Article: Qantas Pleased with Classic Plus Uptake

[justinbrett]

When you write something, and base it on what someone else has written or said, its conventional (and in some cases, has more imperative) to give it an attribution#, especially if you are publishing it. Direct quotes are given in quotation marks to the 'speaker'. Paraphrasing or re-writing is attributed to source.

#Unless given in confidence.

Perhaps that's the professional journalistic standard, but the third paragraph is attributed to the QF Loyalty CEO, so I think the average reader would assume the whole thing came from QF.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I don't think it would be something I'd be "disappointed" over.

 

[kcwalker]

Qantas is hardly going to come out and say it is a flop.

There is a striking statistic in the press release. 80,000 seats have been booked with Classic Plus in the first 3 months of operation.

Qantas have claimed there are 20 mil new reward seats under Classic Plus. That means they have sold 0.4% of available seats, a low figure by pretty much anyone's estimation.

Now that undersells it because the 20 mil figure is presumably all Classic Plus seats and they haven't rolled out the program to domestic seats yet.

So to be fair to Qantas, the latest BITRE statistics have Qantas International operating 550,000 seats to/from Australia in April 2024. That gives Qantas about 6.6mil seats over a 12 month period. That means 1% of seats for the coming 12 months have been purchased using Classic Plus.

About a year ago, Qantas claimed that 1 in 11 seats were classic award seats with a total capacity of 5 million seats.

Classic Plus is currently 10% the size of the classic awards program with 400% more seats available.

Qantas might publicly claim to be happy with the result, but these figures are telling.

Edit: Another way of splicing the numbers.

If most customer are booking a return ticket using Classic Plus for 1.5 passengers (ie a rough split between a customer buying a solo ticket and a customer buying tickets for two people), that means they've only had ~27,000 members use the program.

That is, 0.2% of Qantas' Frequent Flyers.

Level head, Levelnine! A much-needed interpretation of the Qantas spin.

Paying mostly 300% more points to secure a seat up the front on long haul, using Classic Plus is a bizarre interpretation of success for any FF. I would assume, the only reason most FF's would use Classic Plus is simply because Classic is no longer a programme that can be relied on in any workable way to deliver a flight for two people up the front. I understand, with great diligence, patience, persistence, energy, trickery and luck..a few of us can massage the trip plan by flying the wrong away, travelling separately on two separate flights, bunkering down in hubs a few nights to synchronise legs and then paying for other legs to get home...etc..etc.. It's madness!

Qantas have issued an extensive range of points gathering partners and sold it loudly and proudly as an opportunity to fly to the moon and back. This has been a profitable exercise, made more profitable by not actually matching these increased opportunities with actual seats. Then even more profitable again by introducing what is really a new Qantas FF programme, where the only real difference is, you will actually likely find two seats up nearer the front with your partner but.....you need to invest (Burn !) 300% more points in return (mostly)...

The Qantas FF programme and the points have been devalued; not improved, not enriched and not enhanced...which is shame..as it was a relatively great programme on a relatively great airline.

 

[jase05]

Probably AZ, considering that they are joining the LH group.

Not HA?

 

[SydneySwan]

I spoke with some people from Qantas about this recently and they genuinely seemed happy with how Classic Plus was going, although they acknowledged that it's not primarily aimed at the AFF audience. It's more for people who don't have flexibility on when/where they want to fly and are happy for the opportunity to at least use their points when this otherwise might not have been an option.

There is nothing stopping Qantas offering AFF members a more curated deal. How about 2 seats in J at CR points on every flight only available via some AFF link? I am sure other AFFers could come up with some suggestions.

 

[Graham Atkinson]

Qantas Pleased with Classic Plus Uptake is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

Qantas Pleased with Classic Plus Uptake

Qantas Frequent Flyer members booked more than 80,000 Classic Plus reward seats in the first three months after launch. The airline is now looking at expanding the range of reward options for members even further.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

What a load of bs.

The article is just total rubbish Qantas spin. Very disappointing how it's been featured on a site for points collectors.

Who would redeem their points for a Qantas Plus flight in Business for something like a flight from Sydney - LA????

YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE ROCKS IN YOUR HEAD!!!!

Disappointed it gets featured like it's something good that ff collectors would ever actually use.

Next minute there'll be an article recommending redeeming points for a toaster or coffee maker!

We expect better on a points site sorry Matt.

 

[levelnine]

There is nothing stopping Qantas offering AFF members a more curated deal. How about 2 seats in J at CR points on every flight only available via some AFF link? I am sure other AFFers could come up with some suggestions.

That would certainly boost AFF membership lol.

 

[AFF Editor]

What a load of bs.

The article is just total rubbish Qantas spin. Very disappointing how it's been featured on a site for points collectors.

Who would redeem their points for a Qantas Plus flight in Business for something like a flight from Sydney - LA????

YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE ROCKS IN YOUR HEAD!!!!

Disappointed it gets featured like it's something good that ff collectors would ever actually use.

Next minute there'll be an article recommending redeeming points for a toaster or coffee maker!

We expect better on a points site sorry Matt.

I respect your opinion but the article doesn’t actually state that Classic Plus is good value, nor recommend that AFF members book these. It presents some stats on the uptake so far - which Qantas says it’s happy with - and says that this has resulted in more seats being available to book with points. It also gives some insight into Qantas’ thinking behind the change and some possible future program updates.

Fear not, AFF won’t be recommending redeeming points on toasters!

 

[levelnine]

I must admit that I was surprised to hear how well the Ticketek redemptions were going. I guess it goes to show that not everyone thinks like a hardcore AFF member.

There were no stats shared about Ticketek redemptions in the article though.

So we have to take Qantas Marketing at their word.

And we all know that even Neil Perry's leaf salad is a hit in the eyes of Qantas Marketing.

 

[kpc]

QF marketing bs!

 

[chrispy3276]

Fear not, AFF won’t be recommending redeeming points on toasters!

Oh damn, really? I'll take out the 17 of them I have in my cart then...

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Fear not, AFF won’t be recommending redeeming points on toasters!

Most people will, at one stage in their life, redeem for "toasters".

That day is when the member finally gives up on collecting QF points and likely all airline points.
That day is closer than most people think.

People don't redeem for toasters because they're good value - they redeem as a way to extract value from whatever remaining balance they have as they exit the ecosystem, even if it's only temporary.

 

[ronlon]

Does it really matter if someone redeems their points for classic plus, a toaster or points plus pay ? Yes the crude value is lower than the standard reward but ultimately it is up to the individual to attribute worth to the point. Someone may have lots of points but does not fly much however decides they really want to fly to say Burkino Faso next week. If they can use their points, rather than cash and they are ok with the redemption rate isn't that a win for them ?

 

[SCM]

I think the context here is what is the measure of success - to which I suggest that the bar is very low.

Basically, if there's any customers using classic plus - especially the points wales, then Qantas gets the benefit of lowering their liabilities in the way of point banks, which in my view is the actual reason for this program (as well as marketing).

 

[encryptededdy]

I think the context here is what is the measure of success - to which I suggest that the bar is very low.

Basically, if there's any customers using classic plus - especially the points wales, then Qantas gets the benefit of lowering their liabilities in the way of point banks, which in my view is the actual reason for this program (as well as marketing).

Wrong thread? moved here

 

[Neil64]

Qantas Pleased with Classic Plus Uptake is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

Qantas Pleased with Classic Plus Uptake

Qantas Frequent Flyer members booked more than 80,000 Classic Plus reward seats in the first three months after launch. The airline is now looking at expanding the range of reward options for members even further.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

Isn’t this just pure Qantas spin to try and distract loyal QFF members from the fact that QFF points are worth less and less each day and that the number of premium long haul Classic Reward seats are becoming as rare as hen’s teeth?

 

[Neil64]

Does it really matter if someone redeems their points for classic plus, a toaster or points plus pay ? Yes the crude value is lower than the standard reward but ultimately it is up to the individual to attribute worth to the point. Someone may have lots of points but does not fly much however decides they really want to fly to say Burkino Faso next week. If they can use their points, rather than cash and they are ok with the redemption rate isn't that a win for them ?

It might be a win for them but the fact remains that Qantas are offering fewer and fewer premium Classic Reward seats, especially for long haul. And I suspect that the next move will be to reduce Classic Reward availability even further by claiming that the demand for Classic Reward Plus is so great that they don’t need to release as many Classic Reward seats in future.

 

[mviy]

If I was buying a car worth $50k and the car dealer said I’ll sell it to you for $100k I’d walk out without purchasing it. Classic Plus Rewards leave a similar bad taste.

 

[justinbrett]

the fact remains that Qantas are offering fewer and fewer premium Classic Reward seats, especially for long haul.

Is that a fact? What's your source?

 

[Happy Dude]

Footage of AFFer (Harry) explaining to QFF (Lloyd) that paying thrice the points does not make anyone "happy for the opportunity to at least use their points when this otherwise might not have been an option". In the middle, is Joe Public who has some "useless" QFF points.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Perhaps that's the professional journalistic standard, but the third paragraph is attributed to the QF Loyalty CEO, so I think the average reader would assume the whole thing came from QF.

That is the way the "AFF article" appears to me
01 July 2024 BILLIONS OF POINTS BECOME HOLIDAY REALITY AS CLASSIC PLUS REWARD SEATS TAKE FLIGHT

It might be a win for them but the fact remains that Qantas are offering fewer and fewer premium Classic Reward seats, especially for long haul. And I suspect that the next move will be to reduce Classic Reward availability even further by claiming that the demand for Classic Reward Plus is so great that they don’t need to release as many Classic Reward seats in future.

Got hard core evidence on CR seats? (not opinion without hard data)