Disillusionment sets in … is it worth it?

[Mr H]

You're right, they do, but aside from Peets (which is mostly available in California) there is no one single chain you can count on to get quality coffee. I will also point out too that North America has coffee and Australia doesn't. Yeah you folks have flat whites and lattes but real drip coffee brewed in a coffee filter, simply isn't much of a thing here. And don't get me wrong, I enjoy a swift shot of espresso here and there but there's nothing quite like a mug of filtered illy coffee.

-RooFlyer88

So we do agree on something! The difference is the source of the coffee culture. The Canadians got their taste for coffee from the French (or people with Frenchness as we are now supposed to say), which means filter coffee or cafetière coffee. Australia got its taste for coffee from Italians, which means espresso based coffee - which tends to scorch the coffee, masking the more subtle flavours of the beans. But I would still take an independent cafe in Melbourne over anything from Starbucks.

 

[RichardMEL]

Often "we people" prefer non chains - that's the whole point of supporting the local cafe - or the one with the coffee and service one prefers.

Probably a cultural difference.

what was this thread about anyway? something about booking awards?

maybe QFF points can be used for an espresso machine...

 

[Mr H]

maybe QFF points can be used for an espresso machine...

... or cafetières?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

what was this thread about anyway? something about booking awards?

Correct, and hopefully to bring this thread back on topic, I think I'll raise the issues discussed on this thread thus far:

• Lack of availability of Qantas classic awards particularly to long haul destinations in Europe and the Americas
• The inability to book partner flight awards with QF and for said awards to stick
• The poor handling by QF when a partner segment gets cancelled, often giving the traveller the option to simply receive a refund of points and taxes whereas other FFP would do their level best to find another flight be it on their metal or on a partner to get them there (see my post on how Aeroplan handles partner flight cancellations above)
• The complicated married segment and other booking logic that makes perfectly available classic award segments disappear in search

I'm sure there's probably more that was discussed given the many posts on this thread, but certainly quite a bit to talk about!

maybe QFF points can be used for an espresso machine...

I think many folks on this forum who attempted to book partner awards using QFF points would argue that's a better value than flights!

 

[Mr H]

The complicated married segment and other booking logic that makes perfectly available classic award segments disappear in search

Married segments is not exclusive to QF or OW airlines. This was a blocker for me on a previous SQ award booking. Flights were available MEL-SIN and SIN-DEL, but not together in the same booking. The agent patiently explained married sectors to me - which I had not previously heard of.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Married segments is not exclusive to QF or OW airlines.

You're right that it's not at all. But that doesn't stop us from complaining about it!

 

[Pete98765432]

You're right that it's not at all. But that doesn't stop us from complaining about it!

Nothing stops people complaining on this forum!

 

[exLXCXFF]

what was this thread about anyway? something about booking awards?

Nothing stops people complaining on this forum!

Apologies for derailing the thread with my question on the Changi experience! The last 20+ posts were fun to read though.

Having said that, personal experience, QF J & QR Premium Lounge are certainly top notch lounges, as well as CX (pre-Covid).

Have never been to QF F, but I am sure it can’t be bad either (bar some shower pressure issues apparently).

 

[Stargazer]

I started this thread some time ago concerned at the difficulties faced by FFs in the current context. And the advice given was great.

A few weeks ago booked my first award seat to MCY ( destination Noosa). Then yesterday booked my second award flight to Hamilton Island (destination Daydream Island). It was easy and the e- ticket arrived immediately. But my one regret - as I saw the points exit my account I felt they might have been better used on an international flight somewhere. To be honest I am still unsure of travelling overseas. I guess I have read too many posts of the difficulties and problems experienced by FFs. But I am looking forward to my two little trips, hoping that might springboard into something more adventurous. In the meantime I will get a buzz out of using the business class lounges.

 

[Mr H]

I started this thread some time ago concerned at the difficulties faced by FFs in the current context. And the advice given was great.

A few weeks ago booked my first award seat to MCY ( destination Noosa). Then yesterday booked my second award flight to Hamilton Island (destination Daydream Island). It was easy and the e- ticket arrived immediately. But my one regret - as I saw the points exit my account I felt they might have been better used on an international flight somewhere. To be honest I am still unsure of travelling overseas. I guess I have read too many posts of the difficulties and problems experienced by FFs. But I am looking forward to my two little trips, hoping that might springboard into something more adventurous. In the meantime I will get a buzz out of using the business class lounges.

Just remember that if you were not Australian, Noosa, Hamilton Island or anywhere else in Australia would seem aspirationally exotic.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I started this thread some time ago concerned at the difficulties faced by FFs in the current context. And the advice given was great.

