Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[nlagalle]

Hear, hear. It would be nice if some people would have the grace to concede that other's perspective may legitimately be different from their own.

(For example, I tend to travel "light" and I rarely/never use the extra luggage allowances; but I would still be annoyed if they were removed and I consider that others would equally be entitled to be annoyed).

There are already other threads on the other "enhancements".. However this change was the one that most affected WP's.

 

[dfcatch]

What if international F lounge access is removed next?

Now that would probably put me over the edge....

I consider that I get the most benefit from WP when flying internationally so without F lounge access (which I deliberately route via SYD or MEL to access) I would probably drop to Gold, maybe even Silver (just for OW Ruby), and then redirect across to Star (NZ/AC) which would potentially service my desired destinations much better.

Now if DJ expands their lounge network and joins Star - I'm not sure I could resist the jump.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I think it would be very difficult for QF to remove F lounge access as this is a OWE benefit.
It will be interesting to see what pans out from tomorrow as WP's unaware of the nature and complexity of these access changes visit their local QP. I hope QF have the Lounge Dragons well prepared

 

[JohnPhelan]

It will be interesting to see what pans out from tomorrow as WP's unaware of the nature and complexity of these access changes visit their local QP. I hope QF have the Lounge Dragons well prepared

Should not be a problem if, as many here have argued, Anytime Access has been a comparatively little-used benefit.

 

[simongr]

I think it would be very difficult for QF to remove F lounge access as this is a OWE benefit.

Access to lounges is a OWS benefit but AA restrict it
Access to Biz lounges is a OWS benefit but QF restrict it (DOM J lounges cant be access by OWS)

I have my first visit to a QP on Thu so it will be interesting to see how the changes impact them - if at all...

 

[reductionist]

If all things go to plan I will hit Platinum in around 6 weeks. Since QF is removing a benefit that I will never have been granted maybe my opinion doesn't mean much. However....

I can understand the reason for wanting to remove anytime access. I do really think it would have been nice to allocate a small number of "yearly anytime passes" to WP customers. For me a nice number would be 4.

4 is the average yearly amount of very late incoming QF flights my girlfriend arrives on. In the absence of anytime access it'd be a really nice if I could use the lounge under these (or similar) circumstances.

 

[medhead]

lovely - see you in the F lounge then.

I do the same only I don't bother with that awful virgin blue company, I have star gold. but then, domestic aussie flights are only about 3% of my miles flown each year.

I'm about the opposite with 3% of my travel being international. Hopefully we can match up in the F lounge one day. With mainly domestic travel and compared to what I get on Qantas, Virgin Blue isn't awful at all.

 

[JohnK]

There are already other threads on the other "enhancements".. However this change was the one that most affected WP's.

Which is why there are now 1,047 replies in this thread.

Not many threads on AFF go over 1,000 posts so you be the judge if you think this 'enhancement' was not important....

 

[simongr]

Oh John - I think a lot of replies (not ALL) are about "why do you even care?" Another group of replies are not about the change but about the handling of the change.

 

[JohnK]

Either way you look at it this 'enhancement' affects many Platinums.

It is not an insignificant change as some people make it out to be....

 

[Kendall Roy]

I wonder how they'll enforce this at NGCI airports for pax using their FF card as a BP?

 

[markis10]

I wonder how they'll enforce this at NGCI airports for pax using their FF card as a BP?

Have you noticed the scanners the lounge dragons now have?

 

[JohnK]

I wonder how they'll enforce this at NGCI airports for pax using their FF card as a BP?

Lounge staff will have the ability to scan your FF card and ensure you have a QF flight that day.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Have you noticed the scanners the lounge dragons now have?

Nope, but I'll make sure I look for the lazer gun pointed at me

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Can I ask the WP's who believe that those complaining about the demise of Anytime Access are whingers just to give a little thought to what is important to you about being a WP? Just imagine if Qantas "enhance" the thing you believe is important to you.

QANTAS doesn't owe me "xyz benefit", and I am not obliged to fly them (leaving aside corporate policy).

If one side wishes to change the bargain, then the other side (namely me) are free to go fly someone else.

I would state my PoV (once) and then move on.

Anytime access is not particularly important to me but 2100 SC's for PG was, and it is being enhanced to 2400 now. Almost out of reach for me. (I'll scrape in this year)

This is about QF removing published benefits and it could be something important to you going next. Whether you used anytime access or not it is another feature removed. What if international F lounge access is removed next?

F-lounge is "meh" anyway - there are far better places to spend your time than a lounge IMHO. Lounges are just there for when you have to be at the airport.

 

[dfcatch]

QANTAS doesn't owe me "xyz benefit", and I am not obliged to fly them (leaving aside corporate policy).

If one side wishes to change the bargain, then the other side (namely me) are free to go fly someone else.

I would state my PoV (once) and then move on.




F-lounge is "meh" anyway - there are far better places to spend your time than a lounge IMHO. Lounges are just there for when you have to be at the airport.

And there it is - in your opinion - you couldnt care one way or the other for the F lounge access - fair enough. For me - I value that benefit, others have their own perceived "value" attached to it and to other particular benefits.

As you have clearly indicated - company policy has you flying QF - so clearly your loyalty is caveat on that. It would seem to me that QFF has failed in your case as it hasn't done anything to obtain your loyalty to the product.

Obviously for you - you fly with whoever you fly with, and you'll take or leave whatever benefits are there or not. Fair enough - and I respect you for this.

For others like me who pay their own way - QFF has obtained my loyalty by providing me with published benefits and I repay those benefits by continuing to direct spend towards Qantas.

As you rightly say - if they change the bargain - then I am free to adjust my "loyalty" as a result.

Others here are simply saying that they have, in their particular individual circumstances, attached a perceived "value" to particular benefits and are unhappy with that being taken away.

Should they have the right to complain? Of course they should.

Beyond that - what should they do? Well, obviously they should make a decision if the change has materially affected their loyalty back to QF.

This particular thread is discussing peoples' views on the change so it is entirely relevant, and I don't consider it "whingeing" if people find this particular change to be dissatisfactory to them personally.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Lounge staff will have the ability to scan your FF card and ensure you have a QF flight that day.

This is interesting, I didn't fly in January at all, but certainly they weren't scanning the cards in QF domestic lounges in December. Have they started scanning the cards yet?

 

[nlagalle]

This is interesting, I didn't fly in January at all, but certainly they weren't scanning the cards in QF domestic lounges in December. Have they started scanning the cards yet?

I saw them do it in PER to a SG holder. I was just waved in.

 

[oz_mark]

I think it would be very difficult for QF to remove F lounge access as this is a OWE benefit.
It will be interesting to see what pans out from tomorrow as WP's unaware of the nature and complexity of these access changes visit their local QP. I hope QF have the Lounge Dragons well prepared

There are exceptions in the OneWorld Lounge access policy that affects QFF gold members now:

2. Qantas Frequent Flyer Programme: Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold members may not use the Qantas Domestic Business Class Lounges.

oneworld - Lounge Access

It is not a stretch to imagine other exceptions being made (although the sizing of the F lounges look as though Platinums were accounted for)

 

[simongr]

This particular thread is discussing peoples' views on the change so it is entirely relevant, and I don't consider it "whingeing" if people find this particular change to be dissatisfactory to them personally.

I think this thread smacks of whingeing for some people as they perceive the benefit lost to be so immaterial that it is not worth considering. For me personally this benefit and the guaranteed seat availability benefit are of no use and if I would exchange them for something else I would (such as being able to book awards into I class).

I appreciate (having read this thread) that some people valued this very highly. Each to their own.