Qantas club upgrades

[VJB035]

Well I am a life member for the qantas club,I brought my membership one year when I was travelling out of Australia when i got a complimentary visit, after my visit I enquired about joining.The decision was life time because of the food & novelty. At the time I had started my own business & was just starting to earn money so I thought i would treat myself & family (fingers crossed) for the rest of my life.
THE GRIPE
I am only a bronze member which is ok but now they have taken away all the reasons I joined the club for, I can only desribe the feeling as being taken for a ride,
Any ideas how to get my privileges bac rather than feel like another sucker , Please help this has been nagging at me for some time now

 

[yo yo ma]

... they have taken away all the reasons I joined the club for...

Any ideas how to get my privileges bac rather...

Hi & welcome to AFF

Could you give some more information about what you believe has been removed from the QC?

 

[docjames]

What benefits (priveliges) are you missing or do you want back exactly?

If you have life membership, you still have access.



Welcome to the forum.

 

[russianrob]

Hi, welcome aboard.
But many of us are QC Lifers, and I for one are not sure what you think has changed so much in the last 12 months?

 

[VJB035]

Well the things i joined for was specifically the food & the option to take extra people in when they gave you the extra passes,

Now because every tom **** & harry can go in there is only the cough food, not the cooked meals. They have gone up to the business lounge? which when I joined was available to all because it was sort of exclusive

I know it sounds silly but it was what I joined for that little something special.

 

[ejb]

Well the things i joined for was specifically the food & the option to take extra people in when they gave you the extra passes,

Now because every tom **** & harry can go in there is only the cough food, not the cooked meals. They have gone up to the business lounge? which when I joined was available to all because it was sort of exclusive

I know it sounds silly but it was what I joined for that little something special.

I'm not sure when you joined but I can't remember QC's ever having cooked meals, party pies yes, and I think they still make an appearance.

As to the "exclusive" part, I would say that once they started selling membership that went, and as you paid for your membership you are one of the "tom **** and harry's" that took away the exclusive feel. I am not saying it is bad QC sell memberships but if they were ever exclusive it was when you had to earn the right to be there, not buy it.

ejb

 

[Dave Noble]

Food options did use to be better; I remember the nice afternoon teas that CNS used to do ( scones / jam / cream etc ) for example which disappeared a few days to become identical to other clubs; was quite a drop

Of course for most, if feeling that the lounges are no longer exclusive and that the facilities are not as good, there is no requirement to continue renewing membership. As a life member there is limited options unless you can have been a member for only a few years and can convince QF to give a partial refundI have never really thought of a Qantas Club being exclusive given that they have no real membership restrictions other than paying the joining fee

As far as taking other people in, the allowance was 10 per year, now the allowance ( without passes ) is 1 per visit so you can still take guests in ( and even take more in per year than before )

Dave

 

[MAX_1]

I flew to Melb on Monday from Brisbane and entered the QC at about 1.00pm. There was stacks of room , no waiting for drinks and food. It was not a peak time.

I was in Melbourne QC yesterday between 4.30 pm and 5.45pm waiting for my flight home to Brisbane at 6.05pm. and it was full. Was hard to find a seat.There was a line up at drinks and food. It was still preferable to sitting at Gate 9. I got a couple of drinks and a few nibblies. This was peak time.

The benefit for me being a Life QC member is check in. Much quicker at the QC/Business line. Also when arriving to an airport with lots of time to spare the QC offers a place to sit down, read a paper, have a coffee or drink and catch up with some news or sport on on of the TV monitors.

For me, QC is worth it despite sometimes it can get busy.

 

[Mal]

a

I'll start with a little background info about myself:

I joined Qantas Club in Feb 2004 via the 'Lifetime membership' option. Since then, I have earnt Qantas Platinum for several years.

Indeed things have changed a bit since I joined. The main differences I see is the removal of the "guest pass" scheme and the removal of upgrade certificates when you earnt a certain number of SC's, plus changes to the general FF scheme. These changes have disadvantaged me in certain ways, but in other ways has helped me.

Food wise I'm not sure I see a big difference. Certainly I now normally hang out in the First Lounges (International) and Business Lounges (Domestic), but often I visit other lounges in the network and I don't really feel that things have degraded that much. Domestically, the biggest differences are with certain drinks and food being retained in the J lounge but removed from the Qantas Club lounge, but again the difference isn't that huge.

Certainly the food in the J (domestic) lounges aren't that special compared to the Qantas Club Lounges. First lounges vs the Qantas club lounges (J) are a bigger leap - depending on which city the lounge is in.

