Heads up about program changes

[Mongo]

He has the full support of the board and shareholders, if we don't count most shareholders I know.

Anyone who remains a Qantas shareholder while Joyce and Clifford are slapping each other on the back must surely define the quintessential optimist. I don't see things improving any time soon, the CEO is despised by both staff and customers and the chairman thinks he's doing a wonderful job. With this latest change, I sincerely just can't be bothered with them anymore.

Our company policy is that flights under 6 hours must take the cheapest economy fare, as this makes up the bulk of my travel I'll be pushing it uphill to earn enough SCs to retain even WG. Qantas has made a clear statement here that it does not want my domestic travel business nor that of my 3000+ colleagues. When I do the occaissional international trip it is in J which comes with the benefits status provides, and as I doubt I have enough years left in me to reach LG, chasing SC's has pretty much just become irrelevant.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Looks like Qantas marketing can now add the words "fairer" and "simpler" to the banned list, much like the word "enhancement".

 

[Awesom Andy]

Just did some maths:

My flying pattern include a mix of QF, JQ, 3K, and some partner flights, mostly in Y, some Y+, and the occasional J. The vast majority of the flights are between 3 - 9 hours in length.

Without the DSC, I made 1080 SC's this year (although I did stay grounded for a few months - very unusual for me).
With the new system, I would've made 1205 SC's and requalified WP without the DSC, with and roughly an extra 19,000 points (although I'm assuming partner earns stay similar).

However, as announced, SIN will no longer get Y+. As a result, I would mostly end up buying discount Y tickets instead. This would reduce my SC earn to 1030, and reduce my points earn by 22,000 points from this year's amount. And unfortunately, even if I wanted Y+, and willing to fly on BA instead, I will only earn half the SC's.

So I guess this shows that, for someone with a well-mixed portfolio of flights, the changes are negligible, and may also bring some benefits. The only issue, however, is the enhancement of the QF network. I'm losing QF-metal Y+, and I'm sure others are losing (or have already lost) a lot more QF-metal/code options.

I also find it quite intriguing that they bothered to update the Y+ rates for AU East - HNL. What's the chance of this happening?

 

[Awesom Andy]

And one strange thing I noticed...

Did a flight between HKG and TPE. Base point is 483. However, gcmap has 501 miles. Where is the missing 18 miles?

 

[tyrolean]

OK, just why I think it is not a clever move:

I was/am loyal to QF. I traveled once a year form Germany to Australia and Singapore. I tried to book QF. I always payed Business fares. My domestic Australian flights went as well to QF. I loved to top-up my Status-Credits with BA flights and after joining with AB flights.

But QF is making it very hard for me to stay loyal now. Maybe time for a change.

Air Berlin and Etihad Status brings you into Virgin Australia Lounges....

 

[Awesom Andy]

OK, just why I think it is not a clever move:

I was/am loyal to QF. I traveled once a year form Germany to Australia and Singapore. I tried to book QF. I always payed Business fares. My domestic Australian flights went as well to QF. I loved to top-up my Status-Credits with BA flights and after joining with AB flights.

But QF is making it very hard for me to stay loyal now. Maybe time for a change.

Air Berlin and Etihad Status brings you into Virgin Australia Lounges....

That actually works out for me too, funny enough. Between SIN and SYD (one of my major routes), the BA 77W cabin is much nicer than the QF A330 anyway, and I can simply move all my dom flights across to VA. And I never really cared what those 3K flights earned me anyway (although I was quite marginal this past year). Don't think AB has a squiggle requirement?

 

[leon_rex]

Makes no difference to me. I got WP by doing a serious amount of flying in Y and with occasional J treats. Paid for it all myself.

From what I can see, I will still retain WP under the new system.

I fly Flexi when I can afford to for the extra SCs, and less points required for an ODU.

If you fly QANTAS exclusively and you book a range of fares with cash, it won't be a problem.

People who exploit loopholes or use business credit cards to acquire millions of points then fly basically for free have got to be kidding themselves if they think that's some sort of entitlement.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Makes no difference to me. I got WP by doing a serious amount of flying in Y and with occasional J treats. Paid for it all myself.

From what I can see, I will still retain WP under the new system.

I fly Flexi when I can afford to for the extra SCs, and less points required for an ODU.

If you fly QANTAS exclusively and you book a range of fares with cash, it won't be a problem.

People who exploit loopholes or use business credit cards to acquire millions of points then fly basically for free have got to be kidding themselves if they think that's some sort of entitlement.

Its a bit hard to fly qantas exclusively

 

[leon_rex]

Sorry, I meant domestically.

QFi is revolting anyway and has been for as long as I can remember.

 

[ReLoad]

If it ain't broke.....

The problem is they are......

 

[Lonely Flyer]

The problem is they are......

Strictly they are not broke but heading that way and this move will only cost them.

