Made Platinum last week for the first time

[winfred]

Not much difference between gold & platinum domestically, but the little extra benefits add up internationally.

I flew on a J award ticket today on CX: SIN - BKK. Despite being a 2 class flight, my luggage was still tagged First, and came out well before the business class bags, the CSM seamed very genuine in greeting me and thanking me for my loyalty to Oneworld. Before meal service she also came to ask me if I had a preference as J was full so she would ensure I would get my first choice.

I found travelling on CX & BA as a QFWP much better than travelling on QF. I suppose OW Emerald is harder to achieve with those airlines.

 

[Timba-Jet]

Yes, made WP just last week, for the first time, after 8 years of being a PS/NB.

And made it with one week to spare.

I do have a private RTW next year, and I think that'll be the only chance to travel as a Platinum.....

Cheers
RB

Firstly congratulations Rory on reaching WP. Hope you get to experienced the true platinum experience on your upcoming RTW trip.

Similiar to you I've been QP, PS for about 4 years and only reached SG earlier this year. I on track to get WP in Jan, just before my renewal in Feb. I'm planning to squeeze as much Int travel into the next year as possible to make the most of WP. Very unlikely i'll reach WP again.

 

[samh004]

I don't see the value- even the thought of the Platinum Bonus points is a turn off, I dont need the points, the last thing I want to do is sit on a plane any more than I have to.

Congrats, let me the first to say, if you don’t need the points, I’ll happily take some

That is a poor example of a J lounge! After all, scones are on the offer in DRW and CNS, and the hot food for breakfast is but a dream!

I had scones in BNE yesterday afternoon, was lovely! I’ve even got a photo to prove it… it’s the only reason I go in there

 

[Flying Fox]

Congrats on making WP.

I don't think that I will ever make it but happy with SG at this stage.

 

[Alanslegal]

I made WP for the first time this month, so did the girlfriend a week before I Our first visit to the SYD FLounge will be two weeks when we head off to NAN. Other than that, we got to experience the SIN FLounge this month and we were both OP-upgraded from Y to J on our SIN-SYD flight home on BA15 since making WPs. So far so good, apart from anytime access removal. Oh well, We all win some And lose some.

 

[Ozvirginuk]

Congrats on making WP. As this thread existed, I thought I wouldn't start a new one to say the same thing. I made it to WP on Sunday night. Woo hoo.... IT was a hard slog, but hopefully I will do enough to retain it (and somehow retain my DJ Gold from status match...)

Thanks to all the members on here for your help and ideas of how best to obtain status credits.. JASAs and KUPs on AA got me there.. wouldn't have used them without the expert guidance of members posts on here.

Yes, made WP just last week, for the first time, after 8 years of being a PS/NB.

And made it with one week to spare.

So, today I'm on my first trip as a WP.
In short, I'm underwhelmed by it all, especially when I consider how much travelling
So what did I find new today?

Sorry to hear you were underwhelmed. I must say I was expecting to be, especially given my recent experience with QF (see other thread - How to complain to Qantas), but I jumped on to Manage my booking as soon as I saw my status changed, and reselected all of my seats for my upcoming trip to Europe. I moved from 18JK to 11JK on the A380 SYD-SIN, and 13JK (tainted after my last trip) to 11AB on the 747 SIN-LHR, plus 18JK to 11JK on the A380 LHR-SYD.....

This benefit alone has made me a happier QF customer (even though I still haven't received a response to my complaint... )

Looking forward to being entitled to the F lounge and getting there early enough for a spa treatment and a nice 3 course lunch..... An an op up to F??? (c'mon I can dream)

Cheers
Ozvirignuk

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Congrats on making WP!

Currently sitting on JQ3 back to SYD after enjoying my WP benefits in the MEL F lounge, and i'm brutally reminded of the stomach-churning experience that is Jetstar. And without being snooty, I seriously miss my WP benefits such as priority check in, decent seating, oh did I mention I'm flying Jetstar?? I'd actually take being a NB on QF over this....

Mr Joyce succeeded awesomely at creating an airline that deliberately makes you feel regretful for choosing a LCC.

+1 on dfcatch comments
I really, really wish that there were more benefits for QC, SG and WP's when flying on Jetstar.

Scrap the 2 hour check in time for a start.

As I mentioned in a previous post of mine, l did PER-SYD a few weeks ago on Jet*, never again. Fixed seat, elderly people who couldn't lift a handbag, let alone the emergency door, profit over safety, bugger that. If something drastic happens l want out ASAP.

If l am flying to a port where QF don't service and it's a toss up between Jetstar and DJ, l have started to look at DJ as an alternative now. Getting the lounge on the way out isn't that important, because there usually isn't a lounge on the way back. They aren't the be-all and end-all. It's only a lounge. I have heard some great reports about DJ Domestic so am willing to give them a go over Jetstar.

 

[thewinchester]

Congratulations. As has been commented, you'll enjoy those WP benefits a little more when you fly internationally. Just remember to leave the kids outside of the lounge

 

[dfcatch]

+1 on dfcatch comments
I really, really wish that there were more benefits for QC, SG and WP's when flying on Jetstar.

