Do you think that the F lounge meets are going to F it up for others?

[wilco]

Those $1000 transpacific return fares are few and far between - I did two of them (DFW) this year but was proactive when they came available, moving very fast. Also it meant had a couple of grand tied up for ~10 months. At the moment you can get away with $1300, but that's six months away for the travel.

However, you forget the ancillary costs - getting to the airport is one; any accommodation must be considered as well.

Also, you don't get generally those "$850 fares" out of LAX/DFW so there's further positioning costs to be introduced.

The $1000 fares I was talking about were ex US but other than that, you raise very valid points. I guess I dont consider the accommodation or repositioning costs because I dont incur them in the same way it appears others do. If im in any given city, I incur the costs because I need to be there, and not because I want to be there for the sake of a mileage run. So strictly speaking, I think WP can be had for 3K, but taking other associated costs into account, its more in line with what you suggest.

 

[nlagalle]

Re: oRe: Do you think that the F lounge meets are going to F it up for others?

I find comments like this bizarre in the extreme. You have nothing better going on in your life that a F lounge visit "inspires" you to fly more than you ordinarily would just so that you can be a WP??

Qantas must be rubbing their hands together knowing they have all of you eating out of their "marketing spin" hand. What is it about WP and F lounges that has you all in this zombie like stupor??

why is it bizzare? if you had no particular knowledge or loyalty to an airline and were travelling for work (heck i know people who travel enough to get status and hadn't got FF accounts), and were introduced to what you could use when flying, then yes it would inspire you to be WP. I know it did for me. I'm a WP and fly weekly for work and i have enjoyed using the F lounges when travelling overseas for work. Sure beats sitting next to the gate!

<redacted>

 

[harvyk]

I'll be blunt and say that on one of the AFF JQ35 trips in the last year or so I was frankly embarrassed by the behaviour of certain members that could have shown more restraint and decorum in a public place, and would be more worried about such behaviour having an effect on continued access to the FLounge for AFF gatherings than the occasional group of people travelling on JQ35 etc.

I'd say they are more than used to seeing a group of people having a good time in the FLounge. I doubt we're the first good of overtly happy people they've seen. I'd say a good number of people in the FLounge are about to embark on some sort of adventure, be it visit an exotic country, or be it fly JQ for the first time , and not everyone is as well controlled with alcohol intake as they should be.

I like to spend my saturdays out on the water or a picnic/bbq with friends and not flying to some other city for a few hours to have some free drinks in an airport lounge. I hate airports at the best of times, let alone when I dont need to be there. The way you guys talk about planning these things and the ensuing excitement leads me to believe its the highlight of your very existence and what you call condescending, I call honesty. I suppose every "hobby" has some element of irrationality to it, so looking at it from that point of view, its perhaps not so bad. I suppose.

as for your "NO" comment, your absolutely right. I dont fly to another city to meet up with people ive met a few times, I dont price match a JQ fare and go through the hassle of taking an international flight domestically, just so that my new AFF BFF can comp me a visit into the F lounge. If that IYO is normal behaviour, so be it, but to me its certifiably crazy and like i said, id be embarrassed to admit to engaging in such questionable behaviour.

Just recently I did a trip away with the family, and in talking to my wife about such things it boiled down to for me, the holiday started as soon as we left home. For her the holiday didn't start until we landed and where safely on the ground at our destination. But that's the thing, I love flying. I enjoy going to the airport, I enjoy going through customs \ immi and getting another stamp in the passport I enjoy browsing the DF store (about the only time I enjoy shopping) and I do enjoy sitting in an aircraft for 14 hours straight even in Y (although I will admit by hour 13 I am looking forwards to landing). To me that is fun and is much a part of the trip as the destination.

As for me, I happily admit to my friends that I do such things such as fly CBR-SYD-MEL-CBR for the sole purpose of lunch in the FLounge, I'll even place up the photos on facebook to prove it.

...

No-one actually has any need to fly with the possible exception of people providing medical assistance or donating body parts to someone in need somewhere else.

Everyone chooses to fly (except convicted and alleged felons being transported around the country and perhaps teenage children going on a family vacation).

I disagree with this, I have a need to fly, if I don't fly at least every couple of months I do get withdrawal symptoms which can only be overcome by booking a trip somewhere. I have been accused of having an addition by a number of my friends. (Who will then later come to me to get travel tips)

 

[Lawlass]

Re: oRe: Do you think that the F lounge meets are going to F it up for others?

why is it bizzare? if you had no particular knowledge or loyalty to an airline and were travelling for work (heck i know people who travel enough to get status and hadn't got FF accounts), and were introduced to what you could use when flying, then yes it would inspire you to be WP.

Yeah, I stumbled onto SG just with my business/personal flying a few years ago. If I'd known about AFF before I stopped the business flying I would've easily made WP with just a few tiny tweaks. It certainly would have been worthwhile had I been aware of this place.

