Pausing Qantas Club if Solely Taking Business Class Flights?

[mviy]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

So don't fly business class if you're so worried about missing out on your paid benefits. Simple solution.

Perhaps have a read of an article designed to reinforce the decisions of those who choose to fly Y: The smug truth about cattle class

They can spin it how they like but flying Y is a vastly inferior experience to flying J.

 

[samh004]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

It does raise an interesting point, across a number of memberships, but I'm not sure anyone has ever tried it. If you continue to fly J... you'll surely hit SG/WP and your membership will be paused by that action.

 

[mviy]

Though roomer is flying business on points:

perhaps I should have mentioned that I am bronze status and the upcoming business class trip will be my first (and it was done via points).

 

[RichardMEL]

It really is not reasonable to expect the QC membership to be paused just because of flying business.

That may be a valid opinion. I am puzzled why then it is reasonable to suspend QC membership when Gold status has been attained

Because QC is a part of Gold membership, as in you get access to the QC when you hit Gold.. if you had a paid membershop it is reasonable to suspend the paid membership in this instance.

While yes, if you fly business you get this too it is a different situation in my view.

Gold status lasts for at least 1 membership year which is a set limit to pause a paid QC for

Your original post mentioned an award J trip for 6 weeks. weeks?! why would one even bother? 6 months maybe but QF would have no reasonable way to know that you wouldn't book other trips or want the benefits

And finally QC is a membership based thing you pay for upfront while status is attained. You can pay for QC and never use it - that doesn't entitle you to a refund because you didn't use it. QF will be totally happy to take the money.

I do not think your desire is valid and QF would most likely give a polite no to it. Good luck though!

Here's another way to look at it, or analogy:

Say I have a general admission membership to my footy club to go watch games, but I decide no, I want to sit in a reserved seat for a few games, so I buy the seat for a couple of games.... that doesn't nullify my existing membership that I had bought.. *I* made a choice to go for the reserved seat to see the Tigers thrash the Blues (I wish ) .. my choice. I still have my GA membership which I can use if I like, but I decided to pay more for a better seat.

my thoughts

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

If a pax flies ADL-SYD and returns six weeks later in J then the suggestion is to suspend QC membership for that six weeks.

But what happens if a SYD-BNE (returning a week later) in Y is nested within the ADL-SYD return? Would QC be suspended for five weeks (six weeks minus the week the pax is a Y traveller) or six weeks less two days (the two days of flying as a Y traveller)?

Then what happens if a further BNE-CNS return in J is nested within the SYD-BNE? Would there be a suspension of QC within a reimposition of QC within a suspension of QC?

By the way, I'm offering to write the code for this if Red Roo is stalking this thread. My rates are reasonable.

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

This line of thinking is not far removed from a belief you could ask for a refund at the end of 12 months of QC membership if for some reason you didn't fly at all and claimed you were entitled to your money back as you didn't use the service.

What a strange world we live in....

 

[sudoer]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

But what happens if a SYD-BNE (returning a week later) in Y is nested within the ADL-SYD return? Would QC be suspended for five weeks (six weeks minus the week the pax is a Y traveller) or six weeks less two days (the two days of flying as a Y traveller)? Then what happens if a further BNE-CNS return in J is nested within the SYD-BNE? Would there be a suspension of QC within a reimposition of QC within a suspension of QC?

Exactly what I asked - and roomer's response below (lol)

For example, if I had a J return to Perth booked (I'm based in Sydney, so this would be "away") and flew to PER-BME-PER in Y, I could utilise my Qantas Club membership on those flights. By your logic however, Qantas should credit me for the whole period in between my J flights to/from Perth, when I have actually utilised the membership. See the difference?

Re the examples you are giving. You are not flying business for that duration, your membership wouldnt be allowed to be paused as its not continuous business class and so you could use your QC card when flying economy. If for some reason you chose to book extra flights in economy while mainly flying business, you would not be able to use your QC membership because its been suspended. I dont see the problem with either scenario

IMO if this kind of system existed it would be easily exploitable. Either having a registered address in another city you frequently visited (therefore frequently being "away") or constantly changing your home address to make yourself "away" are two possible strategies that come to mind.

 

[justin23]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

IMO if this kind of system existed it would be easily exploitable.

That is exactly the issue. How does one determine the time frames to pause your QC membership? I can understand maybe a system where you get one pause for up to 6 months. But Qantas gains nothing from this at all.

When you gain SG it has a time period that makes suspending QC easy enough to manage, the person has already flown a bit so they've made a commitment to QF. I'd question the sanity in paying for QC when a NB as you won't be getting much value for your money if you don't even fly enough for PS.

As a PS myself for most of my flying life, I've struggled to justify paying for QC for my one or two international Y flights a year with occasional J. In fact I'm almost LTS and I just booked my first full J status run with a weeks holiday in the middle (ok not a true Status run, but I'm not flying CBR-MEL-SYD-CHC because i like MEL and SYD airports

So I'd question the reason for paying for QC when one only does a few flights a year in the first place. You'd be better off saving that money and flying again.

 

[cwphoto]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

I'm calling Troll.

 

[ermen]

OP is logically incoherent

But a paid membership giving you QC benefits remains active at the same time as those same QC benefits received when flying business class for an extended period of time.

