Is Qantas Actually Listening?

[Timtammi]

I'm ashamed to say, I'm one of those FF who was pretty angry at the changes to OW partner earning and maybe like the majority who were upset, I said and did nothing.
I thank those who did more than rant and rave on the forums.
From my own perspective the changes have made me do something I never thought possible and that is looking at my future travel beyond LTG. I'm not there yet but I am accelerating my progression to it and continuing to explore opportunities in OW outside QFF.
I suspect I am not alone
I sincerely hope QF are listening.

Yup. Exactly my thoughts too.

 

[JohnK]

I'm sure the next question would go something like: "Would you BYO or you would prefer to sleep in the nude sir?"

Or sleep in the clothes you are wearing?

 

[Fantic125]

There are a number of things that they should let QFF members add to their profile that could improve service on board (since they have those tablets with pax details, they would have all that info at hand).

Dear QF,

Could I please add to my profile that I would like a paper napkin to put under my paper cup of coffee to stop it constantly sliding down the meal tray toward my lap?

The reason I ask this is because on my flight QF670 from ADL-MEL this morning they didn't have any.

I asked the crew member serving the coffee for a paper napkin and was told; "Sorry, we don't have any." :shock:

W. T. F. ? Seriously? :evil:

Kind Regards,
Leigh, seated in 4D on QF670 this morning.

 

[jetlagger]

Seems to me it would be easy and convenient to allow QFF members to include their PJ's size in their profile, like meal and seat preferences.

Great idea!
The QF PJs' either from J or F are exceptional - even better for sleeping in.

 

[hossein_au]

Or sleep in the clothes you are wearing?

nnnaaaaaahhhh

 

[RAM]

nnnaaaaaahhhh

Totally off-track but maybe not.

You must not be related to Korean businessmen.

In early 2000s on a KAL flight to LHR and in Seoul close to 150 men-in-suits got on for the overnight flight. To a man (not one lady amongst them) they were immaculately presented. Shirts without a crease, ties perfectly centered, suit trousers and jackets just off the made to measure tailor's rack. Jacket buttoned up.

FAs offered to help stow them. No everyone sat, put on seat belt (jacket still buttoned) and proceeded to mostly asleep to LHR.

 

[Ansett]

Ok well finally got a reply from QF Loyalty and have posted below and will say nothing other than interested in your comments

It has been some time since I spoke with you regarding JASAs. I am pleased that you have achieved Platinum One since then and Ashley told me that your recent SIM experience went well.

Thank you for your recent correspondence to Lesley – she is currently overseas and asked me to reply to you. I understand that Alison Summerhill spoke with you on 5 June regarding your feedback and am sorry if you thought that we had simply overlooked your emails.

I can assure you that we continue to monitor Qantas Frequent Flyer feedback across both social channels as well as via our own research. We do take it seriously and we do appreciate the impacts of recent changes. The challenges that Qantas is facing are unprecedented and certainly this has meant we have had to take some tough decisions, however, we are also investing where it matters most to our customers. I hope that you can see evidence of this when you travel, through our service experience on-board and in our lounges, as well as through the support that you receive from the Platinum One team.

I am sorry if some of our decisions have let you down recently. We are committed to building a stronger Qantas and we are committed to improving the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program. Exciting news will be coming soon around rewards, member communities and more.

Thank you for your continued support.

 

[The Rok]

Ok well finally got a reply from QF Loyalty and have posted below and will say nothing other than interested in your comments

It has been some time since I spoke with you regarding JASAs. I am pleased that you have achieved Platinum One since then and Ashley told me that your recent SIM experience went well.

Thank you for your recent correspondence to Lesley – she is currently overseas and asked me to reply to you. I understand that Alison Summerhill spoke with you on 5 June regarding your feedback and am sorry if you thought that we had simply overlooked your emails.

I can assure you that we continue to monitor Qantas Frequent Flyer feedback across both social channels as well as via our own research. We do take it seriously and we do appreciate the impacts of recent changes. The challenges that Qantas is facing are unprecedented and certainly this has meant we have had to take some tough decisions, however, we are also investing where it matters most to our customers. I hope that you can see evidence of this when you travel, through our service experience on-board and in our lounges, as well as through the support that you receive from the Platinum One team.

I am sorry if some of our decisions have let you down recently. We are committed to building a stronger Qantas and we are committed to improving the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program. Exciting news will be coming soon around rewards, member communities and more.

Thank you for your continued support.

They plan on having a greater range of toasters in the store soon.

