Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[simongr]

Ultimately, though, whether you used the anytime access or not, the reality is there's simply no denying it is the removal of a significant benefit that distinguished Platinum from Gold.

Time for another beer!

I can deny that - it is a benefit I have used nor intend to use and have never seen the point of it. In fact it actually annoyed me a little that "loyal" WP could use QF lounges when not being "loyal"

 

[DC3]

While not compulsory , anytime access is a good benefit for those who may one day find it useful.

Maybe not today, but tomorrow .... ? Many may never need the access, but it's good to know that it's there if we do. And it's a well appreciated gesture from Qantas for those who have used it.

 

[Australian]

it actually annoyed me a little that "loyal" WP could use QF lounges when not being "loyal"

it's not like you wake up overnight with WP suddenly bestowed upon you ... it takes a conscious, deliberate effort to direct bookings towards a single carrier to attain status ... perhaps 'investment' is better than 'loyalty' ... so (real) 'returns' are what i guess it's all about (i say that from the perspective of both qantas' investment into the program, and clients' investment in working up tiers)

 

[Princess Fiona]

Anytime access was the goal for me to attain WP ( +2 guests). My lounge wish list for WP status has 4 key elements in order of priority :
1. The ability to use the lounge whenever my itinerary includes a QF/JQ/One World Flight (either pre or post lounge access).
2.To take my family into the lounge when we are flying on these airlines.
3. To use the lounge when I am traveling and neither of these airlines or OW service that route.
4. To guest family and friends into the lounge when they are flying OW even if I am not flying.

 

[hollydavid69]

Am planning a holiday to USA next year & had been thinking about going on a status run or 2 or 3 over there, to fast track my progession to WP in the space of a few long days - with one of the main reasons being anytime lounge accesss - now with the impendig removal of that benefit i don't see much point .

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Am planning a holiday to USA next year & had been thinking about going on a status run or 2 or 3 over there, to fast track my progession to WP in the space of a few long days - with one of the main reasons being anytime lounge accesss - now with the impendig removal of that benefit i don't see much point .

I lol'd. 6789

 

[medhead]

If you go and read the posts on why people fly Qantas over Virgin Blue, I am not sure that I have ever read avout Any time lounge access. There are plenty of other reasons (alliance membership, baggage, schedule etc). So I don't think there will be too many people going to DJ solely because of this. Lots of huffery and puffery about threatening to do so, but it won't happen in droves.

On the other hand, statused folk on a BFOD policy may find more arguments for why they need to fly at the time the Qantas flight leaves.

I probably didn't explain myself very well (although I'm feeling like a broken record). Not saying anytime access is a reason to fly DJ, what I'm saying is it is a reason not to fly DJ, or to limit DJ flights as much as possible, in order to maintain platinum status. However, there are times when flying another airline cannot be avoided. with the removal of anytime access I now don't have lounge access at those times. I can't get QF plat and DJ gold, but I can get QF gold and DJ gold. Therefore if I want lounge access then I need to move flights from qantas to DJ. that's the point Qantas don't seem to value having most of my travel budget enough to throw me a small bone once in a while, so I should adjust my loyalty to get the best for me.

It would be nice to actually see some QP's adopt opening hours so pax could actually use the lounge when they are flying on international flights.

Not sure if QF Management are aware but in DRW's case there is no QF metal anymore internationally, so members of QP have no choice if flying overseas - it's JQ or it's nothing.

All JQ flights ex DRW to SIN/SGN/DPS depart from 1610 until 1930 however the QP is not open for a single international departure as currently (Oct - Mar) the QP hours are 0500-0700, 1000-1430 & 2200-0030.

Very similar problems in ADL with the QP closing long before the last JQ flights leaves to BNE. Qantas have axed transit option ADL-BNE, so basically loyal qantas flyers are forced on the JQ by the limited schedule and don't get lounge access as a result.

Newsflash qantas Jetstar is not a substitute, despite your efforts to align qantas with jetstar. :evil:

 

[Alanslegal]

I believe the WP's reaction to the removal of anytime access is not so much about the actual removal of the privilege QF have taken away, but how they've gone about doing it ie:

a) tried to camouflage it that it's somehow beneficial to members
b) QF's 'moving the goal posts' - where is it going to end & what's the next WP benefit to go
c) thinking WP's must be stupid & won't notice
d) mistakenly assuming overcrowded lounges are attributed to WP anytime access which I competitors"

I totally agree and that is why I - a new WP - is mad!

Qantas is blaming WP for overcrowding and does not have any tangible proof that anytime access is the root of all this.

Also WE should not forget our frequent flyer friends, those PS and QC, who will no longer have access to J check in lines and I'll predict what QF's reason to this ..... Because PS and QC use the J lines too much! PS and QC flyers are there for a reason, they theoretically fly 50% less than a SG and 75% less than a WP.

Also LTS status benefits have reduced .... So imagine QF deciding that LTG members using the QPs too much and thus remove that benefit, after this mistrust event, I can see this happening.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Anytime access was the goal for me to attain WP ( +2 guests). My lounge wish list for WP status has 4 key elements in order of priority :
1. The ability to use the lounge whenever my itinerary includes a QF/JQ/One World Flight (either pre or post lounge access).
2.To take my family into the lounge when we are flying on these airlines.
3. To use the lounge when I am traveling and neither of these airlines or OW service that route.
4. To guest family and friends into the lounge when they are flying OW even if I am not flying.

So basically you want to be able to go in any time....

 

[Princess Fiona]

So basically you want to be able to go in any time....

