JQ travel to earn FF points - for a Fee [even in 'Business']

[connieguy]

The reality is that the Starclass loads from MEL-BKK/SIN have been quite bad; even during that 12-month sale period.

Have flown the JQ 29/30, Mel/Bkk/Mel flights a lot over the past 15 months. *C cabin has never been below 50% occupied. Most more like 75 - 90% and on some flights there were no empty *C seats. So from what I have seen, this is not about low cabin loads but just "JQ/QF trying it on" to boost *C fares by 20 - 25% and hoping no one would notice or complain during the recent combined JQ/QF changes.

 

[TheInsider]

hoping no one would notice or complain during the recent combined JQ/QF changes.

And why can't they? Supply and demand.
Argghh whinge, whinge, whinge. Complain under the old system, complain under the new system.

Remember JQ is a LCC.

 

[pauly7]

Plus one!!

When will some people realize there is no keeping everyone happy in a mass public transport company!

Honestly just move on to DJ and be done with it

 

[connieguy]

Argghh whinge, whinge, whinge. Complain under the old system, complain under the new system.

My position is very clear. JQ renamed StarClass to Business Standard and Business Max. Business Standard prices are the old StarClass prices while Business Max are the old StarClass plus 20 - 25%. Fair enough if that is the way they seek to gain customers. The market will decide. But when JQ claim Business Standard is a new lower cost version of StarClass, well that is not the truth. It is in fact their old StarClass price minus miles, SCs and lounge access.

What I believe happened is JQ/QF saw a lot of QF FFs were using the JQ StarClass flights to boost their SCs, as I did, and have decided to now increase the $/SC cost rate on JQ's StarClass fares. I see this has having nothing to do with offering a lower cost StarClass fare (which it is not) to those who are not interested in the miles and SC, which I suspect are a very small number of StarClass paxs.

Will I still fly JQ StarClass/Business Max? Yes. Why? Because JQ/QF know it is a lower $/SC cost rate than any other OW carrier can deliver on that route.

So fair enough for JQ/QF to do this. Paxs will vote with their butts on seats. What I objected to was JQ calling the new Business Standard fare a lower cost fare than the old StarClass fare because that is not, from 15 months of flying the Mel/Bkk/Mel route, the case.

 

[Stephen65]

I have some *class MEL/SIN fares booked for June which I bought during a sale a while ago.

I got an email from JQ today saying that these equated to the new Business (ie non-Max) tickets because they were discounted fares.

However, the email went on to say that because when I bought them I was entitled to lounge access, FF points and SC that I would be still entitled to those benefits notwithstanding its now a Business (non-Max) fare. The boarding passes will have some sort of notation printed on them indicating that it entitles us to lounge access.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Have flown the JQ 29/30, Mel/Bkk/Mel flights a lot over the past 15 months. *C cabin has never been below 50% occupied. Most more like 75 - 90% and on some flights there were no empty *C seats. So from what I have seen, this is not about low cabin loads but just "JQ/QF trying it on" to boost *C fares by 20 - 25% and hoping no one would notice or complain during the recent combined JQ/QF changes.

I had never been on JQ29/30, but the fullest *C flight I was on was JQ8 - 33 pax. Funny though, the JQ7 a few days after that was about half full. A few days ago, 3K401 SIN-AKL was less than 1/3 full, while 3K402 was around half full. However, generally speaking, premium cabins tend to have a relatively inelastic demand, so revenue should in theory increase if they up the prices, even at a loss of pax.

 

[Alanslegal]

Well, just do what I do - make sure you fly on days and routes when you get a QF aircraft, not JQ. From the major cities, it's not difficult .......

Its all fantastic to say that from a regular (if not savvy) flyer p.o.v but what happens if a flyer is a brand new newbie, purchasing their very first RTW type fare, maybe for their honeymoon and especially is unlikely to look at these details. And then they wanted to fly at a specific time, and could end up on an inferior JQ product*

It's almost as bad as booking a J award and ending up on JQi when an equivalent 388 is on offer.

