How do Qantas treat you as an elite?

[CaviAck]

IMO, CX hold the gold medal for this....so far AA haven't really been bothered.

Have they at least recognised OW status for free baggage allowance on discount economy fares? (As advertised)

 

[jetlagger]

Have they at least recognised OW status for free baggage allowance on discount economy fares? (As advertised)

& quite a number of other consistent most pleasant benefits.

 

[amaroo]

Have they at least recognised OW status for free baggage allowance on discount economy fares? (As advertised)

I'm talking more on board.....CX seem to hit the nail every time.

 

[lovestotravel]

I am going to find it VERY hard to fly Virgin again now after a great day of flying recently, I had a J SC run which involved 4 flights

I don't wish to mention the exact day or flights but I will be emailing Qantas directly to express my gratitude for outstanding service by the CSM on my flight

Since moving up the ranks I have noticed that the staff seem to treat you a little nicer each time..

All flights have been in J either paid or a JASA but I have noticed no real difference between a J booking and a JASA
Bronze - Welcomed but that's it
Silver - Welcome back and good to see you again
Gold - A very warm welcome, greeted by surname at all times and a warm welcome back

4 flights:

1. First flight was very warmly welcomed, but J on the 767 was FULL and had about 10 QF staff traveling so I felt a little left out. The "highlight" was the WP1 behind me who was going on and on and on to the poor off-duty FA sitting beside him. He kept going on and on and on about the Emirates & Singapore J and F product with a bit of Cathay mixed in. He kept asking the poor FA if he had tried J or F on these airlines on the various aircraft and how much better they are than Qantas.. I think the WP1 forget that a FA is not really in a position to afford numerous flights in J and F... But I guess it made him feel superior.........

2/3. Okay on the other two flights, which involved the same crew on the return....

On the 1st flight, the CSM came and introduced herself to everyone in J, granted there was only 4/12 but it was still a nice touch and hasn't happened to me before in this manner. She basically came and sat near me and actually took some notes after she discovered that I had recently ditched Virgin to move back to Qantas...My main gripes with Virgin are repetitive and poor food overcrowded lounges, inconsistent service and flight schedules which jump all over the place along with many flight cancellations when loads are not sufficient. She wrote these down and said she'd feed it back to Qantas, now this FA was shall we say, slightly more mature than most FA's and I was really shocked about how enthusiastic she was about her job after working for Qantas for so many years. We chatted for about 5 minutes before she went to get me another drink.

Another FA came and chatted to me a little later, and asked me how long I had been Gold and then she found out that I was flying back after only 40ish minutes at the initial destination, after explaining to her that I was simply flying to obtain Platinum status, and the return flight would get me this, she was shocked but very happy at the same time. She then disappeared and came back with more wine....

On the return flight, of course, I was warmly welcomed and I also did leave the plane with a small gift, well it was 2 in fact, both a hand written card welcoming me to Platinum status from the CSM, and something else to take home with me

The CSM on this flight was simply outstanding, I did also notice that she took down a few glasses of wine to row 4-6, and I assume this was to other WP or similar.

So as a Gold-->>Platinum member I was blown away with the service and dedication of the CSM and the crew on this flight. The CSM also, upon landing, put the IFE back on again, so that the last few mins of the movie could be watched, and it finished as soon as the engines were powered down. Simply outstanding, but the bad part of this, is that it will be hard/impossible for any other crew to match this level of service again, and it's really a good CSM that manages their team to provide great service.

4. 12/12 - Crew were pretty good, but very under the pump due to 4 very senior people flying, and a very short flight time SYD-MEL with a dinner service and quite a bit of turbulance which involved crew being told to sit down at least 4 times during the flight.


Summary of all of this, is that I will have to lower my expectations on my next flight, next week which will be my first real flight as a Platinum on the manifest, but a trip to the SYD F lounge in early December will help ease the pain.

 

[EmilyHoward]

I have only completed a few Cathay flights but never noticed any exceptional treatment and I was in business all the time. I would prefer Qantas any day to Cathay

EH

 

[Baysider]

IMO, CX hold the gold medal for this....so far AA haven't really been bothered.

