Heads up about program changes

[blackcat20]

For extra $19 (on short flights) you get 1,000 QFF points, 10 SC, $5 f&b voucher and standard seat selection. It's not bad.

I thought it was points and SC or voucher, not both (I'm pretty sure I had an option). But yes, still good value. Though I think I paid $22 for a MEL-SYD trip recently.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I thought it was points and SC or voucher, not both (I'm pretty sure I had an option). But yes, still good value. Though I think I paid $22 for a MEL-SYD trip recently.

It's both

 

[blackcat20]

It's both

Interesting. Will have to see what I can get then

 

[boomy]

I thought it was points and SC or voucher, not both (I'm pretty sure I had an option). But yes, still good value. Though I think I paid $22 for a MEL-SYD trip recently.

You can choose a Jetstar voucher instead of QFF points and SCs. It's different from the f&b voucher.
Didn't they tell you that you have $5 credit on your last flight? The FAs have a list of the pax who purchased the bundle and there is also a special code on your BP.

 

[harvyk]

<snip>
Having said that, even if a 'flat line rate SC / Points rate earn' system was installed ...... sooner that later someone here would work out away to play the system, God love them.

Agreed 100%... take for example the humble coffee card (you know, the every 8th coffee is on us) type cards. There are way's to work those, for example a $3 small cappuccino earns 1 stamp, but so does a large $5 mocha. Sometimes they state what sort of coffee is the free-be, sometimes they don't... So it's possible to fill the card using nothing but $3 small caps, and then order the $5 large mocha as the free-be.

It's also possible to "do a coffee run for the office" and collect the stamps on your own card. (I earn loads of free coffees that way), and this is using a pretty simple rewards program of "your 8th coffee is on us"...

Basically if you have a rewards program, you expect there will be a few who will find the loopholes or the angles. The reality is however that the average user of said reward program is not going to be devious. They are going to diligently collect the stamp for every coffee they order, and when it comes to the free-be, they will order the same as they have always done.

 

[medhead]

Agreed 100%... take for example the humble coffee card (you know, the every 8th coffee is on us) type cards. There are way's to work those, for example a $3 small cappuccino earns 1 stamp, but so does a large $5 mocha. Sometimes they state what sort of coffee is the free-be, sometimes they don't... So it's possible to fill the card using nothing but $3 small caps, and then order the $5 large mocha as the free-be.

It's also possible to "do a coffee run for the office" and collect the stamps on your own card. (I earn loads of free coffees that way), and this is using a pretty simple rewards program of "your 8th coffee is on us"...

Basically if you have a rewards program, you expect there will be a few who will find the loopholes or the angles. The reality is however that the average user of said reward program is not going to be devious. They are going to diligently collect the stamp for every coffee they order, and when it comes to the free-be, they will order the same as they have always done.

Am I the only one to see the logical fallacy with ordering $3 coffee to get an expensive mochca? So you basically order something you don't want to then get a freebie that you do want. Or vice versa. It's a false benefit if you're not getting the item you prefer. Wow I got a freebie that I don't want. What is the point?

And that is precisely why I order the same coffee everytime, not because I am a sucker. But because it is exactly what I want to drink.

 

[Newk]

Am I the only one to see the logical fallacy with ordering $3 coffee to get an expensive mochca? So you basically order something you don't want to then get a freebie that you do want. Or vice versa. It's a false benefit if you're not getting the item you prefer. Wow I got a freebie that I don't want. What is the point?

And that is precisely why I order the same coffee everytime, not because I am a sucker. But because it is exactly what I want to drink.

medhead, you are such a concrete thinker. Frequent flyer/coffee programs (in fact the whole of a market capitalist society) are built for other people who do get sucked in by all this stuff

 

[blackcat20]

You can choose a Jetstar voucher instead of QFF points and SCs. It's different from the f&b voucher.
Didn't they tell you that you have $5 credit on your last flight? The FAs have a list of the pax who purchased the bundle and there is also a special code on your BP.

Ah, I see. Never been offered, thats a sneaky way for them to make a bit of extra profit.

 

[JohnK]

For extra $19 (on short flights) you get 1,000 QFF points, 10 SC, $5 f&b voucher and standard seat selection. It's not bad.

Hmmm. That's a lot more value than 'It's not bad'. I am guessing you can do this on the the cheap JQ sales fares but not the price beats to TT etc.

So QF are rewarding JQ customers better than QF customers? Sign of things to come?

 

[harvyk]

Am I the only one to see the logical fallacy with ordering $3 coffee to get an expensive mochca? So you basically order something you don't want to then get a freebie that you do want. Or vice versa. It's a false benefit if you're not getting the item you prefer. Wow I got a freebie that I don't want. What is the point?

