Is Qantas Actually Listening?

[ketsuzei]

People did mileage runs to get it

And were effectively scolded for doing so.

 

[hossein_au]

FWIW, I find P1 to be useless... The benefits are fairly "absent" IME. It is no different to WP with a slightly shinier card...


But it was a great marketing trick as before P1, there was no incentive to go beyond 2400SC... People did mileage runs to get it (and swung credits from AA, BA, CX over to QF), so it "works"/"worked" from that perspective.

Precisely; I was never even close to P1 (and I never dreamt of becoming one either). Had I known about the JASA, SC runs, etc, I would had been strongly tempted to make a dash for it. But that was, thankfully, before Qantas opened up my eyes with all their enhancements. Now I not only will spend far less on my must-do and nice-to-have trips, I will never spend a dime on chasing status. Who gives a hoot about status if one can fly in J or F (for example flying in J to LAX on Fiji Air instead of flying QF in W)?

 

[boomy]

FWIW, I find P1 to be useless... The benefits are fairly "absent" IME. It is no different to WP with a slightly shinier card...

I disagree!
The P1 card is also more bright and glossy.

 

[penegal]

I disagree!
The P1 card is also more bright and glossy.

But it wears out from repeated use...

They should send you two:
1) one for showing off
2) one for scanning / swiping / pulling in and out of wallets

 

[boomy]

But it wears out from repeated use...

They should send you two:
1) one for showing off
2) one for scanning / swiping / pulling in and out of wallets

I keep mine in a safe

 

[JohnK]

I think Qantas is listening.

I also think Qantas cares but has been slow to react recently. Perhaps that is the fault of senior management.

As an aside I touched in SYD last Friday morning (on SQ ironically) and switched on my phone. Not more than a couple of minutes later I receive a call. It is Qantas customer care. The lovely lady on the phone wanted to discuss Partner Gold. I said I thought I had until the end of the month to make a choice. She wanted to mention to me that if I was to gift Partner Gold to someone that it would align with my membership year and the longer I left it the less membership time they would have.

As it turns out I have until 31 July to make a choice but a wonderful gesture to call me.

 

[ketsuzei]

Anthropomorphising Qantas as an organisation is pointless, same as it would be with Telstra or Westpac or Target.

Pretty much every interaction I've had with Qantas people has been good, and I've had a lot.

 

[JohnK]

I will still fly 100% QF on domestic flights, even with perhaps a $20-$60 price difference because VA is pure rubbish

I generally feel the same. If the price difference between Qantas and VA is ~$20 then I will go with Qantas.

Domestically is another story unfortunately. Not many options there. VA can't be taken seriously for business travel and I'm not a big fan of JQ either.

I cannot take VA seriously. It is not just one thing. It is many things. VA tries to compete with Qantas but with a childish attitude.

 

[mannej]

I think Qantas is listening.

I also think Qantas cares but has been slow to react recently. Perhaps that is the fault of senior management.

As an aside I touched in SYD last Friday morning (on SQ ironically) and switched on my phone. Not more than a couple of minutes later I receive a call. It is Qantas customer care. The lovely lady on the phone wanted to discuss Partner Gold. I said I thought I had until the end of the month to make a choice. She wanted to mention to me that if I was to gift Partner Gold to someone that it would align with my membership year and the longer I left it the less membership time they would have.

As it turns out I have until 31 July to make a choice but a wonderful gesture to call me.

I am more than happy to put my hand up JohnK

 

[medhead]

I see the Qantas fanbois are grasping at straws with [-]objective[/-] subjective statements like "pure rubbish" and "childish attitude". Rather ironic really given that was the childish rubbish that passed as criticism when I was in year 3. I wonder why they're not able to make a point that would be valid outside the schoolyard. I guess because they don't actually fly with VA (self professed) they don't actually have a clue about VA.

 

[Steelo]

I see the Qantas fanbois are grasping at straws with objective statements like "pure rubbish" and "childish attitude". Rather ironic really given that was the childish rubbish that passed as criticism when I was in year 3. I wonder why they're not able to make a point that would be valid outside the schoolyard. I guess because they don't actually fly with VA (self professed) they don't actually have a clue about VA.

No problem with being described as a "fanboi". Qantas remains the Australian premium domestic airline - the occasional frustration - but surprisingly responsive when compared to other airlines around the world. Both service and professionalism is well above its domestic competitors. I tried Virgin for a while after I had stopped travelling as much - but soon realised that it was not the same standard as QF. Internationally QF struggles against its "government" funded competitors in pricing but certainly is equal to or better than other non government subsidised airline in service. As a frequent flyer, I have become accustomed to being greeted and welcomed and treated with an extra glass of wine from J class - even when flying on cheap tickets and the OW alliance gives additional benefits. But because QF has to act in a commercial environment, restricted by shareholding regulations and burdened by a myriad out dated industrial agreements - they have to make some hard commercial decisions. However, except for a bit of frustration at working out how to maximise status opportunities - I fail to see how all this criticism is justified. Just stop, think and compare them to most domestic services around the world and be grateful for such a carrier.