The removal of guest passes was frustrating I agree.

Unfortunately the Qantas Club scheme is liquid, and they have the right to change things around with little notice.

 

[Chimpy]

When I "paid" for my life membership to "flight deck" I felt it was exclusive as paying was the only way I could get in . Even flying business class would not gain me entry. As there were no first class flights from where I live this was my only option. Then, life members had a gold coloured card to set them apart and could take in a guest without the use of a guest pass. We also got a leather travel wallet and folder. In those days the club was small, quiet and personal.
Now my card is bronze, as I choose to fly all my international flights with a different airline so I do not qualify for any status with qantas. So goodbye to the good old gold card.
The club is such a disgrace now that most of the time I do not bother to go in. One of the members mentioned this has come about because of members "paying to join". I can not remember when there was a time you could not pay. So I am not sure this is the issue.
Sorry if this is a bit of a rant (I am not a Qantas basher) but I hate to see the way the Qantas Club has gone. Perhaps I am just getting old and grumpy .

 

[ejb]

... One of the members mentioned this has come about because of members "paying to join"....

I did not mean to imply the club had gone down hill due to people buying memberships. My point was that a club could not be "exclusive" if any one can pay to join.

I think for what people pay to access the QC it is very good value. Approx $300 per year for free drinks and nibbles, free wifi and a place to sit is not bad. If you fly once a month return it is only ~$12 per entry and that would not buy 2 beers at most airports. And to that the checkin benefits and other perks and I think it would be hard for anyone to complain it is not worth the price of membership.

When I first swapped to QF I paid to join QC and only in the last couple of years have I been SG or WP so I was also one of the "paid members".

ejb

 

[drewbles]

I first paid to join the Qantas Club around 2003 when I was about to embark on a RTW fare with QF/AA/BA and the thought of some 20 odd airports in 3 weeks, and being stuck at subsequent gate lounges, horrified me.

If you think the Qantas Club'ers have it tough, look at the AA Admirals Club. Not much dissimilar in price, yet the AC is lucky to have 'snack mix' at the majority of the locations, and the only tangible benefit they get is free wifi. As a Qantas Club member in the AC, you do have complimentary beverages (but of course are expected to tip a single per drink) but no wifi for free.

I look at it this way. I could have not paid to sit in gate lounges, pay exorbitant prices for (bad) airport food and drink, or paid probably a similar aggregated amount to join the Qantas Club and enjoy some kind of comfortable chairs and a little bit of relaxation on a mad trip.

After the trip was complete I ended up with an employer who had a corporate program and I jumped on that. Since then I went to WP so I have around 6 months of a paid memberships in hibernation.

At the end of the day I view it as either in a busy lounge where I can grab a drink (or three) and a nibble between work and a flight (or even on a holiday and flights during it) and check my email courtesy of free wifi (a benefit which used to be paid-for only via Telstra at around $17 an hour), or sit in uncomfortable chairs by gates with paid wifi and expensive food and drink.

If you travel a little more than 5-10 times a year, the qantas club quickly becomes a sound investment. The lifetime option has not been officially offered for some time now, and the 'exclusive' lounge has become the J lounge (although it's really not that exclusive).

The food quality has deteriorated and when hot food comes out it's like feeding time at the zoo, but down at the gate lounges and the rest of the terminal, it's the entire menagerie, the entire time.

 

[Ewing]

As a Qantas Club member in the AC, you do have complimentary beverages (but of course are expected to tip a single per drink) but no wifi for free.

Have you asked?

Whenever I've been in the AC and wanted to use the Internet, I've asked at the desk and been given a T-Mobile daily card free of charge.

I prefer the AC to be honest, although I've only been in a handful of them. The table service complimentary drinks (with tip of course), and a menu with quite edible food give it an edge.

 

[Dave Noble]

Have you asked?

Whenever I've been in the AC and wanted to use the Internet, I've asked at the desk and been given a T-Mobile daily card free of charge.

I have asked in ACs and been told that they are for members only. In the Flagship lounges, no issue getting free wireless internet

Dave

 

[straitman]

Have you asked?

Whenever I've been in the AC and wanted to use the Internet, I've asked at the desk and been given a T-Mobile daily card free of charge.

I prefer the AC to be honest, although I've only been in a handful of them. The table service complimentary drinks (with tip of course), and a menu with quite edible food give it an edge.

You only get that edge (ie free drinks) because you have QP membership though. The table service is also very hit and miss.

