Complimentary Partner Gold Membership is now for a "family member or friend"

[Hawkeye]

According to this page, WP anytime access to lounges is to be removed from the list of benefits as of 1st Feb, 2011 Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Platinum Benefits

Important information about Qantas Lounge access. From 1 February 2011, Platinum members must be travelling onward that day on a flight with a Qantas, Jetstar or oneworld flight number on your ticket to access Qantas Domestic or International lounge.

 

[medhead]

medhead - are you currently LTG?

I'm a long way from LTG, 40% towards LTS. Sometime in the next 3 years we are considering another family trip to the continent. So my thinking is to maintain platinum each year and try to accumulate some AA points for better premium redemptions in the future. Obviously there are some negatives with that idea. Big one being that I don't expect to get 4 AA segments. Maybe I should just go for the life time status.

 

[notzac]

According to this page, WP anytime access to lounges is to be removed from the list of benefits as of 1st Feb, 2011 Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Platinum Benefits

Oh bugger that is not at all helpful.

 

[moa999]

Touching in on 11,000 Lifetime I remain on the LTG train, and hoping to achieve (subject to another xONE) in the next 24 months.

Loss of anytime access id disappointing (particularly given it only recently came back) although with Priority Pass via Amex doesn't impact me as much. Thinking about it I only used anytime access once (and that was in SIN).

Actually think the 50,000 pts / 3 transfers is a reasonably generous, particularly given some of the SC runs members here have done. Even if you've done it by 240 SYD-MEL $150 red e-deals (its $1k value for $36k flying or a 3% rebate)

 

[Austman]

According to this page, WP anytime access to lounges is to be removed from the list of benefits as of 1st Feb, 2011 Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Platinum Benefits

Noooooo !!!!

 

[Austman]

It's now about time that Qantas officially allowed you to take a friend/s on free trips with the member. Other FF schemes allow it - as long as the member is one of the travellers.

 

[markis10]

Its been a while since we have had some enhancements, not good news IMHO, while having more options as far as PG goes, we are losing anytime access and have had the bar raised in terms of what you need to achieve for PG (or its it FG now), as well the classic award availability is being opened up to silver members of which there are a lot more given the drop in SC's required. The availability of classics is probably more open now given ASA's so not a big a deal as the other enhancements.

Overall the changes seem to be broadening the base of members with some status while making the top less beneficial to members in terms of benefits along with moving the bar higher for the PG (FG) level.

Anyone noticed the baggage changes:

[FONT=&quot]Domestic checked baggage changes[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]For bookings made from 1 December 2010, for travel from 1 June 2011, Qantas is introducing a piece and weight allowance to domestic checked baggage[/FONT][FONT=&quot]6[/FONT][FONT=&quot]. This means all Qantas customers will have a piece limit, as well as a weight limit, applied to their complimentary checked baggage allowances. When these changes take effect, Platinum Frequent Flyers will benefit from a generous allowance of two pieces, each up to 32kg, regardless of class of travel. You'll also enjoy extra allowances on selected Qantas international flights. Current privileges apply for travel until 31 May 2011. [/FONT]
​

 

[ReLoad]

Some great changes i must say!

so now i'm going to scrape over the line for PG, the little extras at 2400 are pretty cool though

I am also liking the baggage allowances for WP as well, good stuff

Nice one QF.

 

[YQY]

Some great changes i must say!

so now i'm going to scrape over the line for PG, the little extras at 2400 are pretty cool though

You don't get all the extras's - you need to select one of them....

If you have not already nominated complimentary Gold membership for your partner, when you reach 2,400 Status credits in one membership year, you have the choice of one of the following rewards

• complimentary Gold membership for a family member or friend or
• three complimentary Qantas Valet Parking or Chauffeured Transfer invitations~~ or
• a bonus of 50,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points

 

[ReLoad]

You don't get all the extras's - you need to select one of them....

