Qantas is sorry (again)

[muppet]

No they don't. It just means Americans swoop in and steal all their awards.

I just transferred my Chase points (where I earned 130,000 points for a single sign-up bonus) to BA with a 30% bonus.

In other words, I earned 170,000 Avios — which would take a Brit several years to accumulate — in 2 months from a single credit card bonus.

Not sure I’d call redeeming an award that includes carrier surcharges that are comparable to a regular business class sale fare as “stealing”.

At best on key markets between LHR and USA, BA awards offer a 20-30% discount compared to paying 100% cash.

 

[levelnine]

This year OWA I paid ~$1.6k in fees/taxes and flew around the world in J including 2* QF, 2*BA, 2*AY and 1*AA.

Most of your taxes on these fares would have come from the BA legs, so you are proving my point — if you didn't have any BA legs, you would have saved a heap of cash.

I calculated that 24 of those Asia fares would earn me LTG on BA. I don't have enough time to do it or enjoy it but for those who are young it would be easily obtainable. And at a cost of a little over $200000 a bargain for life time OWE status.

I already said LTP is Qantas' weak spot, so all you've done is spend a lot of words to agree with me.

At best on key markets between LHR and USA, BA awards offer a 20-30% discount compared to paying 100% cash.

Exactly. It's a terrible program for its key routes. Yet Lynda & Ron want it to come to Australia.

 

[Lynda2475]

Most of your taxes on these fares would have come from the BA legs, so you are proving my point — if you didn't have any BA legs, you would have saved a heap of cash.

I found value in the cash I spent, and was able to get flight departure times that suited me and i disagree i could have saved heaps more cash given I actually needed to fly into and out of LHR. Flying indirect adding an extra 1-2 extra legs to avoid BA just means far less time at destination, and more chance for luggage to get lost; or flying at times that didnt work for me.

I personally do not think that $1.6k is excessive for the number of miles flown in the comfort of J, if that is too rich for you then obviously you would exclude BA from your itineraries. I personally am not interested in flying into another EU city I dont want to visit to then have to connect by rail or another paid flight to get to the city I want to be in.

Exactly. It's a terrible program for its key routes. Yet Lynda & Ron want it to come to Australia.

I never stated anywhere I want to join the BA program or have QF copy it exactly. I've never bought a BA ticket from BA.

The one thing they do right imo is have guaranteed number of award seats per flight, yes id like to see this from QF.

So read what was written before making unfounded accusations.

 

[JasonK]

We've added more Economy Classic Flight Reward seats to dream destinations so your Qantas Points can make your next trip possible.

Start your next adventure in the USA, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand or the Pacific Islands with Classic Flight Reward seats available on every eligible flight, for travel between 1 February 2024 and 21 June 2024. Hurry, book by 11.59pm Thursday 28 September, unless sold out prior.*

 

[Lynda2475]

1 February 2024 and 21 June 2024

Nice because from my quick look it actually also include J seats especially to Fiji but doesn't help me - I want seats August or Sept (or later). Already have enough flights to requalify Plat before end of July and long weekends aside cant take a large break before then.

 

[downgraded]

We've added more Economy Classic Flight Reward seats to dream destinations so your Qantas Points can make your next trip possible.

Start your next adventure in the USA, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand or the Pacific Islands with Classic Flight Reward seats available on every eligible flight, for travel between 1 February 2024 and 21 June 2024. Hurry, book by 11.59pm Thursday 28 September, unless sold out prior.*

Surprise! No J and no London mentioned.

 

[Lynda2475]

Surprise! No J and no London mentioned.

Yet I can see J seats to Fiji on the Anzac day long weekend - and they werent there last Friday

 

[KSC]

.0/file/2924-

Surprise! No J and no London mentioned.

They didn't lie about more award seats.
Outside of these forums and in other groups in Facebook the extra economy seats news has been see as a positive.

When I speak to people at work about using points for business class seats, some just draw a blank face and still rather fly economy because it costs less in points. Everyone has their preferences.

 

[Lynda2475]

Yes the last big drop was better because had premium seats

 

[levelnine]

I found value in the cash I spent, and was able to get flight departure times that suited me and i disagree i could have saved heaps more cash given I actually needed to fly into and out of LHR. Flying indirect adding an extra 1-2 extra legs to avoid BA just means far less time at destination, and more chance for luggage to get lost; or flying at times that didnt work for me.

I personally do not think that $1.6k is excessive for the number of miles flown in the comfort of J, if that is too rich for you then obviously you would exclude BA from your itineraries. I personally am not interested in flying into another EU city I dont want to visit to then have to connect by rail or another paid flight to get to the city I want to be in.

This reasoning cracks me up.

Jumping through an elaborate set of intellectual hoops to justify high flight prices. If that works for you, great.

But you are attempting to argue that gravity doesn't exist. It is a publicly verifiable fact that BA charge more in charges than pretty much every other airline except Emirates.

I never stated anywhere I want to join the BA program or have QF copy it exactly. I've never bought a BA ticket from BA.

The one thing they do right imo is have guaranteed number of award seats per flight, yes id like to see this from QF.

So read what was written before making unfounded accusations.

So what are you willing to give up for your guaranteed number of seats?

