No more QF chauffeur drive to LAX and DFW

[codash1099]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Reading the QF attachment in the post above, has anybody received a CD vehicle in Australia above the 'minimum' Holden Caprice? I have used CD in Australia six or seven times and got a Caprice every time.

Only a Caprice here

 

[legroom]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Qantas is a business. it's not here to make you happy.

They have their reasons for making the decisions. Whinge complain and threaten all you like. It won't make a difference. Just like it won't matter how much uni students protest, the federal budget isn't going to change. It's all done for a reason.

You're spot on.

Similarly, I am not here to support Qantas at any cost.

Loyalty goes both ways as I understand it.

I struggle to recall any similar (retrospective) business decision recently by anyone.

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Emal from AusBT this morn: Qantas axes chauffeur drive service for Los Angeles, Dallas flights - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Love this bit:
"Chauffeur Drive in the US has had relatively low take-up, so rather than persist with the overheads of keeping the service on offer we're removing it will reinvest in things that are of more value to our customers" a Qantas spokesperson told Australian Business Traveller.

However, the spokesperson declined to detail how Qantas would accommodate first and business class passengers booked on flights beyond June 30, saying only that "Customers with existing Chauffeur Drive bookings after 30 June 2014 can contact Qantas directly to discuss the options that are available to them."

So what are QF re-investing the $$ in ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Qantas is a business. it's not here to make you happy.

They have their reasons for making the decisions. Whinge complain and threaten all you like. It won't make a difference. Just like it won't matter how much uni students protest, the federal budget isn't going to change. It's all done for a reason.

agree they are a business... but most businesses don't try and hide behind 'get-out' clauses to withdraw services and not offer compensation. I can't understand why they didn't just give everyone $45 for a taxi or 10,000 frequent flyer points.

what on earth is to be achieved by cancelling and saying 'see ya'?

 

[straitman]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Adding to my previous comment, thinking about it some more, whilst i'm disappointed CD has been withdrawn, I do understand "why", however i'd have thought honouring all bookings made prior to announcement would have been a better approach to their existing customers.

As one of the people who have 'lost' from this, I agree with the sentiment.

From where I am it is just another nail that QF has nailed into their own coffin. We all have different trigger points as to where/when we run out of tolerance but it is getting much closer for me.

Having said that and in reflection I see LTGold as an aiming point then look, literally, at the big blue sky out there. Two years ago if you asked me I would have said no way.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Qantas is a business. it's not here to make you happy.

They have their reasons for making the decisions. Whinge complain and threaten all you like. It won't make a difference. Just like it won't matter how much uni students protest, the federal budget isn't going to change. It's all done for a reason.

I think you have that a bit wrong! Sure a business exists to make money for its owners (whether that is private owners or share owners). However as a business you are not going to get very far if your customers are unhappy - having run a successful business for nearly 30 years I can assure you of that! We were constantly taking onboard constructive criticism and changing. So the question is more is Qantas keeping enough customers happy to make itself profitable again. Qantas seems to be walking a line between cutting costs and annoying its FF base - time will tell if it has got it right. In this case I suspect it is a bit of a storm in a teacup and won't make that much of a difference - other changes and what seems to me to an increasing lack of quality might. (Disclosure - although I was eligible for CD for my trip to the USA in July I didn't book it...)

 

[jpk]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

The way this decision was made probably went down something like this:
- every dept instructed to cut costs, every single line item gets looked at
- costcutter asks "why do we pay for all these transfers?"
- QF guy answers "we had to do those because of the EK deal"
- "ok so we only need to do them for the LHR/DXB flights then? we can scrap them everywhere else?"
- "well i guess so, but we have promised those to USA pax already"
- "did we get any extra USA bookings when we started offering these transfers?"
- QF people look at numbers and all traffic metrics are poor
- "well it doesn't look like it, in fact now we have even less people flying with us than before"
- "so it doesn't add any value then, let's kill it"
- "but what about everyone that bought flights because of it?"
- "you just told me it's not many pax! i'm sure they won't complain anyway, most people in J/F expense cabs or can afford a cab themselves right..."
- "ok let's kill it. what if people ask for compensation or want to cancel?"
- "huh? who else are they gonna fly? united or virgin? they're no competition for us, we are a premium airline!"

