Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[Princess Fiona]

Well I have finally worked out what the benefit is to us WPs from these changes, we now have something to talk about on AFF that is not the normal best CC, how do I get xx SCs, what is my upgrade chances etc etc :-|:evil:

Correct, and I'm now so enraged I have also registered for FT :-D

 

[straitman]

Correct, and I'm now so enraged I have also registered for FT :-D

Should we warn them at FT central that you are on the war path :?:




Sent from my iPhone using AFF Mobile

 

[medhead]

Is there any significant benefit left for a Platinum flying predominantly domestic economy? Probably only the ability to get seating in the front of economy and the occasional wayward op-up.

And as a silver/gold I was usually able to get into row 4 on a 737, maybe 5 or 6.

Any tips for selecting the random guests?

 

[samh004]

Is there any significant benefit left for a Platinum flying predominantly domestic economy? Probably only the ability to get seating in the front of economy and the occasional wayward op-up.

And as a silver/gold I was usually able to get into row 4 on a 737, maybe 5 or 6.

As a Bronze I had my fair share of row 4 too

 

[Ev1dent]

These changes won't have a major impact on me, but the few occasions I have used anytime access it has just been to access the free wifi and download my emails before leaving the airport. I just can't imagine any frequent traveller wanting to spend more time in airports than absolutely necessary. Perhaps some WPs were abusing the system, but in my case, the hastle of finding an alternative wifi access point, just to save QF 5c max on the 3-4 times / year I use anytime access seems disproportionate.

 

[Happy Trails]

Well I have finally worked out what the benefit is to us WPs from these changes, we now have something to talk about on AFF that is not the normal best CC, how do I get xx SCs, what is my upgrade chances etc etc :-|:evil:

And let's not forget the lounge dragons; I reckon some will think they've died and gone to heaven come Feb 1st.

 

[Hvr]

I have been the beneficiary of WP any time access and had a couple of weekend meetings in a local.

The WP member and I were quiet and there were several airfares booked during the meetings. So the net benefit to QF was actually quite high rather than a disadvantage.

As someone on the cusp of WP I was looking forward to the occasional any time visit.

Still I would hope there is a change in the policy to allow WPs to have arrival access. That would be a real benefit.

 

[drron]

JohnK,

Thanks for making me smile on a coughpy Victorian 'spring' night.
(10deg with an apparent temp of 2deg and 18-20kts of wind)

What bliss!Come over to the other side of the strait.

 

[simongr]

I read mrssimongr's Gold letter last night. What was interesting was the listing of new vs existing benefits. Very few new benefits... just 2 in fact.

Of more concern was the list of coming improvements - all of which related to the hard and soft product rather than loyalty benefits...

 

[Sequel]

While the changes wont force me to jump ship entirely, it is making me reconsider the need to fly any more than keeping SG. I can't use DJ for all my flights as they simply dont fly to some of the place I go, but I am also a regular on the golden triangle.

As the difference in SG & WP diminishes, the following option becomes more enticing. I have recently requalled WP and could just about get to DJG by the time anytime access is removed - meaning still being able to use the QC for many flights. Assuming comp next year and then soft fall to SG the year after, it means I can generate a "valued" customer profile at DJ over the next 3 years, while still having lounge access for the the few (read minimum of 4 segments) QF flights I would need to take.

 

[Alanslegal]

Any tips for selecting the random guests?

Someone that is NOT holding a QF boarding pass

 

[medhead]

Someone that is NOT holding a QF boarding pass

A bit hard a SYD T3. But will work in ADL.

 

[markis10]

A bit hard a SYD T3. But will work in ADL.

Or T1/2 in Sydney you will find plenty of candidates.

 

[Australian]

As the difference in SG & WP diminishes, the following option becomes more enticing. I have recently requalled WP and could just about get to DJG by the time anytime access is removed - meaning still being able to use the QC for many flights. Assuming comp next year and then soft fall to SG the year after, it means I can generate a "valued" customer profile at DJ over the next 3 years, while still having lounge access for the the few (read minimum of 4 segments) QF flights I would need to take.

Well exactly. If u're a FF, the incentive to now score Gold on both carriers, of Gold on Qff + priority pass, is far greater as u get essentially the same benefits but are freed up in choice n price sensitivity (just look at that guy on the HK flight going crazy over the low quality of service n food! ^^) - when u're freed up, there's really a lot better quality and/or price out there to choose so as long as u score gold, it's fine... think of it as an enhaxement in that extent (at least!). U can score the most important benefits (gold) on both carriers or thru PP anytime access... without having to gain twice the points - finally freedom to choose!

 

[cwliew]

Agree, I see no real benefit of WP over gold, except that you get access to business lounge in melb and sydney...which is only really worth it for the morning barista!

 

[simongr]

Agree, I see no real benefit of WP over gold, except that you get access to business lounge in melb and sydney...which is only really worth it for the morning barista!

F lounge, F check in, 50% bonus on points, greater luggage allowance (though not keen on the piece system), proposed premium lanes for DOM flights (not yet implemented so not sure how good these will be unless they are like international flights with separate channels), better DOM preallocation of seats than others (though reports of not being better now they used to be).

