Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26-was]10April
Why would ATA be too good to be true and marginal ASA's not? ATA was part of the program for quite a few years. ASAs' ... are only a recent innovation (when first launched they did not even earn SCs/FF points). They are effectively away for "marginal" high tiers customers to get across the line (without having to head to the US to do cheap status runs in First on AA), and could also considered to be "too good to be true" (especially considering some of the routings previously available A to B via C &D) . I suspect the original concept of making them earn SC's and points was to provide an incentive for CC churnersto direct sweep into QF instead of banking miles in credit card rewards programs to move to the likes of SQ, MH & CX later.
Because ATA seems to me like a very bad business decision as it is open to abuse. Hey, I would just move my office to the QC in Perth. I would get all my suppliers to meet me there. I would check them in. Drinks on QF..."Want some food"..."help yourself".
People keep saying that ASA's are being abused, but they are not losing money on them. The money QF get for the points from Businesses is huge compared to what they get you in terms of a flight. Using ASA's is no different to using classic, except they cost you a bit more so you get the points and SC's, it's all factored in. If they were losing on them, they would have said 50% points earn on ASA's. They are clearly not worried about the number of people achieving Elite status, based on the continual drive of DSC offers. DSC offers work, why would they get rid of them.
Also QFF points sit as a provision on the Balance sheet of QFF. They want that provision reduced at all costs no different to your boss telling you to take annual leave if you accrue too much.
I honestly believe that some upstart Marketing guru has come up with this idea of dropping ASA's or making them more expensive thinking that dumb people will just burn their points on expensive ASA's or Classic redemption will be flooded, so frequent flyers will have to burn their points on expensive junk that they don't need from the QFFS. Bottom line is, people will burn more points, making QFF more profitable, but QF will be less profitable, because punters will just give up on the status dream and just take the cheapest fare no matter what airline it is, hence undermining the whole principle of why people use Frequent flyer loyalty programs.
And then you will get the Frequent flyers that are elite just through day to day flying and never use ASA's because the are P1 or WP and burn their points on F Classic international flights. These guys are happy, because there will be less elites and F or J Classic awards will be easy to come by.
I'm a Y wagon battler and the best I can hope for is Gold with my business and personal flying. JASA lets me get to WP and I bloody deserve it, because I spend many hours in the bowels of A330's and 737's and I'm proud to admit it.
Hence the trip to TPE in the first place.
