Qantas extends status extensions until end June 2023 (previously December 2022)

[RooFlyer]

Well, they might do it because AJ might suddenly, in his last days, flip and favour the suckers in seats over the shareholders. I’d reckon on at least two chances of that!

A farewell trip on the Road to Damascus?

 

[CaptJCool]

A farewell trip on the Road to Damascus?

Lebanon says Nyet

We only let travel influencers in

 

[RSD]

Can anyone remember when the "traditional" (pre-Covid) DSC offers dropped each year? Unfortunately I don't have access to my old emails (thanks TPG!)

 

[mviy]

Can anyone remember when the "traditional" (pre-Covid) DSC offers dropped each year? Unfortunately I don't have access to my old emails (thanks TPG!)

There's the one usually Feb/Mar or possibly as late as April, that's already been this year.

Offers in the second half of the year are more likely to be targeted ones unless QF is really desperate for bookings.

 

[RSD]

There's the one usually Feb/Mar or possibly as late as April, that's already been this year.

Offers in the second half of the year are more likely to be targeted ones unless QF is really desperate for bookings.

Cheers - let's hope they target me!

 

[mviy]

Note that's if they do them. If they have plenty of forward bookings they may decide that one for the year is enough.

 

[RichardMEL]

Since I was totally WRONG about this current promo (I'm owning it! LOL) I hesitate to make any kind of prognostications regarding this kind of thing, but I wouldn't take much from what was done pre-covid. Yes, QF is pretty legacy in many respects (and such repeat many things over and over - just look at the menus ) but the revenue, demand/supply and loyalty landscape I think are quite different post pandemic and one should take anything that went before with a grain of salt. Sure, there may be another one later this year maybe. Or maybe Feb/March next year. Or maybe not. Never say never of course, but I would also curb one's expectations.

Again though, I thought there was little chance of one earlier this year, and there was... so take *ME* with a grain of salt (as I know many do.. and should )

 

[Hampton Mike]

If you can lock in (some) travelers up to a year in advance for little marginal cost by giving DSC then it’s probably something that will be on the agenda in future years. Better QF nabs them early than letting them leak off to Virgin, REX or Bonza.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Since I was totally WRONG about this current promo (I'm owning it! LOL) I hesitate to make any kind of prognostications regarding this kind of thing, but I wouldn't take much from what was done pre-covid. Yes, QF is pretty legacy in many respects (and such repeat many things over and over - just look at the menus ) but the revenue, demand/supply and loyalty landscape I think are quite different post pandemic and one should take anything that went before with a grain of salt. Sure, there may be another one later this year maybe. Or maybe Feb/March next year. Or maybe not. Never say never of course, but I would also curb one's expectations.

Again though, I thought there was little chance of one earlier this year, and there was... so take *ME* with a grain of salt (as I know many do.. and should )

If it makes you feel "less alone" in the prediction stakes @RichardMEL , I went with October 2023 - really hope I'm on the money this time

 

[BD1959]

Since I was totally WRONG about this current promo (I'm owning it! LOL) I hesitate to make any kind of prognostications regarding this kind of thing, but I wouldn't take much from what was done pre-covid.

<snip.

Again though, I thought there was little chance of one earlier this year, and there was... so take *ME* with a grain of salt (as I know many do.. and should )

Whoa!! I was also highly sceptical of there being a DSC this Q1 due to the strong revenue numbers QF were (are still) realising - you don't get all of the glory ... however I guess I've still not learnt my lesson and am just as likely to throw my hat into the ring next time the speculation mounts!

Regards,

BD

 

[RichardMEL]

If you can lock in (some) travelers up to a year in advance for little marginal cost by giving DSC then it’s probably something that will be on the agenda in future years. Better QF nabs them early than letting them leak off to Virgin, REX or Bonza.

Interesting thought and makes sense from a status point of view I guess.

except the flip side of the coin is from a revenue point of view.

I'd always considered DSC and sales as two revenue tools to stimulate demand - either during lower demand periods or when there's a wish for .. to put it basically... "quick cash" via a lot of bookings in a smallish window.

