I Fly Flat

[iFLYflat]

Hi,

I'm Steve, and I'm the founder of iFLYflat Pty Limited.

I found this thread discussing the business and wanted to be involved to answer any questions you might have, and to clear up any misconceptions around it.

The fundamentals of my service offering is creating a long-term strategy and management of frequent flyer points for business owners, frequent flyers and executives – helping them to harness more value and be smarter with their frequent flyer points and credit card reward points.

Including structuring an opportunity for those customers without enough frequent flyer or credit card points to ‘fasttrack’ and join in the fun of flying in First or Business class too.

I got annoyed at finding out about friends and colleagues redeeming their points for products like iPads, toasters, itunes cards - which in my opinion is a poor economic return on those hard-earned points (as you are paying full-price + postage and handling for the item, when you can easily get discounts if those items were bought normally)

Just like any other job or business, I think it’s fair to earn a fee for the decent amount of time, effort and expertise in helping the customers to the end outcome (which is ‘bums’ on flights).
Plus I am also saving my customers significant amounts of time and money at the end of the day. They can spend that time doing what they really want – family, friend or work.

I simply love to travel, I love to fly, I’m good with numbers (with an accounting and investment banking background), and I’m really good at planning & strategy.

I see a lot of different travel deals every day, special offers from hotels and airlines, ways to combine offers, tricks to get status, tricks to save a heap of money on travel. This is my full-time specialty, so I know straight away what would be an awesome deal.

Hence I created iFLYflat – as this is what I’m really good at.

So, it’s been rather interesting to read the lively discussion on this forum – but I’m happy to get involved, and answer constructive questions about it… and happy to help.

Cheers
Steve

 

[spudseamus]

If I may make a statement and ask a question as a not so frequent flyer ! Having made that point I would like to say I have accessed such a site on the premise of saving a fair amount of money on a business class seat to Europe mainly because of a back complaint so I need a lie flat seat as a given ! After contacting a company who promised to save me at least $ 2000 on a seat ,yes only promised a seat not the seat I wanted ,I was only told this after pressing them on the point, I got a funny feeling about it all and didn't proceed with the sale.
I traveled in J in the seats I wanted by booking with the airline at full price which was nearly$8000 ! The only reason I contacted the " fly for less" company was the price difference of flying from Australia to Europe rather than the other way around ,which seems always to be between $2000 to $3000 less no matter the strength or weakness of the aus dollar . So infrequent international travellers such as myself are at a loss of how to make the system work for us!
Yes I know about economy's of scale , seasonal timing ect. But when airlines are pressed on social media on this policy of pricing it enevitablity comes down to " Because we can" and I'm not singling out any one airline ! So you can see why it's so tempting to get involved with such " fly for less" company's .

 

[iFLYflat]

Hi spudsemus,
thanks for the question.

I'm not sure how the overseas companies like 'fly for less' work exactly, and I don't understand their ownership or legal structures.

The way I work, is that the customer always gets to select the itinerary from the choices available for their preferred travel dates, and thus agrees to exactly what they are getting; ie: the dates, route, planes and class of travel. This occurs after they join up, but before we spend any money on structuring the flight together. I provide a flat price as quoted each time, and I manage my own cost base to deliver the outcome.

If your question is about general airline pricing, then I know they employ teams of revenue business analysts, fine-tuning capacity to ensure they maximise every potential seat for revenue. Thats how they run their business and quite rightly so - its not a charity. Its a finely balanced game of selling the seats for full price, vs. providing it as frequent flyer seats vs. flying empty seats.

What I do is to approach it from another way, using frequent flyer points management to get the same seat (when available) for a lot less money.

Let me know if I didn't answer the question, or if you have other questions.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[spudseamus]

Thanks for the reply Steve yes I have seen all the reasons for the pricing difference ,it just irks me ! Lol! And after having my own business for 25 yrs I do understand maximising revenues and it was never my intention to infer that the airline business should be run as a charity lol! Of course it has to be run at a profit but I'm old enough to remember being able to buy a ticket at a price and use it which ever way I wanted ! After all when you get down to the nity gritty the airline only sells you the use of a seat on a plane ! And can change those configurations if they need to ,I'm just asking for a price difference less than thousands of dollars

 

[iFLYflat]

Yeah I agree.
First and Business class for a price of a small car is a bit crazy.

I saw a brand new Toyota Corolla advertised on a billboard that other day for $20k, whereas a First class flight to London can cost $16k.

 

[spudseamus]

Very true ! Steve . I was very happy with the trip with Etihad in business and will do it again ! It just hurts that friends can do it from Ireland at about $5000 ! Ahh the luck of the Irish lol!

 

[Pukka]

Yeah I agree.
First and Business class for a price of a small car is a bit crazy.

I saw a brand new Toyota Corolla advertised on a billboard that other day for $20k, whereas a First class flight to London can cost $16k.