A few weeks ago booked my first award seat to MCY ( destination Noosa). Then yesterday booked my second award flight to Hamilton Island (destination Daydream Island). It was easy and the e- ticket arrived immediately. But my one regret - as I saw the points exit my account I felt they might have been better used on an international flight somewhere. To be honest I am still unsure of travelling overseas. I guess I have read too many posts of the difficulties and problems experienced by FFs. But I am looking forward to my two little trips, hoping that might springboard into something more adventurous. In the meantime I will get a buzz out of using the business class lounges.

A trip in hand is always worth more than a bunch of points getting devalued with Uncle Alan's enhancements!

 

[MELso]

A trip in hand is always worth more than a bunch of points getting devalued with Uncle Alan's enhancements!

Absolutely!

The most value you can get from points is being able to fly where, when and in the class you want to fly in - in that order! Stockpiling your points for an F award to NYC or LON that may never be available is a waste...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Pesonally, I would wait till project Sunrise starts before making any major overseas travel bookings, if wanting to fly QFi.
Or till things settle down, like for eg, if and when CX has more flights around the world, for any major plans, eg, me flying CX (ADL - HKG - Tokyo/CTS).
ADL airport does say it looks forward to CX coming back to ADL
Right now, airlines are still coming out of covid, or corporate restructures, the former AirItalian into ItaAir for eg.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Pesonally, I would wait till project Sunrise starts before making any major overseas travel bookings, if wanting to fly QFi.
Or till things settle down, like for eg, if and when CX has more flights around the world, for any major plans, eg, me flying CX (ADL - HKG - Tokyo/CTS).
ADL airport does say it looks forward to CX coming back to ADL
Right now, airlines are still coming out of covid, or corporate restructures, the former AirItalian into ItaAir for eg.

I’m not sure it needs to be that extreme.

The release of Qantas award seats today would have removed most of those issues. When booking travel on a qantas flight it doesn’t really matter if they much it up as it’s easy for them just to create another award seat for you.

I managed a OWA using qantas to the UK, BA transatalantic and QF home. I have no concerns about any ticketing issues in the qantas flights, easy for them to fix. BA is covered by UK261, and huge daily frequencies and capacity across the atlantic, so there’ll always be seats!

I also feel confident to make changes to flights because on QF metal it will always be ticketed.

So it u certain it might be a good idea to wait for the next release of QF seats, but maybe not as long as project sunrise

 

[Rich]

I started this thread some time ago concerned at the difficulties faced by FFs in the current context. And the advice given was great.

A few weeks ago booked my first award seat to MCY ( destination Noosa). Then yesterday booked my second award flight to Hamilton Island (destination Daydream Island). It was easy and the e- ticket arrived immediately. But my one regret - as I saw the points exit my account I felt they might have been better used on an international flight somewhere. To be honest I am still unsure of travelling overseas. I guess I have read too many posts of the difficulties and problems experienced by FFs. But I am looking forward to my two little trips, hoping that might springboard into something more adventurous. In the meantime I will get a buzz out of using the business class lounges.

So how was it?!

 

[AIRwin]

So how was it?!

Looks like @Stargazer hasn't been online for 5 months

 

[robolb]

Have to say I have about given up on Qantas. Lifetime Gold with about 2 million points that I can't use. At least for flights.
I use them for domestic upgrades but that's about all........

For long haul I just buy tickets on Emirates or others.

 

[mrsterryn]

Have to say I have about given up on Qantas. Lifetime Gold with about 2 million points that I can't use. At least for flights.
I use them for domestic upgrades but that's about all........

For long haul I just buy tickets on Emirates or others.

We just spent a bucket load of points on the 50% for points trip. Was a really nice spend

 

[SYD]

Have to say I have about given up on Qantas. Lifetime Gold with about 2 million points that I can't use. At least for flights.
I use them for domestic upgrades but that's about all........

For long haul I just buy tickets on Emirates or others.

Not withstanding the move away from regular rewards seat release (which irks me and many others), there has been an awful lot of longhaul award seats (including premium cabins) released in batches this year.

My almost 2 mil balance last year is half that since burning points post Covid. Even managed to get return flights during the infamous website meltdown (flying this week on those).

 

[JohnK]

Have to say I have about given up on Qantas. Lifetime Gold with about 2 million points that I can't use. At least for flights.
I use them for domestic upgrades but that's about all........

For long haul I just buy tickets on Emirates or others.

I think I'm in same boat with close to 1 million QFF points. Currently Platinum but will fall to Lifetime Gold in June 2024.