Qantas increases points required for Emirates rewards

[MEL_Traveller]

I did ask Brandon (to whom I assigned the aricle) to quickly see if it had been picked up / covered anywhere else, as this is 'standard procedure' for some of the more niche 'news' articles, so I'd imagine he clicked through to this thread at some stage in that quick coverage check, and I think I did likewise (was a super-busy day yesterday, as they all are of late, so recollection is not 100%)... but that doesn't make AFF a 'source' in any way, it's just a quick check on a story's newsiness which sometimes also determines its priority in the queue. As you'll see from Brandon's article, he did all his own legwork on this plus a statement (arrived this morning) from QF PR.

In the quick check to see if the story had been picked up elsewhere AFF forums were checked, but not AFF's facebook page?

A question should be why QF has issued PR statements to media but failed to notify members.

 

[Danielb56]

Thanks for highlighting that. First time I'm reading about this. Oh well, you win some, you lose some I guess.

I never saw this as well. The reality though is that the reduction in carrier charges are not properly offset by increase in points. The latter costs us more than the reduction when you do the calculations. It was interesting though that when my wife and I booked (Sep/Oct 2019) reward Business flights to Athens and Rome return for later this year- Sept/Cot 20 - Emirates had nothing available. It was very hard to find anything from Emirates. I'm wondering if this will be the case moving forward after Covid? BTW we are in the process of cancelling our trip for this year.

 

[Danger]

On 20 February next year I can see EK ORD-DXB in F connecting to KUL in J for 216,900 points. On 21 February I can see the same flights but both sectors in F for the same number of points. Shouldn't the cost be different or is this a by-product of this recent (unannounced) change, kindly brought to our attention by MarcB?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

On 20 February next year I can see EK ORD-DXB in F connecting to KUL in J for 216,900 points. On 21 February I can see the same flights but both sectors in F for the same number of points. Shouldn't the cost be different or is this a by-product of this recent (unannounced) change, kindly brought to our attention by MarcB?

That's the correct pricing. The price of the itinerary will be the cheapest of either the through fare, or the sector by sector fares (where the airlines involved are all on the one table).

ORD-DXB = 7246 miles
DXB-KUL = 3448 miles

Total distance = 10695 = 216900 in F (compared to sector fares of 162K ORD-DXB in F and 57K DXB-KUL in J for total of 219800k, so the through fare in F is cheaper and that's how they price it. There's no discount for flying in a lower cabin where the fare is cheaper.)

 

[Mattg]

On 20 February next year I can see EK ORD-DXB in F connecting to KUL in J for 216,900 points. On 21 February I can see the same flights but both sectors in F for the same number of points. Shouldn't the cost be different or is this a by-product of this recent (unannounced) change, kindly brought to our attention by MarcB?

This is actually correct pricing (and is unrelated to the upcoming EK award chart change, which only affects bookings made from 1 September 2020).

Edit: @MEL_Traveller beat me to an explanation.

As a side note, I'm very impressed by the amount of award availability between ORD and KUL next February. Looking just now at the Qantas website, there are J or F options on EK, QR, BA/MH, MU/MH and RJ!

 

[woodborer]

In the quick check to see if the story had been picked up elsewhere AFF forums were checked, but not AFF's facebook page?

A question should be why QF has issued PR statements to media but failed to notify members.

In my experience, in these case, what actually happens is that QF update their page, and then in the monthly statement, there'll be a one liner about it. That's usually about their communications strategy.

If someone pings their PR with a question, they will normally respond with something.

 

[evilbrian]

In regard to the comments in the AFF article about EK award availability being way less than usual, and available at different times to normal, I think this will just be a function of the small number of planes they currently have in the air each day. Once the schedule gets back up to around 50-60% or more of the pre-COVID number, I'd expect award availability to get back to somewhere near normal.

 

[pearler47]

QFF is becoming useless. Still you have to trim to pay the Chief $24m.

 

[Robert K]

that's a bit of an exaggeration.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I find the seats in Emirates to become extremely uncomfortable after a few hours

Y class seat width 43cm to 45.5 (17 to 18 inches)

J class seat width 46.99cm to 50cm (18.5 to 20.5 inches)

I don't rate EK J class seating at all. Plus there is also 3 across in the middle

 

[Danger]

That's the correct pricing. The price of the itinerary will be the cheapest of either the through fare, or the sector by sector fares (where the airlines involved are all on the one table).