 

[UP4014]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

I think you have that a bit wrong! Sure a business exists to make money for its owners (whether that is private owners or share owners). However as a business you are not going to get very far if your customers are unhappy - having run a successful business for nearly 30 years I can assure you of that! We were constantly taking onboard constructive criticism and changing. So the question is more is Qantas keeping enough customers happy to make itself profitable again. Qantas seems to be walking a line between cutting costs and annoying its FF base - time will tell if it has got it right. In this case I suspect it is a bit of a storm in a teacup and won't make that much of a difference - other changes and what seems to me to an increasing lack of quality might. (Disclosure - although I was eligible for CD for my trip to the USA in July I didn't book it...)

Yes each change in itself is a storm in a tea cup, but combine all the little storms and we have a cyclone driving customers elsewhere with its ferocious wind.

Matt

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

The way this decision was made probably went down something like this:
- every dept instructed to cut costs, every single line item gets looked at
- costcutter asks "why do we pay for all these transfers?"
- QF guy answers "we had to do those because of the EK deal"
- "ok so we only need to do them for the LHR/DXB flights then? we can scrap them everywhere else?"
- "well i guess so, but we have promised those to USA pax already"
- "did we get any extra USA bookings when we started offering these transfers?"
- QF people look at numbers and all traffic metrics are poor
- "well it doesn't look like it, in fact now we have even less people flying with us than before"
- "so it doesn't add any value then, let's kill it"
- "but what about everyone that bought flights because of it?"
- "you just told me it's not many pax! i'm sure they won't complain anyway, most people in J/F expense cabs or can afford a cab themselves right..."
- "ok let's kill it. what if people ask for compensation or want to cancel?"
- "huh? who else are they gonna fly? united or virgin? they're no competition for us, we are a premium airline!"

Love it !!
Soon the ABC will have enough material to run The Hollowmen of QF

 

[zainman]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

The way this decision was made probably went down something like this:
- every dept instructed to cut costs, every single line item gets looked at
- costcutter asks "why do we pay for all these transfers?"
- QF guy answers "we had to do those because of the EK deal"
- "ok so we only need to do them for the LHR/DXB flights then? we can scrap them everywhere else?"
- "well i guess so, but we have promised those to USA pax already"
- "did we get any extra USA bookings when we started offering these transfers?"
- QF people look at numbers and all traffic metrics are poor
- "well it doesn't look like it, in fact now we have even less people flying with us than before"
- "so it doesn't add any value then, let's kill it"
- "but what about everyone that bought flights because of it?"
- "you just told me it's not many pax! i'm sure they won't complain anyway, most people in J/F expense cabs or can afford a cab themselves right..."
- "ok let's kill it. what if people ask for compensation or want to cancel?"
- "huh? who else are they gonna fly? united or virgin? they're no competition for us, we are a premium airline!"

Best post of the thread!

 

[bismarck]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

The way this decision was made probably went down something like this:
- every dept instructed to cut costs, every single line item gets looked at
- costcutter asks "why do we pay for all these transfers?"
- QF guy answers "we had to do those because of the EK deal"
- "ok so we only need to do them for the LHR/DXB flights then? we can scrap them everywhere else?"
- "well i guess so, but we have promised those to USA pax already"
- "did we get any extra USA bookings when we started offering these transfers?"
- QF people look at numbers and all traffic metrics are poor
- "well it doesn't look like it, in fact now we have even less people flying with us than before"
- "so it doesn't add any value then, let's kill it"
- "but what about everyone that bought flights because of it?"
- "you just told me it's not many pax! i'm sure they won't complain anyway, most people in J/F expense cabs or can afford a cab themselves right..."
- "ok let's kill it. what if people ask for compensation or want to cancel?"
- "huh? who else are they gonna fly? united or virgin? they're no competition for us, we are a premium airline!"

Having been the cost cutter in many a business, this is basically how the conversation goes.




Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Yes each change in itself is a storm in a tea cup, but combine all the little storms and we have a cyclone driving customers elsewhere with its ferocious wind.

Matt

Didn't mean to sound dismissive - would totally agree that Qantas has acted very disrespectfully in not honouring existing bookings....