I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong, and perhaps I was "slightly" too harsh with my criticism of JQ yesterday.

Just came off JQ29 SYD-MEL (and even snagged a spa treatment in the F lounge), and upon check-in (2h56m pre-departure), the very pleasant check-in girl, after seeing my WP card, offered me an exit row without asking, the flight was half-full, and actually quite a pleasant experience.

So credit where its due - I wasn't expecting this, and it was appreciated.

That said - as a general rule I still don't like JQ, nor Mr Joyce's approach to the world.

 

[rory breaker]

All,

Thanks for your good wishes.

And, yes, on reflection judging this on a single trip (the same trip which I have now taken over 30 times in 8 months) is probably harsh, its probably the routine nature of this trip (for me) which had me expecting every trip to be the same as yesterday's (the 4am getup never helps either).

And I do have a lot to thank this forum for, otherwise I would never have got WP. So thank you all.

As an earlier poster mentioned, I also took pleasure in changing all the seats for my RTW trip next year, just after my status changed, and I did enjoy that. Still, some seat maps don't match with those on SeatGuru, not sure how i work that one out!

Cheers
RB

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong, and perhaps I was "slightly" too harsh with my criticism of JQ yesterday.

Just came off JQ29 SYD-MEL (and even snagged a spa treatment in the F lounge), and upon check-in (2h56m pre-departure), the very pleasant check-in girl, after seeing my WP card, offered me an exit row without asking, the flight was half-full, and actually quite a pleasant experience.

So credit where its due - I wasn't expecting this, and it was appreciated.

That said - as a general rule I still don't like JQ, nor Mr Joyce's approach to the world.

Further to this - they have to have a certain number of people sitting in the exit row, in case there is an emergency. Being a WP "most probably" helped you secure one. However, if 80% of pax had checked in and no-one paid extra for the exit row, l'm sure that they'd be forced to offer it to the remaining pax.

 

[serfty]

Further to this - they have to have a certain number of people sitting in the exit row ... l'm sure that they'd be forced to offer it to the remaining pax.

That's true for A320s, but not for the JQi 332's.

 

[rory breaker]

All,

After a 2 week trip (CBR to LHR) I'm following up to this thread.

In general, as others had metioned the benefits to WP are at their best when traveling International.

Things I liked about WP :-
Extra Luggage allowance - Mrs RB and I hauled back 69kgs between us.
Priority passes for customs and security in SYD
F lounge in SYD (we only had 15 mins in there, but the staff worked quickly to cook starters and mains for us)
Advance seat selection, 80A/B on A380, and 40B/C on 747
F lounge in LHR T3

Things I disliked on this trip:-
Grumpy check in staff in CBR - I had to negotiate my WP baggage allowance.
Less than 10 pax in Y+ J and F on 747 from BGK to LHR, but no upgrades or even the chance to sit n a Y+ seat for a few hrs (Y+ was completely empty)
Waiting 45 mins for luggage to come off at MEL
The luggage drop off queue at MEL was about 30mins long (I waited for 5mins until I remembered the QC / J check in - after being told by airport staff that QF didn't have one in MEL....)
Ripped backpack and damage to contents at MEL.
Lost baggage tags...

Cheers

 

[nlagalle]

All,

After a 2 week trip (CBR to LHR) I'm following up to this thread.

In general, as others had metioned the benefits to WP are at their best when traveling International.

Things I liked about WP :-
Extra Luggage allowance - Mrs RB and I hauled back 69kgs between us.
Priority passes for customs and security in SYD
F lounge in SYD (we only had 15 mins in there, but the staff worked quickly to cook starters and mains for us)
Advance seat selection, 80A/B on A380, and 40B/C on 747
F lounge in LHR T3

Things I disliked on this trip:-
Grumpy check in staff in CBR - I had to negotiate my WP baggage allowance.
Less than 10 pax in Y+ J and F on 747 from BGK to LHR, but no upgrades or even the chance to sit n a Y+ seat for a few hrs (Y+ was completely empty)
Waiting 45 mins for luggage to come off at MEL
The luggage drop off queue at MEL was about 30mins long (I waited for 5mins until I remembered the QC / J check in - after being told by airport staff that QF didn't have one in MEL....)
Ripped backpack and damage to contents at MEL.
Lost baggage tags...

Cheers

There is also the F checkin at MEL which you would have been able to use too. although it is hard to spot from the inside as the entrance is out the front.

 

[rhjames]

I spent many years on platinum (alas, now dropped back to lifetime Gold). Most of my flights were business class Sydney/LA, or Sydney/Europe. The biggest real benefit I found was the occasional upgade to 1st class. (I now have a pile of Qantas pajamas).

Probably the second most important benefit was priority when a connection was missed. Others had to put up with economy, even though they had paid for business (or wait for a later flight), while I was given priority on business class.

The 1st class lounges are often less crowded and more comfortable (eg LA), which is nice if stuck in an airport for a few hours.

Next benefit is 1st class check in, though business check in is normally pretty fast.

Traveling domestic I find little real benefit in platinum over gold.