No more "anytime access" for CL's

[whughes3]

Qantas axes a prized perk of elite Chairmans Lounge status

Considering how long ago this was abolished for us mere mortals, it is a bit surprising it has taken this liong!

 

[Hvr]

Interesting. Maybe too many pollies having constituent meetings in thete?

 

[Daver6]

I wonder if they want to reduce the numbers in the lounges in order to increase the number of CL members they have?

 

[docjames]

I suspect this will more be to reduce "serial offenders" who are abusing the lounge(s), but I'd hypothesize that for the majority of CL this wont make a material difference as they'd typically travel QF/JQ anyway (with occasional visits to domestic CLs awaiting arrivals, and rare travel on other carriers).

I wonder if this is targeted more at the SYD/MEL F Lounges than the domestic CLs?

 

[DavidFlynn]

Important to note this isn't just "anytime access", it's also "any airline access" – regardless of which airline they're flying on, a CL member is currently entitled to use any Qantas lounge, be it a domestic Chairman's Lounge (although that doesn't make much sense in most domestic airports) or – and this is the clanger – the Qantas First lounge at SYD, MEL or LAX. I reckon that's the bit which is going to smart more than anything else.

 

[docjames]

The anytime access is a loss domestically though (eg. picking up a family member at a domestic airport - go and wait in the CL for their arrival).

Although i'm sure the lounge managers will have discretion to grant access on this sort of occasion.

 

[Pleb Status]

Interesting move by QF.

Providing access to those CL not travelling on QF et al still gave QF a very valuable opportunity to 'stay in touch' with those members and to sell them their services etc. Some companies would pay a lot of money to get access to these people.

As an 'estranged' ex QF P1, I have personally found that the more I become isolated from QF, the less chance I will ever return to the fold. After a ten month break last year, it felt very strange flying on QF again and was very happy to go back over to the 'dark side' again.

Maybe QF management should ask themselves why, after lavishing these CL with the best possible service, some CL still want to travel on other airlines. I do not think cost would be the main factor here (even for personal travel)...

 

[Jack_OC]

The anytime access is a loss domestically though (eg. picking up a family member at a domestic airport - go and wait in the CL for their arrival).

Although i'm sure the lounge managers will have discretion to grant access on this sort of occasion.

Maybe this is a naive question, but is it common for CL members to personally pick up family members from the airport? Even if so, would they normally arrive far enough ahead of time to park their car and make their way to an airside lounge, rather than just doing a "drive by" pickup? I would be genuinely surprised if this happened often enough to be seen as a problem, but I have no direct knowledge of CLs or the habits of CL members, so I could be wrong!

I would have thought that accessing the international F lounges prior to flying with a rival airline is more likely to be what prompted it. Or maybe as someone else suggested, people are arranging meetings in the CL to bignote themselves, when nobody in attendance is flying anywhere.

 

[Pushka]

The CL person I know would likely do a drive by or organise a car for his family. They are low maintenance.

 

[Ausbt]

Maybe this is a naive question, but is it common for CL members to personally pick up family members from the airport?

The real question is, does Sue Pieters-Hawke collect Blanche d'Alpulget from the airport, or vice-versa? Or, more likely, not on your nelly nada non no no no!

 

[Bundy Bear]

It could also be a problem where if the CLs were flying another airline, that would still mean staff are on duty to make sure that person gets to their flight, and like anything probably only a select few people who are abusing the CL benefit but possible an issue arose where someone missed their flight.

 

[kermatu]

I think this is a smart move. Maybe I've just become more aware of it and the absurdity of it but 3 out of my past 4 visits to the SYD and MEL F lounges people at the table next to me each time were flying on other, non One World carriers (Air NZ across the ditch and I think Korean Air). Also at least one table was not hiding it and talking up the fact they hadn't flown QF international for several months.

I ran into a former boss in the SYD F lounge early last year. He didn't broadcast it but told me he, wife and 4 kids were in the F lounge for about 5 hours before their UA flight to LA. Just madness.

I assume CLs can still access the Dom lounges after a QF flight? I think if that were taken away there'd be problems, as I've known (and been invited in by) CLs after a flight for a quick, relatively private space to chat before heading separate ways. Less about the food or drink.

I'm a bit biased being in Canberra and knowing many CLs who get that status even though their roles deliver absolutely nothing to Qantas - nor to Virgin for that matter - and I'm not talking about politicians. If anything, they should be cutting back the CL list in my view. Or perhaps making it a benefit for P1s.....

