Has QANTAS made the biggest marketing blunder of all time?

[moa999]

Mods, pls lock

 

[support]

The forum policy is that so long as a thread does not go outside the forum rules then it should, where possible, remain open. If it adds very little as suggested here it will normally quickly die away into oblivion.

 

[Alanslegal]

I suppose there would be a few that may claim they could throw the first stone but for me the risk of travelling there is not worth it.

Its probably riskier travelling to the nearest airport than your chances of getting in trouble in Dubai.

 

[Platinum A332]

Just do not have sex or smoke a joint whilst in transit for around 1 hour, the same sort of restraint most people tend to do at ALL airports globally. Simple really.

 

[markis10]

Just do not have sex or smoke a joint whilst in transit for around 1 hour, the same sort of restraint most people tend to do at ALL airports globally. Simple really.

Most airports are not too worried about poppy seeds by comparison!

 

[lovestotravel]

Probably best that you stay at home and perhaps find a tin-foil hat as well if you are worried about visiting or transiting through the UAE

Either that, or perhaps stick to the Gold Coast for the family holiday

 

[simongr]

What is really needed is to extract out all the posts that address these points from the mega thread. I did suggest that at the time, but nothing seemed to happen. No doubt it's a much better idea to leave that stuff buried on page 573 of a mega thread than create a separate thread that might stop people posting this stuff repeatedly. (what would I know )

You mean like this suggestion:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....read-explaining-difference-between-42991.html

 

[medhead]

You mean like this suggestion:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....read-explaining-difference-between-42991.html

I was thinking of a subset of that suggestion. ie cultural issues with transiting UAE.


Sent from the Throne

 

[drross]

There are thousands of Australians living in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the other parts of the UAE. There are Australians working for Emirates as flight crew, FA's and other admin roles. There are over 500 members of the ADF stationed in and around Dubai.

Australia to double force in UAE base - The National

Defence Ministers » Minister for Defence – Minister for Defence visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE)

I cannot recall the last serious issue involving Australians breaking UAE laws.

I have transited DXB and AUH and I have stayed in both Emirates doing all the tourist things. I certainly enjoy a drink and have had no problems. My presciption medicine is always in my carryon and I have not been questioned.

Australia has oustanding relations with Dubai and to think that the Qantas/ Emirates deal is going to change anything is just rubbish.

Get over it and go and enjoy a fascinating part of the world.

Excellent reply Major

 

[lovestotravel]

United Arab Emirates travel advice

Seems to be an accurate source of information!

Now the only bit that would make me "worry" is traveling with a partner (of the opposite sex) to whom you are not married or closely related

A girlfriend/boyfriend situation could be an issue!

 

[Geegeela]

No one is asking you to travel to the UAE under the arrangement. You just have to transit the airport. Hopefully, most people will be able to refrain from sexual relations and consensual sodomy for a few hours while in transit. (i.e. they can exercise their will power for a little while)

I don't know about the medication issue. But limited reading of other threads suggests the issue may not be as big as implied while in transit at the airport.

Many of these issues have been discussed here: Qantas/Emirates Code Share Arrangement - September 2012

Well, the transit areas are still subject to the laws and customs of the UAE.

And, I am fairly sure that QANTAS would not only be seeking through fares but stay-overs as well.

I frequently stay-over in Singapore and although I don’t care too much for some of their laws and attitudes it is, for me, a better choice than Dubai.

You will note my thread topic was specifically referring to the marketing aspect of the alliance (thank you TonyHancock).

Very important as Marketing is there are other items, such as Finance and Operations that QANTAS would have weighed-up when making their decision to team-up with Emirates.

Marketing is very much concerned with perceptions, which may or may not be factual and buying decisions are made in the main by emotions.

It is the aim of good sales people to substantially have reasons for buying out-weighing the reasons for not buying, particularly when presenting against the competition.

The “Gay” market of Australia is estimated to be about 12% and those in this group making regular overseas travel in excess of this.

Indeed, there are now some travel agents and advisers specifically targeting the “Gay” or “Pink” community.

As to the adulterers and fornicators the market growth for this sector is exponential.

The one thing the business person attending an over-seas convention with their secretary seeks to avoid more than anything else is attention.

As an aside this reminds me of what I once thought was the biggest airline marketing blunder.

