Is Qantas Platinum Status too easy to earn?

[serfty]

Nothing wrong with what you are saying but my concern as a Platinum is what benefits I get from the program not what benefits some Bronze thinks they should be getting if they tried harder.

All I have seen over the past 5-6 years as a Platinum is serious dilution of Platinum benefits whilst Gold and even Silver have had some real enhancements.

In my own personal opinion if it means that Platinum benefits would be retained or even increased by increasing the qualification levels then I am all for it.

That may not necessarily tie in with what Qantas wants to achieve but for my level of flying Gold benefits simply do not cut it.

Apologies if this is not how people feel about their status....

Be careful of what you wish for ...

 

[simongr]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

What would that make you??

Through abnormal and out the other side

 

[drewbles]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

If someone is not happy with the benefits offered, there are other programs out there that are more competitive.

The problem is, there just isn't any alternative for the person who flies Domestically say 75% and International 25%.

VA is not a competitive program. At least not yet. Oneworld has a stranglehold here. If VA were to join a real alliance, that may well change, but my 2c is, it won't happen anytime soon so QF can do what they like.

 

[eastwest101]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

The problem is, there just isn't any alternative for the person who flies Domestically say 75% and International 25%.

VA is not a competitive program. At least not yet. Oneworld has a stranglehold here. If VA were to join a real alliance, that may well change, but my 2c is, it won't happen anytime soon so QF can do what they like.

All very good points drewbles and I agree that VA should look at a better/closer alliances in the future, OW does not have sufficient competition in the domestic market but this lack of competition must have been noticed by the business development teams of Star Alliance and Sky Team. They know the Australian economy and the australian market is big, growing and has little competetive tension yet. That will change with the continued empowerment of the customer via the internet, no matter what the current incumbent does....

You only have to look at AFFers signing up for foreign based Frequent flyer programs and crediting through alliances to them to realise that the airline loyalty world is about to get a nasty surprise about the effects of globalization and the borderless marketplace.

 

[rotor]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

I think the current qualification requirements are fine, save for the minimum flights requirement. 4 flight segments a year doesn't make you a frequent flyer. It should be 15-20+.

 

[drewbles]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

All very good points drewbles and I agree that VA should look at a better/closer alliances in the future, OW does not have sufficient competition in the domestic market but this lack of competition must have been noticed by the business development teams of Star Alliance and Sky Team. They know the Australian economy and the australian market is big, growing and has little competetive tension yet. That will change with the continued empowerment of the customer via the internet, no matter what the current incumbent does....

You only have to look at AFFers signing up for foreign based Frequent flyer programs and crediting through alliances to them to realise that the airline loyalty world is about to get a nasty surprise about the effects of globalization and the borderless marketplace.

I was talking to the CEO of Star in FRA late last year. I jokingly said to him "So, when is VA joining?" he laughed and said "We've been chasing them since the day AN went under!".

I've heard many supposed rock-solid sources say that VA was joining *A, and nothing has eventuated. I seriously hope they do join (and not ScaryTeam), but JB seems quite happy with the current strategy of alliances with specific airlines.

Of course your point of globalisation and people signing up for overseas FF programs and crediting 'non-home' flights to it. Of course airlines have cottoned on to this, and you start to see things like the BA and MH earn rates on QFF. 0.25 points per mile and the like. They make it as unfavourable as possible for earn on flights where QF directly competes or feeds large amounts of traffic to. Then of course they attempt to restrict elite status to those who fly minimum segments with their home airline, but 4 for QF is stupidly easy to get.

 

[drewbles]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

I think the current qualification requirements are fine, save for the minimum flights requirement. 4 flight segments a year doesn't make you a frequent flyer. It should be 15-20+.

Also agreed. At least VA have it at 8 for Platinum. Whilst not substantial, it's still better IMHO than QF's 4.

 

[deadfish]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

I think the current qualification requirements are fine, save for the minimum flights requirement. 4 flight segments a year doesn't make you a frequent flyer. It should be 15-20+.

15-20 will punish those who fly infrequently, on premium classes. They are fantastic for QF - higher revenue/profit, with very little burden on the system.

