Heads up about program changes

[SeatBackForward]

Huh? SCs are the same, or up.

Old system was 30 SCs in Y and 120 SCs in J
New system is 30/40/60(!!) SCs in Y, and 120/135 SCs in J

How is that a loss? It sucked before to be booking in B SYD-SIN and you got a measly 30SCs. Now you can get 60.

Thats on QF, look at the partner airline table.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Next step - QF leaves OW.

i can feel it coming....

The recent addition of Malaysian and Sri Lankan to OW is the reason for this, plus the increased partnership with Emirates. I agree with your point.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I know I will personally be reviewing my strategy and choices in flying now.

60 second lesson on how the business of loyalty actually works:-

- They want your loyalty to Qantas/Jetstar, not oneworld... but you'll get something on oneworld since they'd rather it there than with Star/Skyteam.
- If you mainly fly other oneworld carriers (not QF#), from a flight point of view you are no more profitable than a bronze member

- If your CC points all funnel to QFF and you're using them for xASA; there are two thoughts
a) If you didn't buy xASA fares you'd otherwise be paying for the fare
b) You don't need to fly it and might be maximizing routing/positioning for status reasons

The only benefit QFF has here is your overall continued business and the CC points.
Neither (a) nor (b) are reason enough to keep xASA around by scrapping it you are forced into declaring your position (spend more$ or lose status - either way QFF wins).

- Banks (points) are 80% of the revenue for QFF and they all have minimum $spend each year. If you switch your cards from QFF earn to Velocity or another program QFF does not really lose out a great deal. Banks still need to pay that minimum amount.


However some major major risks for QF Loyalty making these types of changes:

- QFF contracts with the banks end/up for renewal this year. It doesn't take a genius to work out the possibilities (hint: VA = increasing demand = lower price, QF = less demand = higher price) Higher price = cost of awards/upgrades increase.... and so on... downward spiral. There are other potential negatives for QFF here too.

- Goodbye revenue from anyone who relied on xASA for status. Velocity is now significantly better value on all (points related) fronts ... price, availability, earn, burn are all better than QFF.

- Non-Australian frequent flyers = gone. Other programs will now suit them better.

 

[Himeno]

That all makes my choices easier- time to give QF the go. And the above is exactly what I see is in the making- QF will exit OneWorld, it's just a matter of time and another reason not to keep chasing Lifetime Gold anymore and rather hope across to another member!

If QF were to leave oneworld, I'd have no reason to fly with QF.

 

[markis10]

On a quick glance it appears to be bugger all difference if - A) you were already flying QF B) not redeeming via ASA C) you won't conducting status runs on other OW partners!

In fact it has an upside if you purchase full freight J .

If your commuting BNE - SYD, getting 800 rather than 1000 points is a 20% drop, if its discount economy travel your looking at 20-25% minimum points haul decline, thats hardly bugger all. And thats a base point decline, so it scales.

 

[lovestotravel]

Oh dear Red Roo...and we were told MASAs were definitely here to stay at the QF loyalty lunch last year

LOL LOL - Why anyone would believe that in the first place is beyond me!




Okay so no doubt by the time I type this another 200 posts will be talking about what I am typing....

This is NOT simpler, it's simply another cost cutting measure, but is anyone really surprised......

1. MASA's as others have said these were ALWAYS going to go, regardless of what a puppet said at a lunch or a rep on here said (no offence)

2.a) Reduction in min points guarantee. Most of my flying is MEL-SYD-MEL and MEL-CBR-MEL, so I'll be losing 400 points per return trip here, so goodbye to at least 10-15,000 points per year from this. Oh and any longer flights is pretty much just as bad, SYD-PER-SYD there goes another 2300 points for a return flight.

b) I have done quite a few MEL-SIN-MEL trips, where I earnt 3749 points each way (base) and that will drop to 2600 each way so a loss of 2298 points per trip PLUS the platinum 100% bonus, so a loss of 5000 points per trip. Hey I might as well fly Singapore Airlines now...

