Platinum "anytime" lounge Access ceases from 1 February 2011

[Alanslegal]

Bad idea! One should never attempt to fly anywhere without a "e-ticket" hard copy of their booking. (This is a printout of the booking clearly showing the ticket number).

Of course, there's nothing to force you to show this when endeavouring to access the Domestic JL.

I always carry a print out when I travel ... but I'll make an exception just this once, when I visit the J Lounge in the morning I'll definitely have a copy by the time I check in at 3pm though.

 

[burrco]

Late last saturday afternoon at MEL had about an hour or so to kill before checking in for QF29 - card shown at entry to QP, waved in, at J lounge entry the sole attendent didn't even look up or acknowledge my existence so walked straight in.

Of course I had a printout of my booking for later that night so was 100% legal.

At this time both lounges were almost deserted.

 

[Alanslegal]

So you expect the lounge folk to just know you are travelling in some relevant airline, somewhere, that day?

No they don't know I'm travelling but they will eventually know if they have to ask.

Flash my card. Get pulled over - here's my scenario;

Dragon: Do you have your boarding pass?
Me: No I don't.
Dragon: Unfortunately we can't let you in the lounge this morning.
Me: Not even the QP?
Dragon: No sir.
Me: But I have Anytime Access?
Dragon: No, that stopped this month.
Me: What? Really? I didn't even know. I came all this way to have some toast and coffee, and now you're saying I can't anymore.
Dragon: Unfortuantely not anymore, those are the new rules.
Me: Really, I didn't even know about them. When did members were told?
Dragon: A while ago.
Me: Do you have a date?
Dragon: No
Me: Can't you let me in this once?
Dragon: No
Me: Really you won't let me in?
Dragon: Sorry sir.
Me: Can you tell me the new lounge access rules?
Dragon: You must be flying that day with QF?
Me: Just QF?
Dragon: Yes
Me: And One World?
Dragon: Yes
Me: And JQ?
Dragon: Yes
Me: Oh so I can access flying JQ?
Dragon: Yes
Me: Oh that's great, I'm flying JQ3 later today.
Dragon: Really? Do you have a boarding pass to confirm?
Me: No, not with me.
Dragon: Then I can't let you in.
Me: But I am flying JQ today, promise.
Dragon: We need your boarding pass.
Me: Ok, can you check your system, I'm flying JQ3.
Dragon: Sorry, we can't access JQ's database
Me: Oh? But JQ is QF and QF is JQ. When I fly JQ I know I am flying QF.
Dragon: No, our computers aren't that advanced yet.
Me: Ok, but I am flying JQ3, I came all this way and I can't check in yet. JQi opens at T-3hrs so I can't exactly get a boarding pass.
Dragon: No boarding pass, I can't let you in.
Me: I think I can access my booking on JQ's website and print it off. Can I use your computer?
Dragon: Ok
Me: logs into, prints off reservation, and shows Dragon
Dragon: Ok, thank you, you may go in.
Me: Thanks, and by the way who decided on removal of Anytime Access?
Dragon: Someone higher up upstairs.
Me *kidding*: Tell them they're an id**t!
Me: Oh just let them know that removal of Anytime Access has annoyed me and I'm not happy about it.
Dragon: Comment noted.
Me: Thanks and have a nice day.

 

[oz_mark]

No they don't know I'm travelling but they will eventually know if they have to ask.

Flash my card. Get pulled over - here's my scenario;

Wouldn't it just be easier to show the booking? The vast majority of places that I go to that require me to have a ticket or whatever, just don't accept my word that I have it - they want to see something. Why should the Qantas Club be any different?

In any case, you could have had a drink in the time taken to go through that.

 

[Reggie]

At around 10:30 saw a guy getting rejected at the MEL DOM QF. I don't know if he was WP, but it appeared that he wasn't flying, but trying to get someone in that was.

 

[dk4]

This is a printout of the booking clearly showing the ticket number.

This is simply not possible with Jetstar, they do not issue customers with a ticket number, merely a booking reference. (i.e. a booking printout has NO ticket number clearly visible.)