And that is precisely why I order the same coffee everytime, not because I am a sucker. But because it is exactly what I want to drink.

I was using that as an example of how even the most simple system can be worked... and besides I like both cappuccino's and mocha's, so it's not a case of ordering a coffee which I don't like...

 

[Aussie_flyer]

So QF are rewarding JQ customers better than QF customers? Sign of things to come?

No they are just giving you the option to buy up to include points and a cup of coffee and a seat selection in advance (that you can do for free at OLCI anyway). You are not getting anything extra compared to QF customers....

You would know this if you just gave them a try.

 

[medhead]

medhead, you are such a concrete thinker. Frequent flyer/coffee programs (in fact the whole of a market capitalist society) are built for other people who do get sucked in by all this stuff

I don't know about that. Just need to remember that underlying everything is the need to get something I want, at the end of the day. For example I didn't want 3 tonnes of cat food tacos so I missed out on 3 million points.

 

[Newk]

I don't know about that. Just need to remember that underlying everything is the need to get something I want, at the end of the day. For example I didn't want 3 tonnes of cat food tacos so I missed out of 3 million points.

but someone did, or were tricked into thinking that they did

(I believe that there is still some of the 3, or is it 4, tonnes still around BTW. Just in case you change your mind)

 

[harvyk]

I don't know about that. Just need to remember that underlying everything is the need to get something I want, at the end of the day. For example I didn't want 3 tonnes of cat food tacos so I missed out on 3 million points.

I do believe Mr Cat food had a plan which involved donating the cat food to local animal shelters. The way to look at such things is "I'm going to purchase some points at a below cost rate, oh and they are even throwing in a free tin of cat food".

The other thing is that they are always going to put on promotions on items, since it is a very limited few who will work the system like that. The majority will simply say "I need cat food, oh look I'll earn extra points if I go to woolies instead of coles, so I'll go to woolies since it's next door. Oh look, woolies is also selling tim tams at half price, I could go for a tim tam with coffee at arvo tea time".

 

[ozbeachbabe]

You're right and I most likely will begin posting to BA or AA. Most of my traveling is around the US and I have LTG to access (I think) AA lounges on domestic sectors. It's just inertia and the painful thought of having to learn how another system works which is stopping me addressing it now.

It may be less painful to learn a new one than to try to work out changes on the old one.

If I weren't flying J internationally (and if this isn't an April Fools' Joke), I'd be thinking about this rather than jumping through increasingly small hoops:

https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/tra/pro/proofenot.aspx?D=NTI4

USD2200 for Star Alliance Gold.

Or just wait for another *A status match like TK to come around & you get it for free.

 

[Newk]

I do believe Mr Cat food had a plan which involved donating the cat food to local animal shelters. The way to look at such things is "I'm going to purchase some points at a below cost rate, oh and they are even throwing in a free tin of cat food".

The other thing is that they are always going to put on promotions on items, since it is a very limited few who will work the system like that. The majority will simply say "I need cat food, oh look I'll earn extra points if I go to woolies instead of coles, so I'll go to woolies since it's next door. Oh look, woolies is also selling tim tams at half price, I could go for a tim tam with coffee at arvo tea time".

but medhead was referring to the "cat food tacos"

 

[TonyHancock]

I could go for a tim tam with coffee at arvo tea time".

Presumably a $3 Cappuccino?

 

[Mattg]

but medhead was referring to the "cat food tacos"

You wouldn't happen to be referring to the chilli con carne from Woolworths would you?

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

I thought it was points and SC or voucher, not both (I'm pretty sure I had an option). But yes, still good value. Though I think I paid $22 for a MEL-SYD trip recently.

It's $22 now, but some months ago it was $11. I used to choose this add-on all the time. Now I only choose it if I really want the SCs. (Which, after the latest changes, I don't anymore.)

That original $11 excluded the $5 food & beverage voucher, but at the $22 price it's still $11 more for just $5 additional value. And of course it doesn't cost Qantas/Jetstar $5 to supply that food. The cost might be half that and the rest is profit. Or customers forego all or some of the voucher because they're not hungry, so it's pure profit. Or customers end up selecting a more expensive meal and paying the rest in cash, which is again additional profit.

 

[straitman]

AND.. you have to do this about 6 times to get WP status. You end up spending nearly $5K more on the same seats compared with classic awards. For what extra benefit?

It is possible that Qantas may have done us a favour by eliminating the possibility of all this status chasing nonsense. It is going to save me a fortune. And I will still be cluttering up the J and F lounges.

Please remember that the numbers were plucked (so to speak) so reality may be somewhat different.

One of the two of these type of bookings I have ever done is similar to this so I will post the real numbers to make the comments more realistic.