Qantas Club Price Rise

[Brettmcg]

I dont think that is a fair comment brettmcg - the issue people have is with discounted corporate rates flooding the QP.

Similar to the issue some people have with discounted corporate travel?

 

[simongr]

People have an issue with discounted corporate travel?

 

[Brettmcg]

People have an issue with discounted corporate travel?

Not me personally, but if you read back through a number of posts in this thread there seems to be underlying discontent, contempt even, for those who have earned their status through discounted corporate travel instead of by forking out their hard-earned.

Personally I don't care on whose money you fly. The point is you fly, and good luck to anyone who is able to convince their organisation to fork out for a little luxury once in a while.

 

[Travel Guru]

It already is. A standard membership costs $685.00 for the first year, and around $355 for a renewal.

I realize its over 600 inc. joining fee, I was implying a renewal fee in the range of $600 would be more suitable and keeping with the times.

TG

 

[NM]

I don't blame cheap paid memberships for lounge crowding. In my view, paid memberships are not a major factor in the number of people in the lounge. Paid membership only entitles you to be in the lounge when flying with Qantas (or BA/AA). If such a member was flying regularly enough to be making lots of use of the lounge then they would qualify for lounge access based on FF status and not require the paid membership.

So it is my view that paying members use the lounge less frequently than status members. I expect the majority of people in the QF lounges at any time are there based on FF status rather than paid memberships. And I expect paid memberships, even the discounted ones, are a good source of revenue for Qantas, especially given the member can only use the lounge when flying with Qantas. And those companies that have the benefit of discounted club memberships are the ones more likely to be using flexible fares rather than BFOD or N/O/Q type fares. So the combination of paid membership and higher fares is likely to be a good revenue source for Qantas.

From QF's perspective, overcrowded lounges is a good problem to have - certainly a better problem than empty lounges. It means there are lots of high-value customers buying your products. The best solution for Qantas is not to restrict lounge access, but to build bigger lounges to meet the demand, and I understand that is what they have planned.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Interesting....so am I a BETTER person now or.........back a few years???


A few years back I was an Ansett Frequent Flyer.....Platinum...and even Diamond....and also earnt many points from my trusty Corporate Diners Card....and my company paid my Golden Wing fees.



These days I fly little.....and most of my points are earnt from CC spend (plus a handy 90K this year in CC sign bonuses for my wife and I)....with some points from private travel and small amount of business travel and I am a QC member , but pay for this privately.




Funny thing is I don't feel any different.

 

[Ric]

Not me personally, but if you read back through a number of posts in this thread there seems to be underlying discontent, contempt even, for those who have earned their status through discounted corporate travel instead of by forking out their hard-earned.

I don't think its discounted corporate travel that was discussed though, more like company funded travel......but that's another story!:-|

Travel Guru's suggestion is fair if every members pays the same renewal fee including corporate members but I very seriously doubt that will happen!!

I think NM have hit the nail on its head.

Ric

 

[acampbel]

Speaking seriously for a moment (no really), NM has summed it up nicely. Qantas don't care how crowded the lounges get, unless it actually stops people paying to sign up. It breeds loyalty as effectively as the FF scheme, and is probably just as lucrative when all things are taken into consideration.

It even encourages the "elites" to travel/pay more so that they can access the lounges designed to make them feel special - and judging by this thread it is working well. Of course there will always be grumbles from those that believe they are being lumped in with the masses, but are they really going to take their business elsewhere? Virgin provides a good service and classy lounges, but there has only been a trickle of deserters from the QC. By offering discounted membership for the more casual traveler and elite lounges for the onanists, Qantas are effectively squeezing them in the middle.


Anyway .... I seem to be slipping back into adversarial mode, so I'll leave it there.


Cheers,

Andrew

.

 

[straitman]

I have to say this is one of the better debates we've had around here in a while.

Personally I'm not going to worry too much as this is something that I have little or no control over, QF will change (or not) the rules as and when they see fit and my little winge won't change that :!:

 

[AnonymousCoward]

I realize its over 600 inc. joining fee, I was implying a renewal fee in the range of $600 would be more suitable and keeping with the times.

TG

Why $600? Why not $1000 or $5000 or $500?

As Dave Noble remarked earlier - it seems that everyone wants to rejig requirements for QC (or lounges in general) in a way that allows them to retain access, but cuts out other people so as to reduce overcrowding.