 

[Simo]

Wilco,

Everyone travels for different reasons.

One morning I went from BNE to TSV had a meeting in the QP and flew back in the afternoon.

I didn't even do the walk out past security thing.

I have flown down to SYD for a dinner and then got the last flight home.

It was cheap flights so the hell with.

 

[wilco]

Some weekends I do the same, but I don't do it every weekend! There is nothing wrong in flying to another city for a day or day/night to meet up with a few friends and enjoy a drink.. just so happens that it might be in a F lounge, which really is up there with some top restaurants in terms of food.

You cannot comment on the friendships of people on here - whether it is meeting a few times or meeting multiple times. I have many here I met and now class as close friends as we meet up often and have dinner/drinks. and what people do in their spare time is their thing. It's only your opinion that they are certifiably crazy. You might have a hobby that I think is nuts, it could be basket weaving or online computer gaming, but each to their own and if you enjoy it, that's the main thing.

Besides the last time I look at this website, it was for frequent flyers! you know, the people who like flying, airports and the bits inbetween!

I agree with you, there is nothing wrong with catching up with friends, and so what if they are in another state. If you have the resources, go for it. BUT, it seems to me that this is somehow secondary to the flying and the F lounge.

And as you say, the F lounge is up there with some top restaurants. Why should you be entitled to a First class meal when you buy a fast food airfare??

The reason QF don't throw away J and F upgrades left and right is the same reason you shouldnt be using an international lounge when travelling domestically. Not to mention you getting this great meal for nicks. Why dont you just move into the F lounge? No mortgage/rent, no utility bills, no food/drink bills, sounds like heaven to me. Maybe I should take an extra few trips somewhere......

 

[trippin_the_rift]

One morning I went from BNE to TSV had a meeting in the QP and flew back in the afternoon.

I didn't even do the walk out past security thing.

I have flown down to SYD for a dinner and then got the last flight home.

You're good!

My best effort is BNE-SYD-BNE to check if my PO box had mail...

 

[medhead]

None of this could be achieved from the international J lounge or the domestic lounges?? Just saying......

Actually no! As I wrote SYD was the logical place to meet that provide the most face time due to the schedules of all involved. One of the people was flying overseas that day.

BTW a flight US to Oz will not get 4~


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[Lawlass]

The reason QF don't throw away J and F upgrades left and right

JQ do though. Mmm... Taittinger and Penfolds and breakfast and lunch and business class seat for $40. Lucky I'm not a spa treatments girl as well. :mrgreen:

 

[wilco]

Wilco,

Everyone travels for different reasons.

One morning I went from BNE to TSV had a meeting in the QP and flew back in the afternoon.

I didn't even do the walk out past security thing.

I have flown down to SYD for a dinner and then got the last flight home.

It was cheap flights so the hell with.

Dont you see my point?? You went up to TSV for a meeting. You had a reason to be there. As crazy as it seems, the chap who flew to SYD to check his mail box, had a reason to go. Im not really questioning why people travel, im more questioning why they feel the desperate need to be WP at any cost.

The craziest thing ive done is 3 same day returns MEL-ADL. This was simply because I needed to get contracts signed in ADL and then back in MEL and so forth until the deal was finalised. The looks I got from the crew, who operated all 6 legs made me feel awkward and uncomfortable, despite doing nothing wrong. So I get that people do things for different reasons, but this SC chasing business is no different IMO, to getting into major debt to buy that coughpy little BMW just so that you can say you drive a BMW. But like you say, to each their own. I just dont want to hear all the kicking and screaming about all these "enhancements" with the most vocal often being the least deserving.

 

[harvyk]

BTW a flight US to Oz will not get 4~

Depends where in Oz your flying from \ to? Us CBR members will typically do the 4 on our first OS trip by virtue of the CBR-(Insert International Airport Here) leg of any OS trip.

 

[notzac]

BTW a flight US to Oz will not get 4~

MEL-SYD-LAX-SYD-MEL or some other variation on the theme will certainly get you your 4 tildes..

 

[wilco]

MEL-SYD-LAX-SYD-MEL or some other variation on the theme will certainly get you your 4 tildes..

Not to mention any onward travel from LAX/DFW on QF codeshares. They also qualify for Mr Squiggles.

You could also do 2 domestic returns for as little as $150 each ($65 o/w red-e-deals from MEL to MIL/HBA etc). Its really neither here nor there....

 

[awilcockson]

If you have no interest in flying, maximizing status or going to the F lounge then I fail to see why:

1 you are a member of AFF
2 you are posting in this thread.

<redacted>

 

[equus]

You're good!

My best effort is BNE-SYD-BNE to check if my PO box had mail...

