Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[DC3]

... The arrivals access is excellent, thank you!...

Yes, I agree. But I want more!

 

[simongr]

This is mainly why I select QF for oneworld benefits, and BD for Star Alliance benefits. As soon as I get QF WP requalified, my effort goes to *A and *A flying, unless *A are far too expensive at the time to requalify with.

I really dont understand this. You fly QF to get to status level and then switch teams to get status somewhere else - when do you actually enjoy the benefits of status - the first six months of requal only?

Ok so they've at least allowed arrivals access. What about adding accompanying a person flying on the day? I still think the easiest way for be to issue a set of guest passes to WP's annually.

Not so great for WPs that guest colleagues travelling with them - [self important hat on] why should I lose the rights to guest colleagues travelling with me on QF so you can swan in and let your rellies hit the bar when you arent even flying?[/self important hat off]

Gee Whiz! talk about not log in for a few days and blam! (insert your favourite sound effect from a 80's batman TV episode)

It was filmed in the 60's -> Adam West - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[ReLoad]

It was filmed in the 60's -> Adam West - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Holy Haberdashery, I am that old? sheesh!

 

[dfcatch]

Not so great for WPs that guest colleagues travelling with them - [self important hat on] why should I lose the rights to guest colleagues travelling with me on QF so you can swan in and let your rellies hit the bar when you arent even flying?[/self important hat off]

Because when you're flying QF with your colleagues, you don't need anytime access… you're just using standard access

The suggestion was "passes" for "anytime access".


Although on the topic of general access, I personally am not opposed to going back to the guest pass system. I find it very frustrating that I rarely take a guest in with me, but yet can't take my parents both into the int J lounge when taking them overseas once in a year.

For those who regularly take a guest (such as a partner) in with them, if they fly enough to run out of guest passes, simply buy them a guest card, or no doubt they would earn SG in their own right if flying enough.

In your example, if you like to regularly bring in different guests, buy more guest passes via cash or points.

Not difficult, and would do more to reduce overcrowding than removal of anytime access IMHO.

 

[DC3]

It was filmed in the 60's -> Adam West - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Around the same time as The Twilight Zone > The Twilight Zone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wikipedia: "The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series ......... often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist".

 

[anat0l]

I really dont understand this. You fly QF to get to status level and then switch teams to get status somewhere else - when do you actually enjoy the benefits of status - the first six months of requal only?

Well, not all of that travel required to get requal is just status runs. Some of it is planned travel, and the benefits are realised there. Beyond requalification there is also travel that I may do on QF that is competitive in price, an award or is other necessary (viz. business) travel.

In saying that, not every flight I do before WP requal is necessarily with QF either. My goal, within my reasonable budget, is to have both QF WP and *G, balancing flying in both to maintain each. Now some of the travel I do for business and leisure so happens to be able to help me requalify in each, but sometimes a status run is required to tip over the requal point.

 

[simongr]

Not difficult, and would do more to reduce overcrowding than removal of anytime access IMHO.

True it would be a reduction in overcrowding - but it would I think be a much more significant reduction in benefits for a larger proportion of WPs (and a breach of OW rules).

Well, not all of that travel required to get requal is just status runs. Some of it is planned travel, and the benefits are realised there. Beyond requalification there is also travel that I may do on QF that is competitive in price, an award or is other necessary (viz. business) travel.

I wasnt implying it was status runs - thanks for your clarification on your travel patterns. What I am trying to "get" is the people that have said "I will fly on QF to requal" then switch to another carrier/program. I just dont see the point other than either to make a point or for petulance.

 

[medhead]

True it would be a reduction in overcrowding - but it would I think be a much more significant reduction in benefits for a larger proportion of WPs (and a breach of OW rules).



I wasnt implying it was status runs - thanks for your clarification on your travel patterns. What I am trying to "get" is the people that have said "I will fly on QF to requal" then switch to another carrier/program. I just dont see the point other than either to make a point or for petulance.

Actually it is firmly established that it is not a breech of OW rules to deny home FF pax OW benefits. See AA and priority check in for silver.

It hasnt been suggest to requal qantas and then switch. More to fly enough during the year in qualify with 2 airlines, in my case. The point being to save money when the competitor is cheaper and to ensure lounge access for those times that one must fl non qantas

 

[simongr]

It hasnt been suggest to requal qantas and then switch. More to fly enough during the year in qualify with 2 airlines, in my case. The point being to save money when the competitor is cheaper and to ensure lounge access for those times that one must fl non qantas

Actually people have been saying "fly to qualify SG and then switch".

 

[Joshua]

Yes, my suggestion was either allow access with a colleague/friend/family/pet when they're travelling (probably too difficult to write that one into rules) otherwise provide guest passes like PS get, to simply provide something for WP.

Guest passes are multi-purpose - you can give them away like free advertising. They would also be a good enhancement to add to the lifetime programs I believe, for minimal cost. Upgrade certificates would be better but I'm trying to be realistic

I will admit this has made me consider trying at least for silver on DJ on some of my domestic sectors. Fairly big change for a self-funded type, flying 99% QF domestically and ending with >1500SC this year. I could easily be SG and something on DJ though a status match may make it even easier.