I'd not considered the idea of "locking in" brand loyalty via quicker status accural/renewal through DSC promos as a goal in and of itself. I guess it assumes most pax would chase the status, and once attained stick with the carrier to use it.

The other way of seeing that though is that once a status goal is attained (assuming that is the prime motivation) then customer is free to take their travel spend elsewhere (I know people who absolutely do this, and I have too). Sure, this is a subgroup of folks with the travel resources (money,time,requirements) to do these things, but it's an option.

I suppose a DSC promo (as opposed to sales) can serve multiple purposes of course, but I still think, trying to think outside of he bubble of an AFF/FT mindset and to the more general population of QFF customers that DSC promos probably still mostly serve for revenue raising via aspirational marketing.

I guess part of that is then the idea o locking most in via that status AND that they would still buy with QF to use the benefits (as opposed to more nice types who would fly on other OW carriers to take advantage of status but probably not giving QF much).

It would certainly explain some motivation for doing a DSC promo when it didn't seem there was an obvious demand/revenue need.

 

[CaptJCool]

I suppose a DSC promo (as opposed to sales) can serve multiple purposes of course, but I still think, trying to think outside of he bubble of an AFF/FT mindset and to the more general population of QFF customers that DSC promos probably still mostly serve for revenue raising via aspirational marketing.

It would certainly explain some motivation for doing a DSC promo when it didn't seem there was an obvious demand/revenue need.

seems the DSC was intersecting with the on-going status extensions which perhaps is a form of positive re-inforcement

the current domestic Red-E specials where for example the Adl-Syd pricing has come down from $229 to $199 to $159 especially from the time of the July school holidays suggests a softening of demand at the low cost leisure end of the market. Melb-Syd $150. this co-incides with the positively buoyant Canberra to anywhere fares and especially the highly prized J seats filled by those who FIFO to Canberra!


so the recent DSC (or double points (which was featured in the half yearly report)) would have aided, prompted some customers to use their credits. See slide 8

https://investor.qantas.com/FormBuilder/_Resource/_module/doLLG5ufYkCyEPjF1tpgyw/file/2023HY/1H23-Investor-Presentation-Supplementary.pdf

Total COVID travel credits of $0.8b as at 1H23 with majority expiring by 31 December 2023
Management driving ongoing initiatives to support usage by customers including: – Promotional offers for bookings that use credit (e.g. double points offers) – Ongoing marketing, targeted communication and reminders – Flexibility for direct bookings through credit concierge and indirect bookings through agency incentives

and the 2022 FY report suggested Qantas club membership fees had dropped by upto 17%
~50% YoY growth in Qantas Hotels and Holiday booking activity, following the expansion of the Qantas Holidays brand and improved redemption value
>$160m to thank and recognise customer loyalty — $50 flight coupon offered to QFF members — Further status extensions and other gifts for tiered members

However, what they had done over a fair period of time was to cut back on things like JASA which gave you status credits on redemptions and then later introduced an abridged version of this as long as you are a Points Club member (so credit card churners, or infrequent flyers).

if you are an infrequent flyer, I'm not sure how DSC would help you

If a frequent flyer points accumulator, it doesn't aid your Status cause to redeem points for flights until and unless you qualify for Points Club. it still causes the challenge that when you use the FF points, you may well be "treading water" when it comes to maintaining status....

Or decide to involve doing things outside of flying to qualify for Points Club (and yes, not everyone wants to solely devote their life leisure spending into one cohort of partner businesses to earn points without regard for the $ and extra you might pay should you go with a points earning partner instead of the unrelated competitor whose price, quality and service might be better for you as the consumer. eg, the Optus offers are varied, yet I would need to substantially raise my current spend for no better service as my existing price point already includes all calls and SMS...


the future redemption challenge

Revenue Received in Advance
of which unredeemed FF revenue
June 2019 $5.9b $2.5b
December 2019 $5.8b $2.6b
June 2020 $5b $2.8b
December 2020 $4.9b $3b
June 2021 $5.4b $3b
December 2021 $6b $3.1b
June 2022 $7.9b $3.1b
December 2022 $8.3b $3.2b
Loyalty unredeemed Frequent Flyer revenue expected to remain at current levels, representing a structural uplift from pre-COVID
so bigger pot of points for the same relatively small set of prized Classic F & J rewards (let alone the addition of other FF program vying for the same set of rewards

And I wonder if in future, individual complimentary status extensions was has been a thing in the past, might go the way of JASAs

 

[JohnK]

Received email today that my Platinum status has been extended until May 2024.

