[Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10April

[footy99]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

New booking engine slowly going up

Cheap JASA appear gone. In so far as ASA all together seems gone, just points+pay tired directly to revenue tickets irrespective of award availability.

JASA Syd-Bne 68K pts. Jeepers! Cheap YASA still appear to be there.

 

[footy99]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

OK it seems the points redemptions for all domestic and international JASAs have more than doubled. The message is clear - points are only to be used for discount economy status earns or no status earns at all. Status runs and achieving/retaining status through points redemptions is no longer realistic.

 

[Must...Fly!]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

I thought cheap YASA was still there as well but if you investigate I'm quite sure it is just tied to the revenue pricing and adjusting the points accordingly, just as points+pay did. IE xASA removed.

The real outcome of this will only become clear in about 1hr40min.....I may as well stay up.

 

[footy99]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

True. That's another explanation for why JASAs are so much more expensive - they are directly correlated to the price now. So there is really no point having them. It's the same effective result. Points are now only designed to be used for classic awards with no status attached.

Given status runs and SC accrual through JASA flights are now off the table, Platinum is going to be a whole lot harder to achieve/retain! Consistent international F/J travel with airlines other than Qantas looks to be the only real way to go now.

As a sidenote, have you ever heard of someone paying for domestic business class? The positive for current WPs is a likely significant increase in upgrades from Y with no-one otherwise filling those seats.

 

[Must...Fly!]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

True. That's another explanation for why JASAs are so much more expensive - they are directly correlated to the price now. So there is really no point having them. It's the same effective result. Points are now only designed to be used for classic awards with no status attached.

Given status runs and SC accrual through JASA flights are now off the table, Platinum is going to be a whole lot harder to achieve/retain! Consistent international F/J travel with airlines other than Qantas looks to be the only real way to go now.

I think you are missing the point - ASA as we knew them are gone totally from the website now. P+P has replaced it. What we don't know, and won't for at least another 58 minutes, is what happens to the xASA fares. Indications are they will still be available but only if we call. We must wait for confirmation on that...

As a sidenote, have you ever heard of someone paying for domestic business class? The positive for current WPs is a likely significant increase in upgrades from Y with no-one otherwise filling those seats.

I have heard of people paying for J - most of those I have are on this forum! But this community is not a representative sample of the population and thus the popularity of xASA awards on here is far above that in the community which is important to remember.

 

[amaroo]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

As a sidenote, have you ever heard of someone paying for domestic business class? The positive for current WPs is a likely significant increase in upgrades from Y with no-one otherwise filling those seats.

Yeap - only when DSC are on offer.......booked 6 this week.

 

[markis10]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

Below is a slide showing most of the changes, what is not covered in that slide:

1. "Marginal Redemptions" are only available by phone for both availability checks and booking, these are the cheaper seats that have a small cost to be reduced to classic award level.
2. "Marginal Redemptions" are not included as their future is currently under review.
3. The cost formulas for point conversions, so the value in using cash vs points is still there.




Thank you to Red Roo and the team for the briefing yesterday, the engagement with AFF is as always most appreciated.

My key takeaway, the best value is not yet gone, (but will be going I suspect), and is now harder to get, get them while you can!

 

[Must...Fly!]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

As suspected then. Thank you for the information all, including the OP for first bringing this to our attention.

It is a pity I am yet to be blessed with double SC to take advantage of any possible JASA but them's the breaks. It is just a little annoying that a nice feature of the program is likely being taken away from us. I guess in the end there are other ways to get status - but not necessarily other ways to get better value from QFF. My personal attention now turns more towards OW awards

 

[serfty]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

New booking engine slowly going up

Cheap JASA appear gone. In so far as ASA all together seems gone, just points+pay tired directly to revenue tickets irrespective of award availability.

No - to see ASA, you click "[Use Points]" to the top righ of the flight selection window.

 

[serfty]

Cliff notes for changes

- Pretty new booking engine


- ASA still available online but not at award levels (aka Marginal)


- Award (Marginal) level ASA a will still be available, but with a dedicated phone at no charge/service fee.

 

[dfcatch]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

Well - we survived before ASAs earned points/SCs, we'll survive after.

The difference is that the ability to earn SC via JASAs was a big factor in many (AFFers at least) loyalty to QF.

I suspect that if they do end up going completely, it will change the loyalty equation for some folks.

This is the problem with revenue analytics.

1/ Some bean counter in RM sees these "marginal redemptions" and thinks "wow! If we forced all these folk onto more profitable award redemptions I'll be much closer to my bonus".

2/ Problem for Mr Bean Counter is that I imagine most people who were redeeming "marginal redemptions" won't actually go ahead and redeem more expensive awards.

They've completely misinterpreted the demand equation.

 

[Must...Fly!]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

No - to see ASA, you click "[Use Points]" to the top righ of the flight selection window.

Not all the functionality was available as I was posting. But never the less considering their value and how all the "ASA" now seem to directly correlate with revenue pricing regardless of classic awards (last I checked), I am inclined to not bless them with the wonderful term that is JASA/FASA

 

[footy99]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

ASAs now directly related to the price of the flight using the standard points to cash formula, meaning for the vast majority of J and F flights, the points required have more than doubled, effectively rendering ASAs completely irrelevant (online). It remains to be seen if what is offered over the phone softens the blow at all. But essentially there is nothing positive to come out of this for frequent flyers of any level is there? And the downside is status runs and SC accrual through JASA flights are no longer an option, making any status achievement/renewal substantially more difficult for virtually all FFs. Sounds like a major blow to QFFs from every angle to me.

 

[cmon0005]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

Oh well more of my money going to CX and MH now then and not QF.. great decision qf,not!

 

[medhead]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

Marginal awards! What a load of equine excrement. ASA that I've searched, while having the same base points cost (or lower) as classic awards have always involved a higher cash payment than classic awards. How the hell can they describe something that gets more cash or more point - marginal?

 

[aus_flyer]

Re: Cliff notes for changes

- award (Marginal) level ASA a will still be available, but via dedicated phone only at no charge or service fee.

Dedicated phone (number)? Huh?

 

[Mal]

Re: Cliff notes for changes

Dedicated phone (number)? Huh?

Dedicated desk accessed via general phone number I assume...

 

[ReLoad]

Re: Cliff notes for changes

Dedicated phone (number)? Huh?

Yeah one with a 32 hour hold time.....

 

[markis10]

Re: Cliff notes for changes

Dedicated desk accessed via general phone number I assume...

Via normal numbers

 

[dfcatch]

re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April

One thought - in defense of QF.

It seems to me the main game is the website revamp - particularly the straight-formula conversion of cash to points for ASA redemption. (Which of course seems a sensible thing).

IF, IF QF had left cheap JASAs in there - it seems to me that the new engine would have made it significantly easier for the average punter to find - therefore making it harder for us. (And QF unnecessarily providing cheaper awards).

It was only the educated minority that knew what to look for to get those cheap JASAs.

I know we all would have preferred for everything to simply stay the same - but given the website revamp...... Perhaps this still works "a little" in our favour compared to Joe Public...??..??