Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[Martin J Cowling]

I have been lurking for a while. Life has been too busy to get too engaged here.

I may be going against the trend here but the removal of anytime access was not a huge deal. But I did write to Qantas about the October changes.

My three issues are:
1. The email itself made by blood boil. An "enhancement" means To make greater, as in value, beauty, or effectiveness; augment and to provide with improved, advanced, or sophisticated features. Losing anytime lounge access, seeing a reduction in my baggage allowance and seeing Sllvers get the same award access do not feel like enhancements in my status as a Qantas Freq Flyers who sits on 1200-1400 status credits annually. Telling me I can fly more to get 2100 status credits is NOT an enhancement. This means that the very email was a lie. Qantas does not need to lie to Platinum Frequent Fliers. If they had said "In these tough economic times, you will understand that regretfully, we are restricting lounge access to those flying out on a Qantas aircraft but you still have business class lounge access and first class on international", then I would have grumbled a little

2. it does feel like a further erosion of benefits. Only a few airlines have managed to make the flying experience better. Most are diluting it. As a lifetime Silver, I have also lost priority check in. I wonder if by the time I get to lifetime Gold, what they will take away then.

3. Its hard to see the value proposition for flying twice as much to get to Platinum. business class lounge domestically,
First Class intl lounge out of Syd and Mel (only) 100% freq flier points instead of 50% First class intl check in priority lines at some airports trouble solving in an emergency. I dont get priority access to emergency exit seating for no fee (United gives me that), automatic upgrades (United and American give that to their high status fliers).

The emails I got back from Qantas were so appalling in their lack of empathy for the customer and its fobbing off of my concerns that I have decided they were written by Virgin. Not only did they fail to deal with my concerns, they denied them.

Worse the emails contained what I perceive to be an "inaccuracy". The Qantas agent told me that ""Anytime access for Platinum members is being removed from 1 February 2011. However, we've offset this by allowing Platinum members arrival access on arrival. Sorry that this wasn't outlined in our initial email."
When I questioned this I was told:
Not sure why the arrival access wasn't included in the initial email, but can confirm that it's a benefit available to Platinum members from February 2011
Yet Red Roo from Qantas marketing told us:
...we have taken your feedback onboard and are happy to make adjustments to this policy and we’re also pleased to let you know about it first!

From 1 February 2011, to access Qantas Domestic or International lounges, Platinum Members must be travelling the same day on a flight that shows on a Qantas (QF), a Jetstar Airline (Jetstar (JQ), Jetstar Asia (3K) or Valuair (VF)) or a oneworld® flight number on your ticket. Other lounge access conditions apply. See Qantas Club Terms and Conditions.
​

In doing so, Platinum Frequent Flyers will continue to be welcome to use our lounges to freshen up or whilst waiting for colleagues or friends arriving on other flights. ...Qantas.com will be updated later today with the revised policy.


The level of incompetence in the way Qantas has handled this amazes me. Talk about lack of customer sensitivity.

Martin

 

[medhead]

I pretty much agree with what you say there. It is extremely strange that anyone at qantas can sit there and think that removing benefits in anyway represents an enhancement. Perhaps they have big plans centered around NGCI. But they have totally failed to communicate those plans - the good parts of those plans - potential enhancements.

So far what I've got is:

1) we're going enhance you out of benefits - Anytime access, baggage piece system, etc.
2) How would you like to fly - NGCI, good bye priority checkin hello lines, labelling your own bags - again negatives
3) NGCI is going to take 3000 years to roll out but we are taking your benefits now - more negatives
4) the real benefits of management's vision appear - but vast numbers of flyers have left because of all the upfront negatives.

Not sure why the arrival access wasn't included in the initial email, but can confirm that it's a benefit available to Platinum members from February 2011
Yet Red Roo from Qantas marketing told us:
...we have taken your feedback onboard and are happy to make adjustments to this policy and we’re also pleased to let you know about it first!

