AIR - A Qantas Magazine

[Philbyau]

I've just received my first AIR, I do feel special. I'm just a very frequent whY flyer, but first year as WP after 7 years at SG. Nothing in the mag about QF really, which is a bit of surprise, it's strange flipping through a glossy mag without a flatbed advertisement

 

[Grooba]

I've just received my first AIR, I do feel special. I'm just a very frequent whY flyer, but first year as WP after 7 years at SG. Nothing in the mag about QF really, which is a bit of surprise, it's strange flipping through a glossy mag without a flatbed advertisement

I'm there with ya in Y, probably 97% of the time. Only time I'm not in Y is due to an op-up or on a YUP fare in the states.

Always nice to get the copy of AIR delivered

 

[simongr]

It has really helped me in my decision making process between the Rolls Royce Ghost at a $645,000 and the somewhat costly Bentley (at $695,000)...

 

[TonyHancock]

It has really helped me in my decision making process between the Rolls Royce Ghost at a $645,000 and the somewhat costly Bentley (at $695,000)...

I opted for the Bentley, and chose to keep the RR Ghost in my Garage, however when I have to use long term parking I take the Aston Martin.

.....mmmmmm in my dreams perhaps.

 

[jamesatfish]

Received my second copy this week - both my wife and I received the first edition back in 2008 but obviously dropped off the qualification list since then - I was retaining WP with around 1600SCs but she dropped back to SG in 2009.

We've both re-qualified WP + PG this year (around 2200SCs for her, around 2900SCs for me) - lo and behold we both received this latest edition.

Did enjoy the Rolls / Bentley article but not much else in there that interested me personally. The only thing of interest for my wife was the ad for her favourite jeweller in Sydney.

 

[FrankC]

We've both re-qualified WP + PG this year

Totally OT, but got a PG to spare?

 

[jamesatfish]

Totally OT, but got a PG to spare?

I wish QF were more flexible as to how the PG could be allocated - I'd like to use it for my daughter (the points earning bonus would come in handy for the points nest egg I plan to accumulate in her account for her use when she turns 18) or for my sister, but neither option is allowed under QF's rules.

When your partner makes WP / PG of their own accord there's really not much benefit in earning more than 1200 SCs per year - except it seems to qualify for the Air magazine...

 

[YQY]

When your partner makes WP / PG of their own accord there's really not much benefit in earning more than 1200 SCs per year - except it seems to qualify for the Air magazine...

or if your partner only flew three times last year and two of the trips were with you.... i wish i could allocate my PG to my dad.

 

[simongr]

When your partner makes WP / PG of their own accord there's really not much benefit in earning more than 1200 SCs per year - except it seems to qualify for the Air magazine...

mrssimongr only flies with me (or may fly domestically in J) so PG is next to worthless. The only reasons I credited to QF after WP was for lifetime status and to simplify status benefits on itineraries (i.e. I dont want to get kicked out of my BA good seats for flying as a AA Plat or GLD).

 

[samh004]

I wish QF were more flexible as to how the PG could be allocated - I'd like to use it for my daughter (the points earning bonus would come in handy for the points nest egg I plan to accumulate in her account for her use when she turns 18) or for my sister, but neither option is allowed under QF's rules.

or if your partner only flew three times last year and two of the trips were with you.... i wish i could allocate my PG to my dad.

Why can’t you, don’t the rules simply state they have to be a partner (with no definition of what sort of partner) and reside at the same address?

When you hit PG, where do you allocate the membership, does another setting become available when logged into your account?

 

[YQY]

Why can’t you, don’t the rules simply state they have to be a partner (with no definition of what sort of partner) and reside at the same address?

When you hit PG, where do you allocate the membership, does another setting become available when logged into your account?

I think i had to fill in a form (not online) - and my dad lives in Adelaide.

 

[jamesatfish]

Why can’t you, don’t the rules simply state they have to be a partner (with no definition of what sort of partner) and reside at the same address?

When you hit PG, where do you allocate the membership, does another setting become available when logged into your account?

When you reach PG you get a letter & form where you complete the details for your partner and return it to Qantas, or you can ring the QFF membership desk and process the request over the phone.

The paper form asked for the partner's date of birth, which deterred me from nominating my daughter (who is only 9 months old), and my sister lives in the UK so it's a bit difficult to change either of our mailing addresses to match.

 

[simongr]

I think also the form specifies that the partner needs to be a true partner somehow and if not this would be a breach of terms (loss of points/status etc.).

