Have you Stuck with QF?

[Happy Dude]

I was lured to VA by the status match (PS) offer a few years ago. Then family pooling made it pretty easy to get to SG and I could never quite crack QFF SG. Except for a price match issue for a hire car, I've never had an issue with VA. So there's no reason to want to go back. Fuel fines, poor award availability and the other enhancements appear to vindicate the decision, particularly the recent earn/burn changes. VA tend to be cheaper IME, especially when using promo codes. I do have a stash of QFF points that I use to transport extended family around the country - but there's no attraction to earn more QFF points by flying or spend. I'll fly QFi if it's a competitive price.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Hmm - answered it wrong - just quickly clicked on greener pastures for me and then realised it was historical. So yes have stuck with qantas in the past, but no will not in the future (except domestic probably).

 

[medhead]

This is a binary question, and I am dealing in absolutes.

Ok then. Qantas gave me $10000 last year to spend on Qantas flights. That purchased $10k of my loyalty. There is a current opportunity for them to give me $10k per year for 3 years. My loyalty is available for purchase.
Not sure if I'm with them or not...

We dont even have any lounge at all after immigration.

Actually, there is a lounge after immigration. http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/au/flying-withus/before-the-flight/lounges/silverkris/

 

[Buzzard]

I was loyal once, spending all my hard earned with Qantas. The end of mASA was the end for me.
If I travel on my own I still tend to use QF, traveling with +1 we tend to use VA.

I think the poll should have had a third option. To me, the poll seems to ask do you fly Qantas or not?

 

[BD1959]

I haven't answered because there isn't an option for me!

I was QFF-loyal and then "Mr" Joyce started on his anti-OW path: got into bed with EK, started shafting OW redemptions, dumped on MH after sponsoring their OW entry, then went hand-in-glove to the Government because "nothing, absolutely nothing other than similar foreign ownership rules would save the Roo" (OK, a bit of a paraphrase!).

At this point I thought it prudent I build up VA status and got to Gold because QF - or its affiliations with OW - were about to die. As others have said: grass, green. Realized it wasn't the airline for me, rue (roo?) the lost SCs and slunk back - very reluctantly - into the QFFold.

Option 5: Considered QF a dead-dog. Left, realised CEO speak with fork-tongue and all that sparkles is really grass, returned with tail between legs (until next financial crisis)

Regards,

BD

 

[drewbles]

Poll needs many more options.

I was QF through and through until Velocity launched. Status Matched, and have kept VA WP ever since. When I moved to VA, I did my 4 QF segments and re-qualified for QF WP via AA as I spend a lot of time in the USA for work.

This year will see me hit LTG, and I have moved somewhat back to QF. I've easily re-qualified for VA WP thanks to a lot of premium VA and DL travel, but am up to over 1k SC's with QF only 10 weeks into my membership year (with all but a few hundred on QF metal).

I will continue to hedge my bets and split my spend. Trans-con to PER which is my main domestic route will continue to be in VA. $1k for return in J (using complimentary upgrades or points) is a no brainer for me personally (no interest in flying economy over that distance). QF can't offer me that, and still too many 737's on the QF roster (trying to book a PER-MEL around Christmas time at the moment and QF have 2-3 737 flights per day!).

When I hit LTG, AAnother AAirline will come into the mix too

 

[Gold Member]

1.3m QF handcuffs

Fuel surcharges?

 

[kermatu]

I voted Red Roo but it was a close call. Would have preferred a halfway/middle option. The double SC offer the other day tipped me just in favour of saying I'm with QF.

Reality is since:
- the recent enhancements;
- the higher QF prices; and
- underwhelming P1 treatment (nothing bad, just a complete failure to deliver me anything above and beyond)
I have modified my flying away from QF by a reasonable amount. Domestic is still largely QF (better network, and access to J lounges and the odd CL visit help as long as I'm WP+). International it's now maybe 15% of my travel, whereas 3 years ago it was 70% (and 100% OW). By way of illustration, I'm 2/3 of the way through my status year and am sitting on 1400SCs. Had I done all my J and F international travel over the past 8 months on QF or full-earn OW I'd be well over 4000. I'd have P1, but be at least $10k further out of pocket (probably much more - haven't done the sums). Just not worth it.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I still use QFF, but it is no longer my FF program of first choice and has not been now for about a decade.

Once I really "looked" at what other FF programs offered QFF was not competitive most of the time. Sometimes though there are good point earns and/or points that can only go to QFF.

However status is irrelevant to me now as I redeem mainly only in J or F for leisure travel, and I am no longer a "road(plane) warrior" in my working life and only have ratre business flights. Status was handy back when I had to fly often for work, but gladly I no longer need to do that chore.

 

[SuzieQ68]

Bailed on QF purely and simply when they decided to leave the GC and bring in Jet* to service routes out of there - and that was back in the day that you didn't actually get a seat allocation on your BP - it was every man, woman and child for themselves. Chaotic.

