The problem with Platinum one is you need to do substanially business flying to get it, or a lot of Y flying (180 to 360 SYD-MEL/BNE/CBR). If you are flying in business most of the time then there is little reason to switch domestic flying. Clearly, qantas wants to keep the business flyers. If one does a lot of Y flying then it is likely they will need to fly other than qantas at some stage. So they mostly likely will be better off with multi-status, unless qantas brings back anytime access.
Anyone who is flying less in Y, 1200 to 3599 SC, if they can't stretch to Platinum 1 don't really have the incentive to be loyal to Qantas once they hit 1200SC or 2400SC. So I can't see how platinum one will stop these people from aportioning their flying to be multi-status. Sure, I agree that Qantas probably doesn't want people in this group getting platinum benefits, but why not just up the qulaification instead of stuffing around with all these changes.
In my case 2100SC was achievable and 2400SC is not. Now without anytime access I'm better off committing to Gold with DJ and just passing the 1200SC Platinum requalifiication requirement. Platinum one is not going to change that situation.
WP is not that hard to get. I earn 260 SCs for each trip Adl/Mel/Bkk rtn with JQ *Class. A couple of Bkk/Bom and Bkk/Ams rtns flights with CX in J, a few Syd/Lax rtns with QF in -Y (now using Air Pacific in J) and a few YUPs with AA around the states and to Canada and you have 3,200 SCs. Earning 3,200 SCs with QF domestic would be HARD YARDS.
Now that I have SWMBO as SG, via PG, and she can requalify each year, there is not reason for me to earn more than 1,200 SCs with QF. So I did the initially heavy heart thing (being initially QF and QFF loyal) and did a deal with DJ for Gold as well as with AA for a Plat challenge to short time earning AA EXP and all those really nice unlimited domestic opups and 8 system wide opup a year. Yup flying with AA will be a real pain once the AA EXP card arrives. Nice thing about also holding QF WP is you get AA F Lounge access and do not need to pay for it.
What the DJ Gold gives me is the chance to explore other non OW airlines that give reciprocal lounge, check-in, better seating, etc benefits. So a Golden key to the other side of flying without doing so as a NB with no elite benefits.
Do I think DJ will join *A? Yup, just on their terms.
Guess you could say I have the key that unlocks the Golden Handcuffs that QF use to hold their FFers to them and the OW alliance.
If I was AJ, I would be doing everything in my power to STOP QF WPs and SGs from gaining the key to the Golden Handcuffs as more than QF may lose butt in the seat Paxs and dollars to other non OW airlines and alliances.
It's a big world out there and I now have the power to explore it. Thanks AJ for the loss of anytime lounge access, no domestic Boarding at Convenience despite the PA saying I can do it, never giving me an Express Priority card, never remembering my name, not giving a cough that I'm 1.95 mtrs tall and can't sit in your 30 - 31 inch Y seats for 13 hours without suffering physical injury to my back and other small reasons which enabled me to see reason and look outside QF and OW.
For the first time in a very long time, I'm looking at airline prices and services that are not OW and guess what? There is a lot of movement at the station mate. Looking back a QF now, it is like looking at a old B&W photo of the past. I'm excited about the future of my flying and that is a nice feeling for a old dog that still remembers his first international flight on a Connie.
Tell you what, flying with DJ and this move outside OW makes me feel younger and can't be all bad.