Martin

I can only imagine that is the disconnect between management and the front line staff. Perhaps understandable, as a manger do you what to say that you've listened to a forum and changed your mind. Possibly even if they had staff consultant on the changes and if some staff mentioned arrival access. :?:

 

[Danger]

Worse the emails contained what I perceive to be an "inaccuracy". The Qantas agent told me that ""Anytime access for Platinum members is being removed from 1 February 2011. However, we've offset this by allowing Platinum members arrival access on arrival. Sorry that this wasn't outlined in our initial email."
When I questioned this I was told:
Not sure why the arrival access wasn't included in the initial email, but can confirm that it's a benefit available to Platinum members from February 2011

Clowns. Do they even read what they're writing? It's hardly an 'offset' when arrivals access is available now, not just from February 2011 - by virtue of anytime access. Perhaps they had the work experience person type the email.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Clowns. Do they even read what they're writing? It's hardly an 'offset' when arrivals access is available now, not just from February 2011 - by virtue of anytime access. Perhaps they had the work experience person type the email.

I thinks it's more a case of maybe they should have had the work experience person type the email.

Beancounters, just like psychopaths have no empathy for their victims. :evil:

As for consulting with staff to find out what customers want and more importantly don't want it's not rocket science however the decisionmakers think they already know it all & as they're all ego driven they wouldn't dream of lowering themselves to actually asking someone who works at the coalface.

 

[straitman]

Beancounters, just like psychopaths have no empathy for their victims. :evil:

An interesting analogy that I've never heard before.




Sent from my iPhone using AFF Mobile

 

[UP4014]

Slightly off topic, but with the new changes, Qantas Club members will not have priority check in at Domestic airports. For people like myself, without further status, this will be a definite minus. :shock:

I think there will be quite a few people not happy with this change.

 

[reductionist]

Slightly off topic, but with the new changes, Qantas Club members will not have priority check in at Domestic airports. For people like myself, without further status, this will be a definite minus. :shock:

+1 here. Not happy with this change. Domestic queues are often worse than international.

 

[Martin J Cowling]

+1 here. Not happy with this change. Domestic queues are often worse than international.

To quote QF email to me:
"Regarding priority check-in for Silver Frequent Flyers, the On Q check-in system will provide a speedy alternative."

Speedy? Add holiday queues and people confused with them and lets see the speed?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I think that everyone has their knickers in a knot over this NGCI. Once the new system is rolled out everywhere and everyone has a NGCI card, it should be smooth sailing (fingers crossed).

It should be a 30 second check-in (flash your card, next...), in 'n' and out painless procedure.

Having said that, wait till there is an I.T. problem (like DJ has had a few times this year), and it will be total chaos.

Back to the topic at hand, l do agree that QF has chosen the wrong word in that infamous e-mail, loosing WP anytime access isn't an "enhancement", any way you look at it.

 

[medhead]

I think that everyone has their knickers in a knot over this NGCI. Once the new system is rolled out everywhere and everyone has a NGCI card, it should be smooth sailing (fingers crossed).

I think the key thing in what your saying is "Once the new system is rolled out". When is that going to be? about 2013 iirc. Meanwhile, Qantas has implemented all the enhancements that go with NGCI upfront. So people are going to be stuck using the old system without the benefits that made the old system bearable. Basically screw people now and then sometime in the future give them the system that is going to make up for the benefits that have been removed.

Excellent change management there, not.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I think the key thing in what your saying is "Once the new system is rolled out". When is that going to be? about 2013 iirc. Meanwhile, Qantas has implemented all the enhancements that go with NGCI upfront. So people are going to be stuck using the old system without the benefits that made the old system bearable. Basically screw people now and then sometime in the future give them the system that is going to make up for the benefits that have been removed.

Excellent change management there, not.

Correct. The word to focus on here is 'once' they have it rolled out.

Yes, QF should have planned the roll out a little bit better and bought all airports into one standard quicker, rather than what they are currently doing now. But l'm confident that once the system is up and running at all major airports (and maybe even the smaller ones), it should be a quick 2 minute procedure to check in.

Serfty has mentioned that check-in for Air NZ takes no more than 2 minutes. Virtually no que's and status doesn't come into play either. Maybe QF are taking a leaf out of Air NZ's books?

 

[serfty]

...
Serfty has mentioned that check-in for Air NZ takes no more than 2 minutes. Virtually no que's and status doesn't come into play either. Maybe QF are taking a leaf out of Air NZ's books?