 

[casanovawa]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

Also flying East-West and vv takes a lot longer and costs more than short jaunts between SYD-MEL-CBR, so 15-20 trips on the intercon routes would be a fair bit of flying...

Is there anything stopping *A signing up that beloved local subsidiary Tiger?? Wouldn't lots of people on this site be excited about flying that airline instead...

 

[SeatBackForward]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

Virgin? I don't think so. The more I fly that airline the less I want to fly them

I can't make sense of that one. Perhaps its my logical bent. Cue the Philosophers.

 

[rotor]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

15-20 will punish those who fly infrequently, on premium classes. They are fantastic for QF - higher revenue/profit, with very little burden on the system.

I don't think it would be punishment, but anyway I don't think "infrequent" flyers should have access to frequent flyer benefits.

I'll likely have flown ~40 Y- Qantas segments in my membership year ending in July, and I still won't net Platinum - yet every single trip is an uphill battle to justify Qantas because company policy is to fly cheapest available.

To quote from the Rockpool meet summary "Loyalty comes in all shapes and sizes"!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

Frequent flyer programs are there to benefit the airline. They want to attract and retain custom.

As for the level of benefits, they're not going to give anything away they don't have to. An airline will already have worked out the minimum they can give before they risk losing you to the competition. Certain members say they have lost xyz benefits but they're still there instead of voting with their feet.

 

[deadfish]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

I don't think it would be punishment, but anyway I don't think "infrequent" flyers should have access to frequent flyer benefits.

I'll likely have flown ~40 Y- Qantas segments in my membership year ending in July, and I still won't net Platinum - yet every single trip is an uphill battle to justify Qantas because company policy is to fly cheapest available.

To quote from the Rockpool meet summary "Loyalty comes in all shapes and sizes"!

I agree to an extent, but to an airline FF programs are High-Revenue Flyers first, Frequent Flyers second. They are guaranteed to favour the flyer flying to HKG rtn in J three times a year than another flyer on the cost-equivalent amount short hops in Y-.

 

[tyrolean]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

Then of course they attempt to restrict elite status to those who fly minimum segments with their home airline, but 4 for QF is stupidly easy to get.

Depending where you live. In Oz it is easy. If you are an overseas member it can be quite hard. It was - until the EK Partnership. I did a lot of Oz-EU trips - no problem with that. But I had years that only took me to SIN. I liked the QF LHR-SIN flight. I was loyal to that. Now it is gone.
EK flights with QF number seem to be priced very silly. So maybe four segments in Asia when I have to go to SIN again.

Who is a good customer? Traveling once a year in a J to Australia, doing a few domestic trips there and doing a some Oneworld traffic at home?

It is not that easy to fly to Australia and hop on four cheap Red-E-Deal flights!

I think 4 segments are quite enough and can be very hard to attain for a loyal QF flyer living overseas. QF has introduced Platinum one - which fulfills all the criteria.
Making Platinum a "You have to fly QF only" status would make the alliance obsolete.

IMHO these discussions (you have them in every program) are usually form people
- who invested out of their own pocket to get a desired status
- now see that they do not receive their return on invest.

They want to be the sole and only good customer of their frequent flyer program.
They want the qualification system to be changed in a way that they will qualify, but all the others will drop out.

Do not call for any enhancements: They may hit you!

I remember a lot of discussions when LH enhanced their program in many steps since 2004. Some really liked it: Lounges are overcrowded - I want to be the only passenger in the lounge! Status is much too easy to get! Get rid of all the plebs out of my lounges! So some loved the enhancements.
The lounges stayed crowded. Service has been cut dramatically. After a few years those flyers were hit by outer enhancements and surprisingly. German saying: The higher you fly - the harder you hit on the ground!

I see much parallels to QF: Oh those cheap SCs when you fly with AA?
How about those very hard earned SCs when you fly other airlines?
AB for example:
- They do not offer a Business Class on short haul flights
- Discount Eco Credits on all Booking Classes except Y! Even my flex tickets do not book into Y
- 25% of miles - no minimum miles. BER-MUC yields a whopping 76 Miles!
- I get 10 SCs for that.

