Let us know your most outrageous thoughts on any topic about flying

[juddles]

Am contemplating a really outrageous thought. Maybe all AFF'ers will admit that almost everything they expect is just stuff that we invent in our own minds. Unpublished benefits are exactly that. Maybe we could all admit that the airlines do actually publish their terms and conditions, and that we neglect to read them. That airlines put in clear caveats, that your seat selection is not a God-given sure right, that they may need to change your airplane, that they are just trying to run a business in a very hard world. It is said that consumers vote with their feet. If an airline could give everything that is desired, and still make money, then we all would no doubt flock to said airline.

I think I love Qantas more now than ever. Every single airline I have travelled on has issues. At least when I have these issues with Qantas I am dealing with Australians

 

[TonyHancock]

......It is said that consumers vote with their feet. If an airline could give everything that is desired, and still make money, then we all would no doubt flock to said airline.

I think I love Qantas more now than ever. Every single airline I have travelled on has issues. At least when I have these issues with Qantas I am dealing with Australians

Just an outrageous thought......we need to factor in Frequent Flyer Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[juddles]

I love that Stockholm Syndrome thing. It is such a bizarrely inappropriate descriptive in the airline scenario. I do not yet know the term for it, but I suspect there is another syndrome where the sufferrers are unable to accept that other people are happy with their choices

 

[TonyHancock]

I love that Stockholm Syndrome thing. It is such a bizarrely inappropriate descriptive in the airline scenario. I do not yet know the term for it, but I suspect there is another syndrome where the sufferrers are unable to accept that other people are happy with their choices

I can help you!* I have finally accepted my own irrational attachment to BA, the defence of poor service, and hard product is an illness.~ I now know that I had become trapped in a frequent flyer scheme designed to make me feel important and good about myself. (To be fair I don't need any external influences to make me more important that I already am. ) Thanks to Griselda's counseling every day is getting better and I am no longer as wedded to BAEC, I no longer defend it and the airline. I am becoming a better person.^

The first thing to do is take a step back an accept that this is a type of illness. Not doing so only reinforces the nature of the illness. One feels compelled to deny the problem and seek ways to further praise the airline and its program. It is easy to get confused and believe that one's acceptance and love for an airline is a rational choice. One of the first signs of Frequent Flyer Stockholm Syndrome is denial and it is a big hurdle to get across. Why not come to my next FF SS Anonymous meeting and join my own exclusive group. We meet in in the QR F Cabin and share our stories over caviar. For a modest fee of $2500 plus your own flight cost you can be a part of this wonderful support group.+

I feel a "Tony Hancock" Frequent Flyer Stockholm Syndrome Quiz may be on its way!!

*FF SS Anonymous is a great way for me to make money to get over Frequent Flyer Stockholm Syndrome
~Actually I just continue to maximise the benefits of BAEC suffer the rubbish hard product and poke fun at anyone taking my nonsense remotely seriously
^The term "better person" is open to interpretation so I am using my own here and going for deific.
+It will also help pay for my ticket too. (Please note there are absolutely no guarantees you will be cured or even helped.)

 

[Forg]

As an infrequent flyer, I've struggled to find bad service in the air, from any of the airlines I've flown. Everyone who knows anything about flying talks about how bad BA service is, I've only flown BA a couple of times & had no complaints.
And yes, I have flown JQ!

 

[JohnK]

The first comment I would make is about ‘status running’, why would anyone actually spend money to do this. Why would one put themselves through flights that do not need to be taken to gain status that is most likely over hyped/ marketed. After you have been to one F lounge they are all the same.

There are many reasons why someone would do "status runs" to secure a higher status.

In my opinion I fly a lot at somewhere between 100-120 flights a year and I don't quite do enough flying to earn QF Platinum and VA Gold so I take a few extra flights to get the desired status with each airline.

Why? I don't want to put all eggs in the one basket and I wouldn't want to fly VA without status. And for me QF Platinum is more desirable than Gold not for the lounges but the ability to secure better seating and more generous luggage allowance.

There is also another reason. I love flying and would maximise a Oneworld award to use all 16 sectors and fly to and via places I don't need to visit. I also love going to say SIN and turning right around but that is now harder with a young family.

 

[Pleb Status]

An airline lounge is a 'necessary evil' as you cannot perfectly time travel to/arrival at the airport and airlines are very poor at communicating delays etc.

An airline lounge is not a destination in itself where you need to schedule additional 'lounge time'....

