Lunch with Lesley

[Happy Trails]

The AFF memory hole awaits.

 

[samh004]

Such negativity over a free lunch... and possibly free flights to get there... and if past years are any indication, a free visit to the SYD CL! The mind boggles at why you'd continually poke fun at what is a free day out. Added bonus, you get to ask some questions, gain some insight, and they get to do the same. It's such a shame.

 

[drron]

I apologise Admin and to others who have taken offence. My last post was an (obviously failed) attempt to leven the situation. No more thoughtcrime from me.

Well being a great fan of Orwell I took it as you explained.Others obviously have not partaken of the complete Orwellian experience.
I guess I have now ruined my chance of ever being invited to a QFF lunch if I ever am free.Oh dear.

 

[straitman]

Roo Flyer is now a NON PERSON.

Fancy daring to criticise QANTAS.....I mean, they are running a competition to select the Right People with the Right Questions to attend their little PR event.....

Big Brother loves you and wants you to be happy.

Troppo,

I suggest that you go back and look at the threads regarding the previous lunches of this type. It has also been mentioned many times in those threads and also earlier in this thread that people attending do not just ask the politically correct questions. People do ask the hard questions and point out what they don't like and why they are unhappy. At the same time Qantas does not shy away from these questions and answers them completely even if the answers are not what the attendees want to hear.

Remain cynical if you like but I'm just pointing out the real truth.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Troppo,

I suggest that you go back and look at the threads regarding the previous lunches of this type. It has also been mentioned many times in those threads and also earlier in this thread that people attending do not just ask the politically correct questions. People do ask the hard questions and point out what they don't like and why they are unhappy. At the same time Qantas does not shy away from these questions and answers them completely even if the answers are not what the attendees want to hear.

Remain cynical if you like but I'm just pointing out the real truth.

Thankyou straitman. I concur completely.

 

[Batesy]

So. Lunch is hard for anyone who really can't make it to the CBD. Why is it these affairs are almost always a lunch? A dinner would be more practical..

 

[Troppo]

Troppo,

I suggest that you go back and look at the threads regarding the previous lunches of this type. It has also been mentioned many times in those threads and also earlier in this thread that people attending do not just ask the politically correct questions. People do ask the hard questions and point out what they don't like and why they are unhappy. At the same time Qantas does not shy away from these questions and answers them completely even if the answers are not what the attendees want to hear.

Remain cynical if you like but I'm just pointing out the real truth.

So, tell me, if they wanted hard questions, why vet them first?

 

[markis10]

So, tell me, if they wanted hard questions, why vet them first?

They are not vetting them, that's just to make it easier to select attendees, there is no restriction on questions without notice on the day and in fact they have had more of them than ones with notice.

 

[TonyHancock]

They are not vetting them
that's just to make it easier to select attendees

How's that work then?

Incidentally I believe QF is actually hoping to be in a position to answer the questions asked, which is not alway easy off the cuff. I suspect QF is quite open to the difficult questions, it will only help them try to make things better. Does anyone seriously believe that QF goes out of it's way to screw frequent flyers over? QF is a business and needs customers, it needs to find a balance between delivery of benefits and profits, but legally the directors have to deliver to the shareholders.

As for AFF, sadly this should be an opportunity to give feedback, it is not a free lunch, free flight and a jolly in the CL Lounge. How do you think QF management actually see that viewpoint?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Wow, the sudden burst of cynicism and negativity is disappointing. The company stumps up the funds to engage in genuine face to face feedback at a premier restaurant and is being criticised for it?

 

[Troppo]

They are not vetting them, that's just to make it easier to select attendees, there is no restriction on questions without notice on the day and in fact they have had more of them than ones with notice.

Oh, so they are not making an initial selection based on questions, are they?

Once you pass the initial test, you are allowed to ask anything you like....

I am truly amazed that people fall over themselves to win a free flight and lunch...what, haven't you people ever been shouted lunch before, nor been on an aeroplane....

Oh! That's right - they might open the door to the ultra secret CL, and give you a peek inside....that is all you will ever see, of course. You are not important enough to ever get the super dooper card.

Spare me....!

You hate my cynicism.... Well, let me tell you, my cynicism is based on reality. QANTAS harp on about loyalty....and can't be bothered to return your emails. And, when they eventually do, they blame someone else in the organisation...! "Oh, and our turn around time on emails is 14 days"....14 days to turn around an email...in 2014!

It is a truly pathetic way to run a business. If my staff carried on in that fashion with my major clients, I would be utterly horrified...and I would sort it. Personally, with the client.

QANTAS do not care. They may maintain a beautiful facade and dangle WP as a juicy carrot, but let me tell you, when push comes to proverbial shove, Lifetime Gold and 10 years WP mean zip.

SFA, in fact.

Enjoy your lunches.

Please give Lesley my very best wishes.

 

[Austman]

RooFlyer - haven't you got better things to do with your time other than continually poking fun at what many members (myself included) consider to be a genuine attempt by Qantas to engage with their customers.

I suspect that if you did something a bit more constructive and meaningful with your time, you might become a less cynical person.

Off Topic:
In my opinion AFF should just delete obviously stupid, irrelevant or attempted humour posts in threads that are about serious topics.

Limit the stupid, irrelevant or attempted humour posts to threads that obviously allow them. And there are already a lot of of them on AFF!

