You don't know what they care about (or what they don't care about), for all you know these flyers are using their QFF points for Woolworths gift cards or toasters.
True, I don't, and they might
How many people do you personally know that exclusively fly long haul F on QF annually to make 1400 SCs?
Outside of AFF - 6. (2 of whom are related to me).
All of whom fly exclusively F with QF (where available) when traveling long-haul. All fly long-haul on the employer's dime, 3 are P1, 3 are WP.
2 would fit into the example that I painted (status only due to the long haul F flights, and possibly wouldn't make 12 flights per year on QF). The others all fly domestically on QF a bit so would have no trouble clearing 12 or 16 minimum flights with ease. That said, 2 of these 4 mix their domestic flying up depending on BFOD, lounge access, schedule, personal vs work travel and may choose between VA and QF. They wouldn't hesitate to adjust this mix if they were required to reach a higher minimum ~.
Out of interest - none of them would choose JQ if VA or QF were available alternatives. Also - 4 of 6 have stated they have no interest in flying EK either. 2 are looking forward to trying it out.
The 2 that fit into my example (long haul F only, with little domestic) - have their travel arrangements made by their PA, are aware that they have significant FF points, but pay no attention to the details. They generally use their points for family members or family transfers... Eg. Have a partner or child accompany them on the trip "Do I have enough points Miss PA? If not, just buy the ticket".
The 2 that mix up their domestic flying are more acutely aware of points - but not to an AFF-level of awareness. They are more likely to choose VA vs QF over lounge access (eg. No VA lounge in CNS), or schedule than points accrual.
None of the above would be able to tell you how the Loyalty Bonus works, and 2 probably don't even realize they receive it.
I know that 2 of them would be aware, but wouldn't change their carrier choices just to earn another one.
For the rest, I was referring to your J flyers remark. A one way MEL to LHR in J is 240 or 280 SCs depending on flight numbers, ie ~3 return J trips will get you WP. Status bonus one way is 10,516, six times that and ~63k QFF points per year is not to be baulked at.
Yes, and if my calc is right only 2 x F returns.
You're correct - ~63K points isn't to be baulked at. And you and I wouldn't pass them up.
Out of my group above - 2 would almost certainly adjust their domestic flying to ensure they reached the minimum segments to requalify, 2 already would (at least ~30 per year as an absolute minimum).
None of them would adjust their long-haul flying based on not receiving the status-bonus, in particular the two that probably only do 4-6 QF flights in total.
Their flying decisions are more based on airline, COS, comfort, route, schedule, price. And they like QF F long-haul.
I was referring to J seat selection in EC. Colloquially there is no F EC. How many times has it been mentioned here that rows 11-13 on the A380 are preferred over rows 21 or 22?
2 don't fly QF long-haul lower than F. The others who have (rarely as on an A380 would be in F, J would most likely be a 747) have never heard of EC. (Or realized that 11-13 was preferential seating until I told them).
The point is that they are not getting all benefits due to COS, some of which would have significance.
Technically true, I oversimplified.
To my 6 examples they care about, in rough order of benefit priority:
- Lounge Access
- Priority Checkin
- Additional baggage allowance
- Priority baggage
All of which are included in COS.
They certainly don't care about Q-Tags
IF they cared about non-COS status benefits, then you're absolutely correct that they would be upset for missing out on them if they no longer qualified to retain WP based on ~ requirements.
But in my example - all the cared about benefits are still received due to COS.
Whilst I have no problem with raising the ~ requirement, someone who flies 3 return trips to LHR in J is a frequent flyer.
I stand corrected - they are indeed a Qantas Frequent Flyer.... Whether they are in fact, "frequent", is a matter of opinion.
More importantly - it's a matter for consideration by QF whenever they review qualification requirements.
I wonder how genuine your concern about WPs who do not have more than 8 or 12 ~s per year is, do you have any data on what percentage of WPs have only 4 ~s, 5, 6, 7 and so on? Without that knowledge it appears you are making a mountain out of a molehill...
My concern is genuine and considered, fact is that any change will affect people. My argument is that to the flyer that fits and matches my stated stereotype, the impact is minimal, and the areas it does impact (such as points earn) are not necessarily areas that rank in their decision to continue flying QF F long-haul or not.
Ultimately - for these 2 x F return, or 3 x J return LHR flyers..... Will they stop flying these 2/3 return flights in F/J on QF if they lost some of these non-COS benefits due to now only being SG or PS rather than WP? That's the magic question that no doubt QF has modeling for. Of course ideally - QF would love for them to fly more flights on QF, not just these ones - isn't that the goal?
Just look at the genuine enhancement to the status bonus for SG - all the WPs around here got upset even though it didn't change anything for a WP. As to numbers - we'd all love QFF to share that
It's not a mountain or a molehill, it's a suggestion as to a way to adjust qualification levels when the inevitable happens and QF reviews it.
We can certainly agree to disagree over the impact of such a change (although I think we're in agreement)..... but.....
There are 3 certainties in QFF life:
1/ Existing status members will complain about lounges being overcrowded, award seats and upgrades not being available, heathens breaching the inner-sanctum due to DSC promotions etc etc;
2/ QFF seeking to cut costs and maximize profits without being seen to dilute/reduce benefits "too much";
3/ QFF "enhancing" the program
There's enough collective wisdom around here to know that change is inevitable, this thread just demonstrates that
which involves very little DOM travel - I'd be very pissed off if suddenly the goal post changed.
