Lunch with Lesley

[Mr_Orange]

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.

You would have to be a very naive shareholder to not know or understand what is happening!

 

[lovestotravel]

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.

One didn't need to attend an event to work out that removing MASA's from online was stage 1 and that they were under review

I am pretty sure most shareholders are more than aware of the state of QF, and given the share price, yes, they are!

 

[drross]

I can't attend either, because I will be in Portugal, but I'm not going to say that is unfortunate

Is TonyHancock actually Kevin Rudd? It is actually all starting to make sense.

Totally understand your confusion. Awful lot of Rudd-speak there

 

[anat0l]

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.

...

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.

Appease?

The timing may be unfortunate, but let's leave it at that. Maybe it was preplanned, maybe it was a response to the new changes - anyone will take any side and argue the other side are only-a-mother-could-love idiots, so what to do...

I agree the latest changes were not well released at all; the PR is horrible in this regard. No surprises that was one of my questions (probably now degrading my chances of going).

Let's get some things clear.

This is not just a free flight and lunch.

This is not a butter up session.

This is not a pacification meeting.

This is not an armistice.

This is not a peace accord.

This is not an MLM seminar.

This is not a motivational speech.

This is not a church or sect gathering.

This is not a political rally.

This is not a beatnik session.

This is not a bottle feeding session.

This is not a tit sucking session.

This is not a circle jerk.

This is not a lobbying campaign.

Anyone who signed up and/or is selected is not a shill. They are independent thinkers. They are not afraid to speak their mind, and to seek answers.

Simple enough:?::?::?:

 

[JohnK]

I agree, pretty much delete anything I post.

So that means most of my posts are gone too!

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.

That is not how it works. The event I attended last year had many questions that put the Qantas loyalty team on the spot. And the discussion at the tables was quite informative as well.

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.

Define foreseeable? I don't remember that being said at the event in March. But surely the writing was on the wall when the first thread was started in March last year warning of their demise.

 

[lovestotravel]

Let's get some things clear.

This is not just a free flight and lunch.

This is not a butter up session.

This is not a pacification meeting.

This is not an armistice.

This is not a peace accord.

This is not an MLM seminar.

This is not a motivational speech.

This is not a church or sect gathering.

This is not a political rally.

This is not a beatnik session.

This is not a bottle feeding session.

This is not a *** ******* session.

This is not a ****** ****.

This is not a lobbying campaign.

Anyone who signed up and/or is selected is not a shill. They are independent thinkers. They are not afraid to speak their mind, and to seek answers.

Simple enough:?::?::?:

LOL it's pretty much most of those and if it was one of the ones that I have now put *********'s on then I would really want to attend

 

[TonyHancock]

Let's get some things clear.

This is not just a free flight and lunch.

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 staff at AFF appear to disagree with you.

 

[RooFlyer]

Appease?

The timing may be unfortunate, but let's leave it at that. Maybe it was preplanned, maybe it was a response to the new changes - anyone will take any side and argue the other side are only-a-mother-could-love idiots, so what to do...

I agree the latest changes were not well released at all; the PR is horrible in this regard. No surprises that was one of my questions (probably now degrading my chances of going).

Let's get some things clear.

This is not just a free flight and lunch.

This is not a butter up session.

This is not a pacification meeting.

This is not an armistice.

This is not a peace accord.

This is not an MLM seminar.

This is not a motivational speech.

This is not a church or sect gathering.

This is not a political rally.

This is not a beatnik session.

This is not a bottle feeding session.

This is not a tit sucking session.

This is not a circle jerk.

This is not a lobbying campaign.

Anyone who signed up and/or is selected is not a shill. They are independent thinkers. They are not afraid to speak their mind, and to seek answers.

Simple enough:?::?::?:

I thought my post was funnier. But there are few expressions towards the end of what its not, that I'll have to look up.

 

[samh004]

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

They can't simply shout every AFF member lunch, there has to be some way to choose who gets to come and who doesn't, so it makes sense to base it around questions you'd like to ask, then you're on the right page going into it and not likely to just shoot your mouth off because LTG and 10 years of WP didn't mean squat at some stage for you

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!

Personally, I've never been to Rockpool and would love to try it, but I'm a student and the last time I considered it, a look at the prices sent me packing quick.

As for whether I've been on an aeroplane... I consider myself a frequent flyer and most people who know me in real life know aviation is a hobby of mine. I frequently fly to places on sale fares just to say I've been there, to lap up the experience... so of course I'm going to enjoy a free flights, if offered.

I have no doubt I'm not important enough to be a CL member, but one can dream and it would be cool to see what all the fuss is about for just one day in my life. If you can't enjoy little pleasures, life must be really dull.

Finally, in regards to email turn around times, even before I was WP I received replies to my email or phone call replies speedily. Perhaps you write in the same manner as you do on these forums, berating and rude, and that's why they're reluctant to get back to you. I get that sometimes you can be angry if service hasn't gone the right way, but how you make your point in an email can make a big difference in how they treat you and how quick they get back to you.

