Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF (4 Segment rule)

[mangoss]

Hi there!

I read this website all the time to get ideas on how to fly effectively, so wanted to say thank you to all in advance for your ongoing help and assistance

I have a bit of a problem with my QFF status credits.

Firstly, I only fly for leisure, I'm a public servant and don't get paid trips anywhere. I've taken some time off work from last March 2011 to travel the world on my savings, and have racked up a few points and credits.

Here is my problem:

I left Oz on 31st March 2011 for my big world trip. Came back in May 2011 with a badly broken leg, ankle, ripped ligaments (thanks to a broken staircase in Thailand). Put a massive spanner in the works. Needed to relearn how to walk, get daily physio etc for several months. Fun.

I flew out on Qantas late September 2011 to re-start my trip. Rescheduled some of my flights, and booked others, including 4+ flights on Qantas / JQ metal just prior to Oct 1st. However - my "anniversary date" for my Qantas membership is 1st October. I didn't know this until recently - I'd joined so long ago that I wasn't aware of this.

On this trip I have tried to use Qantas / JQ or One world every available possibility to rack up status credits so I could earn silver membership. By my count, I had well over 300 credits including the 4 flights required on JQ and Qantas metal in a 12 month continuous period.

Anyway, I contacted the service centre, and they advised me of the "anniversary date issue". Basically, they stated that despite the fact I had earnt more than 300 credits in a 12-month period (including the required 4 flights on JQ / QF), because some of the flights were undertaken a few days before my anniversary date, I would lose them, and thus lose the ability to earn silver membership.

I explained that my leg had been broken in 3 places, I'd been in a Thai hospital for a month then in an Oz hospital, that if it wasn't for this injury caused by a negligent hotelier I would have been well within the requirements date-wise, but this injury had severely upset my travels. I offered to send them all the hospital documentation. Basically, Qantas said "Bad luck".

I'm wondering what else I can do....I'm fairly young and love to travel, and have a lifetime of choosing my preferred carriers ahead of me. It seems really sad to me that Qantas refuse to acknowledge my loyalty, especially given the medical aspect of my situation. If the flights on Qantas metal were several months before October 1st I could understand, but a few days seems really unfair. They just refused to budge. I feel a little dumb that I truly believed in the mutual loyalty aspect of my nations carrier

Does anyone have any advice? All I know about silver membership is I get a one free pass to the Qantas Club, and a few other preferential treatments which I probably won't use. It's more the principle and the lack of empathy that was shown that makes me wonder why or if I should continue to be so loyal to Qantas and their partners. I wonder whether I should just use up the rest of my points and go to Virgin?

Anyway....thanks very much for any advice! Esp if you work for Qantas and know if the policy is inflexible!

Cheers,

Mangoss

 

[mangoss]

Re: Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF

Sorry just further to this - I am in Europe until 2nd October 2012, and cannot get onto any QF / JQ metal flights inside Europe to make up the three QF / JQ metal flights I am losing outside the 'anniversary dates' - they don't fly internally here! So I'm really quite stuffed.

 

[beardoc]

Re: Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF

Unfortunately QANTAS are quite strict on the anniversary date - if you would think it better, then Virgin does a rolling 12 month period, and so you wouldn't have this problem with them. But I'm not aware of QANTAS varying the anniversary date at all.

 

[markis10]

Re: Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF

Sorry just further to this - I am in Europe until 2nd October 2012, and cannot get onto any QF / JQ metal flights inside Europe to make up the three QF / JQ metal flights I am losing outside the 'anniversary dates' - they don't fly internally here! So I'm really quite stuffed.

You don't need to fly QF to earn SCs, BA would do the trick, how short are you?

 

[mangoss]

Re: Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF

You don't need to fly QF to earn SCs, BA would do the trick, how short are you?

Hi Markis,

Im not short the actual credit count of 300, but you have to have FOUR QF / JQ metal flights within that count to be given Silver status.

I have heaps of BA etc, but I need TWO QF / JQ metal flights - which I completed 2 days before my 'anniversary date'.

I'm just really surprised how militant they were about the date, given my injuries and evidence...it's just a few days. Anyone have any ideas on who i should try to speak to? Really all it's going to cost them is an entrance to the Qantas Club, and what it's going to lose them is a lifelong customer.

Just don't get the attitude and inflexibility

 

[serfty]

Re: Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF

[-]Have you considered a return Journey to Singapore on QF.

It can be done ex FRA in October for €925 or as a YASA for either 123K QFF or 64K QFF & €410.[/-]

Sorry, misread ...

 

[Edge]

Re: Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF

surely if you got to 300 status credits before the end of your year, you should receive silver?

i'm wondering what will happen to me. i'm due to tick over to exactly 300 SCs on the 31st of october (last day of my year). if i don't receive it, i'll be complaining. the +50% status bonus will make a difference as i'm flying a lot more these days

 

[medhead]

I'm confused about which year is the issue. You say you have plenty of SC (well at least 300) and you have 4 QF/JQ flights just prior to 1 October. That would see you qualify silver in your current membership year. Which would mean the problem is with the membership year post 1 October, but then you have a whole 12 months to get 4 QF/JQ flights, so it doesn't seem that time urgent.


Sent from the Throne

 

[serfty]

I'm confused about which year is the issue. ...

It seems the OP need two eligible QF/JQ flights by Sunday otherwise they fall afoul of the minimum 4 segment rule.