The reality is with AirNZ Domestic that you are basically 'checked-in' on booking/ticketing.

Their major ports are 100% "Bag Drop" with one or three roving staff and a 'special assistance' desk.

If you have AirNZ status or Koro membership and no luggage to check then you can book, simply front-up at the gate within 15 minutes of scheduled departure, scan your RFID chip and board with no other interaction.

 

[JohnK]

Worse the emails contained what I perceive to be an "inaccuracy". The Qantas agent told me that ""Anytime access for Platinum members is being removed from 1 February 2011. However, we've offset this by allowing Platinum members arrival access on arrival. Sorry that this wasn't outlined in our initial email."

We already have arrival access by virtue of anytime lounge access. If the above conversation is true then this just has to be stupidity from QF at it's best.

Anytime lounge access is anytime lounge access including arrival access.

When I questioned this I was told:
Not sure why the arrival access wasn't included in the initial email, but can confirm that it's a benefit available to Platinum members from February 2011

More stupidity.

Perhaps QF was gong to take away our anytime lounge access including arrival access on 31 January 2011 and then out of the kindness of their hearts give back arrival acess on 1 February 2011.

Yeah right....

 

[serfty]

...

Perhaps QF was gong to take away our anytime lounge access including arrival access on 31 January 2011 and then out of the kindness of their hearts give back arrival acess on 1 February 2011.

Yeah right....

If you re-read this thread, going by red roo's posts, this is tantamount to what happened.

i.e. Outbound only was the original 'enhancement' with no arrival access.

 

[oz_mark]

If you re-read this thread, going by red roo's posts, this is tantamount to what happened.

i.e. Outbound only was the original 'enhancement' with no arrival access.

Agreed.

The reason that is wasn't in the original email, is that it was not part of the wording of the original email and change. That access was added back - perhaps it was an unintended consequence of the change, or perhaps it was due to the 'kindness of their hearts'.

 

[JohnK]

If you re-read this thread, going by red roo's posts, this is tantamount to what happened.

i.e. Outbound only was the original 'enhancement' with no arrival access.

But it could not have been part of the original email as anytime access was taken away and given back later.

Anyway the whole point is we already had arrival access through anytime access so QF is not giving us anything new by giving us arrival access afer 1 February 2011.

If that is the case then QF may as well take away the 100% Platinum bonus and then give it back later and say we are enhancing the program.

 

[serfty]

But it could not have been part of the original email as anytime access was taken away and given back later.
...

"Any time" access is being removed and is not likely to be seen again in the near future.

The original emails/documents had access to lounges being available when outbound . The term used was "Next Onward Flight".

This was changed to "Same Day" access which (after clarification) represents access on the same day as the departure/arrival of a oneworld/QF/JQ flight.

 

[JohnK]

"Any time" access is being removed and is not likely to be seen again in the near future.

The original emails/documents had access to lounges being available when outbound . The term used was "Next Onward Flight".

I think we are both saying the same thing. I actually meant to say "But it could not have been part of the original email as anytime access was taken away and arrival access given back later."

This was changed to "Same Day" access which (after clarification) represents access on the same day as the departure/arrival of a oneworld/QF/JQ flight.

"Same day" access could have some issues. I raised this one earlier. I have a QF flight in the eveving SIN-PER but I have an earlier flight BKK-SIN on TG. I do have a QF flight the "Same Day" so should be entitled to lounge access in BKK.

It may actually work better the other way round though. Arrive into SIN on QF and then depart SIN on TG. Again "Same Day" access should mean lounge access in SIN.

Am I interpreting the new rules correctly?

 

[medhead]

So Qantas has removed anytime access to reduce overcrowding (inter alia) yet there is now 25000 bonus points for joining the QP. Gee give incentives to join the QP, that'll help overcrowding

Special Holiday Offer from The Qantas Club

 

[Danger]

Absolutely outrageous. I honestly cannot believe how the h**l QF operates. This is utterly appalling.

The challenge we face is striking a balance between offering reasonable lounge access, whilst not overcrowding the lounges.

One issue we see is when Members use Qantas lounge facilities and then fly with competitors on the same day. This increases crowding for Members who are flying with us on the day and also gives our competitors a free kick.

I'm flabbergasted.