I earned 100 SCs last year. I can't see how I'm going to earn anywhere near 100 SCs this membership year. I'll be sad as that will be the end of 17 years of Platinum.

 

[Lynda2475]

I can't see how I'm going to earn anywhere near 100 SCs this membership year.

If you are flying so rarely on OW carriers that you wont even earn 100 SC this year then you are probably not flying enough to to miss the WP benefits.

 

[JohnK]

If you are flying so rarely on OW carriers that you wont even earn 100 SC this year then you are probably not flying enough to to miss the WP benefits.

Still quite a lot of points to burn on economy tickets. Better availability with higher status.

We're flying out of SYD Christmas Day. We have first lounge access this time but next time have to settle for lesser lounge.

Not a huge loss but would be nice for wife and daughter. Wife asking when we'll fly via HKG again. She misses the lounges but the schedules are not there yet.

 

[Lynda2475]

Still quite a lot of points to burn on economy tickets. Better availability with higher status.

Well you have 12 months to burn those, and the following year drop to Gold which still has earlier award seat availability than Silver and Bronze. As Gold i could usually find J awards seats with a little forward planning.

If you are a PC member you can earn SCs on those award flights - I earnt almost 500SCs this past year on award flights due to PC.

 

[mviy]

Last year one could get about 500 SCs for about $1,000 bucks flying return to NZ on the DSC promo.

This year it costs a lot more than that.

There are ways to retain status if you want it enough.

 

[JohnK]

Well you have 12 months to burn those, and the following year drop to Gold which still has earlier award seat availability than Silver and Bronze. As Gold i could usually find J awards seats with a little forward planning.

Unfortunately we can only travel school holiday time and Qantas (SQ) have very little economy availability.

Sep 2023 and Dec 2023 already booked. Jun 2024 planning starts October 2023. For the time being we'll focus on VA Gold/VA Platinum as they have better schedules than Qantas and can family pool.

Am I actually giving VA credit? Wow!

 

[CaptJCool]

Well you have 12 months to burn those, and the following year drop to Gold which still has earlier award seat availability than Silver and Bronze. As Gold i could usually find J awards seats with a little forward planning.

If you are a PC member you can earn SCs on those award flights - I earnt almost 500SCs this past year on award flights due to PC.

Last year one could get about 500 SCs for about $1,000 bucks flying return to NZ on the DSC promo.

This year it costs a lot more than that.

There are ways to retain status if you want it enough.

Agreed
In fact im guessing @Lynda2475 spent less tHan that doing the Points Club bookings during a DSC
GREAT JOB!
and also cause status extensions cease from 30 June so it had to be done the fast way
Unlike @JohnK and myself (amongst millions of others) who got the light-speed track of further status extensions

SEEMS the best options are

1. Complimentary status extensions (but not within your control)

2. Points club JASA style redemption domestic rewards during DSC which earn status credits (maximum cash spend each one way return co-payment of $29-45 or if points plus pay zero cash)

3. Rev J SALE ticket DSC Australia - NZ 500 SC Per trip for around $1,000 so 1 - 2 and you’re Gold and 2-3 and you’re WP ($3,000)

4. I’m sure there’s other dog leg status runs during DSC viable ($3,600-$5,000)

5. International status runs to Pacific islands

55. Rev F to Europe is now like $16-18,000 (sale fare was $13,999 compared to $9,999 pre-Covid but delivers at least 840 SC - the pricier way to SG

 

[Pushka]

Even though I was a member here at the time, I never knew JASA existed. Hanging my head in shame.