All of these are benefits of WP over SG - fact.

 

[Australian]

F lounge, F check in, 50% bonus on points, greater luggage allowance (though not keen on the piece system), proposed premium lanes for DOM flights (not yet implemented so not sure how good these will be unless they are like international flights with separate channels), better DOM preallocation of seats than others (though reports of not being better now they used to be).

All of these are benefits of WP over SG - fact.

please - the key to the previous quote was "real" ... those things would be coupled with either J booking anyway, which is what is typically often required to hit the WP tier (remember WP isn't just the next 10 SC up from Gold ... it's X2 (ie, effectively within 6 mths!!) -- so (at least some -- if not a fair bit) of your booking is already at premium level, so you're not getting that much they wouldnt already be giving you!

esp if you consider the freedom you have to spend what would have gone to securing the other 600SC into other carriers (at better prices, quality, and service ... Y and J ... then really, what's the point of holding on just to get QF WP when you'd be getting all those perks anyway - either with them, or with someone you choose.

really, it's clearly rationalised down to a two tiered system - nothing (bronze/silver - although silvers get free tags, bronze+ QP need to buy theirs ... in both cases they check themselves in now, tho) and elite (gold/platinum - although platinum gets one piece of extra luggage and j/f access when they fly as QF platinums ... something they'd likely to be getting anyway if book into J (with one exception - F lounge, if a international flight), tho) ... it's just a lean, mean model that keeps them profitable against a market where everything else is LCC, without having to appear that they've gone down the same track.

 

[markis10]

please - the key to the previous quote was "real" ... those things would be coupled with either J booking anyway, which is what is typically often required to hit the WP tier (remember WP isn't just the next 10 SC up from Gold ... it's X2 (ie, effectively within 6 mths!!) -- so (at least some -- if not a fair bit) of your booking is already at premium level, so you're not getting that much they wouldnt already be giving you! .

I find the extra 50% mileage very real, and its not coupled with a J booking at all, over a year that can be a significant bag of points, in my case 50K plus, as I do a lot of longhaul domestic. Note also the baggage limits, J customers who are not WP are very much constrained now.

 

[medhead]

F lounge, F check in, 50% bonus on points, greater luggage allowance (though not keen on the piece system), proposed premium lanes for DOM flights (not yet implemented so not sure how good these will be unless they are like international flights with separate channels), better DOM preallocation of seats than others (though reports of not being better now they used to be).

All of these are benefits of WP over SG - fact.

You forgot the priority economy seat purchase. Those may be the listed benefit but if you can't use them they are pointless. Basically, the big ticket items are international benefits - good for the flying you do, pointless for my flying. 50% bonus points - no benefit on the east coast.

Priority domestic boarding, that is not proposed, it is listed as a "privilege" now. But I ask how is a separate lane going to work on a 737? Board Platinums first, but has been mentioned they are all in the lounge still.

I find the extra 50% mileage very real, and its not coupled with a J booking at all, over a year that can be a significant bag of points, in my case 50K plus, as I do a lot of longhaul domestic. Note also the baggage limits, J customers who are not WP are very much constrained now.

32kg is not much of a constraint.

 

[simongr]

please - the key to the previous quote was "real" ... those things would be coupled with either J booking anyway, which is what is typically often required to hit the WP tier (remember WP isn't just the next 10 SC up from Gold ... it's X2 (ie, effectively within 6 mths!!) -- so (at least some -- if not a fair bit) of your booking is already at premium level, so you're not getting that much they wouldnt already be giving you!

esp if you consider the freedom you have to spend what would have gone to securing the other 600SC into other carriers (at better prices, quality, and service ... Y and J ... then really, what's the point of holding on just to get QF WP when you'd be getting all those perks anyway - either with them, or with someone you choose.

really, it's clearly rationalised down to a two tiered system - nothing (bronze/silver - although silvers get free tags, bronze+ QP need to buy theirs ... in both cases they check themselves in now, tho) and elite (gold/platinum - although platinum gets one piece of extra luggage and j/f access when they fly as QF platinums ... something they'd likely to be getting anyway if book into J (with one exception - F lounge, if a international flight), tho) ... it's just a lean, mean model that keeps them profitable against a market where everything else is LCC, without having to appear that they've gone down the same track.

Sorry to quote the whole post but I think quoting extracts wouldnt be fair. I pretty much disagree with your entire argument.

If I flew J on SQ to India on my upcoming flight I might save a few hundred $, wouldnt get F check in or F lounge access. I wouldnt earn the bonus points I earn on QF and wouldnt contribute to retaining status.

For int'l J travel there is I think a significant benefit in J for WP over SG. The actual onboard experience is only a fairly small proportion of the experience in terms of "stress" points and points at which being WP make a difference. In the air the seats are all similar enough not to be dramatically different, the food is much of a muchness and the wines are ok. I don't get concerned/stressed on board most flights (apart from the soup on QF) but I do hate the non-F experience from the airport entry to sitting down with a glass of bubbles on board.