* It doesn't matter because the dONEx OW fares won't let you book into StarClass, however for a dONEx it will let you book into Economy (L) if you choose :!:

 

[Austman]

I don't think that Qantas T&C have changed, no doubt they still say eligible jetstar flights earn points. What has changed is the eligible jetstar flights. So not a change to the Qantas program and no notice required.

Under the T&Cs, section 3, 3.1 and 3.2: If there is a change to "Point earning and redeeming rates and Eligible Flights" ... where such changes will limit Benefits: Qantas will use best efforts to advise Members and where the Benefit is provided by a third party, where possible give Members at least 30 days' notice.

It's pretty clear to me (and you seem to think so too?) that they changed eligible flights. Yet no 30 days notice to QFF members?

I'm not saying that QFF can't change earning rates on JQ business class and I'm not arguing here if it's a good or a bad move. I'm just saying the effect should happen at least 30 days after they were announced. That's what Qantas states in their own T&Cs...

 

[oz_mark]

It's pretty clear to me (and you seem to think so too?) that they changed eligible flights. Yet no 30 days notice to QFF members?

What was Starclass is now basically Business Max (and this seems to be the default option for me when I work through a booking). Business is new, so they have effectively added an option.

 

[medhead]

Under the T&Cs, section 3, 3.1 and 3.2: If there is a change to "Point earning and redeeming rates and Eligible Flights" ... where such changes will limit Benefits: Qantas will use best efforts to advise Members and where the Benefit is provided by a third party, where possible give Members at least 30 days' notice.

It's pretty clear to me (and you seem to think so too?) that they changed eligible flights. Yet no 30 days notice to QFF members?

I'm not saying that QFF can't change earning rates on JQ business class and I'm not arguing here if it's a good or a bad move. I'm just saying the effect should happen at least 30 days after they were announced. That's what Qantas states in their own T&Cs...

Indeed. I understand what you mean and do agree. But the 30 days notice is not hard and fast. Why no 30 notice? Because despite using their best efforts it was not possible to provide said notice of a change by a third party. I'm not defending this situation, just saying what I would say in their position.

Edit: On the change to eligible flights, we could say that this is actually an improvement as more flights can be eligible to earn.

 

[connieguy]

I got an email from JQ today saying that these equated to the new Business (ie non-Max) tickets because they were discounted fares.

Very interesting bit of information. So JQ are now admitting the old StarClass fares are the new Business Standard fares and not a new Business Standard fare structure discounted from the old StarClass fares as they claim.

All I can say to JQ is thanks for nothing for increasing the costs of my monthly flights to Bangkok by 25% or $5,000 per year and delivering no additional benefits.

 

[Austman]

Edit: On the change to eligible flights, we could say that this is actually an improvement as more flights can be eligible to earn.

Only in Y class which is not my point. With StarClass (widely called in their ads "JetStar's Business Class") you got QFF benefits whether or not it was full price or a cheaper promotion or a sale fare. And it was heavily advertised that you earned QFF points and SCs at the QFF business class rate. That was a key feature of the product.

Now you do not earn QFF points and SCs if you buy a JQ business class fare. You must MAX it. It's a change. We should have been given some notice.

Imagine if Qantas did this to QFF business class earnings on QF flights without even 1 day's notice.

 

[connieguy]

What was Starclass is now basically Business Max (and this seems to be the default option for me when I work through a booking). Business is new, so they have effectively added an option.

JQ just admitted the old StarClass is Business Standard minus the lounge, miles and SCs. Business Max is new and costs 25% extra for the old StarClass benefits of lounge, miles and SCs.

But the JQ spin is Business Standard is a discounted price from the old StarClass, which it is not.

 

[medhead]

Very interesting bit of information. So JQ are now admitting the old StarClass fares are the new Business Standard fares and not a new Business Standard fare structure discounted from the old StarClass fares as they claim.

Hey? The information is that a discounted starclass fare equates to the new business fare. So yes the new business standard fare is the same as a discounted fare from the old starclass fare, based on that information.