An American airline once sent a letter directly to the wives of businessmen that had taken up the offer to accompany their husbands to a specific conference at the special fare of two for the price of one inquiring if they enjoyed the trip.

The medication topic which is reported to have extreme consequences in the UAE is just another thing that would be of concern to many.

These days most doctors at the press of a button can print out an authorisation for all the drugs you have taken plus any others you might like to add but still there is the doubt if that is good enough.

However, it is just another reason “not to buy” and like all these perceptions is most applicable to the new, inexperienced and less frequent flyer.

The reason I put up this thread was because I and several well travelled colleagues had quite a fun few hours discuss the marketing ramifications of the proposed alliance over a couple of beers.

We did not come to unanimous agreement but there was one thing we were in total agreement and that was if they had got into bed with a dry airline then they should also have a name change to Titanic Airlines.

I was going to post it in the “QANTAS/Emirates alliance - thoughts?” but thought it had enough legs to stand alone and not clutter the main thread.

I must say that I would never have found to where it has now been moved.

 

[Geegeela]

Probably best that you stay at home and perhaps find a tin-foil hat as well if you are worried about visiting or transiting through the UAE

Either that, or perhaps stick to the Gold Coast for the family holiday

Thank you for indicating your concern about my welfare and also the standard of your taste for holiday locations in Australia.

Your advice to stay at home for those with concerns would of course mean a lost fare to QANTAS but I think most people would just select another carrier.

In either case it would mean QANTAS would lose a sale and the sales and marketing people would have another sigh.

This clearly demonstrates a marketing blunder of some degree by QANTAS so I will chalk you down as one that thinks they have indeed blundered.

 

[medhead]

Well, the transit areas are still subject to the laws and customs of the UAE.

And, I am fairly sure that QANTAS would not only be seeking through fares but stay-overs as well.

I frequently stay-over in Singapore and although I don’t care too much for some of their laws and attitudes it is, for me, a better choice than Dubai.

As I said no one is making you travel to the UAE. If you decide to give Qantas what they seek in that respect it is entirely your choice.

There is also plenty of anecdotal evidence present that the UAE laws are not strictly enforced in the international transit area.

Basically it just another airport to transit. That is hardly a marketing blunder except for those people who like to holiday at the gold coast, or Bali or at cronulla. Any transit airport will be a marketing blunder for xenophobic racists -equally.


Sent from the Throne

 

[simongr]

The simple answer to your question "Has Qantas made the biggest marketing blunder of all time?" is no.

The fact that 12% of the population may reconsider their transit options means that 88% of the population are unaffected by this. Also there re probably a lot of people that currently don't fly QF as they can't easily get to DXB or a great number of locations in Europe.

I agree that if they had partnered with a "dry" airline it would have been strategic blunder but not a marketing blunder.

A marketing blunder would have been to for the merger to have been launched at the Mardi Gras.

 

[JessicaTam]

<snip>

The reason I put up this thread was because I and several well travelled colleagues had quite a fun few hours discuss the marketing ramifications of the proposed alliance over a couple of beers.

<snip>

The point that concerns me is that you only managed a couple of beers in 'quite a fun few hours'.

 

[TonyHancock]

The point that concerns me is that you only managed a couple of beers in 'quite a fun few hours'.

They were in Dubai during Ramadan!

 

[QF1]

That sucks....This means I cannot carry my cough with me without my prescription...may get a jail term for both crimes!!!!!

 

[Geegeela]

The point that concerns me is that you only managed a couple of beers in 'quite a fun few hours'.

Metaphorically speeking.

 

[MrJetset]

How many of these AFF'ers claiming to be concerned for the rights of LGBTQI people all of a sudden are of this community themselves, or supported the community prior to this in our fight for equal rights, such as marriage equality in Australia? Strange that such support gathers momentum in relation to an agreement between two airlines.

Rather than get all melodramatic on these forums, how about performing some real activism and speak to your local MP about legalising gay marriage? Or join Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch and help protect the fundamental human rights of LGBTQI people in the Arab World, and other countries that face perseuction.

 

[markis10]

Rather than get all melodramatic on these forums, how about performing some real activism and speak to your local MP about legalising gay marriage? Or join Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch and help protect the fundamental human rights of LGBTQI people in the Arab World, and other countries that face perseuction.

Maybe people already do, I certainly think it would be presumptuous to think otherwise given this is a frequent flyer board, where discussion on such matters would be somewhat off topic in general.