about being spoilt.

As mentioned earlier please do not take any offence to what I have said. This is a site for all flyers not just WP and SG. It is here for people that also fly once in a blue moon. Right or wrong? Who cares. Just my opinion.

Alcohol wearing off and I have run out of things to write. Again sorry if my view does not agree with anyone else's views. I sense that most people on this site do not like me but who cares!. I am entitled to my opinion and if you don't like it then don't read it. Have fun.

I respect your opinion (no need to apologise for that) and agree that most once-a-year travellers don't need or want lounge access. But this is a "frequentflyer" board, and in the survey I took of all the people in this room 100% are Qantas Platinum status Frequent Flyers. So my comments are not aimed at once-a-year flyers, but at those who spend much of their life at airports and in hollow alunimium tubes travelling at 900km/h at 35,000 feet.

And if I can help a few once-a-year flyers experience the wonders of lounge access by reaching OneWorld Sapphire status during their once-a-year sojourn, then perhaps some of them will appreciate it.

 

[JohnK]

It would be advisable not to start screaming help, help the paranoids are coming to get me re: this board after a rant like that. I'm a tad disappointed that you put your warning not to read it in the last sentence, thereby negating your preceding offer of "if I didn't like it". Note to yourself, put warnings first.

Anyway have fun!

Meloz

Life goes on and you will get over your dissapointment. I should not have had the warning at all. And yes I did have fun and I had my whinge and now I feel good.

Again no offence meant to anyone whatsoever. I know people like NM, Lindsay, serfty, dave noble, straitman and others do a lot of travelling hence they appreciate the finer things in life. And yes I know this is a frequent flyer site but there are also regular visits to this site from non frequent travellers. Whether it be to seek advice from the experts or just generally browse around. At 1420 users, so far, all can't be frequent travellers. I have introduced a few friends to this site, who fly at best once a year, and they lurk but as yet have not posted. This site is very useful for information and tips from the experts such as the names mentioned above.

Just an opinion from the other side of the fence where things are not always rosy.

Have fun one and all.

 

[JohnK]

I respect your opinion (no need to apologise for that) and agree that most once-a-year travellers don't need or want lounge access. But this is a "frequentflyer" board, and in the survey I took of all the people in this room 100% are Qantas Platinum status Frequent Flyers. So my comments are not aimed at once-a-year flyers, but at those who spend much of their life at airports and in hollow alunimium tubes travelling at 900km/h at 35,000 feet.

And if I can help a few once-a-year flyers experience the wonders of lounge access by reaching OneWorld Sapphire status during their once-a-year sojourn, then perhaps some of them will appreciate it.

I totally agree with everything you said. Life for you is not so easy having to spend so much time away from your family and home. The finer things are very important because they make you more comfortable in your travels.

This was not just my opinion but a culmination of discussions with friends and acquaintances over the last few weeks. The most important factor for them is to get from A->B as quickly as possible. Many of them don't even drink alcohol during a flight and that includes before flight or in-transit.

On the other hand I love flying but couldn't care less for the finer things like lounge access, internet, e-mails etc. When I say to people I want to go to Launceston for a day just for the hell of it they look at me in a weird way. These are simple people with simple needs.

I, and I am sure many others, have learnt a lot from this site and especially from you, Lindsay, serfty, Dave Noble and other experts. I have been passing some of this information to people I know and they are also very appreciative for the tips.

Keep up the great work and have fun.

 

[icarus]

I think a lot depends on whether you are flying for pleasure or flying for work. With the latter, the gilt wears of the gingerbread fairly quickly, and lounge access makes up for some of the flexibility you lose when you don't get much choice about when, where and why you travel. So if I have to catch the midnight flight back from Perth to arrive in CBR at 6am for a full day's work (as happens now and again), then it's good to be able to have a shower, a coffee, something to eat etc. If I were flying for fun then I could choose my times and I wouldn't need to be presentable for clients and meetings on getting to the end of the flight.

Also, if there are a couple of hours between flights and meetings, then someone is paying for that time, and if I can spend it productively working on a laptop in the lounge, then it's better for all concerned. If that time were my own, then I could easily sit at the bar or wander about the shops (in fact, if flying for pleasure then this is generally what I would do). But a client is paying for that time and I should be spending it at work.

So I fully agree that if you are flying for fun, then lounge access is a luxury, albeit one you can really get used to fast. But I don't think many people with lounge access have taken it out for personal travel. Most of us have it so that we can work more effectively.