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

The way this decision was made probably went down something like this:
- every dept instructed to cut costs, every single line item gets looked at
- costcutter asks "why do we pay for all these transfers?"
- QF guy answers "we had to do those because of the EK deal"
- "ok so we only need to do them for the LHR/DXB flights then? we can scrap them everywhere else?"
- "well i guess so, but we have promised those to USA pax already"
- "did we get any extra USA bookings when we started offering these transfers?"
- QF people look at numbers and all traffic metrics are poor
- "well it doesn't look like it, in fact now we have even less people flying with us than before"
- "so it doesn't add any value then, let's kill it"
- "but what about everyone that bought flights because of it?"
- "you just told me it's not many pax! i'm sure they won't complain anyway, most people in J/F expense cabs or can afford a cab themselves right..."
- "ok let's kill it. what if people ask for compensation or want to cancel?"
- "huh? who else are they gonna fly? united or virgin? they're no competition for us, we are a premium airline!"

... and then they found the line item detailing the cost of olives ...

 

[TomVexille]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

... and then they found the line item detailing the cost of olives ...

I thought the sticking point was the weight of the olives...

 

[eastwest101]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

The way this decision was made probably went down something like this:
- every dept instructed to cut costs, every single line item gets looked at
- costcutter asks "why do we pay for all these transfers?"
- QF guy answers "we had to do those because of the EK deal"
- "ok so we only need to do them for the LHR/DXB flights then? we can scrap them everywhere else?"
- "well i guess so, but we have promised those to USA pax already"
- "did we get any extra USA bookings when we started offering these transfers?"
- QF people look at numbers and all traffic metrics are poor
- "well it doesn't look like it, in fact now we have even less people flying with us than before"
- "so it doesn't add any value then, let's kill it"
- "but what about everyone that bought flights because of it?"
- "you just told me it's not many pax! i'm sure they won't complain anyway, most people in J/F expense cabs or can afford a cab themselves right..."
- "ok let's kill it. what if people ask for compensation or want to cancel?"
- "huh? who else are they gonna fly? united or virgin? they're no competition for us, we are a premium airline!"

You forgot to add:
-"okay so we'll kill it, how should we announce it?
-"Oh just give that job to the PR/Spin Dept - I am sure they will make up some random cough reason to explain it, that's their job anyway! Next!

 

[codash1099]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

You forgot to add:
-"okay so we'll kill it, how should we announce it?
-"Oh just give that job to the PR/Spin Dept - I am sure they will make up some random cough reason to explain it, that's their job anyway! Next!

-"Let's not bother to make an announcement. Someone will find out eventually. We can, as usual, ignore any complaints"

 

[cjd600]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Very disappointing that existing bookings are not honoured. Quite unbelievable, really.
Myself,mrs + 2 daughters all flying J SYD-DFW in September '14, booked Sep '13.
4 J award tickets.
A trip well over 12 months in the planning prior to booking.
The CD service was not the 'driver' (excuse the pun...) for booking J, but an advertised, and available to book benefit, of travelling in J.
So we planned around the assumption that this service was included with our booking.
CD was booked from our home to SYD airport. What a lovely benefit, as it is difficult to find a friend or family member who has capacity to transport 2 adults + 2 under 5's in their vehicle. The QF chauffeur option,with 4 J tickets booked ,would be perfect for our trip to the airport.
Even better at the DFW end.Hiring a rental car for 5 weeks isn't cheap.And it turns out cheaper to buy 2child booster seats than have them included in the rental for this long a timeframe.
No worries,we have Qantas CD.So,we arranged to buuy2 booster seats online and have them delivered to our Fort Worth hotel, awaiting our arrival. The QF Chauffeur booking was made for transferring the Mrs + 2 kids from DFW to the hotel, leaving me to deal with rental car shuttles + car collection, to meet up with them at the hotel,where our booster seats would be waiting, for our 5 week roadtrip to come.
Not now.
Now I suddenly have to rethink the whole arrival process as QF have vaporized the Chauffeur service provided with all J class bookings on this route, at both ends.
Guess we'll all negotiate the rental car shuttle bus, luggage and kids in tow, and join the cattle call in the rental office.And add 2 booster seats to the rental,for more than the price we could purchase them for. Would have been nice to have the wife and kids enroute to our hotel after the flight,with me to deal with the rental pickup alone.
Oh well, not the end of the world,can't wait for our big trip.
But QF have now messed up both ends of our outbound flight, and tainting what has been a long planned, and long booked J class experience for the 4 of us - a chance we wont likely have again (as a family in the holiday space). S
till can't believe they are not honouring existing bookings. Disgraceful.
I was one of the breed who loyally directed business, work and pleasure, to QF above the competition.
Not now, sorry QF.