 

[Princess Fiona]

They plan on having a greater range of toasters in the store soon.

Probably ...

 

[Himeno]

we are committed to improving the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program.

QF HQ must be bezaro world if they think this is an improvement.

 

[OATEK]

Ok, mine is not a big contribution to the QF bottom line, but I have taken up your challenge and sent my concerns via feedback. So you know what I said, here is the text:

"As a member of the Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) community I have spent some time blogging concerns with recent changes to QF International, and after some urging by other members have decided to share some of my concerns directly with you.... etc
"

Well I got my feedback today, a call from QFF to say that appreciated the feedback, and it was being passed along. They agreed that none of the feedback was going to change SC earn in the short term, but that there had been a lot of concern expressed. Held out the carrot that QF might reconsider down the road, but I won't be holding my breath. I reconfirmed them that I had moved my International J travel for the coming year as the only protest I can make to their various changes, even though the SC/Points drop will affect me.

 

[katiebell]

Ok well finally got a reply from QF Loyalty and have posted below and will say nothing other than interested in your comments


I can assure you that we continue to monitor Qantas Frequent Flyer feedback across both social channels as well as via our own research. We do take it seriously and we do appreciate the impacts of recent changes. The challenges that Qantas is facing are unprecedented and certainly this has meant we have had to take some tough decisions, however, we are also investing where it matters most to our customers. I hope that you can see evidence of this when you travel, through our service experience on-board and in our lounges, as well as through the support that you receive from the Platinum One team.

I am sorry if some of our decisions have let you down recently. We are committed to building a stronger Qantas and we are committed to improving the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program. Exciting news will be coming soon around rewards, member communities and more.

Thank you for your continued support.

Is 'committed to improving QFF' another enhancement? Nothing that has happened to QFF since I joined has improved my experience: just a constant stream of QFF enahncenments that has decreased my ability to earn and burn and made it harder to retain WP and much harder to get 'additional benefits'.

As to 'investing where it matters' it is a bit hard to fly QFi when they no longer fly to many international destinations and most require a (horrible) transfer via SYD (message to Red Roo & his/her bosses: how is this better than a direct flight frm my home port to my international destination?). QFi is now almost a virtual airline, a bit like a hospital with no patients: if you don't operate/close down a business it is much harder to make a loss. As to the EK tie up: most of my friends were excited at the ability to fly direct and all now hate EK & DXB and will fly almost anyone else to avoid these.

As to 'rewards and member communities': I dno't want toasters and member communities, I want to be able to redeem a classic award in J or F to Europe on QF or OW (& I mean J or F long haul not the annoying J dom and Y int) without massive surcharges and with reasonable choice a few months out

 

[Himeno]

most require a (horrible) transfer via SYD

Departing via SYD isn't too bad, annoying yes, bad? Not quite as bad as other airports I've connected at.
Returning via SYD? Nope. Any routing where I have the option, I'm avoiding an I-D connection at SYD (and after last years experience, BNE as well).

As to the EK tie up: most of my friends were excited at the ability to fly direct and all now hate EK & DXB and will fly almost anyone else to avoid these.

Yep. I've never flown on EK (although have used the F lounge at DXB), and I likely never will (unless they were to join Oneworld).

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I can assure you that we continue to monitor Qantas Frequent Flyer feedback across both social channels as well as via our own research. We do take it seriously and we do appreciate the impacts of recent changes. The challenges that Qantas is facing are unprecedented and certainly this has meant we have had to take some tough decisions, however, we are also investing where it matters most to our customers. I hope that you can see evidence of this when you travel, through our service experience on-board and in our lounges, as well as through the support that you receive from the Platinum One team.

I am sorry if some of our decisions have let you down recently. We are committed to building a stronger Qantas and we are committed to improving the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program. Exciting news will be coming soon around rewards, member communities and more.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sorry to hijack your post but my BS-O-Meter is off the charts reading this.
I honestly tried to be pro-QF but seeing the reply you got shows serious lack of thought for your genuine concern.