It is only bureaucratic, old fashioned, legacy airlines that issue a "ticket number" and a PNR. Modern airlines are "ticketless" and the reservation reference is all that is provided!

 

[medhead]

That is an excessive amount of effort to make a point to someone who doesn't have the power to change anything and probably doesn't care either.

Me: I think I can access my booking on JQ's website and print it off. Can I use your computer?
Dragon: Ok

If it was me on the door, I'd say no at this point. Also do you think it lacks some credibility for a platinum to not have a print out of the booking?

 

[AnonymousCoward]

That calculation would be about as useful as a chocolate teapot when it comes to deciding on whether to increase or reduce the number of premium seats of whether to provide more/less "benefits" to premium and non-premium pax.

However the question was not about whether to sell more seats or not.

The question was which seats were profitable. And ex-post-facto it seems relatively easy to work that out.

(Note: this constant changing the of the topic is becoming tiresome. I'm not saying that people who fly are a lot are not important: many people are important to an airline. I'm not saying that QF should increase a certain set of seats, or change routes, or use a different type of plane. I'm just talking about the profitability of one sold seat versus another)

 

[whughes3]

Actually, tactics such as Alanslegal's could prove useful in the long run:if the front-line troops start copping enough agro like this and passing the message up the chain, it just might dawn on some of the suits upstairs that this has NOT been a very good idea..

 

[Smackbum]

Actually, tactics such as Alanslegal's could prove useful in the long run:if the front-line troops start copping enough agro like this and passing the message up the chain, it just might dawn on some of the suits upstairs that this has NOT been a very good idea..

Let me get this straight. You are suggesting that all the Platinums, plus anyone who aspires to those lofty heights and wants to be treated like a *super* special person when they do, should carry on like 3-year-olds when asked to provide proof of their eligibility to enter the lounge? And this will show those nasty Qantas managers just how you shouldn't mess with their "elites"? As JM would say - "YOU CAN-NOT BE SERIOUS!!!!"

 

[serfty]

This is simply not possible with Jetstar, they do not issue customers with a ticket number, merely a booking reference. (i.e. a booking printout has NO ticket number clearly visible.) ...

You are correct - I would have a printed copy of the equivalent available.

 

[nlagalle]

Actually, tactics such as Alanslegal's could prove useful in the long run:if the front-line troops start copping enough agro like this and passing the message up the chain, it just might dawn on some of the suits upstairs that this has NOT been a very good idea..

Actually I think everyone should complain on the QF website. I was talking to an FA about the horrible J seats on the A330 (2-3-2 configs) she said to me, they don't listen to them, you need to complain directly to QF. I did a couple of times and they are now getting rid of that config and going back to 2-2-2.

so I suggest everyone complain to QF on their website. they seem to listen when there are enough complaints.

 

[JohnPhelan]

so I suggest everyone complain to QF on their website. they seem to listen when there are enough complaints.

Even better, send an old-fashioned letter addressed to Alan Joyce!

 

[straitman]

Actually I think everyone should complain on the QF website. I was talking to an FA about the horrible J seats on the A330 (2-3-2 configs) she said to me, they don't listen to them, you need to complain directly to QF. I did a couple of times and they are now getting rid of that config and going back to 2-2-2.

so I suggest everyone complain to QF on their website. they seem to listen when there are enough complaints.

I agree.

A good link to use is Your Experience at Qantas.

 

[bossreggie]

Even better still......

Along with my complaint emails, I have be attaching a copy of my E-Ticket from the rival carrier!!

Show them the revenue they are losing.

Money talks and Bullsh!t walks!

 

[simongr]

Conversely people like me might be turned away from QF if we keep getting stuck behind people trying to get in...

Maybe you need some sort of concerted campaign like TV geeks do when their favourite show gets cancelled? Like when Jericho got cancelled they sent nuts to the TV execs. The show got renewed for a resolution of the main storyline and has since come back in comic form (but I digress).

Maybe start collecting the little vegemite packets from the QP and start posting them to Alan Joyce with a complaint letter?

