Qantas Frequent Flyer Changes - Online NOW!!

[simongr]

Interesting to note the penultimate sentence in a report in yesterday's "Australian":

"Mr. Dixon said the enhancements to the program were designed to make it more attractive as a stand-alone business."

That explains the reasoning behind the changes. You don't make a business more attractive by increasing the give-aways.

But you do make it more attractive by having a loyal and increasing customer base rather than a disenfranchised customer base...

 

[Evan]

I got a survey from them about the new changes... well lets just say my comments about the cost of anytime awards was in the same vain as all have said here, too expensive, but that the current system is ok.

I wonder if the surveys were to prepare the sell off also ? or just collecting info ?

E

 

[Platy]

But you do make it more attractive by having a loyal and increasing customer base rather than a disenfranchised customer base...

Well said, sir!

 

[ANstar]

One of my colleagues (PS) rec'd a snail mail letter about the changes yesterday. Has anyone else rec'd these?

 

[Flashback]

One of my colleagues (PS) rec'd a snail mail letter about the changes yesterday. Has anyone else rec'd these?

My mother did.

 

[drron]

My first reaction to the changes to the QFF scheme were much the same as most others here.However with a little bit more research and thought I do feel the changes are a positive.Enough to make me consider coming back to QFF-no way.Enough to make it a leader in loyalty programs-laughable.But note that the QF spokesman called it a loyalty program not a frequent flyer program.
Yes a lot of the anytime rewards costs are outrageous.But then do QF really want to give away seats on their most profitable routes which they can fill with fare paying passengers-absolutely not so the obvious solution is to make the redemption so expensive that people wont do it but QF can still claim any seat is available.However on less popular routes or domestically anytime rewards are often reasonable value and occasionally as good as the classic rewards so it does open up possibilities for increased redemption opportunities to areas that I dont mind visiting so a positive.As long as you are not singleminded and come what may want a premium seat to the US or LHR most will now be able to get a flight somewhere on points.
I think however there is no change as regards frequent flyers as against frequent spenders.There is no where any proof that elites will have any increased availability of awards different to the situation that exists now.The early bird will still get the worm.Frequent spenders are just as able as frequent flyers to plan early enough and snag those premium seats on premium sectors.
Would I buy in to a spun off QFF.Not on your nelly(sorry NM).

 

[oz_mark]

One of my colleagues (PS) rec'd a snail mail letter about the changes yesterday. Has anyone else rec'd these?

I have seen several letters addresses to, I presume previous tenants of my current address, that are on there way back to Qantas.

 

[Will]

The 'Points Calculators' seems to have been nuked...

They're still there, just hidden:
https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/do/dyns/initialPointsEarned
https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/do/dyns/InitialPointsRedeemed

 

[Dave Noble]

But you do make it more attractive by having a loyal and increasing customer base rather than a disenfranchised customer base...

Surely that depends on what you class as your customer base. If you view your customer base being those that earn points through 3rd parties rather than by flying

Dave

 

[serfty]

I received an A5 sized mailout today; I have not yet opened it but it seems to be a booklet of sorts.

 

[oz_mark]

They're still there, just hidden:
https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/do/dyns/initialPointsEarned
https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/do/dyns/InitialPointsRedeemed

They are actually linked through the menu's, just need to hunt a bit

home -> frequentflyer -> earning points -> flights -> earning points calculator

home -> frequentflyer -> using points -> qantas & partner classic awards -> using points calculator

 

[simongr]

Surely that depends on what you class as your customer base. If you view your customer base being those that earn points through 3rd parties rather than by flying

Dave

I agree - but they could be equally disenfranchised by the changes - expecting to be able to burn their points on the awards they hadnt been able to get in the past but are now very expensive.

 

[thomastse]

Am I missing something ? How does Qantas get away with such blatant rip off & even discrimination against us when they charge us a fee to join FFlyer & not overseas members; the # of points required for tickets are generally way above other airlines; members can only book reward tickets for relatives AND they monopolize the Visa/Master points exchange ? Now they want astronomical # of points for any seats, which some of their competitors have always provided at much less points ?

 

[codash1099]

Surely that depends on what you class as your customer base. If you view your customer base being those that earn points through 3rd parties rather than by flying

Dave

The point I was making was that in this particular case, it may be that the customer base Qantas has in mind are the potential buyers of shares in the FF program.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Am I missing something ? How does Qantas get away with such blatant rip off & even discrimination against us when they charge us a fee to join FFlyer & not overseas members; the # of points required for tickets are generally way above other airlines; members can only book reward tickets for relatives AND they monopolize the Visa/Master points exchange ? Now they want astronomical # of points for any seats, which some of their competitors have always provided at much less points ?

Hi,

a) no one forces you to join QANTAS FF - you know the situation when you join

b) whilst some rewards require a lot of points, it's much easier to earn QANTAS FF than on some other airlines (e.g. minimum 1000 points per segment)

c) there is no requirement to be flying higher value fares to earn points on QANTAS FF (e.g. check many other European FF schemes and discount flights earn 25%, 50% or 0 miles / tier points)

So, it's not quite a black/white as you are making out

 

[Platy]

So, it's not quite a black/white as you are making out

Indeed you are right on those points.

On the other hand the degradation in the QF FF scheme over recent years is far more clear cut and blatantly disadvantageous to the customer.

 

[Platy]

Surely that depends on what you class as your customer base. If you view your customer base being those that earn points through 3rd parties rather than by flying

Dave

It is quite obvious that the customer base of the FF scheme is ALL members of said scheme. Some earn points largely through CC spend - so be it - QF earns the revenue from these people by selling points to the provider - thus they are fair dinkum customers. Furthermore, their details are marketing gold for advertising, selling of secondary products, market research, etc.

The big change would come if folk perceived the FF scheme as a means to be rewarded by something other than a flight or upgrade (discount purchase of a TV for example).

That is probably why the new emphasis on partner earn and reward opportunities - it's taking the beast away from earn and burn from simple flying to a broad marekting and retail entity based on loyalty and rewards for all members whether or not they ever set foot on an aircraft.

You end up with a 4 million customer plus marketing behemoth with increasingly less relevance to flying with the QF name plastered on everything, but with ever diluting brand identity.

It also takes even more pressure off QF to make classic award seats available as they can point to multitudinous means to burn points.

Curiously, it may dilute QF loyalty as the scheme becomes less about the QF core business and takes on a life of its own...

To a degree QF is broadening the scheme so it can be sold as a marketing chimaera of unrivalled magnitude (within Australia), a virtual jumbo shopping mall with fewer jumbo jets!

 

[savydog]

I have a CitiB Plat Visa which offers Anyflight Cashback at the rate of $100 travel for 10000 points. A purchased ticket Bris - HK return in september would cost me $1272.44 and I could use cash back for 127244 points to pay for it if I wanted to. As a lowly bronze FF I would earn 11162 points for buying the ticket. Cost includes all taxes.

With any seat the points required for the same flight is 136667 which includes all taxes but I would not receive any points for the flight.

Never considered Cashback before but may be an option as I have to have firm dates to plan staffing while we are away from our small business.

 

[ColinP]

Has anyone else received the printed copy of the QFF T&Cs in the mail yet?

Mine arrived today. The E word is right there on the cover.

Qantas
Frequent
Flyer Terms And
Conditions
Including highlights of program enhancements.
Effective 1 July 2008.

 

[serfty]

Has anyone else received the printed copy of the QFF T&Cs in the mail yet? ...

See post #170.

I've opened mine; it's got a T&C booklet and a 4 page (A4) brochure.