YMMV.

The staff at AFF appear to disagree with you.

I can make your posts say what I want them to say too.

I also said you'd gain insights and they would too. The fact I highlighted the lunch isn't that bad, look at the title of this thread

–––––

All opinions above expressed as a happy member of AFF.

 

[ketsuzei]

You would have to be a very naive shareholder to not know or understand what is happening!

That's hardly the point. But forgive me if you are actually in charge of PR, IR and other communications for a major listed company.

 

[lovestotravel]

That's hardly the point. But forgive me if you are actually in charge of PR, IR and other communications for a major listed company.

No that is the point actually, oh and added to the fact that Qantas has been all over the news for the past month, you'd have to be living under a rock to NOT know that QF is not in a healthy position for many reasons.

So QF could have easily not made things "simple" and instead made them "realistic"

 

[TonyHancock]

I can make your posts say what I want them to say too.

Off you go then.

 

[RooFlyer]

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..

Back on humour-free topic. :-| Actually, one of these AFF-invite functions outside of Sydney wouldn't be bad at all. Its one thing to not make it to the Sydney CBD for lunch (or dinner), quite another to have to devote the better part of a day to it. Sort of eliminates anyone who has a regular sort of job, and who can't / doesn't want to take leave for a day, except maybe Sydney CBD-ers with long lunch times. What sort of filter does that put on the pool of possible attendees, I wonder?

 

[drron]

Sam I have actually emailed QF with praise and not received a reply.
In fact out of ~ 12 emails,3 were praise,I have only ever received 1 reply.
It is the inconsistency of the QF interactions that I find just wrong.
On the other hand AA have always answered emails within 3 days,90% of them in 24 hours.And the replies are not just a proforma but address the subject of my email.
So do you see the problem I have?

 

[ketsuzei]

Qantas has been all over the news for the past month

The "simple" and "fairer" line gets bandied around by the cynical amongst us here, but has had pretty much no play in the mainstream media. I can assure you the media treatment would have had an entirely different slant if Qantas had started out with an explanation of their negative financial position. There might have been some positives for honesty, too, but you're really oversimplifying things.

 

[samh004]

Back on humour-free topic. :-| Actually, one of these AFF-invite functions outside of Sydney wouldn't be bad at all. Its one thing to not make it to the Sydney CBD for lunch (or dinner), quite another to have to devote the better part of a day to it. Sort of eliminates anyone who has a regular sort of job, and who can't / doesn't want to take leave for a day, except maybe Sydney CBD-ers with long lunch times. What sort of filter does that put on the pool or possible attendees, I wonder?

I believe the last Rockpool lunch also included Melbourne (assuming there's a Rockpool down there, or some other Neil Perry restaurant).

 

[markis10]

Back on humour-free topic. :-| Actually, one of these AFF-invite functions outside of Sydney wouldn't be bad at all. Its one thing to not make it to the Sydney CBD for lunch (or dinner), quite another to have to devote the better part of a day to it. Sort of eliminates anyone who has a regular sort of job, and who can't / doesn't want to take leave for a day, except maybe Sydney CBD-ers with long lunch times. What sort of filter does that put on the pool or possible attendees, I wonder?

There has been a few events (AFF and non AFF centric) including weekend events and evenings

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....m/qantas-loyalty-mel-lunch-03sep13-53409.html

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....program/qantas-tweet-and-greet-mel-49017.html

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ation-lesley-grant-qantas-customer-47705.html

 

[lovestotravel]

The "simple" and "fairer" line gets bandied around by the cynical amongst us here, but has had pretty much no play in the mainstream media. I can assure you the media treatment would have had an entirely different slant if Qantas had started out with an explanation of their negative financial position. There might have been some positives for honesty, too, but you're really oversimplifying things.

"The changes are designed to create a fairer, more simplified program and to better reward you for the fare you pay. We've also made changes to the way you earn Status credits with other partners."

Good enough for me

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Back on humour-free topic. :-| Actually, one of these AFF-invite functions outside of Sydney wouldn't be bad at all. Its one thing to not make it to the Sydney CBD for lunch (or dinner), quite another to have to devote the better part of a day to it. Sort of eliminates anyone who has a regular sort of job, and who can't / doesn't want to take leave for a day, except maybe Sydney CBD-ers with long lunch times. What sort of filter does that put on the pool of possible attendees, I wonder?

Filter: A bloody good one.

 

[RooFlyer]

There has been a few

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....m/qantas-loyalty-mel-lunch-03sep13-53409.html

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....program/qantas-tweet-and-greet-mel-49017.html

OK, I see the MEL one, thanks for the reminder - but I don't think the 'tweet and greet' was a AFF function?

Alice Springs would be a great spot for the next AFF-related one. Sort of central for everyone.