 

[offshore171]

Let us know your most outrageous thoughts on any topic about flying


Charging pax by the kilo. Hard limit of 120kg per economy seat. Beyond that you buy 2.

 

[Katie]

I'd just want a line for "People who have everything out and ready to scan".

I don't for the life of me understand how people can stand in line, and NOT realise they have to do stuff. Like people who wait in line, and only start deciding what to get when they get to the front.

Hence my IQ test suggestion ....

 

[Katie]

Katie's working through some issues that shes been keeping quite about for far too long

I really don't get upset at the airport about most of these issues. As I try to tell my kid, all you can control is your reaction to things.
(And I wouldn't actually, truly want to use a cattle prod on a human or destroy their belongings).

 

[offshore171]

Anyone who hasn’t got themselves sorted and ready when they reach the front of a long security line gets sent to the back.

If they are still not ready when they reach the front a second time, they get the full rubber glove service.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Anyone who hasn’t got themselves sorted and ready when they reach the front of a long security line gets sent to the back.

If they are still not ready when they reach the front a second time, they get the full rubber glove service.

The solution is simple, seperate lines. One for Families, One for the Elderly, One for Business Travellers, One for the "trip of a lifetime" crowd. One line just labelled "huh?". Have to have a seperate line for American, and make them go through hell just to make them feel at home

 

[offshore171]

Still on security, some airports allow iPads in the bag, some require removal. Some want shoes and belts off, some don’t. Etc etc, we’ve all encountered these variations.

I get it. There’s different detection equipment in use with different capabilities. That’s fine.

But put some bloody signs where people are queuing to tell them your specific requirements, rather than screaming at people “IPADS out!!!!” all day long.

 

[Forg]

Here’s a wild & crazy thought, from a happily married bloke who reads complaints from others that seem stupid ... how about the fact that it’s irrelevant how attractive FA’s are, and what matters is how they do their job.

 

[Max Samuels]

Here’s a wild & crazy thought, from a happily married bloke who reads complaints from others that seem stupid ... how about the fact that it’s irrelevant how attractive FA’s are, and what matters is how they do their job.

No one thinks you actually believe this..... good try though

 

[Forg]

It's not like a good-looking one is going to let me touch it!

 

[Max Samuels]

It's not like a good-looking one is going to let me touch it!

At least you correctly identified it as an "IT".... we don't want to make any gender assumptions...

 

[Forg]

The shiny, I wants it, I needs it - precious!

 

[JohnK]

My recent experience would tend to indicate the opposite...

If you are a WP and personally paying for the tickets, there is no valid reason to fly QF domestically, with the possible exception where the opposition does not service the route you wish to fly.

I'm Qantas Platinum and in order to maintain Platinum need to fly Qantas (or JQ) domestically to be able to maintain status.

Excellent reason and they're also streets ahead of the opposition when it comes to service/product domestically. Just wish their airfares were not so exhorbitant but with some planning can get most airfares on double SCs.

 

[Max Samuels]

streets ahead of the opposition when it comes to service/product domestically.....

Do you really think that? I am also Qantas Plat - more than 10 years now I reckon - and the past year I have come to think the exact opposite of what you just said! Which makes these conversations so interesting - I think Qantas' domestic product has really gone down the toilet these past few years. So much so that I am seriously considering giving them the flick. I have made my 1200 SC already this year - in only 4 months. Am I tempted to go for P1? No way. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo way. In fact, I have committed to not spending another cent with them until my anniversary... and even then, with LTG in the bag is it worth it?

I don't mind Virgin. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised when i first flew them in April this year. I have only flown in J, mind you, but VA's J product is not "streets ahead" of QF's. In fact I'd rate it better. Cabin is smaller, service more attentive..... a pre-departure drink is served (alcoholic). Same aircraft as QF. The only difference is that VA do not have video screens, but to me that is a blessing!! No terrible safety video. No terrible sky news. No terrible TV in general.

The kerbside lounge access i also really good.... QF have that in Brisbane, but they have since opened it up to everyone except bronze FF it seems, so not really that "exclusive". In fact, when I was in Brisbane last the normal security line was shorter (by miles) than the VIP precinct.

VA also do boarding better.....

I am self-aware enough though to wonder about why I feel these things. Could it be just that I am bored with QF? That the reason I seem to love VA is because it is new and fresh and different, at least to me?

Only the Gods know to be sure.... but as I said - each to their own!