The "late September" was in 2011.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[mangoss]

Re: Needing advice please - Status Credits issue with QFF

surely if you got to 300 status credits before the end of your year, you should receive silver?

i'm wondering what will happen to me. i'm due to tick over to exactly 300 SCs on the 31st of october (last day of my year). if i don't receive it, i'll be complaining. the +50% status bonus will make a difference as i'm flying a lot more these days

You'll only receive silver IF you have no less than four of your flights earning status credits on Qantas or Jetstar aircraft / metal. That's my issue - because I had my leg broken, my dates got put out and two of my four QF / JQ flights were 2-3 days PRIOR to the start of my anniversary date....

 

[mangoss]

It seems the OP need two eligible QF/JQ flights by Sunday otherwise they fall afoul of the minimum 4 segment rule.

The "late September" was in 2011.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

Exactly - thank you! This is my exactly problem, i have the 2 QF/JQ flights 2-3 days prior to my anniversary date in Sept 2011. All this occurred because my dates got messed up thanks to someone not being able to build a staircase properly.... grrgh!

 

[mangoss]

I'm confused about which year is the issue. You say you have plenty of SC (well at least 300) and you have 4 QF/JQ flights just prior to 1 October. That would see you qualify silver in your current membership year. Which would mean the problem is with the membership year post 1 October, but then you have a whole 12 months to get 4 QF/JQ flights, so it doesn't seem that time urgent.


Sent from the Throne

No - I have the status credit numbers, but 2 of my 4 required QF / JQ flights occurred on 28-29 September 2011. They apparently got deleted on 1st October 2011. This current anniversary with 300 credits but only 2 QF/JQ flights ends in 5 days.....I'm in Europe, so I cant get on a QF/JQ flight internally. Im flying out on QF on 2nd Oct - so that's no help!

 

[Edge]

i wouldn't think it would matter that much if you don't fly very often and are only going for silver? maybe if you were very close to gold or platinum it would be worth having a crack at a mini status run?

 

[deadfish]

Exactly how many days before the anniversary date are your QF flights? QF usually posts points/SCs from QF flights a day after the flight was taken...even JQ is pretty prompt these days. If your 4th QF segment happens to be on a Friday (before 7pm), you could send an email to [email protected] with the scanned boarding pass then immediately call the QFF call centre to request a points adjustment.

Unless there's some sort of rule I'm not aware of where flights from a day or two before the anniversary doesn't count in the tally, I suspect the rep you talked to was just covering his/her behind e.g. if something were to occur and the points post a bit later than usual...

 

[medhead]

Exactly how many days before the anniversary date are your QF flights? QF usually posts points/SCs from QF flights a day after the flight was taken...even JQ is pretty prompt these days. If your 4th QF segment happens to be on a Friday (before 7pm), you could send an email to [email protected] with the scanned boarding pass then immediately call the QFF call centre to request a points adjustment.

Unless there's some sort of rule I'm not aware of where flights from a day or two before the anniversary doesn't count in the tally, I suspect the rep you talked to was just covering his/her behind e.g. if something were to occur and the points post a bit later than usual...

All flights are counted in the member year they are taken when they credit to the account makes no difference.


Sent from the Throne

 

[opusman]

Honestly silver is not a huge deal. The Qantas Club is not that fantastic and if you don't really fly that much the 50% extra FF points are not going to make a difference.
If all you're short is two QF/JQ flights and you really want silver then your only real option is to take the flights - just book a cheap return somewhere before the end of the month.

It sucks with your leg and the timing and all but there's not really any other option unfortunately.

 

[simongr]

Just call another time and another and see what you get. As others have said it isn't that big a deal.

 

[cmon0005]

You could fly Frankfurt - Singapore return for around EU1172.
Or some creative routing like Rome-London-Singapore return All on BA metal but with QF flight number for EU692.

Also it doesn't have to be QF metal, it just has to be at least QF marketed (eg. QF flight number operated on another carrier).

20.1.5 The travel required in each Membership Year to attain or retain Silver, Gold or Platinum status level must include a minimum of four Eligible Flight Segments where Qantas, QantasLink or a Jetstar Airline is the Marketing Carrier.

 

[NM]

You could fly Frankfurt - Singapore return for around EU1172.
Or some creative routing like Rome-London-Singapore return All on BA metal but with QF flight number for EU692.

If willing to spend that much money the OP would be advised to consider purchasing a Qantas Club membership instead. Most Silver benefits are also available to Qantas Club members, except for OneWorld Ruby recognition (which does not get you much really) and status bonus points. But it does get more than just a single lounge access pass.

However, the OP's point seems to be more about Qantas not being willing to show some flexibility around the qualification rules. There are two sides to this:

• Qantas has clearly defined rules that they generally enforce consistently when it comes to attaining the next level of status. The OP's accident in Thailand, while serious and no doubt painful and having an impact on travel plans, is not Qantas' problem.
• The OP has shown loyalty to Qantas and would like to see a similar return of favour in the form of a little flexibility in the status qualification process.

I understand and respect the stance taken by both parties (OP and QFF) and am not going to takes sides regarding which is right and/or wrong.

 

[cmon0005]

If willing to spend that much money the OP would be advised to consider purchasing a Qantas Club membership instead. Most Silver benefits are also available to Qantas Club members, except for OneWorld Ruby recognition (which does not get you much really) and status bonus points. But it does get more than just a single lounge access pass.

For the Rome option (just used rome as an example as was not sure where the OP is located in EU) its not to bad, ~AU$428 each way, netting 110SC's and 4 flight segments. Good for a few days break