IMO AFF is getting to the point, because of the above, that's it's increasingly irrelevant to me. IMO there is far too much absolute RUBBISH allowed in serious threads. I think posters in serious threads should be required to contribute something relevant to the thread and not be allowed just mock or make jokes in their posts.

On Topic:
IMO offering a top notch restaurant lunch for limited and vetted (by QF) AFFers to explain changes in the QF FF scheme is wrong. Save these events for things like product launches. To discuss significant QF FF changes, QF could rent a hall (or similar), invite all QFFers, answer the questions as they come (Q&A style) and perhaps provide coffee and tea for anyone who cares to turn up. Seems good enough for the QF CEO.

 

[TonyHancock]

Off Topic:
In my opinion AFF should just delete obviously stupid, irrelevant or attempted humour posts in threads that are about serious topics.

Limit the stupid, irrelevant or attempted humour posts to threads that obviously allow them. And there are already a lot of of them on AFF!

IMO AFF is getting to the point, because of the above, that's it's increasingly irrelevant to me. IMO there is far too much absolute RUBBISH allowed in serious threads. I think posters in serious threads should be required to contribute something relevant to the thread and not be allowed just mock or make jokes in their posts.

I agree, pretty much delete anything I post.

 

[JessicaTam]

Off Topic:
In my opinion AFF should just delete obviously stupid, irrelevant or attempted humour posts in threads that are about serious topics.

Limit the stupid, irrelevant or attempted humour posts to threads that obviously allow them. And there are already a lot of of them on AFF!

IMO AFF is getting to the point, because of the above, that's it's increasingly irrelevant to me. IMO there is far too much absolute RUBBISH allowed in serious threads. I think posters in serious threads should be required to contribute something relevant to the thread and not be allowed just mock or make jokes in their posts.

On Topic:
IMO offering a top notch restaurant lunch to limited and vetted (by QF) AFFers to explain changes in the QF FF scheme is wrong. Save these events for things like product launches. To discuss significant QF FF changes, QF could rent a hall (or similar), invite all QFFers, answer the questions as they come (Q&A style) and perhaps provide coffee and tea for anyone who cares to turn up. Seems good enough for the QF CEO.

Well said, that man!

 

[GoldCanyon340]

QANTAS harp on about loyalty....and can't be bothered to return your emails.

I provided some negative feedback about the overcrowding in the domestic BNE J lounge, but also did give constructive comments on how this could be alleviated. I received a phone call within 24 hours from the lounge manager.

 

[markis10]

IMO offering a top notch restaurant lunch for limited and vetted (by QF) AFFers to explain changes in the QF FF scheme is wrong. Save these events for things like product launches. To discuss significant QF FF changes, QF could rent a hall (or similar), invite all QFFers, answer the questions as they come (Q&A style) and perhaps provide coffee and tea for anyone who cares to turn up. Seems good enough for the QF CEO.

Fair point if that's all they did, which of course is not the case, with focus groups in use and of course the other FF events like the tweet & greet as well as the coughtail receptions in capital cities also held throughout the year. Inviting all QFFers would be a tad impractical given there are over 8 million of them, that's a big hall required.

 

[TheEmu]

I apologise Admin and to others who have taken offence. My last post was an (obviously failed) attempt to leven the situation. No more thoughtcrime from me.

Taken here as tongue-in-cheek and it gave me a chuckle - nothing more to it, I thought.
It may have even given E. A. Blair a smile...

 

[anat0l]

Well, let me tell you, my cynicism is based on reality.

Reality? Whatever do you mean?

To everyone else here, it seems their reality means SFA. Sorry God, didn't mean to offend you.

Please give Lesley my very best wishes.

So were you the one who sent the anthrax letters to Coward Street?

 

[lovestotravel]

I have zero interest in attending an event where the "winner" is chosen to ensure that the answers that are given can be what QF wants us to hear and wants to be asked.

Free flight and lunch - Yes sure it's nice but given that at the last event the group was told that MASA's were going to stay for the foreseeable future, anything said is to be taken with a grain of salt.

Who knows what will be happening in the Australia aviation industry in 12 months time. SQ/NZ/EY can only pump money into VA for so long. QF Group can only bleed money for so long. Matter of time before either or both airlines make more major changes. Anything that is valid/relevant now, is likely not going to be in 12-24 months time.

That aside, most on here well and truly know that I rarely fault QF and have chosen yet another year to devote 100% of my domestic flights to QF. After having tried VA again this year, they offer me absolutely nothing to make me switch from QF.

QF has raised fares, and "simplified" the FF program, but I still find them the best domestic airline for me.

The lunch on the other hand is a very poor and token effort to try and appease the masses after almost 24 hours of constant anti QF feedback about the simplification of their FF program. Funny that the lunch was announced a day after the changes were announced.

I am sure most of us on here would have been far happier if instead of "simplifying" the FF program it was instead labelled as "important changes to the FF program" and then a reference to the poor financial state of Qantas and that changes are needed to ensure the long-term survival of the airline. While the ultimate outcome is the same (less SC and points on some flights) being open and honest is a far better way to conduct business.

Trying to hide behind "simplification" hasn't pleased anyone, especially when the new program is not simple and instead rather complex compared to before.

 

[ketsuzei]

at the last event the group was told that MASA's were going to stay for the foreseeable future

And the feedback from that event on AFF from attendees was enough to tell me and many others that the writing was on the wall, so I appreciated it.

Also, "a reference to the poor financial state of Qantas" is not so attractive from the perspective of shareholders.