3. Simple ? https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/fairer-flying#changes-to-earn Umm I think NOT

For me:
1. I will earn less points
2. Lack of MASA's - Well I'll be locking in a MEL-SYD-ASP-SYD-MEL trip for early 2015 to keep my status up for 2015 at least. As I said I'd be reevaluating my loyalty to QF around mid 2015 and comparing what QF offers to what VA offers. By then hopefully VA have fixed their lounges, and have a better/new J product on the 737's.
3. I'll be flying SQ more
4. I have already stopped worrying about earning Qantas FF points on my credit card and direct 99% of earn to SQ
5. Making it harder to earn points when your fuel surcharges are already so damn high on redemption flights, it will just make more people fly ANYONE ELSE.. Oh wait, again that's the main aim of QF's long-term plan to have JQ running everything.

Oh redroo - Make sure you send feedback to the board that their long-term plan is playing out perfectly

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Just got the email from Qantas in the inbox now..... From what I can gather these are quite major changes, & will take some good reading /analysis to fully understand.

 

[SeatBackForward]

You get less for your SCs in terms of benefits? Or you get less SCs? It seems you get more SCs for flying on QF, and less on partners.

exactly, why be part of an alliance then?

 

[Himeno]

The recent addition of Malaysian and Sri Lankan to OW is the reason for this, plus the increased partnership with Emirates. I agree with your point.

Maybe the ACCC won't allow the QF/EK tieup to be renewed in 4 years time.

 

[codash1099]

So why be part of an airline alliance?

Is it just coincidence that they've just announced the sacking of their manager of alliances?

 

[Comoman]

Next step: earn SC's on Emirates....

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Thats on QF, look at the partner airline table.

And already addressed - QF evidently doesn't see those types of flyers as being particularly profitable. Either fly a lot on them (with the marginal revenue that flows to QF) to get status with QF, or credit to some other program so that QF doesn't have to fund your status.

QF wants you to fly with QF, and particularly on expensive fares. If you do that, QF will fund your status - including when flying on OW partners.

Pretty mercenary, and pretty simple.

 

[Berlin]

If QF were to leave oneworld, I'd have no reason to fly with QF.

Same here, especially as I've just relocated to the UK. I am just hoping that I'm being too negative here but I think the writing is on the wall- maybe another year or two but I see this "enhancement" coming!

 

[Red Roo]

Hi Red Roo, can you please offer some clarification on this:

If we were to book a "MASA" in June for travel in September (as an example) in U Class, would we still earn SC and Points?

Yes. You can book until 30 June for travel up to our system range.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Perhaps if QF actually still flew to useful destinations we wouldn't be so reliant on OneWorld partners... what a smack in the face to those of us who fly QF where they actually have a service, and others whenever else...

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Yes. You can book until 30 June for travel up to our system range.

I'd suggest that your website conveniently omits SCs, and only refers to being credited points for these journeys 'within a month of travel'.

 

[markis10]

You sure about that? I thought status and cabin bonus were all calculated off the mileage of the flight (aka the 1:1 you'd get as a NB in Y) - so it's still 100% of miles + 100% cabin

Mileage earned, not flown, with the new bands big difference

calculated on the base Economy rate

 

[amaroo]

If your commuting BNE - SYD, getting 800 rather than 1000 points is a 20% drop, if its discount economy travel your looking at 20-25% minimum points haul decline, thats hardly bugger all. And thats a base point decline, so it scales.

Depends on your point of view. Points earned via flying is bugger all in the scheme of things IMHO.....CC earn is the name of the game! YMMV

 

[dfcatch]

Anonymous Coward...

If I want to fly SYD-CNS in Full paid J, I know earn LESS SC.

Explain to me where the improvement is for fully paid premium fares????

 

[dfcatch]

Hehe.....