 

[GoldCanyon340]

This is a positive move from QF (note no use of the 'e' word). I too have witnessed groups of people leaving SYD F for non-OW flights, primarily NZ. I'm sure that happens in MEL F as well but I don't frequent there as often.

I'd like to think this allows a P1 benefit announcement soon (one hand taketh away, the other hand giveth) but I won't hold my breath. Regardless, this will mean lower footfall in the F lounges which may persuade/allow QF to improve the wine list. Less is more.

 

[kermatu]

This is a positive move from QF (note no use of the 'e' word). I too have witnessed groups of people leaving SYD F for non-OW flights, primarily NZ. I'm sure that happens in MEL F as well but I don't frequent there as often.

I'd like to think this allows a P1 benefit announcement soon (one hand taketh away, the other hand giveth) but I won't hold my breath. Regardless, this will mean lower footfall in the F lounges which may persuade/allow QF to improve the wine list. Less is more.

I don't think it will make any difference to non-CLs (including P1s), other than, as you say, a few less people in the F lounges. They'll still be full, and can't see the wine (or spirits) significantly changing.

I certainly don't know but my belief is very few CLs use the domestic lounges if not travelling or not travelling on QF. Just not easy to get to or offer anything that special to warrant a visit (in my opinion and from conversations with Canberra-based CLs -- probably the easiest one to access).

I think this is targeted at the 'any airline' rort, and therefore the F lounges. As P1s already access the F lounges there's nothing to offer there. I also can't see them actually offering us CL access in general unless they do a decent cull of CLs (which is probably unlikely)

At most - perhaps - we might get 3 or 5 CL passes for our P1 membership year. Been stated on other threads but I reckon that would be an excellent P1 benefit.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Maybe this is a naive question, but is it common for CL members to personally pick up family members from the airport?

Don't forget all the CL partner cards out there - each with their own travels, and their own friends & family members to pick up, etc.

I think they should have retained unrestricted any time access - but make them go to the QP if they're not flying

 

[cmon0005]

The age of entitlement is over!

This is seriously a good change, F lounges are already full enough internationally so getting 'freeloaders' out of the F lounge when not even flying an eligible airline is a good thing.

 

[whughes3]

Important to note this isn't just "anytime access", it's also "any airline access" – .

The distinction escapes me? The crucial factor is that you are not flying QF/JQ/Oneworld, Whatever you actually are doing is irrelevant.

 

[DavidFlynn]

The distinction escapes me? The crucial factor is that you are not flying QF/JQ/Oneworld, Whatever you actually are doing is irrelevant.

The distinction being that anytime access is "I'm not flying today, Qantas, but I'll hang out in your (domestic) lounge" – something which some people here will see as a great and cool thing, but others will see less appeal and arguably many CL members are simply too busy to bother with coming to the airport for a free feed and drink unless they have a meeting there – whereas any airline access is "I'm not only not flying with you, Qantas, I'm flying with a competitor and sending them probably thousands or even $10,000+ of my money, but I'll hang out in your first class lounge and you can pick up the tab, thanks very much, now where's that basket-pressed Shiraz?".

To me, that's quite some distinction.

 

[Jack_OC]

The distinction being that anytime access is "I'm not flying today, Qantas, but I'll hang out in your (domestic) lounge" – something which some people here will see as a great and cool thing, but others will see less appeal and arguably many CL members are simply too busy to bother with coming to the airport for a free feed and drink unless they have a meeting there – whereas any airline access is "I'm not only not flying with you, Qantas, I'm flying with a competitor and sending them probably thousands or even $10,000+ of my money, but I'll hang out in your first class lounge and you can pick up the tab, thanks very much, now where's that basket-pressed Shiraz?".

To me, that's quite some distinction.

I agree about the distinction, but if that is QF's main concern (and I guess it probably is), the simple solution would be to change the anytime access rule so it applies to domestic lounges only.

 

[Flying Fox]

I'm not a CL or have ever been into their lounge but what are the rules with VA's The Club or The Gang or whatever they call it?

I don't think that its a smart move by QF. I think that the CLs that are enjoying this feature, they will be a bit annoyed that its gone and might move their business elsewhere. I would guess that the cost savings would be minimal given QF's total annual expenses.

I think it would be smarter to simply not renew membership to the CLs that abused this access (if this is the real reason for the change).