However if wiling to take the risk the Jamesatfish why not simply put your sisters' address as your address and then forward on the mailing/card to her - a small price to pay if willing to take the risk. The only post should be the annual card renewal.

 

[jamesatfish]

I think also the form specifies that the partner needs to be a true partner somehow and if not this would be a breach of terms (loss of points/status etc.).

However if wiling to take the risk the Jamesatfish why not simply put your sisters' address as your address and then forward on the mailing/card to her - a small price to pay if willing to take the risk. The only post should be the annual card renewal.

My sister's nearest airport is Stansted, so they mainly fly LCCs to Europe from there (no value in OneWorld status) and their recent flights to the US have been either with Virgin or with BA in J or F so again either no value in the OneWorld status or the benefits of status are provided by class of travel anyway.

Given all that, I'm not willing to take the risk and breach the Ts & Cs of my membership, thus losing points or status in the process.

It's just frustrating that QF don't openly provide more flexibility in how PG can be allocated.

 

[simongr]

Out of interest do any other airline programs have a similar program? I appreciate the frustration but I do feel that if QF didnt offer anything above WP (i.e. no PG) then we wouldnt complain about that as much as we complain about the lack of extra benefit of PG. And yes I know we do complain about a lack of real status above WP that is achievable through flying.

 

[jamesatfish]

Out of interest do any other airline programs have a similar program? I appreciate the frustration but I do feel that if QF didnt offer anything above WP (i.e. no PG) then we wouldnt complain about that as much as we complain about the lack of extra benefit of PG. And yes I know we do complain about a lack of real status above WP that is achievable through flying.

No idea if other airlines have a similar benefit, but you're correct in that the general complaint is not the inflexibility of PG allocation, but the lack of further status tiers above the 1200 SC WP threshold.

Perhaps they should set a concrete WP + Air Magazine threshold so we can all strive to achieve that instead.

 

[MatF]

Perhaps they should set a concrete WP + Air Magazine threshold so we can all strive to achieve that instead.

I'm not sure it's much to strive for. It's clearly aimed squarely at people who attain WP and beyond through self funded leisure travel (and have the disposable income to match), not those who fly all too often for work (like me). There's not much in there that interests me.

Some other QFF level above WP with some tangible benefits for the traveller would be nice! As I've said before, PG is of little use to me, as my wife rarely flies - and when she does, it's with me anyway.

 

[medhead]

Why can’t you, don’t the rules simply state they have to be a partner (with no definition of what sort of partner) and reside at the same address?

When you hit PG, where do you allocate the membership, does another setting become available when logged into your account?

When you reach PG you get a letter & form where you complete the details for your partner and return it to Qantas, or you can ring the QFF membership desk and process the request over the phone.

The paper form asked for the partner's date of birth, which deterred me from nominating my daughter (who is only 9 months old), and my sister lives in the UK so it's a bit difficult to change either of our mailing addresses to match.

Actually there is a definition of Partner in the T&C:

'Partner' means a Member's spouse or domestic partner who resides at the same address as the Member

IMO there is scope in the term "domestic partner" to extend to others besides wife/intimate partner. It could mean someone who is a partner in your domestic situation. for example if I was single and sharing a house with my brother and we were both responsible for the bills, maintainence etc. Then I would have no hesitation nominating him as my domestic partner.

Clearly such a broad interpretation can't be stretched to include a 9 month old daughter.

As I've said before, PG is of little use to me, as my wife rarely flies - and when she does, it's with me anyway.

If you have it then surely the benefit you can get is the extra points earning for gold status. Not much benefit but still.

For me if I ever make PG then benefit will come in when travelling with family for the extra guest spot.

 

[YQY]

Got back home tonite - I had received the latest edition. I think this is my 7th or 8th copy.....

 

[munitalP]

Air is provided to those that meet the following criteria:

Qantas elite 15,000 Chairmans Lounge Members 25,000 top echelon Platinum Frequent Flyers.

So if you are in the top 25K of WP's, your on the list! How that top 25 is ranked, be it by SCs or revenue I am not sure.

This is a little different to when the first issue arrived in my letterbox.

I would think that the GFC has played a part in allowing more people to see the magazine over the last 12 months due to decreased J travel and increased full discount Y - so a lot of business types who done less travel for higher rewarded SC's (in J or F) are now flying Y and falling out of grace with QF.

I have seen nowhere that Chairmans Lounge get this mag by default - if they do, it would be against the tide of it's a reward for their most frequent fliers, not their highest status levels.

I think I have included this scan somewhere else, but here it is again, the original letter from "Johno" welcoming me aboard...

munitalP