Heads up about program changes

[amaroo]

There will be a few but not too many.

I have most flights booked through to end September except for first 2 weeks in July. Cheapest Qantas airfares were $146 each way BNE-SYD. I was going to book Virgin but held off. Qantas had a sale last week and it included the frst 2 weeks in July for $95 each way. Virgin was $89 each way.

Guess which I booked?

No wonder you don't like DSC offers

 

[TonyHancock]

I have most flights booked through to end September except for first 2 weeks in July. Cheapest Qantas airfares were $146 each way BNE-SYD. I was going to book Virgin but held off. Qantas had a sale last week and it included the frst 2 weeks in July for $95 each way. Virgin was $89 each way.

At $95 each way that means it is possible to requalify WP for $11,400. Without MASA's I'll spend $40k and still not reach P1.

That means it is possible to reach WP with a quarter of the spend of another WP. :shock:

Surely QF needs to put the price of Y flights up significantly to remove this loophole.

 

[medhead]

There will be a few but not too many.

I have most flights booked through to end September except for first 2 weeks in July. Cheapest Qantas airfares were $146 each way BNE-SYD. I was going to book Virgin but held off. Qantas had a sale last week and it included the frst 2 weeks in July for $95 each way. Virgin was $89 each way.

Guess which I booked?

There is no point booking that far in advance, as evidenced by the sale last week. I also picked up July flights. $105 or $99 with VA. QF wanted $119 each way with the new earning of 800 points and 10 SC. VA with 1050 or 990 points and 10 SC won easily.

I only have 6 flights beyond 24 July, all at the old QF earn rate.

 

[JohnK]

I suspect the removal of MASA's is probably the correct business decision but I do hope it has been thought through. It looks as though I'll be putting about $15k through to VA that would have gone to QF over the next three months...unless QF is cheaper. (QF does at least have my international travel booked months ago.)

Assuming we believe the reason given by Justin at the lunch (and I have no reason not to believe him) then their removal is going to have little effect on Qantas revenue.

 

[TonyHancock]

Assuming we believe the reason given by Justin at the lunch (and I have no reason not to believe him) then their removal is going to have little effect on Qantas revenue.

I'd agree, particularly if they close out the much abused cheap fare scam. It must be costing them millions.

 

[medhead]

Indeed. The cheap seats cost Qantas money, much better to kill the cheap fare scam. They'll return to profit in no time.

 

[JohnK]

I'd agree, particularly if they close out the much abused cheap fare scam. It must be costing them millions.

Red e-deals?

 

[TonyHancock]

Red e-deals?

Yep, I reckon there are a few on AFF abusing them! (and openly boasting about it.)

 

[Deleted User]

Tony Hancock, I'd love to pay ~$470 & 72,000 points for my favorite MASA ADL - PER - ADL post June 30, but unfortunately Qantas want me to be one of those cheap cough scum people and from July I'll only be paying ~$90 for my J Classic....

No wonder they're not making $$$$

 

[JohnK]

Yep, I reckon there are a few on AFF abusing them! (and openly boasting about it.)

OK. I don't get your attempt at humour.

 

[ketsuzei]

I'll be paying less in cash domestically and I'll be doing it on VA... gloat gloat gloat.

 

[JohnK]

Gloat all you like. Virgin is about to introduce Platinum One and marginal Any Seat awards so you don't have to waste too much of your precious cash.

Sour grapes anyone?

 

[TonyHancock]

I'll be paying less in cash domestically and I'll be doing it on VA... gloat gloat gloat.

I suspect that will be my modus operandi too. When you are out of the QF points chasing loop BFOD clicks in and VA looks to be ahead in that game...and to be fair with PB and a shadow VA is my domestic preference.

 

[ketsuzei]

Gloat all you like. Virgin is about to introduce Platinum One and marginal Any Seat awards so you don't have to waste too much of your precious cash.

OK. I don't get your attempt at humour.

 

[boomy]

There will be a few but not too many.

That's my feeling too. When I talk to QF FFers outside the AFF community I hear very little outrage over the recent changes because most people were not taking advantage of them anyway.

 

[whatmeworry]

I'd agree, particularly if they close out the much abused cheap fare scam. It must be costing them millions.

So only 60 MEL-SYD return flights for WP?

 

[TonyHancock]

OK. I don't get your attempt at humour.

I guess I was rather non to subtly suggesting that there are several ways to achieve status and the majority of us try do do it the most efficient and cost effective way. In many respects chasing the lowest cost fare has similarities with using MASA's. Neither will be particularly cost effective for QF, who would much rather us all pay the highest fare possible, but both earn status.

As for these changes costing QF I think the jury is out on that one for me. In the short term the incentive has gone for me to earn points and thus pick QF over VA for that purpose. In the long run QF may get more out of me on international travel. It's too hard to call at the moment and the critical year for me begins in August 2015.

QF appears to have been the odd one out with MASA's so when they were introduced they could see something people at other airlines couldn't, or they probably were not the most profitable fare for QF. (My money is on the latter.) (Or as serfty commented elsewhere they were an unintended consequence.

Like you I get frustrated by the DSC offers, but it is a tool to get cash in and I would guess it is an effective one. We grumble and moan, but both of us are still with QF earning status every year.

I'm beginning to mellow a little and appreciate that different people want different things from the FF program, some of those things align with my requirements some don't but ultimately your requirements are no less legitimate than mine. Whilst ATA was not a big deal for me I was happy to pitch in and complain to QF about it's withdrawal. Devaluation is bad whatever the benefit is, so you can understand some are disappointed by the removal of MASA's and others are very disappointed by the lower SC earn on OW airlines. The latter has little impact on me, (30 SC's on OW carriers in 8 months and 3565 SC's on QF in the same period.) but it is a major devaluation so I have aired my concerns.

We are all in the same boat, if this months devaluation doesn't impact you the next one might, or the next one.

So only 60 MEL-SYD return flights for WP?

Exactly, crazy isn't it. All of these people earning WP so cheap and for only 180 hours(ish) flying. You wonder how QF makes money at all. Might as well just give status away in a cereal packet.

* whatmeworry allow me to introduce sarcasm, sarcasm this is Mr whatmeworry.

 

[Robbi]

So only 60 MEL-SYD return flights for WP?

How many $$$ is that?

 

[ketsuzei]

How many $$$ is that?

It depends. Some people have been rorting the system by buying fares during sales.

 

[JohnK]

Like you I get frustrated by the DSC offers, but it is a tool to get cash in and I would guess it is an effective one. We grumble and moan, but both of us are still with QF earning status every year.

I have no issue with double SC offers on cash airfares. Personally I would like a little more time to plan travel but it would appear Qantas is only interested in short term bookings. So they are useless offers to me enticing me to travel in the next 6 weeks.

And yes I am still travelling Qantas. They don't owe me a cheap way to get status. I have used 2 of the 3 domestic alternatives and let's say they are OK to be used occasionally but not weekly. Well at least not for me anyway.