 

[MatF]

Very happy to see arrivals access ... that was my main concern around the recent changes.

There may still be some disgruntled WPs though?
Car rammed into Adelaide Airport | Courier Mail

 

[Keith009]

What I am trying to "get" is the people that have said "I will fly on QF to requal" then switch to another carrier/program. I just dont see the point other than either to make a point or for petulance.

When I say that I mean requalify for WP, then adopt a BFOD policy to save some money. Rather than getting as many SCs as possible out of blind loyalty and/or a desire to get PG since I know I won't meet the new requirement. I get lounge access with DJ through Priority Pass anyway, and the OH has just requalified for *G so we're well-covered. Unfortunately I don't fly enough to retain top tier status on more than 1 airline. Requalifying for WP will take the better part of the year anyway, and I refuse to do any elaborate status runs. There are still tangible benefits in retaining WP (the Flounge being a big one, the bigger luggage allowance is another) so I won't be dropping down to SG anytime soon.

 

[serfty]

...
After landing in LAX & LHR, where would I go to get a shower and freshen up given you cant get through security at the departures area to get back into the lounges? the times I have flown in I have never bothered, just caught a connection and thats it.

You can really only do this if you are outbound from T4/TBIT in any case. This is because people are not permitted airside unless flying (from that terminal).

 

[medhead]

Actually people have been saying "fly to qualify SG and then switch".

I may have said such a thing in which case I misspoke. Sorry.
Basically I mean to spread my flying using a bfod approach. But making sure that I do enough to requal QF gold as a minimum. As it is a requalification then the current status is there to be used. The upshot is that qantas is only guaranteed half of my flying and will have to be cost competitive otherwise.

 

[tuapekastar]

On the subject of guest passes, can someone refresh my memory? I used to (as a paid QP member) receive a booklet of guest passes each year (10?, 12?, 20? - can't recall exactly how many).

Was there still a restriction on the number of guests in a single visit - perhaps only two allowed at a time? Or could you use the entire booklet in one visit, and guest your entire extended family in? I suspect it was the former, but not sure.

Thanks

 

[whughes3]

On the subject of guest passes, can someone refresh my memory? I used to (as a paid QP member) receive a booklet of guest passes each year (10?, 12?, 20? - can't recall exactly how many).

Was there still a restriction on the number of guests in a single visit - perhaps only two allowed at a time? Or could you use the entire booklet in one visit, and guest your entire extended family in? I suspect it was the former, but not sure.

Thanks

IIRC you got a book of 10 per year (even, interestingly, if you were Gold or Platinum, when you didn't need to use them). I'm pretty sure it was strictly one pass per guest, and one guest at a time.

 

[oz_mark]

Or could you use the entire booklet in one visit, and guest your entire extended family in?

Trying to guest the whole family in during one visit didn't work

 

[medhead]

IIRC you got a book of 10 per year (even, interestingly, if you were Gold or Platinum, when you didn't need to use them). I'm pretty sure it was strictly one pass per guest, and one guest at a time.

Pretty sure there was no restriction as I had about 6 guests in the lounge once. No questions asked just handed over the passes.

 

[dfcatch]

Pretty sure there was no restriction as I had about 6 guests in the lounge once. No questions asked just handed over the passes.

It was 10 passes per year, no restriction, but guests were subject to space availability.

 

[JohnK]

It hasnt been suggest to requal qantas and then switch. More to fly enough during the year in qualify with 2 airlines, in my case. The point being to save money when the competitor is cheaper and to ensure lounge access for those times that one must fl non qantas

I am failing to see the numbers how one person doing enough domestic flying in a year to maintain QF Platinum can split this budget to maintain QF Gold and DJ Gold in one year.

In your situation if you do 80 flights SYD-ADL and vv a year then this would be enough to requalify QF Platinum and assuming each flight costs ~$150 then total cost would be ~$12,000 a year.

Assuming the same details as above then if you wanted to reach DJ Gold it would require 60 flights and ~$9,000 to get there which only leave 20 flights which is only enough for QF Silver at a cost of ~$3,000. So you need another 20 flights and a cost of ~$3,000 to get to QF Gold. Total cost ~15,000 a year and an additional 20 flights.

I know my scenario is only a theoretical scenario and there are many other possibilities (like premium travel on CX, AA etc for QF status and premium travel on V Australia for DJ status) but let's just concentrate on pure domestic travel. I just cannot see how a person who does just enough flying to get to QF Platinum each year (mainly on short-haul red e-deals) will be able to split that travel to maintain QF Gold and DJ Gold without increasing the number of flights and annual cost.

Personally I would rather just keep QF Platinum status and do without lounge access on the <10 times a year I need to fly DJ. Regardless of what people may think I do not actually have time to use the QF Lounges before each QF flight anyway.

Actually people have been saying "fly to qualify SG and then switch".

This would only be a burden in the first year where they do not have DJ Gold status.

Once a person has QF Gold and DJ Gold status then they can control their travel in the next year to maintain both statuses. No need to switch at a certain point in time but instead spread travel on each carrier throughout the year as required.