Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[cele]

Thanks for the warm welcome - I've been lurking for a v. long time & forming ideas so i thought it might be time to start contributing! I'm also a v. disgruntled QF pax and actively chose to direct spend to DJ, CX, EK most of last year after a string of "disasters" with QF (incl. the lack of response to complaint emails/feedback forms).

Ironically, I have been woo'ed back to QF since making WP (qualf almost exclusively on CX legs) due to their outstanding team @ the MEL F lounge and performance of their premium desk w/ opening up award flights. It's really not that hard to get it right. One could say its the WP in us, but who doesn't like being treated well esp when $25-30k has been paid to get there. Seriously, its a lot of money at an absolute level - even if it's employer funded. I was once told by someone: "In the hospitality industry, be lavish to your customers if you want them to be lavish to you"

I think docjames is on the money with the idea of anytime upgrades; QF could impose different burn rates which would be +ve for revenue. If the facility was restricted to WPs only, it could be a step in the right direction to restoring our trust (as long as the burn rate wasn't ridiculous). Given QF's home base status and decent equipment (744 refresh; more A380s & 787s on the horizon), there is no real reason EK, DL, VA, etc. should ever be able to make any money if QF can retain a firm grip on premium traffic. Treating WPs properly is probably a good first step to doing so.... and IMHO, beats engaging in a premium traffic price war.

[CX] probably have about the same number of international lounges, although QF teams up with BA a lot, while I don’t think CX do.

I do agree that they understand what loyalty means a lot more, although in that case, loyalty to the alliance, not really to Cathay Pacific if you’re a 1W elite ;p

Agree, but HKG is a v. busy airport. The lounges are also huge (there are 4 lounges now if the arrival is counted) and real estate is v. expensive in HK. Further, the selection of food & bev at the wing, pier and the cabin (reportedly; i'll find out in a few weeks) is vastly superior to anything QF has except Syd/Mel F lounge. While i certainly don't have any solid figures on me, I'd think its hard to definitively say anytime access for MPC DMs is "cheaper" than for QF WPs on a per member basis.

 

[ReLoad]

Hey Red Roo, do you negotiate? I'm willing to swap you all the NPPP's I eat and the copies of Air you send me for Anytime access? Deal?

Maybe we need William Shattner to come and negotiate on behalf of QFF patrons?

 

[straitman]

Hey Red Roo, do you negotiate? I'm willing to swap you all the NPPP's I eat and the copies of Air you send me for Anytime access? Deal?

Maybe we need William Shattner to come and negotiate on behalf of QFF patrons?

It is good to see someone with a sense of humour on the thread

 

[pauly7]

Hey Red Roo, do you negotiate? I'm willing to swap you all the NPPP's I eat and the copies of Air you send me for Anytime access? Deal?

Maybe we need William Shattner to come and negotiate on behalf of QFF patrons?

Who on earth is William Shattner?

 

[Australian]

Who on earth is William Shattner?

Hang loose! You don't know willy s??

 

[DC3]

Who on earth is William Shattner?

Not a trekkie then?

 

[ReLoad]

Who on earth is William Shattner?

check this:

YouTube - PRICELINE BIG DEAL

He has done hundreds of TV ads for Priceline, a large US based travel company, he is known as "the Negotiator" as you can see in this TV add.

oh, yes and he has done a few Trekkie movies.

Oh and of course his spoken word songs, "common people" was a ripper if my memory serves me right.


I of course incorrectly spelt his surname its only one T. William Shatner.

 

[samh004]

Agree, but HKG is a v. busy airport. The lounges are also huge (there are 4 lounges now if the arrival is counted) and real estate is v. expensive in HK. Further, the selection of food & bev at the wing, pier and the cabin (reportedly; i'll find out in a few weeks) is vastly superior to anything QF has except Syd/Mel F lounge. While i certainly don't have any solid figures on me, I'd think its hard to definitively say anytime access for MPC DMs is "cheaper" than for QF WPs on a per member basis.

I forgot about the arrival, always forget about that one, somehow I remembered the new one though.

I guess, yes, the selections of food and beverages are a lot better, but then they’re also international lounges, though I already see the flaw in that statement, as the business lounges are pretty poor, but getting better lately I hear.

I guess it’s hard to compare them as we don’t know all the facts, but they do differ a bit

William Shatner?

 

[JeniSkunk]

Who on earth is William Shattner?

No idea who William Shattner is/was. I think you meant William Shatner. It'd be interesting to see how his Boston Legal character would handle a case against Qantas due to their actions in disadvantaging members of their frequent flyers scheme.

Jenifur Charne

 

[straitman]

No idea who William Shattner is/was. I think you meant William Shatner. It'd be interesting to see how his Boston Legal character would handle a case against Qantas due to their actions in disadvantaging members of their frequent flyers scheme.

