Getting Qantas Status

[drewbles]

You only need to look to the USA to see where the monetising of status via credit cards is nothing but a downer for those whom legitimately earn status via BIS flying.

UA is a prime example. With a UA credit card you effectively gain the first tier within Mileage Plus which include priority boarding (which is a farce on UA if you're not 1K), free bags, a couple of lounge passes etc.

Of course the size of FF programs in the USA dwarfs even QFF, but it's a good example on making a but-load of coin for the airline, and screwing over legitimate FF'ers.

 

[ReLoad]

It's not a frequent how rich I am program.

That has its own program anyway.

 

[deka2]

Following on from this, who adds the most $ to the QF bottom line

Someone who pays for sufficient flights to make WP, or one who spends enough on their credit card to take the same flights, but for one reason or another does not book ASA"s.

 

[simongr]

I agree with most here :shock: and oz_mark underscores the point clearly. If you don't fly you don't need status. Sure some people might earn millions of points and then redeem for economy int'l flights but I expect a lot of high point earners burn points on J or F flights so status isn't needed.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Following on from this, who adds the most $ to the QF bottom line

Someone who pays for sufficient flights to make WP, or one who spends enough on their credit card to take the same flights, but for one reason or another does not book ASA"s.

I thought it was common knowledge that the QFF programme is most profitable arm of the QF corporate structure? I'm sure QF management would rather turn into a bank than that pesky airline operational thing...

 

[deka2]

Could they not sell Status for points?

They have already set the bar for Gold at 50K

 

[elbarto]

Could they not sell Status for points?

They have already set the bar for Gold at 50K

If you want quasi status on QF at least using points then use your points and buy a QF club membership

 

[SeatBackForward]

If you want quasi status on QF at least using points then use your points and buy a QF club membership

If you have enough points, redeem them as ASA's, then you can potentially get to P1 status.

 

[deka2]

I wasn't referring to me personally, just putting the proposition out there.

Whilst I do earn a fair number of points through spend, status would not make that much difference.

 

[SeatBackForward]

But lets face it. If you're spending enough through your credit card, to be able to redeem ASA's to reach P1 status (at the measly conversion rate they offer) - you probably don't rely on airline status to have comfortable travel - you probably just fork out F/J fares and get the full treatment anyhow...which would make status fairly redundant.

Consider myself, in a given year, I may earn about 18,000 FF points through my CC, practically nothing for redemption purposes. I personally don't pay for my travel as its 99% work related - so achieving status for me is a pure benefit, actually, I consider it as compensation for the amount of travelling I have to do for work - not as a personal/lifestyle choice.

 

[harvyk]

Just looking at the name of the program, it's Qantas Frequent FLYER

Why should someone who has the ability to spend a lot on goods and / or services unrelated to travel be considered an elite level QFFer if they do not even need to see inside a plane to reach that level?

Personally (and I am prepared to find dead horse heads in my bed for saying this here ) I think that QFF should revert back to a true frequent flyer program. Make flying the only way to earn points, but under the same token make reward flights easy to get. Remove the ability to earn partner airline points (or limit the percentage of partner points which you can earn sort of like they have done with P1), that way you really are rewarding those people who are frequent flyers who actually fly with QF. Also make status something that comes with how often you see the inside of an airport, not just bestowed to people who have happened to pick the right route and class. For example an F MEL-DXB-LHR vv will automatically bestow SG on the person even if it's the only flights they do all year, a person who once a fortnight flies SYD-MEL on red-e-deals will achieve PS, but still won't have lounge, so out of the two people, who is the real frequent flyer?

It also kinda annoys me a little seeing people who have elite status with QF thanks to flying other airlines and are then on here saying "how can I sort out my ~ flights".

Of course, QF would probably never do this as QFF holds far more value as a frequent spender program.

(Ok ready for that horse head in my bed)

 

[medhead]

Following on from this, who adds the most $ to the QF bottom line

Someone who pays for sufficient flights to make WP, or one who spends enough on their credit card to take the same flights, but for one reason or another does not book ASA"s.

Interesting question. IIRC qantas make a margin of something like $0.002 per point. I'm sure someone will correct that number. If we take a hypothetical ADL-SYD route on discount economy flights, 94 one way flights are required to achieve platinum.

94 discount economy flights would cost 1128000 points and $3792.90 (12000 + $40.35 each way). @ said margin that's $2256 plus $3792.90 = $6048.90 cash collection by qantas.

24 business flights would be 24000 points and $40.35 each way. Total of 576000 points + $968.40. Or $2120.40 collected.

A discount economy flight costs,say, $130 to purchase outright. 94 flights @ $130 = $12220. 24 business flights would be $14376.

Obviously these numbers are not comparing apples with apples. The points calculation does not include the amount paid from QFF to QFd. However, QFF is collecting $2256 and $1152 for discount Y and J respectively. The cash component covers "taxes" and should be the same on both paid and award seats. So the question is whether the paid flights include a profit that is better or worse than the margin achieved on the points.

