No Anytime access for Platinum members to 1st lounge or new J lounges from 0408

[JohnK]

I also sense there really will be making Platinum more difficult to obtain since every second person seems to be Plat....

We had this discussion on AFF last year I think. With over 4,000,000 QFF members I think around 60,000 are Platinum. Not a great percentage by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Ikara]

I have no problem with decision. In fact it is a good decision to protect their brand.

Reggie - I'm with you!

JB

 

[Reggie]

Reggie - I'm with you!

JB

We still have anytime access to the Int J lounge and the Dom QP. Better than most other airlines are offering.

 

[Mal]

I'm of two minds on this.

Firstly, I like "anytime" access and am glad that Qantas has not removed it completely. Additionally, it allows them to not worry about their lounges being over-run by customers not giving anything back to Qantas on that trip and allows them to keep their premium lounges as premium lounges.

On the other hand, I always see changes in rules as tests for what Qantas can get away with. I wouldn't like the anytime access to be dropped completely in a year's time because Qantas felt that they got away with the change this year without complaint.

In the bigger picture, I lose little from this move. But always cautious of the slow dilution of benefits.

 

[straitman]

Duh :!:
Well that was a nice guess by me without reading where they would open !

And i have not even had a drink today.
E

Maybe you need one :!:

 

[straitman]

Like most others here I find that this is of little impact to me. The pesimist in me also agrees with Mal, in that this could be seen as step one in further dilution of benefits.

I hope you're wrong with this Mal :!:

 

[Reggie]

On the other hand, I always see changes in rules as tests for what Qantas can get away with. I wouldn't like the anytime access to be dropped completely in a year's time because Qantas felt that they got away with the change this year without complaint.

They could have just removed the anytime access altogether in one hit. They didn't warn everyone they intended to enforce the 4 segment rule before they did.

 

[oz_mark]

Domestically, you are hard pressed to say that removing anytime access to lounges that don't exist at the moment is a dilution. You could argue that access to better facilities when flying QF is an improvement, and the any time access benefits have not changed.

Internationally, things are a little different for international travellers....

 

[Mal]

They could have just removed the anytime access altogether in one hit. They didn't warn everyone they intended to enforce the 4 segment rule before they did.

But the 4 segment rule has been in the T&C's for ages - they *chose* to not enforce it until recently. Slightly different to a lounge access rule which is allowed under the T&C's.

Like I said earlier, I'm always suspicious of these types of moves, but it doesn't really worry me too much at the moment.

 

[Dave Noble]

They could have just removed the anytime access altogether in one hit. They didn't warn everyone they intended to enforce the 4 segment rule before they did.

There is a big difference; the requirement to have 4 segments was in the rules all along just that they had never bothered enforcing it, so there was no change to the rules with that

Personally I see this as a minor issue; the current access to the domestic QP is not changing; the 2 domestic business lounges are not QPs

The only change is limiting access to the enhanced flounges and given the apparant improvements ( I havent seen them myself yet ) doesn't sound too unreasonable

Dave

 

[NM]

I think it is a logical move by Qantas. Certainly makes sense to me.

 

[Reggie]

But the 4 segment rule has been in the T&C's for ages - they *chose* to not enforce it until recently. Slightly different to a lounge access rule which is allowed under the T&C's.

I said enforce, not introduce.

Also, is the anytime access actually in the T&C's, thought it was an unwritten benefit.

 

[Reggie]

There is a big difference; the requirement to have 4 segments was in the rules all along just that they had never bothered enforcing it, so there was no change to the rules with that

I did say enforce

Personally I see this as a minor issue; the current access to the domestic QP is not changing; the 2 domestic business lounges are not QPs

I agree

The only change is limiting access to the enhanced flounges and given the apparant improvements ( I havent seen them myself yet ) doesn't sound too unreasonable

I agree

 

[Dave Noble]

I did say enforce

My point was that there was never any reason to announce the change to segment enforcement since it was always in the rules. The removal of Flounge access is a change to rules and so needs to be announced

The not allowing access to the new business lounges didn't need to be announced since there never has been permitted access to them

Dave

 

[Mal]

I said enforce, not introduce.

Also, is the anytime access actually in the T&C's, thought it was an unwritten benefit.

As Dave Says

You are correct that it isn't the the T&C's, but it has been advertised as a benefit with various Plat handbooks and other website collateral. Removing it would likely cause a huge issue when people complained. Although, if they advised early enough, then it's pretty moot as Qantas can make changes at any time given proper warning.

 

[Reggie]

My point was that there was never any reason to announce the change to segment enforcement since it was always in the rules.

The fact they didn't announce they were going to enforce it resulted in many complaints and unhappy people (see FT).

 

[Mal]

The fact they didn't announce they were going to enforce it resulted in many complaints and unhappy people (see FT).

But the people they annoyed, tended to be people who didn't put big $ towards Qantas. Instead they tended to be the people (often based overseas) who earned QF status by flying other airlines. Everytime they accessed lounges, Qantas was being billed, and I presume Qantas didn't perceive they earnt enough from them to make them viable.

There are exceptions - eg someone who flew QF LAX-SYD in F once per year (paid) and thus only had 2 sectors, but gave Qantas ~$10K. But I feel that Qantas was annoyed at Nth American pax finding easy ways to earn QF status to use the AA lounges and so worked on reducing their ability to use this loophole - unless they showed some loyalty to Qantas. I'm only singling out Nth American pax due to the AA restrictions on lounge access to their elites - I' sure there are other relevant examples as well.

I don't think Qantas was upset to lose them...

 

[Reggie]

Removing it would likely cause a huge issue when people complained. Although, if they advised early enough, then it's pretty moot as Qantas can make changes at any time given proper warning.

Like those from LOTFAP who didn't have the 4 segments, when Qantas unannounced started enforcing a previously unenforced T&C.

What leg do any of us stand if they just stop allowing any time access without announcement. We just have to accept it and/or move to AA or Singapore Airlines.

 

[Mal]

What leg do any of us stand if they just stop allowing any time access without announcement. We just have to accept it and/or move to AA or Singapore Airlines.

I feel that Qantas can't remove Anytime access for at least 6 months after warning WP's of losing the right. It's not like an unenforced T&C, but more a published benefit that they can't easily wriggle out of.

There is a difference between turning a blind eye to a T&C and publishing a benefit.

 

[Reggie]

I'm only singling out Nth American pax due to the AA restrictions on lounge access to their elites - I' sure there are other relevant examples as well.

I don't think Qantas was upset to lose them...

I singled them out as well for the same reasons, and I agree QF would probably nit be unhapy at loosing them.