Why am I so silly to credit those to QF?
- Because I still feel loyal with QF (long story)
- Because I want to attain LTG
- Because those little SCs are filling my gap for my WP-Status.

 

[tyrolean]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

I agree to an extent, but to an airline FF programs are High-Revenue Flyers first, Frequent Flyers second. They are guaranteed to favour the flyer flying to HKG rtn in J three times a year than another flyer on the cost-equivalent amount short hops in Y-.

<Irony>
Why not differentiate between "payed out of my own pocket" and "payed by company"?

Payed by company do not deserve a status. They have no decicion. It is an other person that pays - so no benefits for the traveler!
So you only should get WP if you can prove that you payed out of your own pocket!

So your boss/travel manger is loyal to QF! He should be rewarded and not the traveler. If he can travel in style that should be reward enough!

</Irony>

PS: I read those arguments on an other board with an other frequent flyer program!

 

[FxTrader]

Be careful of what you wish for ...

My take is that for experienced WPs, that know how to work the SC system, obtaining WP is not that difficult.
Of course you need to fly a lot but HEY it is a FF program.
QF know who the WP SC runners are and how many of them there are.
Long ago they could have shut down the SC runs via imposing a min QF metal SC goal as part of the WP goals but that did not happen.

As for ATA, I never abused it but know many that did.
So too did QF know the abusers and when the abuse got too high, it was removed.
While I would like to see ATA returned, I do know it was removed because of abuse.
Simple rule here.
Bite the hand that feeds you enough and the food will stop.

I'm amused QF has allowed the WP FLounge runs to continue.
They could easily stop them via imposing a rule that the next destination on the boarding pass must be outside Australia.
But it appears, as of now, that QF are turning a blind eye to the practice of allowing WPs to get FLounge access on a domestic flight, just because it leaves from the International terminal.
If QF tighten up the rules to eliminate JQ domestic whY derived FLounge runs then you will know that practice was going too far.

So the thin line forms.
Stay WP long enough to know how to work the system but be aware that if you work it too much, what you and others are doing will be noticed and may result it some changes.

Lost so far because of WP gaming players:

1) ATA being abused
Solution: Remove ATA

Possible future areas of WP change:

1) WP from a single AA SC run at maybe $4k cost and very little $ spent on QF metal.
Solution: Set a min SC earn on QF metal as was done for P1.

2) FLounge runs on very low cost JQ domestic flights that leave from the QF International terminal in Mel / Syd.
Solution: Next destination on the BP must be outside Australia for FLounge access.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[amaroo]

IMHO, this is the worst thread I've seen on AFF...........this stuff is the last thing QF need to see.

 

[Pleb Status]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

Things I would like to see with respect to WP qualification (and for all other elites as well) -

a) eliminate all DSC promotions. Some are getting two a year!
b) 50% of your required SC (earn/retain) must be earned on QF/JQ services (including codeshares).
c) be very strict on who gets 'comped' to/retains WP. At the moment QF throwing status away if what has been posted on this forum is correct.

This would get rid of the less valuable WP without adversely effecting those who have truly earned WP status. Also stops the KUPP runs on AA.

 

[FxTrader]

IMHO, this is the worst thread I've seen on AFF...........this stuff is the last thing QF need to see.

Do you really think QF do not know that is going on?

 

[rotor]

Re: [Repudiated by QF] QF removing Any Seat Awards (ASA) from 08 April

<Irony>
Why not differentiate between "payed out of my own pocket" and "payed by company"?

Payed by company do not deserve a status. They have no decicion. It is an other person that pays - so no benefits for the traveler!
So you only should get WP if you can prove that you payed out of your own pocket!

So your boss/travel manger is loyal to QF! He should be rewarded and not the traveler. If he can travel in style that should be reward enough!

</Irony>

PS: I read those arguments on an other board with an other frequent flyer program!

Regardless of the source, I could not disagree more. In my case, we must fly the cheapest available (within ~$200). It's only because I am crafty with picking dates and times that make Qantas the most attractive option that I actually fly Qantas. There have been cases where I have to make a case *not* to stop in a Chinese airport for 12 hours just to save some $$$, so that I can fly Qantas. That is loyalty.