I wasn't suggesting that you would get all of them, rather that the little extras are cool, given we had nothing at that level beforehand.

the question is though, which one would you pick and why?

 

[markis10]

I wasn't suggesting that you would get all of them, rather that the little extras are cool, given we had nothing at that level beforehand.

the question is though, which one would you pick and why?

Those little extras are costing you an additional 300 SC and the sacrifice of PG, while good if you had no use for PG it would have been better to see the benefits added at the 2100 SC level. Cest la vie

 

[dfcatch]

But remembering we used to have the piece system domestically not that long ago.

QF realizing they got it wrong, and changing back...

 

[serfty]

There is a change in that your international allowance could be 23 / 32 Kg spread over several bags. Now it's limited.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Let's disect this for the vast majority of Platinums....

Platinum
Status Credits Attain - 1,400
Status Credits Retain - 1,200

Status Bonus
100% points bonus

Good, but only useful internationally (or trips over 1,000 miles)

Qantas Club entitlement
Complimentary membership

Gold & Paid QC members get access too

Domestic Priority Check-in
Qantas Club/Business counters

Qantas Club check in lines are no time saver, business counters are good but both Silver and Gold can use these too. Also - what % of flights do you check in bags? Especially domestically...


International Priority Check-in
Qantas Club/Business/First counters

First counter is the only benefit here, and even then it's only at a few select airports that have F.

Priority waitlist/Airport standby
Perhaps someone else can share their views on this?


Extra checked baggage allowance
Handy at times, but this is not exclusive to Platinum by any means.

Priority Baggage
This is really "pretty coloured tags on your bag - sometimes - if the agent feels like it - but if you want a First tag be prepared to demand it." Well documented that tags don't have any priority when coming off the plane (as noted by the resident baggage handler on AFF). And given the introduction of the ugly new bag RFID tags - we can say goodbye to the good feeling associated with having a First or Business tag.

Chip-enabled Qantas card
Everyone has this - also I like collecting boarding passes.

Complimentary Q Bag Tags
See "priority baggage"

Priority Security (where available)

Is this a joke? This is not enforced and only in place a couple of hours/day.

Priority telephone service

+1 for QF

Preferred Seating

On a 737 a Platinum can't pre-select the first 2 rows of Y, yet at T-24hours it becomes a free for all. Especially on 737-400's where rows 4-5 are much better seats, this leaves them open to the first person in. I know of at least 1 person on AFF who see's no benefit in status when these seats can be selected by anyone.

Internationally preferred seating in my experience has been sound.


Advance Seat Selection

Good, but only for international.

On Departure upgrades for domestic flights



Priority Economy Seat Purchase

Useless

Priority Boarding (Domestic and International)
Internationally yes +1 QF.
Domestically, there is no priority boarding.

Preferential seating with Qantas Classic Award Seats

Not sure why this is an additional benefit above priority seating, however access to more award inventory above Gold is needed (Yes I realise Gold/Plat have access to additional inventory).

Complimentary Gold membership for a family member or friend at 2100 Status credits

Let me tally up the number of airlines that give complimentary elite partner membership when you hit the highest tier...1..2...3...4....5......*next hand*...

A choice of even more rewards at 2400 Status credits

If you're pushing through 2,400 SC/year you are either:-

a) Flying a lot on company dollars and have probably negotiated free transfers to/from airport - or have cabcharge or similar which biz pays for.

b) Flying for the fun of it or a SFSC - where your choices revolve more around a good deal once requalifying for WP.

c) Have bucketload of points already, what's another 50,000 (or 1 upgrade - that's not even confirmed)

This 'benefit' is thrown in to make it look more rewarding, when infact the benefits mean very little to those achieving this level.


Overall - if most flying is domestically, regardless of the cabin - there is little to no benefit of being anything more than average joe who flies once a year.

Lounges are often packed (with more space outside), internet in lounges always drops out every 20-30 minutes (tested on a number of laptops/netbooks/ipad/iphone in 5 separate domestic biz lounges).

No enforced priority security or boarding and nothing special onboard.

International is slightly different, but in a premium cabin there is far more bang for your buck on another airline.

Given that changes to the program seem to negatively affect members, I'm uneasy about relying on lifetime status to help in the future.


Taking away anytime access is not cool at all.

 

[ReLoad]

c) Have bucketload of points already, what's another 50,000 (or 1 upgrade - that's not even confirmed)

I totally see where your post is coming from, but people like me, who fly mel/syd/mel and the company pays for the flights, and i dont get the points for purchases or paying company bills etc etc, these points are worth something.

I've got 1850 SC's this year and only earned 125k points. I'm trying my hardest to maximise the points at every opportunity, so 50k points kinda works for me, given Mrs Reload and the little Reloads never travel without me, and Partner gold is of little value to her.

just my 2 cents

 

[markis10]

Let's disect this for the vast majority of Platinums....


Extra checked baggage allowance
Handy at times, but this is not exclusive to Platinum by any means.

You may wish to rethink that response, the new allowances are very much restricted to WPs in terms of two bags any class at any time.

 

[medhead]

A good summary

Let's disect this for the vast majority of Platinums....

Platinum
Status Credits Attain - 1,400
Status Credits Retain - 1,200

Status Bonus
100% points bonus

Good, but only useful internationally (or trips over 1,000 miles)

Actually over 500 miles, as that will be when you earn more than the 1000 point minimum. Or perhaps more than 668 miles which is when a gold would start to earn over 1000 points.

Preferential seating with Qantas Classic Award Seats

Not sure why this is an additional benefit above priority seating, however access to more award inventory above Gold is needed (Yes I realise Gold/Plat have access to additional inventory).

This may actually be a negative. Ever since making platinum (on 16 September) I have been getting a message that says my classic awards are not eligible for seat selection but I can indicate a seating preference. I since have found a friend who is also platinum is getting the same message. I wonder if this is part of the change that I can't seat select but can do preferential seating - i.e. aisle or window.

no matter what, as a domestic flyer I can see little point of platinum over gold.

 

[Flashback]

There is a change in that your international allowance could be 23 / 32 Kg spread over several bags. Now it's limited.

Which was going to be useful if/when I decided to move back to Australia. Given the changes I'm going to have to rethink how I get all my gear back. At least it's 2 years away, so anything could happen between now and then..... I guess I could always go via the US for the 2 piece system, unless this changes that as well?

 

[simongr]

Let's disect this for the vast majority of Platinums....

Overall - if most flying is domestically, regardless of the cabin - there is little to no benefit of being anything more than average joe who flies once a year....

Slightly agree - only BNE is packed (and I think that is being expanded).

International is slightly different, but in a premium cabin there is far more bang for your buck on another airline.

Given that changes to the program seem to negatively affect members, I'm uneasy about relying on lifetime status to help in the future.

I disagree for international - F lounges are much nicer than J lounges and I can access them at pretty much every port I fly to int'ly. The same applies for F check in - again every int'l airport has F check in.

 

[MattinCBR]

I am a bit each way on these changes, happy to see an alternative for PG (Given my partner is a WP), disappointed about loss of anytime access (although really the only time I have used it is while waiting at the airport for someone to arrive, and even then pretty rarely - but it was nice to know it was there).

I think the change i'm most annoyed about (but that doesnt really impact me at all) is the change to Silver Benefits - having crossed the LTS threashold a couple of years ago, it was the point where I thought "If i stopped flying today, at least I am never going to have to stand in the damned economy queue ever ever again", seems that benefit is gone now (or will be early next year) - just going to have to get the remaining thousand or so SC's to make it to LTG I guess.

I hope the difference listed between Gold and Platinum for Domestic priority boarding means that they are actually going to do this as a matter of routine.

As to what choice to make at the 2400 mark, I am already there, and am really tempted just to take the points.