Only in Y class which is not my point. With StarClass (widely called in their ads "JetStar's Business Class") you got QFF benefits whether or not it was full price or a cheaper promotion or a sale fare. And it was heavily advertised that you earned QFF points and SCs at the QFF business class rate. That was a key feature of the product.

Now you do not earn QFF points and SCs if you buy a JQ business class fare. You must MAX it. It's a change. We should have been given some notice.

Imagine if Qantas did this to QFF business class earnings on QF flights without even 1 day's notice.

I understand that you are focussing on one fare type. However, overall they have improved earning opportunities. The changes in totality could be said to be an improvement, not a reduction. Again consider the justification from the company's point of view. That's one point to say that notice is not required.

The other point, again, is that Qantas is not doing this to their business class. A third party is doing it. There is no hard and fast requirement to give notice.

Yep it is a bad situation and it is not transparent. But, unfortunately, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

 

[oz_mark]

JQ just admitted the old StarClass is Business Standard minus the lounge, miles and SCs. Business Max is new and costs 25% extra for the old StarClass benefits of lounge, miles and SCs.

But the JQ spin is Business Standard is a discounted price from the old StarClass, which it is not.

For the purposes of conversion, StarClass was Business Max, and StarClass Promo was turned into Business (with something flagging that lounge access/points were available).

I don't disagree that the price is more than it was before. For the route I have looked at (MEL-SIN), Business Max is more than the old Starclass, but business is less than the old (non promo) star class.

We still have to see how Business promotions work in the future. and I assume they will have the Max option, but who knows what price)

 

[Aussie_flyer]

The MEL-BKK standard non-points earning fare has been reduced from $789 to $699.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Very interesting bit of information. So JQ are now admitting the old StarClass fares are the new Business Standard fares and not a new Business Standard fare structure discounted from the old StarClass fares as they claim.

All I can say to JQ is thanks for nothing for increasing the costs of my monthly flights to Bangkok by 25% or $5,000 per year and delivering no additional benefits.

No, they're saying the old promo Star Class fares are equivalent to the new Business standard fares. The OP said was travelling on a discounted Star Class ticket, which is the old promo fare.

And several posters here (myself included) have noted that the new Business standard fares are often a bit cheaper than the old, non-promo Star Class fares (though this appears not to be the case for the flights that you have looked at).

Look at the post immediately above this one to see an example.

 

[connieguy]

No, they're saying the old promo Star Class fares are equivalent to the new Business standard fares. The OP said was travelling on a discounted Star Class ticket, which is the old promo fare.

I have flow the Mel/Bkk/Mel at least once a month for the last 15 months. Average price I paid per flight was $720 (min was $580). Now the LOWEST Business MAX is $899. That is a $319 increase from the min old StarClass fare to the min new Business Max fare. Bottom line I will need to spend a min additional ~$7,600 (around 55% more) over the next 12 months to get the same benefits I received before.

JQ know this and anything else is just SPIN.

 

[medhead]

I have flow the Mel/Bkk/Mel at least once a month for the last 15 months. Average price I paid per flight was $720 (min was $580). Now the LOWEST Business MAX is $899. That is a $319 increase from the min old StarClass fare to the min new Business Max fare. Bottom line I will need to spend a min additional ~$7,600 (around 55% more) over the next 12 months to get the same benefits I received before.

JQ know this and anything else is just SPIN.

No sorry you are totally not comparing the same thing. What is the new Business non-Max fare and how does that compare to the discounted fares you got in the past. They have removed points earning and reduced the basic price. You've tried to claim a number of times that the base business fare hasn't been discounted, and now you are trying to prove this by quote the business max fare. That just massively confuses me.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

you are quoting SALE fares which happen regularly but are not currently on sale now. What we are seeing right now is the standard non sale fare. You cant compare a sale fare to the standard fare... your argument makes absolutely no sense.

We will have to wait to see what sale fares will be offered under the new structure. In 15 months time give us the average figure over 15 months... only then can you make a proper comparison.