Seems that actually paying out for something means you have to accept having two active benefits at the same time ...

What do you mean flying business "for an extended period of time". This whole concept does not even make sense at all - you only fly business for the duration of the flight / itinerary

Theoretically, what you only use your QP membership for what, call it 2 hrs before your flight. ok, so maybe i get more luggage... ok, so i use that benefit for the duration of the flight. let's be generous here, and assume the benefits apply for the whole day.

On that basis, should i now ask QF to suspend my membership for the 364 days that I am not flying because i am not using QC for "an extended period of time"

 

[roomer]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

Goodness me havent I stirred a hornets nest,

I have a 2 year QC membership that I basically benefit from when I travel os and for a few domestic flights. I basically pay the fee because like having the lounge benefits when overseas.

But thanks to the guidance of the more friendlier members, I have now secured a business flight via points.( something I didnt think would ever happen) Had I not done so, I would be flying economy and using my QC membership during a six week period.

I was merely thinking that if you Qantas provides you with free QC membership when you achieved Gold, as well as suspending your paid membership for that period of Gold membership, then it might be possible to have this logic applied when you effectively obtain the equivalent of "free QC membership" when travelling business.( assuming this would be subject to a minimum period eg a month)

A simple proposal I had thought, not trying to get something for nothing or scheme with the what ifs to rort the system.

I am NOT saying say ok, you are flying business for 6 weeks in that time you are getting QC benefits, during your membership period , and we will extend the period of your membership.

I am saying you WILL NOT have QC membership during this 6 weeks ( ie so no rorting or whatever) its is suspended for the period of time you fly business given that QC membership benefit is being now provided.

For those forking out QC membership, the month and a half reprieve on receiving a renewal would be quite welcome. This is probably not an issue of course for those whose are able to fly to the extent that they can readily achieve gold. Pointless arguing this further as Qantas does allow this. It is however my opinion and you of course are entitled to yours

 

[ermen]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

I am NOT saying say ok, you are flying business for 6 weeks in that time you are getting QC benefits, during your membership period , and we will extend the period of your membership.

I am saying you WILL NOT have QC membership during this 6 weeks ( ie so no rorting or whatever) its is suspended for the period of time you fly business given that QC membership benefit is being now provided.

For those forking out QC membership, the month and a half reprieve on receiving a renewal would be quite welcome. This is probably not an issue of course for those whose are able to fly to the extent that they can readily achieve gold. Pointless arguing this further as Qantas does allow this. It is however my opinion and you of course are entitled to yours

So what do you mean? Your proposal is full of contradictions

1/ Suspend membership because "flying business for 6 weeks (how you fly business for 6 weeks too I don't know. if i buy a 12 months ticket am i flying business for 12 months?)". And have an extra say 6 week renewal period (that is akin to giving another 6 week free membership?)

but then you say you are not advocating for membership to be extended

 

[cwphoto]

Re: Discounted Qantas Club membership

A simple proposal I had thought, not trying to get something for nothing or scheme with the what ifs to rort the system.

The simple answer is no, as it makes no sense.

 

[sudoer]

not trying to get something for nothing

That is literally exactly what you are asking for. You are providing no extra value to Qantas, but want them to extend your membership during periods you don't plan to use it, for free.

 

[mannej]

You are using a false premise. You do not use the benefits of your membership during the trip, only whilst at the airport.

So what you are suggesting is that you are flying business, you should get the extension for this period only. The only issue is the period isn't 6 weeks, it's a number of hours (I.e however long the duration of the flight is)...

Sorry but it's nonsensical.

 

[juddles]

........

Sorry but it's nonsensical....

Completely agree. But I do take my hat off to the OP - such audacity and drive to push the envelope so outrageously is what makes this hobby so interesting

 

[ermen]

the only way this could presumably work would be if the QP was based on a # of visits / benefits redeemed sorta system.

 

[RichardMEL]

To clarify regarding Gold (and higher status)

- QF do not "give you QC membership" when you attain Gold status, they provide access to the lounge as part of that status package (this is different to the benefits of a QC membership). It is in line with their alliance partners (ie: Onwworld) providing the same benefit for similar status elites in QF lounges


Again, Gold status is an earned level from activity and its benefits are VERY different to the paid upfront membership in the QC.

It's actually a REALLY generous policy of QF to suspend a paid QC membership because technically they wouldn't have to IMHO - it's a very reasonable thing to do. I wonder if any other carrier does the same (eg: BA). I know AA this is not an issue since their Platinum's (or any elite tier) are not allowed into their Admirals Clubs on domestic flights anyway so their paid memberships would be used then.

Anyway just thought I'd make that point

 

[opusman]

It definitely used to be stated that Gold came with complimentary QC membership.

 

[RichardMEL]

It definitely used to be stated that Gold came with complimentary QC membership.

yes I remember that too.

Happy to be corrected but really since Gold is a higher level I suppose technically it does but I always feel it is different because of the fact it is earned rather than directly paid for and Gold has benefits above that of QC but includes access to the QC.

Anyway semantics aside.... wanting a pause in paid QC membership (and for under 2 months at that) is a fine idea and good luck but... nope good try tho and entertaining thread