A different flying future awaits, encompassing the exciting and enticing world of no fuel fines on award tickets...

excuse any typos above,one of the kids has spilt juice over the keyboard, so QF chauffeur drive is not the only sticky situation in our household at the moment..

ps - the only way we can fly 4 x J SYD-DFW, and on the same flight, is due to the wealth of knowledge and generosity of sharing such knowledge, amongst the AFF community, so thank you, and we will very much enjoy this flight in J together, regardless of the lack of vehicle at either airport for pre and post flight transportation

 

[Princess Fiona]

No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Very disappointing that existing bookings are not honoured. Quite unbelievable, really.
Myself,mrs + 2 daughters all flying J SYD-DFW in September '14, booked Sep '13.
4 J award tickets.
A trip well over 12 months in the planning prior to booking.
The CD service was not the 'driver' (excuse the pun...) for booking J, but an advertised, and available to book benefit, of travelling in J.
So we planned around the assumption that this service was included with our booking.
CD was booked from our home to SYD airport. What a lovely benefit, as it is difficult to find a friend or family member who has capacity to transport 2 adults + 2 under 5's in their vehicle. The QF chauffeur option,with 4 J tickets booked ,would be perfect for our trip to the airport.
Even better at the DFW end.Hiring a rental car for 5 weeks isn't cheap.And it turns out cheaper to buy 2child booster seats than have them included in the rental for this long a timeframe.
No worries,we have Qantas CD.So,we arranged to buuy2 booster seats online and have them delivered to our Fort Worth hotel, awaiting our arrival. The QF Chauffeur booking was made for transferring the Mrs + 2 kids from DFW to the hotel, leaving me to deal with rental car shuttles + car collection, to meet up with them at the hotel,where our booster seats would be waiting, for our 5 week roadtrip to come.
Not now.
Now I suddenly have to rethink the whole arrival process as QF have vaporized the Chauffeur service provided with all J class bookings on this route, at both ends.
Guess we'll all negotiate the rental car shuttle bus, luggage and kids in tow, and join the cattle call in the rental office.And add 2 booster seats to the rental,for more than the price we could purchase them for. Would have been nice to have the wife and kids enroute to our hotel after the flight,with me to deal with the rental pickup alone.
Oh well, not the end of the world,can't wait for our big trip.
But QF have now messed up both ends of our outbound flight, and tainting what has been a long planned, and long booked J class experience for the 4 of us - a chance we wont likely have again (as a family in the holiday space). S
till can't believe they are not honouring existing bookings. Disgraceful.
I was one of the breed who loyally directed business, work and pleasure, to QF above the competition.
Not now, sorry QF.

A different flying future awaits, encompassing the exciting and enticing world of no fuel fines on award tickets...

excuse any typos above,one of the kids has spilt juice over the keyboard, so QF chauffeur drive is not the only sticky situation in our household at the moment..

ps - the only way we can fly 4 x J SYD-DFW, and on the same flight, is due to the wealth of knowledge and generosity of sharing such knowledge, amongst the AFF community, so thank you, and we will very much enjoy this flight in J together, regardless of the lack of vehicle at either airport for pre and post flight transportation

Your family's predicament is a perfect example of what a clusterf#*% this poorly executed decision can have for existing customers.
I sincerely hope that QF gets to hear about this from you and that they provide a satisfactory level of assistance.

 

[OBie]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Most interesting, and damned annoying ... having made a booking early Jan, in J, for initially 13Jul QF8/BNE-SYD, QF7 SYD-DFW, to RTA 7Aug QF8 DFW-BNE, which I then brought forward to depart BNE 6Jul, but via LAX, which is still showing "chauffeur drive booked", I'd like think that all is well in the world. And, not having heard anything at all, at all, from Old Mate's mob at any of the 'Service Centres', about extant car services, with just over a month or so to go, I should be confident that I can sit back and expect the duty vehicle to turn up as booked, and SWMBO & OneSelf will be whisked in comfort to the airport ... ROFLMAO! i'll be pre-empting and asking, and expecting heaps of points in compensation ...

 

[11sjw]

Re: No more QF chauffer drive to LAX and DFW

Anyone had any luck getting any compensation from QF on this? Feel for you cjd600, that stinks.