 

[leon_rex]

This move will not cost them! You people are serial freeloaders.

Are you all cutting up your FF cards now and calling Virgin? I think not.

The only difference is you will now have to pay real money for your status, not exploit loop holes to get it.

Sucked in from all of us who have done it the hard way and don't have access to daddy's AMEX points, like the fat beast I sat next to in J once who boasted that he flew round the world for nix with the family credit card earn and made a business of booking biz flights for his friends for cash using the same.

Can't wait not to have to encounter such people in the forward cabins!

 

[ReLoad]

This move will not cost them! You people are serial freeloaders.

Are you all cutting up your FF cards now and calling Virgin? I think not.

The only difference is you will now have to pay real money for your status, not exploit loop holes to get it.

Sucked in from all of us who have done it the hard way and don't have access to daddy's AMEX points, like the fat beast I sat next to in J once who boasted that he flew round the world for nix with the family credit card earn and made a business of booking biz flights for his friends for cash using the same.

Can't wait not to have to encounter such people in the forward cabins!

Wow you have real issues!

 

[coolumbla]

seeing teh explosion in thread numbers , was someone trying to bump the post numbers up?

 

[Brettmcg]

Because people are distracted by the missing flight. For example Politicians release bad news on Fridays.

Surely you jest?

Are airlines meant to stop doing business/close down until such time as the wreckage is found? That could be weeks, months or even years!

 

[PineappleSkip]

Did some number crunching for my next flight, as a fairly regular DXB-xx-BNE traveller. Interested to see what the $$$ and SCs would be under the new regime. Don't think I would shift from QFF.

RedRoo, clarification sought. The East Coast Aust - Dubai table line shows a line of - - - - - for SC earn. Just wondering whether this is because you don't know of any OW Partner flights from East Coast to DXB, or because Partner itineraries between East Coast AU and DXB are a SC black hole.. SC calcs below based on assuming the former but suspect the latter. This is one of a number of things that are ambiguous under your wretched 'simple' tables.

CX the cheapest J fare at AED 10695 (about $3300). Very nice. Guessing the partner earn table refers to sectors not itineraries the SC earn on a return flight would drop from 480 to 360. This would have me requal WP in 4 flights. Still better value than Marco Polo where I would need to do six returns to qualify as diamond.

MH a little more at AED 12654. Inferior product to CX, same SCs. Pass.

QR plenty more at AED 18035. Pretty steep. Routing DWC-DOH-PER-BNE and books into F DWC-DOH and QF PER-BNE. Better for SCs though at 460 for the round trip.

QF. Ah, dear old QF. They want AED 20735 to credit 180 SCs with a cabin that isn't a patch on CX. Still the loser in this comparo.

Also have constructed a spreadsheet that compares the old/new SC earning rates for flights other than the specific anomalies listed elsewhere in the table, with a few ex BNE under some of these rules to illustrate how they work.

Mostly the reductions in SCs are relatively small, other than the anomalies which others have pointed out (such as 50% reduction BNE-HKG) and any flights over 7000 miles, given the lower level at which SCs max out under the new regime.

For partner airline lights there is one sweet spot between 3,500-3,600 miles at which you earn 20% more SCs under the new table. Anyone know of any sectors in that band?

Cheers skip

Haha 6.30 in the morning in AU and 55 punters trawling this thread already. The numbers never went below about 18 all night

 

[BD1959]

Sucked in from all of us who have done it the hard way and don't have access to daddy's AMEX points, like the fat beast I sat next to in J once who boasted that he flew round the world for nix with the family credit card earn and made a business of booking biz flights for his friends for cash using the same.

Can't wait not to have to encounter such people in the forward cabins!

And, how exactly will these changes impact those burning Daddy's AMEX points? Nothing I read stated burn rates were increasing. Your post merely highlights those who don't fly will be unaffected.

Looks like you've more uncomfortable flights ahead!!

Regards,

BD

 

[Nizar]

I wonder if these "enhancements" will make it easier to see which fare class you are booking into at the time of booking ?
May make the switch to AA all that much easier

 

[Mwenenzi]

Sucked in from all of us who have done it the hard way and don't have access to daddy's AMEX points, like the fat beast I sat next to in J once who boasted that he flew round the world for nix with the family credit card earn and made a business of booking biz flights for his friends for cash using the same.

Can't wait not to have to encounter such people in the forward cabins!

These changes will make no difference (at this time) to your friend redeeming QF points for flights. From the email

And, when it's time to redeem, there's no change to the number of points you need for a Classic Award[SUP]3[/SUP] or how you use your points for your chosen reward.[SUP]4[/SUP]

 

[MH_fan]

Just had a good look at the new partner points and SC earning table. Not happy at all and this will really make me re-evaluate my loyalty to QF. My J booking to LHR in October was meant to earn me 560SCs but it will now only earn me 280! That is a major devaluation. Time to start crediting to another programme.