 

[medhead]

Oh that's funny. Qantas remains the premium domestic airline. Yeah right. Tell yourself that if it makes you feel better.

As a frequent flyer at the platinum level with both VA and QF, all things considered there is no difference domestically between the airlines. You're very lucky to get a glass of wine from business on all your flights. The most I've had is a beer from business, because the service cart was blocking the aisle to economy. Oh and on another flight, the same CSM offered me the business bowl of muesli for breakfast. That out of 320 domestic Qantas segment.

Basically I get what I pay for on both airlines. Being loyal to Qantas because they give recognition of all my flying is a false proposition in my experience. In fact, I flew on my birthday for the first time this year and the crew actually seemed to be trying to ignore me. For example I looked at the CSM to say hello and he looked away and kept walking after making eye contact.

Qantas are inconsistent in their service delivery. Management wants to devalue our relationship and make every attempt to push me onto Jetstar. By comparison I buy a cheaper ticket on VA, I get the same service on every VA flight, our relationship is clearly stated and understood. Consistency and certainty are much more important to me than someone else getting business wine every time they fly.

 

[Steelo]

Oh that's funny. Qantas remains the premium domestic airline. Yeah right. Tell yourself that if it makes you feel better.

So what are you saying - Virgin is Australia's premium airline? Maybe you could start your own thread on that one!

 

[medhead]

So what are you saying - Virgin is Australia's premium airline? Maybe you could start your own thread on that one!

Talk about a false conclusion. In what way does saying Qantas is not a premium airline or not the only premium airline translate into virgin is Australia's [only] premium airline. There is a massive problem here that you seem to think there can be only one premium airline.

I suggest you read the edited version of my last post for a complete outline of what I find so funny about your claims.

 

[Steelo]

Talk about a false conclusion. In what way does saying Qantas is not a premium airline or not the only premium airline translate into virgin is Australia's [only] premium airline. There is a massive problem here that you seem to think there can be only one premium airline.

I suggest you read the edited version of my last post for a complete outline of what I find so funny about your claims.

I don't find anything funny about my claims - they are based on many years experience.

 

[OATEK]

I see the Qantas fanbois are grasping at straws with objective statements like "pure rubbish" and "childish attitude". Rather ironic really given that was the childish rubbish that passed as criticism when I was in year 3. I wonder why they're not able to make a point that would be valid outside the schoolyard. I guess because they don't actually fly with VA (self professed) they don't actually have a clue about VA.

Either that was a very ironic"objective", or perhaps you meant subjective. My view is that much of the debate is subjective; subject to our own experiences, wants, needs, opinions etc. In the past I would say I was an Ansett fan, but that was as much because my second-cousin flew for them as anything. These days I still prefer QANTAS, all things being reasonably equal, but have been throwing in a few VA trips where it suits me.

Everyone will be different, and I am reluctant to be dismissive of anyone with much greater experience than myself. So a (narrow) QF preference only, and fading by the day as demonstrated today when I received a 10% off offer on QP renewal, paid in large part by my employer. Had to think about it for a while, as can only see two flights in the next 6 months where I would use (the rest being either JASA or J classic).

 

[Fantic125]

So what are you saying - Virgin is Australia's premium airline? Maybe you could start your own thread on that one!

I've had 32 domestic flights with QF so far this year (mainly ADL-MEL & ADL-SYD returns) and 10 flights with VA (ADL-SYD return) and I really see very little difference between the two as far as service delivery goes.

Product wise (and I'm only talking domestic here) from what I've seen so far the VA fleet appears younger. I've flown on a couple of the new QF 737-800's but the majority of them appear old and tired.

In the Domestic lounges (ADL & SYD) the ADL QF lounge is bigger, but there isn't a great deal of difference in the food offerings. QF offer spirits, but apart from that the drink offerings are similar. The SYD Qantas Club to me compares equally to the SYD VA lounge, and to be honest, over the past 12 months in SYD I'm seeing less difference between the Qantas Club and the J lounge.

I wouldn't consider either of them premium airlines, but they are both a lot better than a number of the American, Asian and Indian airlines I've flown on.

 

[medhead]

I don't find anything funny about my claims - they are based on many years experience.

As is my experience, with clearly contradicts your claim of premium. If Qantas was the premium airline you claim my experience would match yours. It doesn't therefore Qantas isn't. QED.

 

[Steelo]

Why would it? I don't follow your logic.

As is my experience, with clearly contradicts your claim of premium. If Qantas was the premium airline you claim my experience would match yours. It doesn't therefore Qantas isn't. QED.

 

[medhead]

Either that was a very ironic"objective", or perhaps you meant subjective.

Whoops. That'll teach me to write while walking. In my defence I was also thinking about asking for objective statements. And it slightly works as an ironic pun.

I wouldn't consider either of them premium airlines, but they are both a lot better than a number of the American, Asian and Indian airlines I've flown on.

I agree. Hence my objection to the claim of being Australia's premium airline for either.