Looks like you need Australia Post - Mail2Day alerting service (but then maybe you need to know what that mail is )

 

[nlagalle]

I agree with you, there is nothing wrong with catching up with friends, and so what if they are in another state. If you have the resources, go for it. BUT, it seems to me that this is somehow secondary to the flying and the F lounge.

It may seem it to you, but certainly not to me. Personally I don't see the point in status runs, but then I earnt my WP from work trips. If someone wants to fly back and forth to get status, that's their choice.

And as you say, the F lounge is up there with some top restaurants. Why should you be entitled to a First class meal when you buy a fast food airfare??

I am entitled to use the F lounge as i am a WP and that comes with that benefit. Please point to me to where it says I am not entitled to use it.

The reason QF don't throw away J and F upgrades left and right is the same reason you shouldnt be using an international lounge when travelling domestically. Not to mention you getting this great meal for nicks. Why dont you just move into the F lounge? No mortgage/rent, no utility bills, no food/drink bills, sounds like heaven to me. Maybe I should take an extra few trips somewhere......

I don't get what your point is here. You are allowed to use the lounge! What bit of that don't you understand? Sure most of the flights are JQ but there are some DOM QF flights that do the same.

 

[wilco]

If you have no interest in flying, maximizing status or going to the F lounge then I fail to see why:

1 you are a member of AFF
2 you are posting in thus thread.

Actually, on second thought there is a very obvious reason and I'm kicking myself for taking the bait.

My interest in flying is predominantly focussed around me actually flying. Im aiming to get my CPL by February.

As for the other matters, why would I have an interest in maximising status or the F lounge?
IMO, that is for those who have a false sense of grandeur or self importance, unless of course they earn WP by necessity. If you fly enough and are rewarded with WP, good on you, but to track every single point and count every single SC to make sure you get enough of both to maintain WP is just a joke. How you guys hold down jobs and relationships is astounding given the attention you pay to your WP status. A member on here lists his ambition in life to reach LTG before he's 30 for Christ's sake!! Im sorry but there have to be some serious mental health issues at play here as its just not normal, rational or sane to be so fixated by something so intangible. But its ok... you all have each other.

 

[awilcockson]

So I get that people do things for different reasons, but this SC chasing business is no different IMO, to getting into major debt to buy that coughpy little BMW just so that you can say you drive a BMW. But like you say, to each their own. I just dont want to hear all the kicking and screaming about all these "enhancements" with the most vocal often being the least deserving.

There you go again, thinking that you are the only person that has a valid reason to fly. You are also conveniently neglecting the fact that the people who are "SC chasing" are spending either money or points to achieve this. Nothing comes for free. Accusing people of having no life for enjoying the experience of flying ... on a Frequent Flyer website ... well that just reinforces my previous assertion.

Not that you care, but for what it's worth, I will EASILY achieve WP this year based off my work travel. However, to really screw with your head I'll point out that not only did I do a same day return to HKG last weekend with no real "purpose", but I'm doing another one in 2 weeks, and this time I'm going BNE-MEL-PER-HKG-SYD-BNE to maximise the return on the flights. Should help nicely with my push for P1 this year.

Now before you come back and say that I shouldn't be allowed to fly because I've got no "genuine need to fly" or that I'm socially lacking and sad, or insinuating that I am neglecting my family (yes, you actually did that in a previous post), I'd just like to ask if you go to a Lego forum and post "Lego is only for kids, you guys should grow up" or a model railroad forum and post something similar? Each to their own, nobody is hurting anyone, so how about you get off your high horse?

 

[nlagalle]

My interest in flying is predominantly focussed around me actually flying. Im aiming to get my CPL by February.

As for the other matters, why would I have an interest in maximising status or the F lounge?
IMO, that is for those who have a false sense of grandeur or self importance, unless of course they earn WP by necessity. If you fly enough and are rewarded with WP, good on you, but to track every single point and count every single SC to make sure you get enough of both to maintain WP is just a joke. How you guys hold down jobs and relationships is astounding given the attention you pay to your WP status. A member on here lists his ambition in life to reach LTG before he's 30 for Christ's sake!! Im sorry but there have to be some serious mental health issues at play here as its just not normal, rational or sane to be so fixated by something so intangible. But its ok... you all have each other.

It seems to me that if someone has a goal or objective that you don't agree with, then they have serious mental health issues??? c'mon get real! people have different objectives in life, learn to accept it is what they want to do and sure you may not agree with it, but does it make it wrong? No,

People might say you are crazy to fly and get a license. Heck my dad said i was crazy when I said i wanted to skydive, but in the end he respected my wish to do it, which i did for many years. Am I crazy because he thought I was? No. Seems to me you have no tolerance of people who do things you don't agree with.

 

[simongr]

I intentionally attach lead weights to my body and sink myself to the bottom of the ocean looking for Sharks. Frequent Flying for fun is the least of my issues.