Jenifur Charne

He would probably just beam in or out as required :!:

 

[djfuzz]

No idea who William Shattner is/was. I think you meant William Shatner. It'd be interesting to see how his Boston Legal character would handle a case against Qantas due to their actions in disadvantaging members of their frequent flyers scheme.

Jenifur Charne

He'd love it - defending over-entitled W's was Denny Crane's speciality.

Denny Crane.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Just for fun, here's a list to refresh your memory of the domestic benefitss:-

Your Platinum privledges:

- 100% points bonus (most flights in .AU are under 1000 miles therefore this is useless).

Only useless if you fly short domestic routes. Not useless entirely.

- Priority Economy seat purchase (my uncle - as a nobody bronze - used this last year - sure it cost him $600 1 way bne-syd, but he got it - same price as plat would pay - therefore not a plat benefit)

Really? Even if the plane is Y0? I find that hard to believe.

I have used this benefit to get on fully booked flights (even a couple of SYD-SIN or vv flights) where CWT hasn't been able to book me.

 

[JohnK]

This leads to a question another forum member alluded to earlier: would members be willing to trade off increased benefits (like restoration of anytime access, service fee waivers, occasional op-up, generally more leniency from QF) for a higher qualification hurdle? Perhaps one way QF can move is to increase qualification hurdles for SG & WP while simultaneously improve benefits for both levels.

Sounds like a good idea. What would you suggest for the new requalification levels for Platinum and assuming half that number for Gold?

Current level requalification for Partner Gold would be too tough for majority of Platinums. Something along the lines of 1400 SCs, 1600 SCs or 1800 SCs to requalify Platinum would be tolerable as long as benefits were retained and not "enhanced" regularly.

 

[dfcatch]

Something along the lines of 1400 SCs, 1600 SCs or 1800 SCs to requalify Platinum would be tolerable as long as benefits were retained and not "enhanced" regularly.

Ahhh how bout NO!!

We should expect benefits and qualification levels to stay the same. And if benefits are taken away, something should be provided in their place. There's nothing wrong with having some "super benefits" for uber-WPs, and that's what PG (or the 3 options at 2400sc) are for.

IF, and a big IF, the goalposts are to be moved further back, they must be accompanied by a SIGNIFICANT increase in benefits (ie. The new level must be over and above the current WP offering).

We should NOT ever be willing to accept a higher qualification hurdle just to retain benefits as they are....IMHO

 

[samh004]

I’m going to hit SG for the first time at the end of this year, and retaining it might be hard, but a higher qualification/re-qualification level just for SG wouldn’t be something I’d be interested in. The only possible benefit I can see for raising SG would be J lounge access, and I appreciate that wouldn’t ever happen or work, so just keep SG at it’s current level thank you very much

 

[Danger]

I had an interesting envelope waiting for me in my mailbox yesterday - the very same envelope I'd sent to Simon Hickey as CEO of QFF a week before. That's right, it had been marked 'return to sender' but it had been opened and re-sealed with tape! I used the same postal address I'd previously used to send correspondence to QFF.

What's the go? Could it be that they've received so many complaints they're now returning them in disgust?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I had an interesting envelope waiting for me in my mailbox yesterday - the very same envelope I'd sent to Simon Hickey as CEO of QFF a week before. That's right, it had been marked 'return to sender' but it had been opened and re-sealed with tape! I used the same postal address I'd previously used to send correspondence to QFF.

What's the go? Could it be that they've received so many complaints they're now returning them in disgust?

Wow. That's crazy. Opened and then RTS. LOL

Next we'll probably hear of reports of white powder being found in envelope's (ie, anthrax), LOL, (it's just a joke before someone gets upset!)

I guess that's the line now been used on this forum ~ which l find funny actually.
Something bad happens relating to QF or it's members, it's a pi$$ed off WP.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Wow. That's crazy. Opened and then RTS. LOL

Next we'll probably hear of reports of white powder being found in envelope's (ie, anthrax), LOL, (it's just a joke before someone gets upset!)

I guess that's the line now been used on this forum ~ which l find funny actually.
Something bad happens relating to QF or it's members, it's a pi$$ed off WP.

So if police were looking for suspects to 'assist with their enquiries' it would narrow the field down to a mere several thousand WPs last seen wearing prison greys, I mean Peter Morrissey designer jarmies!

Sounds like it's opened a Pandora's box and an ego has been dented!

 

[samh004]

I had an interesting envelope waiting for me in my mailbox yesterday - the very same envelope I'd sent to Simon Hickey as CEO of QFF a week before. That's right, it had been marked 'return to sender' but it had been opened and re-sealed with tape! I used the same postal address I'd previously used to send correspondence to QFF.

What's the go? Could it be that they've received so many complaints they're now returning them in disgust?

I’d send it back, and keep sending it back until they offer a real response.

 

[farstar]

I'm happy with the WP requirement at the moment. If they make an extra higher level fine.

I am not fussed about not having anytime access.