Going after P1 to get Row 4 seating, but have any other benefits materialised?

[haggiscat]

I'm currently sitting on about 2400 SCs with 3 months to go before review date. I am rarely able to get into row 4 these days, and flying 2 or 4 times a week now. The exit row is fine for room (maybe even better than row 4) but it's nicer to be able to get on and off speedily and to encounter the odd blocked B seat. If I can get row 4 and a blocked seat, I don't bother with an ODU - leg room is probably better and the wine is just as bad in J as it is in Y.

So, I've decided to go to London via America and take a few status runs using Instant Upgrade fares on routes with first class along the way.

The extra expense of getting P1 is worth it to me if I'm guaranteed a good seat year-round. But as for other benefits:

* do you get any extra lounge guests?
* is the rate of upgrades higher than for WP passengers?
* are there any other perks when flying Y, either domestically or internationally?

 

[JohnK]

I am only a mere Platinum and manage to get row 4/row 23/24 the majority of the time on relatively busy flights.

All that is required is to remember to check at T-80 and more than likely the seat is yours.

 

[TonyHancock]

* do you get any extra lounge guests?
* is the rate of upgrades higher than for WP passengers?
* are there any other perks when flying Y, either domestically or internationally?

There is no confirmed benefit of additional guests and I travel solo so can't answer
I have had two upgrades from J to F on long haul QF flights so I'm pretty happy on this score
I always seem to have a platinum shadow - domestic and internationally - obviously capacity dependent.
Service, if traveling Y internationally, has been better than as a WP
Domestically their appears little difference to me. (That said on one flight the CSM did pop and see me to make sure all was well.)

The advanced seat selection, op-ups and plat shadow are good....but for me it is questionable if they are worth the amount of commitment to QF required to reach P1.

I have not actually spoken to anyone from the P1 desk. (I missed a couple of calls prior to travel)

 

[RWJ777]

I am only a mere Platinum and manage to get row 4/row 23/24 the majority of the time on relatively busy flights.All that is required is to remember to check at T-80 and more than likely the seat is yours.

Excuse my ignorance please but what is T-80; as a WP, who does about 50pc travel in Y, I'd like to optimise my proximity to the front and the quasi J seats wherever possible. Although being so close makes the exclusion all the more apparent -- as I'm handed a plastic picnic cup for my (refrigerated) mini bottle of Chateau de Bulk Vat Rouge.Thanks.

 

[Ansett]

Excuse my ignorance please but what is T-80; as a WP, who does about 50pc travel in Y, I'd like to optimise my proximity to the front and the quasi J seats wherever possible. Although being so close makes the exclusion all the more apparent -- as I'm handed a plastic picnic cup for my (refrigerated) mini bottle of Chateau de Bulk Vat Rouge.Thanks.

T-80 equals 80 hours before departure when these seats tend to become available if not already taken

 

[Sprucegoose]

T-80 equals 80 hours before departure when these seats tend to become available if not already taken

Ths is a fine art. I set reminders 3 Days and 8 hours before departure. My EA once remarked, Spruce why are all those T-80 entries in your calendar!!

Of course I couldn't tell her the truth that I am a fanatic.

 

[RWJ777]

Thanks Ansett + Sprucegoose -- so when I go online to 'select your seat' on the Qantas website about a week beforehand, are the row 4 and 5 seats not available? They're only available 80 hours beforehand? I didn't know that!

Thanks very much for that. Learn something every day.

 

[Grooba]

I am only a mere Platinum and manage to get row 4/row 23/24 the majority of the time on relatively busy flights.

All that is required is to remember to check at T-80 and more than likely the seat is yours.

100% agree. I've managed to snag 4 A/C/D/F for at least the last 20 sectors on the 738, in fact I can't remember that last time I sat anywhere else (yes that includes J, the opup gods haven't been nice in the last few weeks).

 

[Ansett]

Thanks Ansett + Sprucegoose -- so when I go online to 'select your seat' on the Qantas website about a week beforehand, are the row 4 and 5 seats not available? They're only available 80 hours beforehand? I didn't know that!

Thanks very much for that. Learn something every day.

You are welcome and good luck with it. The other thing that has proven succesful is if you get an extremely he;pful person on the premium line then they can unlock seats at times and I have for example just secured a prized seat on one flight in December.

 

[Jada]

WP1 puts in front of the line for Op Ups, when the plane is half full of WP this helps.

You will also find that the CSM seeks you out and ensures you have everything to make you comfortable.

WP1s seem to get more attention on flights outside the Melb Syd Cbr, some flights to Alice or regional areas get very few WP1 and it seems to be a talking point for staff.

Probably the biggest difference between WP1 and WP is when something goes wrong, with 24 hour help desk thats proactive.