ORD-DXB = 7246 miles
DXB-KUL = 3448 miles

Total distance = 10695 = 216900 in F (compared to sector fares of 162K ORD-DXB in F and 57K DXB-KUL in J for total of 219800k, so the through fare in F is cheaper and that's how they price it. There's no discount for flying in a lower cabin where the fare is cheaper.)

This is actually correct pricing (and is unrelated to the upcoming EK award chart change, which only affects bookings made from 1 September 2020).

Edit: @MEL_Traveller beat me to an explanation.

As a side note, I'm very impressed by the amount of award availability between ORD and KUL next February. Looking just now at the Qantas website, there are J or F options on EK, QR, BA/MH, MU/MH and RJ!

Very interesting. I didn't know that.

 

[calmelb]

I don't rate EK J class seating at all. Plus there is also 3 across in the middle

At least the 3 across is only in the 777's. Makes it easy to avoid the angle flat beds at the same time (unlike some airlines with one fleet type and many seat types - see QF with the 330/380 refit)

 

[eminere]

At least the 3 across is only in the 777's. Makes it easy to avoid the angle flat beds at the same time (unlike some airlines with one fleet type and many seat types - see QF with the 330/380 refit)

A moot point at present as EK has grounded all their A380s until further notice and only their B77Ws are flying.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

To be honest with the whole COVID-19 I would not be surprised if all airlines would devaluation their programs further.

Loyalty programs are now the single most valuable, most profitable, most desirable, and most resilient part of any airline flying today.

Airlines are not Airlines.
Airlines are Marketing Programs, which happen to have a Metal Tube Flying Division.

The future of most successful airlines is Loyalty. Very few have been able to crack operational excellence - and that pipe dream has cost a lot of people a lot of money over the years - hence the "how do you become a millionaire in the airline industry...." running joke.

Stripping benefits from the Loyalty Program is the sure-fire way to destroy the Metal Tube Flying Division, and the market and financial analysts are beginning to wake-up to the fact that typical market talking points like fuel, pilots and RASK are increasingly meaningless metrics for the majority of the world's airlines.

With that in mind - not only do I anticipate Loyalty Programs to recalibrate to ADD NEW benefits, new partnerships and new revenue models BEYOND what see today - at some point in the future - we'll see a shift away from an operational focused CEO, and a new wave of tech/marketing CEOs take the reins.

The best of the travel industry is yet to come.

 

[Danielb56]

In regard to the comments in the AFF article about EK award availability being way less than usual, and available at different times to normal, I think this will just be a function of the small number of planes they currently have in the air each day. Once the schedule gets back up to around 50-60% or more of the pre-COVID number, I'd expect award availability to get back to somewhere near normal.

My wife and I last year went to Egypt on Emirates Business Feb 19. We then later in 2019 (Oct/Sept) tried booking business for Athens and Rome return but found Emirates few and far between for Business. This was way before Covid started suspect with the changes to Carrier charges maybe Emirates and Qantas kept seat availability to minimal until Qantas made their changes....just an opinion. Let's see what happens after Covid...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

nice to see Gary Leff's view from the wing links to AFF for the story on QF's increase on EK awards: What Happens To Loyalty Executives Who Devalue Frequent Flyer Programs - View from the Wing (first item under 'notes from the interweb')

 

[eminere]

nice to see Gary Leff's view from the wing links to AFF for the story on QF's increase on EK awards: What Happens To Loyalty Executives Who Devalue Frequent Flyer Programs - View from the Wing (first item under 'notes from the interweb')

I'm glad he linked to AFF and not the other site.

 

[ABC]

Whilst it is disappointing that they are increasing the number of points required at least the tax and charges have recently been reduced. I am happy to sacrifice having to use more points if it is the trade off for the recently lowered charges.

It would of course have been great if we could have kept both.

 

[CaptJCool]

Whilst it is disappointing that they are increasing the number of points required at least the tax and charges have recently been reduced. I am happy to sacrifice having to use more points if it is the trade off for the recently lowered charges.

It would of course have been great if we could have kept both.

Unfortunately, it’s not a like for like.

In effect, you must spend more overall for the same outcome.... an extra 11,000 points earn has that impact

 

[knightfall88]

Unfortunately, it’s not a like for like.

In effect, you must spend more overall for the same outcome.... an extra 11,000 points earn has that impact

Not that I looked into this in detail but on premium cabins, it looks like an extra 11'000 points but correct me if I'm wrong but the Fees have reduced by about ~$100 also. Seems fair to say it's net net little impact given 10'000 roughly equals $100? (I am setting aside the act of doing combination partner bookings, that is definitely a bummer)