Agreed.. On the ground, in the air & everything in between.

Ditto. Almost no recognition with QF.

 

[jetlagger]

I have only completed a few Cathay flights but never noticed any exceptional treatment and I was in business all the time. I would prefer Qantas any day to Cathay

EH

Just out of interest, what are the main points of difference?

 

[EmilyHoward]

Just out of interest, what are the main points of difference?

Okay ... with Cathay

No individual greeting
Didn't really get good seating
Just like an ordinary passenger really
Nothing that would inspire to pick Cathay again
Not anything really bad though

EH

 

[Heleigh]

Okay ... with Cathay

No individual greeting
Didn't really get good seating
Just like an ordinary passenger really
Nothing that would inspire to pick Cathay again
Not anything really bad though

EH

Agree with you EH. Ordinary seats and reasonable service - on top the low points obtained on flight.
Also on my AONE's they always change my chosen F flight with a no higher than J flight from SIN-HKG.

 

[Simo]

Okay ... with Cathay

No individual greeting
Didn't really get good seating
Just like an ordinary passenger really
Nothing that would inspire to pick Cathay again
Not anything really bad though

EH

Yep you nailed it.

I was told I wasn't allowed to use the Diamond Marco Polo line in MNL as well and then I had a DYKWIA moment and then I got served and was apologised to by a check in agent and she then told the manager on duty what was happening. It was OFW main travel day in MNL.

 

[yohy?!]

The 'extra mile' benefits aren't there for CX but on the whole their standards and systems across the board make up for it.

The main differences I've found for OWEs from QF has been express immigration and the 'can i get you anything extra' fawning from the CSM. The bonus points are of little value really due to the high cost for QFF awards.

Otherwise I've been happy to experience from CX:

-Free Extra Row/Bulkhead Seating (call in advance)
-F Check In
-Priority Boarding
-CSM Greeting (after MPC DM and GO)
-Op-Up

 

[jetlagger]

Certainly some mixed feelings here regarding the CX product & service..
It is pleasant to hear from others, though I'm yet to experience the underwhelmed of both.

 

[Baysider]

Yes rather funny, such contrasting experiences, I get all the special treatment from CX and next to nothing from QF

 

[nlagalle]

I haven't traveled on CX as a WP, only SG, but i may as well have been a pleb as i didn't get anything beyond the norm. Will take a flight at some stage as a WP to compare.

QF domestically have been a lot better of late, and seem to be improving and making the effort.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have had my first two flights on CX recently as a WP. One F, one J. Both flights were excellent and had a personal greeting from the CSM as a OWE

 

[amaroo]

Yes rather funny, such contrasting experiences, I get all the special treatment from CX and next to nothing from QF

I've had dozens of flights with CX in all classes, long haul & regional.........IMO they are the best in the OW alliance.

 

[jetlagger]

I've had dozens of flights with CX in all classes, long haul & regional.........IMO they are the best in the OW alliance.

Ditto on that comment, though surely differing opinions on this thread for such varied reasons, but fear it would become even more O/T

 

[Sprucegoose]

Yep you nailed it.

I was told I wasn't allowed to use the Diamond Marco Polo line in MNL as well and then I had a DYKWIA moment and then I got served and was apologised to by a check in agent and she then told the manager on duty what was happening. It was OFW main travel day in MNL.

You mean the F checkin ?

 

[codash1099]

IME, QF treat me well when I'm flying J but not so much when I'm in Y.

Although having said that, a recent MEL-PER flight in Y in one of those horrible 737's was the exception. Excellent service and recognition to a few people in rows 4 and 5 and, of course, my shadow enjoyed it immensely.

 

[simongr]

Okay ... with Cathay

No individual greeting
Didn't really get good seating
Just like an ordinary passenger really
Nothing that would inspire to pick Cathay again
Not anything really bad though

EH

Strange such divergent experiences. I always get the personal greeting (unless I am asleep), love the new J seats and am ok with the old coffin J seats.

In terms of who I would book now for J on OW:

QF A380
CX
BA
QF nonA380
Any other airline or alliance
RJ