Remember Qantas isn't a charity.

I've been arguing all along it makes no business sense for Qantas to adopt your proposal. The only reply I've detected is 'well it'd suit me better'.

Post automatically merged: Sep 25, 2023

We've added more Economy Classic Flight Reward seats to dream destinations so your Qantas Points can make your next trip possible.

The first piece of evidence that the new CEO isn't going to hand out a slew of large new benefits. Business as usual. Even AJ threw QFF members a bone with more premium cabin awards.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Yes the last big drop was better because had premium seats

We all know what happened back in Feb - the website had a complete meltdown even before 11am that morning.

I guess they're only doing economy this time round because, well, that's what a lot of people don't want to spend their points on and Qantas don't want to spend the money to improve their website for increased traffic.

Certainly not me anyway! If I wanted economy, I'd just pay cash for it, not burn points on economy.

I don't churn CCs just to redeem economy reward seats - the whole reason I do this is to earn points for business class or above.

 

[Lynda2475]

But you are attempting to argue that gravity doesn't exist.

Nope

It is a publicly verifiable fact that BA charge more in charges than pretty much every other airline except Emirates.

And I never said they did not, just that when I have used them it has been of reasonable value to me. YMMV as we all define value differently - and time, routing, comfort and safety all factors for me when deciding how to use my points.

Noting that absolutely no where have you provided any evidence that I could do my same itinerary for heaps less on other OW carriers. A big component of BAs fees are LHR taxes which cant be avoided unless one avoids LHR which is not something that was reasonable for me to do since it was a main part of both itineraries.

Anyway you keep deviating to argue points not actually made, so you do you.

 

[levelnine]

Noting that absolutely no where have you provided any evidence that I could do my same itinerary for heaps less on other OW carriers.

It's literally in the AFF article on the subject: 'Where possible, try to avoid using airlines with high fuel and carrier surcharges such as British Airways, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian.'

Anyway you keep deviating to argue points not actually made, so you do you.

Our discussion started when you argued that Qantas should release reward seats at calendar open. I said there's no way Qantas will do that.

Arguments in favour of my position:
- Makes no business sense: Qantas is giving away reward seats on flights where it will sell every seat for cash
- Makes no PR sense: Qantas get a public relations boost every time they dump a load of award seats
- Makes no comparative sense: The small number of airlines that offer guaranteed seats at award open charge much higher carrier charges to negate their generosity
- Makes no elite reward sense: Elites are not necessarily rewarded by your proposal because they don't necessarily book 12 months in advance

Arguments in favour of your position:
- Suits me

 

[Lynda2475]

It's literally in the AFF article on the subject: 'Where possible, try to avoid using airlines with high fuel and carrier surcharges such as British Airways, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian.'

LOL generic advice that does not cover my specific itinerary. And "heaps" was your qualifier - like I said no evidence from you for how to fly on available OW award itinerary via LHR and save "heaps".

WRT whether it's commercially viable for QF to release set number of seats in advance, well they have traditionally realeased 2 J seats on flights 330 days out for the last decade or so and that didn't see them go belly up. So it is possible.

Dumping heaps of whY awards will just see points balances of status pax go up, as we know whY redemptions are poor value with a few exceptions.

Since you fail to understand that different people value things differently there is zero point discussing further with you.

 

[N0mad]

I don't churn CCs just to redeem economy reward seats - the whole reason I do this is to earn points for business class or above.

Same, i haven't even bother earning QANTAS points this cycle. Was Points club+ but will drop to nothing end of Oct with a total of 14,000 QFF points earned this year mostly from Woolworths.

have been focusing on Krisflyer and then Velocity this year.

 

[RooFlyer]

But why the tiny booking window? If they want to give something to their frequent flyers, then just give it to them - make seats available and people can use them if they wish.

By having an incredibly small booking window, it seems to me like it’s just a publicity gimmick. Open the door a crack, enough for people to go hooray! , newspapers report that, and then the door closes again.

Sigh - same old, same old Qantas; and they still get the same Pavlovian response from the Qantas loyalists.

 

[mrsterryn]

But why the tiny booking window? If they want to give something to their frequent flyers, then just give it to them - make seats available and people can use them if they wish.

I thought was odd. Kinda like a sale then the normal seat price returns . I mean limited on reward seats?

 

[Lynda2475]

I thought was odd

Previous promos for big award drops and DSC etc have similar small windows for bookings.

Hopefully it means that there are other sales or premium drops planned for a different period; or that we will see the former 330 day out J drops start happening again.

 

[Quickstatus]

I remember clearly the $50 "apology" about 1 year ago....

Before Qantas goes on another "sorry" cash splash, I would prefer if it actually used the $$$ to enhance its processes, tools and workforce.
Otherwise nothing is going to change.

 

[RooFlyer]

I remember clearly the $50 "apology" about 1 year ago....

Before Qantas goes on another "sorry" cash splash, I would prefer if it actually used the $$$ to enhance its processes, tools and workforce.
Otherwise nothing is going to change.

Agree, but recall that the $50/head didn't cost then that much, due to conditions placed on the voucher. I refused to use mine, as it would mean giving then yet more of my hard-earned.