I just booked 2 Qantas A380 flights first class to LAX from SYD for $943 + I think about 288,000 points.

Then I looked up the full cost and they were quoting about $29000 for the 2 seats!!!!!

I mean seriously I'm not Hugh Jackman who pays these prices.

 

[amaroo]

I just booked 2 Qantas A380 flights first class to LAX from SYD for $943 + I think about 288,000 points.

Then I looked up the full cost and they were quoting about $29000 for the 2 seats!!!!!

I mean seriously I'm not Hugh Jackman who pays these prices.

Ahhh come on - it's only a couple of ovens

Tried to book 4 x F to LAX with points - gave up before looking and purchased 4 x J (sale price - pretty good) Promptly lodged 4 x F upgrades however, have resigned myself to sitting in row 11

 

[Pukka]

Ahhh come on - it's only a couple of ovens

Tried to book 4 x F to LAX with points - gave up before looking and purchased 4 x J (sale price - pretty good) Promptly lodged 4 x F upgrades however, have resigned myself to sitting in row 11

Lol don't talk about the oven its major function is busted and the wife is doing her nut with Miele as its all of about 3 months old.

I was lucky with the first class on points there's only 14 on the plane.Staying 3 nights then on to LHR in VA upper which are easy to get and a snip at 50,000 points each.

Might come back with Singapore to BNE but business or first seems harder to get unless you want a 12 hour stopover

 

[amaroo]

Lol don't talk about the oven its major function is busted and the wife is doing her nut with Miele as its all of about 3 months old.

I was lucky with the first class on points there's only 14 on the plane.Staying 3 nights then on to LHR in VA upper which are easy to get and a snip at 50,000 points each.

Might come back with Singapore to BNE but business or first seems harder to get unless you want a 12 hour stopover

Where have you decided to drop the bags in LA? Going through the motions now & have just changed from a booking I made a few days ago - decisions! Never stayed in LA before - have transited a bunch of times.

 

[Pukka]

Where have you decided to drop the bags in LA? Going through the motions now & have just changed from a booking I made a few days ago - decisions! Never stayed in LA before - have transited a bunch of times.

No idea I'm going with my 12y old son so somewhere central and safe. I've never been before always go via Hong Kong or Singapore but I'm bored with those so I thought LA might be fun.

I'll probably go through Amex and get one of their early check in late checkout deals that they have with some hotels I'll have to do a bit of research but its not til 07/14 which is probably why I got the seats in first

 

[BensAdventures]

No idea I'm going with my 12y old son so somewhere central and safe. I've never been before always go via Hong Kong or Singapore but I'm bored with those so I thought LA might be fun.

I'll probably go through Amex and get one of their early check in late checkout deals that they have with some hotels I'll have to do a bit of research but its not til 07/14 which is probably why I got the seats in first

If you are there with your 12yo, I'd stay around Santa Monica, it's a nice area (for LA), lots to do and only 15-20 mins from the airport, depending on traffic! My favorite place to stay now though is around Laguna Beach in Orange County, but that's an hours drive from the airport, but it's lovely!

 

[iFLYflat]

If you are planning to visit Universal Movie Studios or Disneyland - then maybe staying downtown might be better. (easier to get the coach services).

 

[amaroo]

If you are planning to visit Universal Movie Studios or Disneyland - then maybe staying downtown might be better. (easier to get the coach services).

I'm being forced to endure 2 days at Disneyland - have decided to maintain the rage & stay at Hyatt Regency Orange County.

Have balanced this with three nights at Hotel Bel-Air

 

[Pukka]

I'm being forced to endure 2 days at Disneyland - have decided to maintain the rage & stay at Hyatt Regency Orange County.

Have balance this with three nights at Hotel Bel-Air

I'm not doing Disneyland but I might let my inner 12 year old (& the real one) go to Universal Studios if its better than the one on the Gold Coast anyway.

 

[amaroo]

Must feel great having the SMH flogging your business The frequent flyer points whisperer

Nice work!

 

[whatmeworry]

His business model is based around a subscription service costing anything from $660 per year to upwards of $3300, depending on how many flights are taken.

Read more: The frequent flyer points whisperer
​

I just read the stuff here and it cost me zero dollars!

 

[ogs70]

I would hope to be getting some decent hidden ticketing routes / fuel dumps for $3300 which could be re-used as opposed to the increasingly known discount mileage purchasing routes..

 

[QF029]

Interesting that he's got some board members giving testimonials. I'm surprised they needed his help.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

A couple of issues with points redemptions in a business context: basically no flexibility regardless of COS due to limited availability. I can imagine the CEOs losing their cough when they can't change their travel plans due to meeting overrun, etc. NOT suitable for business travel in most instances.

Buying miles to a personal miles account and redeeming for inflexible business travel... Hmm interesting M.O.

I am extremely sceptical of these schemes, especially the $1300+ price tag...

Posting a question here will get the collective resources of thousands of us who do this all the time, and the cost? Zip.