 

[RWJ777]

You will also find that the CSM seeks you out and ensures you have everything to make you comfortable.

Once upon a time this was a courtesy extended to WPs too. I think I've had it twice in the 3 years I've been QF platinum.

 

[Jada]

Once upon a time this was a courtesy extended to WPs too. I think I've had it twice in the 3 years I've been QF platinum.

This has been hit and miss for some time

 

[JohnK]

100% agree. I've managed to snag 4 A/C/D/F for at least the last 20 sectors on the 738, in fact I can't remember that last time I sat anywhere else (yes that includes J, the opup gods haven't been nice in the last few weeks).

Sometimes I miss row 4 as I forget to check at T-80 hours.

But the worst seat I will have if I stay on my original flight is 6C/6D or 25J/26J as I hardly ever see anyone Platinums and above on my flights when I first book. The other day changed to a flight 4 flights earlier and still managed 28J and if I was quicker off the mark would have had 24B. Still decent seats for last minute changes.

 

[Per_Travels]

There is no confirmed benefit of additional guests and I travel solo so can't answer
I have had two upgrades from J to F on long haul QF flights so I'm pretty happy on this score
I always seem to have a platinum shadow - domestic and internationally - obviously capacity dependent.
Service, if traveling Y internationally, has been better than as a WP
Domestically their appears little difference to me. (That said on one flight the CSM did pop and see me to make sure all was well.)

The advanced seat selection, op-ups and plat shadow are good....but for me it is questionable if they are worth the amount of commitment to QF required to reach P1.

I have not actually spoken to anyone from the P1 desk. (I missed a couple of calls prior to travel)

My experience is that op-ups have reduced (although as I've posted elsewhere I think this is likely due to the processing of upgrade requests closer to departure).
With lounge guests I've travelled with wife (PG) and three kids both as a WP and WP1 and found no difference (i.e. ok with QF but not with BA). Most recently in SIN I had to beg for us to be let in but I guess this is due to the refurbishments and limited space.
The platinum shadow is fairly hit and miss - I've had a couple of occasions in Y when I've been in the front row with someone next to me in a middle seat whilst the rows close behind have had empty middle seats.
Service levels I haven't noticed a particular difference. I think I've had one flight when the CSM just approached me, generally it's been either nothing or he/she has done the rounds of WP and WP1 (I'm assuming here that there aren't a dozen or so WP1s on the flight)

I too have missed a couple of calls from the P1 desk before flights.

Touch wood - nothing has gone wrong on any trips over the last few months and so I haven't had a chance to test out how proactive they can be.

 

[nuxie1]

I'm currently sitting on about 2400 SCs with 3 months to go before review date...
So, I've decided to go to London via America and take a few status runs using Instant Upgrade fares on routes with first class along the way.

Remember you need a minimum of 2700 SCs on QF metal for WP1.

 

[haggiscat]

Remember you need a minimum of 2700 SCs on QF metal for WP1.

Thanks for the advice all. Seems mostly seating benefits then. This is really the main part for me. I travel so much in Y that it would be great to be assured 4c,4d every time. I also travel a lot with non status passengers and being able to assure all of them row 4 or Versace lounge seats would be a real bonus.

I have found that when seated in row 4, especially on a 400, I don't miss being in business at all, and it's a good excuse not to get blind drunk before arriving at my destination. I can easily see myself banking 200,000 points a year or so to use internationally as well.

 

[Blackadder]

Once upon a time this was a courtesy extended to WPs too. I think I've had it twice in the 3 years I've been QF platinum.

As a WP had it both ways on QF 11/12 on my last visit to the LOTFATP.

 

[JohnK]

I travel so much in Y that it would be great to be assured 4c,4d every time. I also travel a lot with non status passengers and being able to assure all of them row 4 or Versace lounge seats would be a real bonus.

As I said earlier.

Qantas will need a whole lot more row 4's on the 737's to cater for everyone that wants to be assured of sitting in one every time.

 

[simongr]

I haven't been able to get further forward than 3rd row of whY for quite a while and that is the main reason I tried to push for P1. The other key benefit I see is the ability to open up awards. I have a big family trip to the UK/Cyprus next year and I would like to do it in J. Again that is why I pushed for P1.

As it stands now I should hit P1 with my flights next week - with 5 weeks left to run on my qualifying year....

 

[jamesatfish]

I'm keenly following this thread as I'm in a very similar position to others who have posted - a month left on my membership year, no 'necessary' travel left to do but only 380 SCs (70 of those on QF) needed to reach P1.

Any thoughts as to whether it's worth a couple of SC runs to reach the hallowed ground of P1 given that scenario?