 

[love_the_life]

Just looking at the name of the program, it's Qantas Frequent FLYER

Why should someone who has the ability to spend a lot on goods and / or services unrelated to travel be considered an elite level QFFer if they do not even need to see inside a plane to reach that level?

Personally (and I am prepared to find dead horse heads in my bed for saying this here ) I think that QFF should revert back to a true frequent flyer program. Make flying the only way to earn points, but under the same token make reward flights easy to get. Remove the ability to earn partner airline points (or limit the percentage of partner points which you can earn sort of like they have done with P1), that way you really are rewarding those people who are frequent flyers who actually fly with QF. Also make status something that comes with how often you see the inside of an airport, not just bestowed to people who have happened to pick the right route and class. For example an F MEL-DXB-LHR vv will automatically bestow SG on the person even if it's the only flights they do all year, a person who once a fortnight flies SYD-MEL on red-e-deals will achieve PS, but still won't have lounge, so out of the two people, who is the real frequent flyer?

It also kinda annoys me a little seeing people who have elite status with QF thanks to flying other airlines and are then on here saying "how can I sort out my ~ flights".

Of course, QF would probably never do this as QFF holds far more value as a frequent spender program.

(Ok ready for that horse head in my bed)

Horse heads must be in short supply

 

[Dalek]

Horse heads must be in short supply

Yes they have all gone into those European frozen foods

 

[TheEmu]

My view is that status is really only relevant to people that actually fly. Seems reasonable that it should be kept for people that fly, and be based on them actually flying....

Very succinctly put. Agree 100%

 

[jamesatfish]

Personally (and I am prepared to find dead horse heads in my bed for saying this here ) I think that QFF should revert back to a true frequent flyer program. <snip> Also make status something that comes with how often you see the inside of an airport, not just bestowed to people who have happened to pick the right route and class. For example an F MEL-DXB-LHR vv will automatically bestow SG on the person even if it's the only flights they do all year, a person who once a fortnight flies SYD-MEL on red-e-deals will achieve PS, but still won't have lounge, so out of the two people, who is the real frequent flyer?

I have a spare horse head for you )), and I'll disagree that status belongs only to those who take multiple flights in Y to earn it, especially as I'm one of those people who earn it the opposite way.

QFF is about rewarding loyalty and, given QF is a corporate entity, the capitalist society way to measure loyalty is in $ spent. The person who takes 52 short hop red-e-deal flights each year has about $7000 worth of 'loyalty' to distribute to whichever airline they chose. The person who takes a single F MEL-DXB-LHR return trip each year distributes about $14000 worth of loyalty. Why shouldn't QFF bestow the biggest rewards on the person being the most 'loyal' by this measure?

That said, the system actually does skew the loyalty reward towards the 'less loyal' (but more 'frequent') flyer - they earn status credits at a rate of $13/SC versus $19/SC for the international traveller.

 

[whughes3]

Quite correct...and don't forget that the F pax is vastly more profitable than the Red e-deal pax, which, Qantas being a business, is of considerably greater importance than mere frequency of travel.

 

[Buzzard]

Interesting to read all the comments especially where Lufthansa emailed Jobu and offered to sell status. I think some posters may think my debate is about only points earning you status which is not correct. The actual question is or should be, should points be another method of obtaining status given the CC Card push I mentioned. Those flying would still earn status. And if the program is called Frequent Flyer, one could ask why are you getting points for not flying at all, just spending?

The concept of achieving status based on number of points seems to negate the idea of frequent flyer scheme and for those of us who do not use cc with earn rates but stick to low rate ME Bank it would knock us out of the ball park. It would be goodbye QFF in that case (though I suppose we would not be missed being such paltry spenders). We work hard to make and keep our FF status as it is not being in business or having a job that entails OS flying.

 

[ashleyn]

Interesting question. IIRC qantas make a margin of something like $0.002 per point. I'm sure someone will correct that number. If we take a hypothetical ADL-SYD route on discount economy flights, 94 one way flights are required to achieve platinum.

94 discount economy flights would cost 1128000 points and $3792.90 (12000 + $40.35 each way). @ said margin that's $2256 plus $3792.90 = $6048.90 cash collection by qantas.

24 business flights would be 24000 points and $40.35 each way. Total of 576000 points + $968.40. Or $2120.40 collected.

A discount economy flight costs,say, $130 to purchase outright. 94 flights @ $130 = $12220. 24 business flights would be $14376.

Obviously these numbers are not comparing apples with apples. The points calculation does not include the amount paid from QFF to QFd. However, QFF is collecting $2256 and $1152 for discount Y and J respectively. The cash component covers "taxes" and should be the same on both paid and award seats. So the question is whether the paid flights include a profit that is better or worse than the margin achieved on the points.

Too many numbers, you've lost me.

 

[quokka77]

Amex platinum gets you Cathay gold here in Australia with a fair degree of Qantas reciprocal recognition. Anyone aware of others?