Joined VA in 2006 and haven't looked back. I appreciate that some FF's here have some issues with VA, but for me personally I haven't had many in the hundreds of flights taken and for every issue I have had, VA have been more than accommodating. Maybe it's my charm and winning smile.......

I also appreciate that VA still have a way to go in terms of becoming a full service airline (especially with regards to their meal offerings), but I'm still happy to remain loyal, especially now that I've attained (and maintained) status. I also love that VA have hooked up with SQ and have used that option on many occasions - including transferring VA points to KF miles for redemption.

For me it would take one hell of a status match and an improvement in the FF program to make me consider QF again. Just my two cents worth.

 

[Benno]

I'd have switched to VA as my first choice if they didn't have E190s on the routes I fly most often. Under the old QFF status credits regime I hit gold pretty easily on domestic flights, but on the new 'fairer' system I don't even bother.

 

[drewbles]

I'd have switched to VA as my first choice if they didn't have E190s on the routes I fly most often. Under the old QFF status credits regime I hit gold pretty easily on domestic flights, but on the new 'fairer' system I don't even bother.

I love the E190's. I have a thing for small RJ's from any manufacturer. Something awesome about the take off, they feel like a little shuttle!

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Interesting to read the comments.
Appears to be a trend where LTG members are more open to the idea of switching away.

Like most of you who have left QF - there isn't one single reason why I've not stayed but agree with the sentiment that there is no standout reason.
The death of a thousand cuts. Having no free upgrades as a Platinum One over 3 years was a big downer for me. Removal of *ASA and now not being able to send points into QFF (aside from amex) from credit cards are major roadblocks. Also earning QFF points outside Australia is virtually impossible. Even if I wanted to jump on the QFF train again - I can't!

In saying that - 100% of my travel is now international and this has brought opportunities to try new airlines and new FF programs.
The grass is certainly greener if you control your own spend and have flexibility.

Putting my FFP professional hat on, there is certainly a culture shift in a certain portion of the traveller population and I don't believe the smart folks at Qantas have figured out how to engage with this growing segment. Loyalty is taking on a new meaning in the minds of this demographic. The same as how loyalty in the telco industry made a giant shift about 6 years ago - airlines are entering a similar phase now. Essentially this presents an opportunity to re-work the model to improve financial performance. I don't see much changing in Australia since the member base is so captive and banks are locked into lucrative points agreements.

 

[serfty]

Had to answer greener pastures, although I am working both sides of the fence.

Whereas some years ago I would looked for the magic 2400SC's (nee 2100), my SC harvest for the past three years has been a little over 1200. Earn beyond that would have gone to QFF now goes to AAdvantage.

There's also Velocity WP to consider ...


When I came across AFF, I was very much Qantas fanboi ... how that has changed ,,,

 

[codash1099]

I,m handcuffed to QF only by status. I was comped WP this year, but I'm unlikely to earn enough to get it again. I won't fly EK (or any ME airline) willingly so my options out of PER are restricted.
90% of my flights are international and self funded. As soon as I lose F lounge access, I'm off to BFOD.

 

[ReLoad]

I've stuck with them for a couple of reasons;

1. They are the best carrier on the routes I frequent.
2. WP1 means I am recognised for my spend.

 

[wandering_fred]

I,m handcuffed to QF only by status. I was comped WP this year, but I'm unlikely to earn enough to get it again. I won't fly EK (or any ME airline) willingly so my options out of PER are restricted.
90% of my flights are international and self funded. As soon as I lose F lounge access, I'm off to BFOD.

Depending on what you mean by "best" out of Perth that could be dire :shock:
My best no longer includes arriving back into Perth between 2300 and 0430...

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[marki]

I am sure they do LOL

There's a fair few people who think the Sith *do* run the company.

 

[marki]

I had the same problems and trying to get a P1 Status (not sure how) lots of flying

Last year I decided early on to pass on retaining P1 as in true DYKWIA fashion I felt under valued by QF and decided to go QF WP and VA WP.

This year I haven't flown VA at all as I was disenchanted with a lack of a VA shadow, poor seating and poor inflight catering so I'm back to flying QF exclusively to re-attain P1 but I haven't had a QF shadow all year, my back hurts from the economy seating and I only eat the cheese and crackers.

I'm so confused

 

[Edge]

I've switched from QF to VA and couldn't be happier. I travel frequently to major cities around Australia and the VA network can generally get me anywhere I need to go at reasonable times. Family pooling is great and I'm about to tick over to WP. With flying and CC points I'm accumulating points pretty quickly and excited about the ability to transfer to SQ and their reasonable redemption rates. About to fly MEL-MUC then ZUR-MEL with Etihad which will be another great little points and SC earner.

Probably the best part about VA though has been Fly Ahead. We aren't allowed to book Flexi's so fly-ahead has given me a few opportunities to get home in time to see my little girl when meetings have finished early or traffic has been light. Impossible to put a value on that after a long day on the road and in the air.