Here is how I interpret the response:

I can assure you that we continue to monitor Qantas Frequent Flyer feedback across both social channels as well as via our own research.
Translation: QFF pays around $10k/month to a social media monitoring company that sends qantas daily/weekly/monthly reports on how people talk about their brand thru major social hubs that QF is interested in: twitter, facebook, AFF and so on. Individual posts are only read by an employee of QFF if someone in the office see's the post and decides to share it around (usually for the lulz) or if RedRoo/similar is monitoring a thread. QF do monitor - but they certainly don't read everything and most certainly have trouble taking any action above and beyond this. Feedback received through QFF is categorized and sent to a team with little power within the organisation. One of three things then transpires. (1) It's used as a statistic for the Monday morning meeting (Complaints about lounges are down 2% this week - hurray!). (2) Service recovery offered to customer, even though this costs more long term than fixing the problem would be in the first place. (3) Feedback makes it to someone who gives a **** about their job and they take action, battle through hurdles, push and shove and make things right. These are the employees who make the company great.

We do take it seriously and we do appreciate the impacts of recent changes.
Translation: They take "it" (ie: their own business) seriously and the people paying them 80% of their revenues. The banks.

The challenges that Qantas is facing are unprecedented and certainly this has meant we have had to take some tough decisions, however, we are also investing where it matters most to our customers.
Translation: Qantas is hurting because of a splinter in it's foot. Unfortunately this means cutting off the entire leg, because that's how you fix the problem. Nobody wanted to take action and fast track revenue creation strategies, nobody wanted to implement fast easy wins that would put dollars straight to the bottom line with almost zero effort AND without negatively impacting frequent flyers in any way. We're employees and we're listening to the boss. He wants cuts and we're making them. Our customer say they want to earn more points - so we're launching new marketing campaigns to win points and adding new points earning partners - because you have told us you want that and it matters the most to you.

I hope that you can see evidence of this when you travel, through our service experience on-board and in our lounges, as well as through the support that you receive from the Platinum One team.
Translation: Try to remember your good experiences of QF when you next travel so your head is filled with positive memories. Forget everything else. But don't forget about the Platinum One team, because that's the biggest benefit of your new P1 status - A phone number.

Thank you for your continued support.
Translation: **** you.

 

[katiebell]

Departing via SYD isn't too bad, annoying yes, bad? Not quite as bad as other airports I've connected at.
Returning via SYD? Nope. Any routing where I have the option, I'm avoiding an I-D connection at SYD (and after last years experience, BNE as well).

No where near as good as departing from the international terminal at my home port and connecting i to i somewhere (& flying int craft all the way). I find connecting at LHR much easier than d to i at SYD

Yep. I've never flown on EK (although have used the F lounge at DXB), and I likely never will (unless they were to join Oneworld).

I wouldn't fly EK even if they did join OW

 

[Himeno]

No where near as good as departing from the international terminal at my home port and connecting i to i somewhere

I'm stuck with there not being any international flights from my home port. At all.

 

[yo yo ma]

Such as:

* Do you have a preferred drink type to accompany your meal? # #Your preferred drink may not be available on all sectors

* Do you prefer not to be offered alcoholic beverages?

* Do you prefer to be woken for breakfast after an overnight flight? (If you change your mind on a particular flight, please let a crew member know)

* Do you need assistance in reaching the overhead lockers?

These are all done onboard... can't see how it would be an improvement to collect this info before boarding? How hard is it to say "no" when offered an alcoholic drink?

 

[Himeno]

These are all done onboard... can't see how it would be an improvement to collect this info before boarding? How hard is it to say "no" when offered an alcoholic drink?

Only for them to ask again the next time they come past.

If they can do pre ordered meals, they can handle service requests listed in pax FF profiles.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We do take it seriously and we do appreciate the impacts of recent changes.
Translation: They take "it" (ie: their own business) seriously and the people paying them 80% of their revenues. The banks.

Exactly this!

I was thinking about this while having my morning coffee and the only reasonable conclusion I can come to is that 'committed to improving the FF program' must be from the perspective of QF's bottom line. Not the interests of the passenger. If you look at it in that context, it starts to make sense.

I was also having a think about improvements... I can think of a couple... The one substantial one was the increase in points earning for silver and gold - that increased to 50% and 75%. Although that has now effectively been removed for everyone flying economy in the new charts (although heaven help you if you're a bronze... you get almost nothing).

The other was family transfers... although how much does that really 'cost' QF? You can now pool points so instead of a single passenger paying 8000 points and $39 co-pay for a one-way MEL-SYD you can now pool your points and one person can pay 60K points and $600 co-pay MEL-SIN. Qantas comes out way in front on that basis.

more ways to earn points? Is that really an 'improvement'?

What else have they done?

 

[juddles]

..What else have they done?

Actually, it appears they have performed a rebirth miracle - with their new offering of a First class cabin, domestic and all!! I cannot wait to travel up to Mackay in such comfort: