Qantas extends current status Until at least March 2021

[Aeolus]

As usual, any additional benefits offered by QF somehow delivers zero benefit to me. Back to the SC threadmill I go in June. Sigh!

 

[QF4L]

Regardless of there being winners and losers in this gesture, what can we infer about how long it will take before we Australians and the Qantas fleet are in the air again? Trying to read between the lines - Qantas have obviously played out a few scenarios before announcing this.

 

[NoName]

Excellent news! My bronze status is safe for another year!

 

[vertisol]

My year expires in August 2020 and there was no way I would requalify as I had dedicated this year to being home more.

Nice surprise

 

[kookaburra75]

Ditto, just saw the email as it had been dropped into my Promotions folder.

As a current WP who wasn't going to requalify this year - ending 30 June but enough for SG, getting to have WP for another year is a nice bonus.

I also just noticed the odd 7 SCs popping into my account, which I found out through AFF of course, is the new rewards bonuses we're getting, even for Reward bookings. So things could be worse.

Stay classy everyone.

 

[RichardMEL]

This is bloody generous offer from QF no two ways about it

they have included gifted statuses from PBR and P1's which is incredible IMO.. as well as just auto extending P1. I *never* thought they would do THAT. It is an indication of how dire things are but honestly people who complain I think probably have some pretty big expectations.

And remember this is an ever changing situation that we have NEVER seen before in our lives, let alone the life of a FF program.. It will never be perfect but IMO this is incredible. I am not sure how much more generous they could be.

IMO

 

[FlyboyAl]

I just got the email, and it was my cancelled trip to LAX on Friday which was going to keep me gold. Very happy with the Qantas offer and very interested in the additional way to get status credits.Thanks Qantas.

 

[Ric]

So can we class this as a "real" enhancement in the QFF program??

 

[serfty]

So can we class this as a "real" enhancement in the QFF program??

No - it's not an ongoing 'bonus', it is a one off (Hopefully )

 

[Lone Wolf]

Nice one Qantas!

Feeling a bit better now having cancelled my DSC status run flights earlier in the week.

"Qantas has faced and overcome adversity throughout our 100 years of operation. We will be here ready to welcome you back when your travel plans resume." Nicely worded Qantas.

 

[calmelb]

As much as everyone is excited, I renewed WP in January (with an expiry in May) so this doesn't do anything for me, yet if travel is still hard come June/July I won't be flying enough in the year to renew for 2020/2021 year. Hopefully they bring something else in for those of us who would've requalified already

 

[Mac502]

This is a cough way to do this. They should have just pushed everyone’s renewal date further by 6 months. It would have been fairer on anyone that had earned status credits prior to shutdown.

 

[Pushka]

Definitely being sent in batches. We have both received it now. Small blessings. Thankyou Qantas. Maybe we can treat the family to a splendid Christmas in UK as something to look forward to.

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2020

This is a cough way to do this. They should have just pushed everyone’s renewal date further by 6 months. It would have been fairer on anyone that had earned status credits prior to shutdown.

This will not be over in 6 months for those whose year ends shortly.

 

[eminere]

This is a cough way to do this. They should have just pushed everyone’s renewal date further by 6 months. It would have been fairer on anyone that had earned status credits prior to shutdown.

Or just offered a simple status hold, really.

 

[RichardMEL]

QF have not ruled out further assistance down the track for people who have just qualified, or the March 2020 peeps....

I understand it is not perfect but I still think overall it is very VERY good for most.

and hopefully March peeps will be able to get on the bandwagon in the 2nd half of the year, they will prob have mucho bonus SC promos and the like too.... so imo.. not all is lost.

 

[Mac502]

Definitely being sent in batches. We have both received it now. Small blessings. Thankyou Qantas. Maybe we can treat the family to a splendid Christmas in UK as something to look forward to.

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2020

This will not be over in 6 months for those whose year ends shortly.

Those whose year ends shortly will probably have already got close to requalifying or already requalified - hence those that requalified get nothing and also have months of no more status credits so find it harder to requalify.

Post automatically merged: Mar 18, 2020

Or just offered a simple status hold, really.

This is definitely a better way to say it.

 

[Pushka]

Those whose year ends shortly will probably have already got close to requalifying or already requalified - hence those that requalified get nothing and also have months of no more status credits so find it harder to requalify.

Yes. Maybe. Husband was 55 credits shy with YE of 30 April. He would have requalified last Monday but the clients pulled the job on us = cancel flight. We've also had to cancel a flight to Bali next week that would have got me over the qualifying level too. And in our self business we currently have no work after tomorrow.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I'm happy as my Plat will now be extended til 31 Oct 2021 with 0 SCs earnt this membership year!

Mr FM and I are similar - our plat is up on 31 August and we have 0 status credits (and had no intention of earning any), so we get another year.

 

[SydneySwan]

Big party in the Swan household - my lifetime silver is safe for another year and Mrs SS will be delighted that her bronze has been renewed.

As others have pointed out - there are winners and losers. I presume that Qantas have rushed this out a bit. I would have thought they could have distinguished between lifetime holders of a tier and those by annual qualification. For example they could have given lifetime silver holders a couple of extra lounge vouchers or something like that.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

<snip>

And remember this is an ever changing situation that we have NEVER seen before in our lives, let alone the life of a FF program.. It will never be perfect but IMO this is incredible. I am not sure how much more generous they could be.

IMO

And right there is precisely the corner Qantas now painted them into. Not much more to give without handing over the keys to the farm.

This is a cough way to do this. They should have just pushed everyone’s renewal date further by 6 months. It would have been fairer on anyone that had earned status credits prior to shutdown.

100% agree that extending by 12 months is a TERRIBLE approach at this point in time. I believe Qantas are too early to make such a big move. Plenty of other airlines have a "look after those who need the status now...and let's see how it plays out over the coming weeks/months" approach - which is perfect.

Essentially, Qantas is betting that travel restrictions will remain in place for the next 6months++.

However, if travel restrictions are lifted and the world 'goes back to normal', Qantas will lose so much revenue from ticket sales (loyalty members can make up to 50% of all ticket sale purchases), that smart analyst will ask why Qantas didn't need to disclose a revenue warning to the ASX prior to gifting out status to the entire member base. [Bookmark this post for future reference]

What Qantas could have done better is to gift out status credits instead of extending the status expiry. That would have the same desired outcome of status extensions and would provide incentive for many members to spend-more to hit the next tier, and provide recognition to lifetime silver/gold who don't currently hold a higher status.

From my perspective right now - Qantas may have really messed up on this one.

There are only two benefits for Qantas:
- Forces Velocity to do the same, which will hurt Virgin Australia even more [smart, if this was the approach]
- Short-term sugar-hit from the PR boost

This is a good read: Should Airlines & Hotels Extend Elite Status in Times of Crisis?