 

[drron]

I realize its over 600 inc. joining fee, I was implying a renewal fee in the range of $600 would be more suitable and keeping with the times.

TG

Well $600 is what i paid.In 1992 for life membership.People thought I was stupid.Probably right for at the same time mrsdrron became a life member of golden wings.

 

[TonyD]

"If an airline wants to create an exclusive, peaceful haven for: a) premium class travellers, and b) loyal frequent economy travellers, then it causes itself a problem when it sells memberships for cash, simply because lounges become more overcrowded and underresourced. That's all."

I have just read this thread for the first time. Cant even remeber where I copied this bit from and I know I shoulda quoted it but....

I dont really care who has what status or how they got there or who paid the fare! It is probably a good thing that there are segregated lounges too.

We should all remember ONE thing. Paid memebership of the Qantas Club ( & Flight Deck before that) was the ONLY way to have membership. When I joined FD in 1989 - status and FF didnt even exsist!
So if anyone "OWNS" the rights to QC it is us humble PAID members!!

 

[davi]

I don't mind who uses the lounge as long as they:

1) are quiet and well-behaved
2) don't run around
3) don't use the mobile phone in the 'no mobile phone' zone
4) don't take 30 pieces of hot food
5) make mess of the food generally
6) aren't behaving rudely

although I would prefer the lounge to be quiet and being able to find a seat.

Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing more 'single seat' or 'pair of seats' arrangements in the lounge rather than 4-seat+ arrangements. There are lots of solo/pair travellers and often those spare seats get wasted.

I agree on the lounge set up Commuter. My partner and I recently took a quick flight to Melbourne a couple of Friday night's ago and the Adelaide QC was filled with couples taking up four lounges with their jackets/ luggage - we were banished to the benches. On this occasion, there were too many loud kids playing chasey and getting too sugared up on the soft drinks.

 

[Travel Guru]

I agree on the lounge set up Commuter. My partner and I recently took a quick flight to Melbourne a couple of Friday night's ago and the Adelaide QC was filled with couples taking up four lounges with their jackets/ luggage - we were banished to the benches. On this occasion, there were too many loud kids playing chasey and getting too sugared up on the soft drinks.

I must confess that my biggest gripe with the QP beyond being over crowded is children who aren't kept in their place and subdued by their parents.

TG

 

[thadocta]

I must confess that my biggest gripe with the QP beyond being over crowded is children who aren't kept in their place and subdued by their parents.

It is all in how they are trained - I can produce a set of little darlings (currently aged 9 and 12) who know EXACTLY how to behave in the lounge, they have a great deal of experience at it.

Dave

 

[Maca44]

I am aware this is getting off topic from the cost of QP membership, and I think this has been addressed in another thread, but just briefly I agree with thadocta in that the problem is not with the kids in the lounge, its with the parents who do/did not have the intelligence to train their kids from an early age. My eldest is now 14 but in the early days they were made to sit quietly in the lounge, not run around, and if they wanted some food/drink they would ask and then be escorted to get it. Parents who don't discipline their kids from an early age and teach them the correct way to do things should not complain when the kids reach teenage years and then realise they can't control them.

 

[Travel Guru]

I am aware this is getting off topic from the cost of QP membership, and I think this has been addressed in another thread, but just briefly I agree with thadocta in that the problem is not with the kids in the lounge, its with the parents who do/did not have the intelligence to train their kids from an early age. My eldest is now 14 but in the early days they were made to sit quietly in the lounge, not run around, and if they wanted some food/drink they would ask and then be escorted to get it. Parents who don't discipline their kids from an early age and teach them the correct way to do things should not complain when the kids reach teenage years and then realise they can't control them.

Couldn't have put it better myself Maca

TG

 

[garyjohn951]

I agree fully Macca.

 

[davi]

I agree entirely that it's not every child that is a problem. I often see well behaved kids that are quiet and enjoying themselves without disrupting others.

 

[bo94114]

Hi, Am I missing it or do I not see where LOVETRAVELLINOZ question in #2 was answered? Are we allowed to renew early at the current rate?

When I went into the renewal page on line it is showing a higher rate (A$370 vs A$325) for us “others” as my membership expires in June 08.

Many Thanks! Bo