 

[drewbles]

Have you asked?

Whenever I've been in the AC and wanted to use the Internet, I've asked at the desk and been given a T-Mobile daily card free of charge.

I prefer the AC to be honest, although I've only been in a handful of them. The table service complimentary drinks (with tip of course), and a menu with quite edible food give it an edge.

Yup
"Sorry sir, the T-Mobile cards are only for Paid Admirals Club Members".
Also, the table service is not at many lounges. T4 yes, but SFO definitely not. I don't recall there being table service at the ORD lounge either, and definitely not YYZ.

I was offered a wifi card in the Flagship lounge T4, but that's not the question here

 

[serfty]

I joined for one year in late 1994 - I only renewed once and have had complimentary access ever since.

Yes, there used to be hot snacky food. I also fondly remember the evening open sandwiches with Turkey, Prawn, Smoked salmon etc.

15 years ago the wines were a lot better as well.

The nadir of the QP catering was from early 2002 thru mid 2003 when Qantas decided that with the demise of the Golden Wing Clubs there was no competition.

 

[medhead]

I joined for one year in late 1994 - I only renewed once and have had complimentary access ever since.

Yes, there used to be hot snacky food. I also fondly remember the evening open sandwiches with Turkey, Prawn, Smoked salmon etc.

15 years ago the wines were a lot better as well.

The nadir of the QP catering was from early 2002 thru mid 2003 when Qantas decided that with the demise of the Golden Wing Clubs there was no competition.

Yep, exactly +1 on the food. I paid for my QP membership first in 1996, it used to be very good. Well, worthwhile. These days there really is no point on food and I see no difference between QP and J lounge in terms of benefit re food and bev. In fact, travelling J recently with family, there was no room for us in J lounge and we were better off in the QP! I think they should just kill off the J lounge, because of the lack of distinction, it canabalises the QP value/worth and they would be better off putting the money saved into the QP. (or just saving that money)

The vistor pass thing is annoying. I have lumpy visitor needs such that I need more than 1 per visit but also have less than 10 per year. But obviously 1 vistor each time suits more people.

My recollection is that there was a time that there was only paid QP membership, such as before they started the qantas frequent flyer program. iirc, QP pre-dates QFF.

 

[VJB035]

Well theres some interesting feedback. The buy in option was not cheap around $7500.00 so I hardly think that qualifies for riff raff as some of you are so delicately putting it that has dropped the exclusivity.
Some of you sound like you have lost touch with reality ,maybe be being born with a silver spoon in your mouth does that.
The food was cooked bacon eggs for brekkie etc & other stuff that I vaguely remember to be a treat,(Its been so long ago ah memories) when you were at the airport,
I think also you could use lounges overseas I do remember using one in the Philippines ?
But all in all I am obvously the one who feels like the most hard done buy & it is not because of being ungrateful it is over the years they have taken away priveliges .
I would have thought by paying life membership ($7500.00) I would have been automatically upgraded because of the extra effort put in for being a qantas customer

 

[drewbles]

Well theres some interesting feedback. The buy in option was not cheap around $7500.00 so I hardly think that qualifies for riff raff as some of you are so delicately putting it that has dropped the exclusivity.
Some of you sound like you have lost touch with reality ,maybe be being born with a silver spoon in your mouth does that.
The food was cooked bacon eggs for brekkie etc & other stuff that I vaguely remember to be a treat,(Its been so long ago ah memories) when you were at the airport,
I think also you could use lounges overseas I do remember using one in the Philippines ?
But all in all I am obvously the one who feels like the most hard done buy & it is not because of being ungrateful it is over the years they have taken away priveliges .

Based on how much a year the Qantas Club is, the Lifetime option was cheap. They removed it obviously as they wanted to milk people who didn't reach SG to get free access.

I do not recall ever having hot breakfasts in the club, but have only been a member for the past 6-7 years.

As for overseas lounges, you can use a Qantas Club membership and any Qantas club globally, or American Airlines Admirals Club, Or British Airways Terraces (being re-branded at present) Lounges, but must be travelling on a BA/AA or QF flight at the ports to access them.

I don't believe (someone correct me if i'm wrong) that anytime access was ever part of the Paid Qantas Club offering.

I would have thought by paying life membership ($7500.00) I would have been automatically upgraded because of the extra effort put in for being a qantas customer

Upgraded to what exactly? Qantas offered you a product for a price (and a service) and you purchased this. You got what you thought you were getting. If you read the T&C's i'm sure it says they can take away the hot breakfasts