No, anytime I or any of my family are flying QF, JQ etc. And to use the lounge if I am flying and QF or associates don't fly there. I don't think that is too much to ask for my loyalty

 

[dk4]

If you go and read the posts on why people fly Qantas over Virgin Blue, I am not sure that I have ever read avout Any time lounge access. There are plenty of other reasons (alliance membership, baggage, schedule etc). So I don't think there will be too many people going to DJ solely because of this. Lots of huffery and puffery about threatening to do so, but it won't happen in droves.

On the other hand, statused folk on a BFOD policy may find more arguments for why they need to fly at the time the Qantas flight leaves.

Oz_mark, I respect that your posts are always erudite and insightful, but I am going to have to disagree with you on this one.

From past experience, Qantas behaviour modelling does get it wrong!

They got it wrong with the Jetstar lounge in Coolangatta, when I (and obviously others) started flying Virgin Blue in protest. Qantas realised too late that they needed to reinstate WP +2 complimentary lounge access at OOL*. So, they certainly do miscalculate, and have to take back steps! (And all that was over a $10 lounge access fee! Well, also for me - the loss of showers & scotch, and for others, possibly the loss of QF - even though many had already transitioned to JQ.)

Personally, I don’t think that “Gold + Gold” is huff and puff! (Along with the halving of QF status oriented ticketing decisions that follow as an offset to the flying required to earn DJ Gold.) Now more than ever, after these moves by QFF, it seems best to back a couple of horses for a place, rather than one for a win, especially for “BFOD / price cognisant” travellers.

*Noting that at Jetstar lounges, guests must also be departing on JQ.

As for WP lounge access stats; perhaps Qantas may monitor “return” vs “one way” flying patterns. But as I don’t bother to enter my QFF number into JetSaver (nonQFF-earning:evil bookings, when I mix and match within The Group, I suspect that they may not have valid data available. And as/if Jetstar is an independent airline, then providing explicit passenger data to their parent, seems a privacy issue.

Plus, the downgrading of (Lifetime) Silver “priority queue access” also rates highly on my mind, and I am also left wondering if Lifetime Gold will still come with complimentary lounge access, by the time I get there!

 

[PineappleSkip]

Plus, the downgrading of (Lifetime) Silver “priority queue access” also rates highly on my mind, and I am also left wondering if Lifetime Gold will still come with complimentary lounge access, by the time I get there!

Great point!

LT anything is no more than a mystery prize. With the value of particular levels being consistently downgraded, the odds are that it will be less than it is now.

Cheers skip

 

[oz_mark]

Oz_mark, I respect that your posts are always erudite and insightful, but I am going to have to disagree with you on this one.

Diversity of opinion is a good thing!

From past experience, Qantas behaviour modelling does get it wrong!

They got it wrong with the Jetstar lounge in Coolangatta, when I (and obviously others) started flying Virgin Blue in protest. Qantas realised too late that they needed to reinstate WP +2 complimentary lounge access at OOL*. So, they certainly do miscalculate, and have to take back steps! (And all that was over a $10 lounge access fee! Well, also for me - the loss of showers & scotch, and for others, possibly the loss of QF - even though many had already transitioned to JQ.)

Agreed. There have been a few missteps, subsequently corrected, with Jetstar. Another example is that JetFlex did not originally accrue points/SC's.

In a larger sense, though, I think Frequent Flyers have lost more through the Jetstarisation of Qantas than through benefits being formally removed.

Personally, I don’t think that “Gold + Gold” is huff and puff! (Along with the halving of QF status oriented ticketing decisions that follow as an offset to the flying required to earn DJ Gold.) Now more than ever, after these moves by QFF, it seems best to back a couple of horses for a place, rather than one for a win, especially for “BFOD / price cognisant” travellers.

I don't disagree that there will be specific cases of protest, such as yours. However, in the larger sense, a number of people have made comments along the lines of DJ not being effective competition.

Now, if more people were to take the 'Gold' + 'Gold' approach, then this would be a good thing, and I do think you will see a response from QF. However, I don't think this will happen until DJ gets to a point where it is not viewed as an inferior product (in both the airline service, and FF scheme views)

Plus, the downgrading of (Lifetime) Silver “priority queue access” also rates highly on my mind, and I am also left wondering if Lifetime Gold will still come with complimentary lounge access, by the time I get there!

As a Lifetime Silver, this is one that does affect me. However, as someone that has tried NGCI, I do wonder just how much it will affect me, on the routes I currently am most likely to use.

 

[oz_mark]

LT anything is no more than a mystery prize. With the value of particular levels being consistently downgraded, the odds are that it will be less than it is now.

Agreed, but at least there is a Lifetime something. It's more than the opposition currently provides.

 

[Leumas]

Agreed, but at least there is a Lifetime something. It's more than the opposition currently provides.

Everyone that is not LTS or LTG is just a Lifetime Bronze...

 

[markis10]

Everyone that is not LTS or LTG is just a Lifetime Bronze...

Not if they are not a member My LTS may was well be LTB, no diff now.

 

[drron]

Agreed, but at least there is a Lifetime something. It's more than the opposition currently provides.

Yes and mrsdrron was LTGW.

 

[anat0l]

My LTS may was well be LTB, no diff now.

And how do you come to that conclusion? Unless you don't travel internationally a lot at all...

 

[oz_mark]

Not if they are not a member My LTS may was well be LTB, no diff now.

Silver still has some advantages over bronze:

1 - NGCI
2 - Additional reward access
3 - Additional baggage allowance.

I would say that is a bit more than 'no diff'.

 

[oz_mark]

Qantas is blaming WP for overcrowding and does not have any tangible proof that anytime access is the root of all this.

In my opinion, the overcrowding was spin. It's not about overcrowding. It's about DJ flagging that they are coming after QF's business.