This is actually a serious suggestion - if you want this to change you need to do something visible - just booking onto DJ rather than QF is not visible to QF Management. Sure the numbers might come down a little but they might be offset by all the tradies flying up to fix QLD with my money...

 

[JohnK]

Wouldn't it just be easier to show the booking? The vast majority of places that I go to that require me to have a ticket or whatever, just don't accept my word that I have it - they want to see something. Why should the Qantas Club be any different?

Nah, I love Alanlegal's scenario much better.

The question was which seats were profitable. And ex-post-facto it seems relatively easy to work that out.

Does it really matter who's seat is more profitable? Who cares if the guy travelling on a B class fare paid by his company has generated more profit

Qantas has seen fit that we are both so valuable to their business that we are seated next to each other with me in 23J (on the cheapest ticket possible) and him in 23K.

I'm not saying that people who fly are a lot are not important: many people are important to an airline.

What you and a few others are saying is that people flying on cheap seats and getting Platinum status do not deserve to be treated the same as the person paying for B class airfares and travelling once or twice a year.

I ask the same question again. Who cares which seat is more profitable? Certainly not yield management when they are prepared to sell a really expensive First Class seat for the price of an economy seat with the expectation that some people will get an upgrade through the cabins.

And another example. You pay $300 for a SYD-MEL flight in economy and you are the only passenger on the flight. How profitable is your seat as the flight is a huge loss for QF? Throw in another 50 passengers who pay $100 for their seat and the flight is now break even and QF is happy. Who cares if you generated more profit for QF as without the extra people paying $100 for their seat you were making QF a loss....

So who makes the most profit for QF again?

 

[Leumas]

No they don't know I'm travelling but they will eventually know if they have to ask.

Flash my card. Get pulled over - here's my scenario;

Etc...

Can you ring them up (either QF or JQ) and get them to tell the dragon that you've a booking that day?

On a recent trip at BNE, I saw a sign on the front desk. Those that are familiar will know there's a front desk when you first enter the lounge area, before you're directed to the appropriate lounge.

The front desk outlines the eligibility of the lounges. I'd a quick discussion with the staff manning that desk. I just pretended I didn't know about the change.

Most of the conversation was about things I (and most of you) already knew, so I won't repeat them here.

However, I did ask about access AFTER flight, as this was the part that was changed after it was first published. Access after flight was also ambiguous on that sign. The staff said they aren't sure at this stage, as 'management' haven't decided. They're giving a month's grace for access after flight (I don't know if that's BNE's own initiative or everywhere).

What I took from that conversation was that either the change has not filtered through the system (both in print and in other communication channels) or they intend to backtrack the change, like they changed the International access in the last minute.

To me, that meant take a copy of the rules (I printed one once I got into the lounge) and put it in my bag.

 

[Alanslegal]

Let me get this straight. You are suggesting that all the Platinums, plus anyone who aspires to those lofty heights and wants to be treated like a *super* special person when they do, should carry on like 3-year-olds when asked to provide proof of their eligibility to enter the lounge? And this will show those nasty Qantas managers just how you shouldn't mess with their "elites"? As JM would say - "YOU CAN-NOT BE SERIOUS!!!!"

Not acting like a three year old, I am just giving an example where my scenario is possible and might happen tomorrow. Besides, the important thing is, just because we all here know the new rules, there may be a few everyday WP's who geniunely does not and could attempt to use ATA and be knocked back and be not happy about it. See some examples of people (some WPs) being knocked back in above posts.

Can you ring them up (either QF or JQ) and get them to tell the dragon that you've a booking that day?

I don't know the answer to that. I guess my point is not to give advance warning but rather just attend and flash the WP in hope of being waved through. If not, I am more than happy to go through the script scenario. Technically I am allowed entry to the lounge (though need to have BP or some confirmation) but I'm happy to role play for a a few seconds.

 

[JohnPhelan]

. If not, I am more than happy to go through the script scenario. Technically I am allowed entry to the lounge (though need to have BP or some confirmation) but I'm happy to role play for a a few seconds.

Well, you might be more than happy to go through the roleplay for a few minutes, but those of us in the queue behind you will not be!

Please show some consideration for other passengers and carry a copy of your booking!