Guessing this is what we will be hearing about tonight:
Qantas targets top-tier frequent flyers with new benefits
Hate to say, this makes me less loyal, and it's frankly a stupid move.
To summarise, P1 to get partner WP (devaluing earned WP and also stupid as the partner would be travelling with the P1 or probably in a premium class), a flow forward earlier domestic flight benefit (the other guys give this to much lower tiers), free phone booking (don't they get this already) and a membership to their golf club (I couldn't care less).
I am unlikely (nor even desire) to reach P1 on self funded travel. Now that there will be a couple of thousand new WPs, being WP means less and less and the benefits will be eroded further.
These people are geniuses.
Let's demolish this one step at a time....
1/ You say you'll never reach P1 on self-funded travel - fair enough ( I won't requalify on self-funded travel either). So clearly this is not going to be an incentive for you - fair enough. But QF never wanted P1 to be an "incentive" in that regard... More as a reward to keep high-flyers within the Group rather than thinking their extra SC earn was wasted.
2/ How on God's Earth will benefits be eroded by this????? Seriously - I am so sick of this bull**** argument that comes up from time to time!!
What are you worried about - that a partner WP (if they don't already have a shiny card from flying so much with their partner) is going to compete with you for seats at the DYKWIA Convention???
Are you worried that they will take your precious seat in the lounge when they are flying (OMG they're flying and earning status) - here's a lightbulb moment - THEY ALREADY HAVE PG STATUS - which means they already have lounge access in their own right.
OK - now they have access to the F lounge on the odd occasion that they are not flying with their partner.
I'm sorry - but has anyone actually been turned away from the F lounge because they were full? Yes - sometimes the restaurant is busy - but they will still serve you wherever you are in the lounge. And if the wankers on their MacBook Airs with their rose-petal soy lattes actually moved their man satchels and themselves away from the restaurant when they have finished eating - then there would be plenty of room for new eaters.
Besides - this congestion really only occurs briefly ahead of QF107 in my observations.
As far as other lounge crowding goes - drop the guest entitlement and revert to guest passes - seems fairer to me and will make more lounge space.
OH - I get it - you're worried that they'll pip you on upgrade priority or take your award seats - well you've forgotten an important point:
As a P1 - if I want to upgrade my "cousin" (or get an award seat for them) - they ALREADY receive P1 priority so you're already pipped regardless.
Fact is two things:
1/ I doubt this will make jack-all difference. The only example is the one QF themselves provides... ie. the partner is flying to meet the P1 on holiday and may use the F lounge by themselves. Most other times they'll be the P1's guest anyway.
2/ This should have been included when P1 was launched - it's simply tidying up what was a glaring omission.
It may not benefit you - hell - it may not benefit me, but to claim it makes you less loyal is a stupid comment and really contributes nothing.
NOW - if you're point was "hmm, ok.... don't really see much improvement and it really just serves to show that VA provide a pretty decent offering in comparison for less" - well then that is a very fair statement.
Sorry for the rant- but I'm sick and tired of people stating logical fallacies when it comes to dilution of benefits.
There is plenty of material to bag QF about - plenty of opportunities for them to improve - plenty of times they get it wrong - but this is a genuine improvement (albeit minor and perhaps insufficient).
