Qantas Loyalty Programme – An oxymoron

[NM]

Note that on flights to Beijing and Shanghai, Qantas is required to block off a number of rows (for the 333 to be able to complete the trip)​

Why is that?

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weight restrictions to enable the aircraft to make the distance.

 

[Skyring]

The only reason QF 'gets away' with it's ever-contracting FF offer is because of (1) lack of Aussie competition, and (2) ignorance of 99.99% of the population that AAdvantage and LH and SQ alternatives are freely available. Probably this is for the best - if everyone went over to AA, that airline would probably put obstacles in the way of Aussies bypassing QF.

There's a huge amount of goodwill built into the Australian population, through superb ad campaigns and an understandable patriotic desire to fly Aussie rather than some foreign mob. If Qantas has all the business it can handle, then where's the point in going for more? All it needs do is remain competitive.

I really have no problems with Qantas. They do a good but not superb job. I did a RTW on FFP in June/July, and more or less got the flights I wanted and the seats I wanted. It was fairly painless booking the thing. I had problems with luggage, but that wasn't Qantas's fault.

I bust a gut to fly Cathay Pacific as often as possible. Their lounges in Hong Kong are superb, and their in flight service is excellent. I had four J flights in April (SYD-HKG-KIX-HKG-CDG) and I was spoilt rotten. Y (MEL-HKG-FRA) in June wasn't quite as good, but still beats the equivalent QF service. BA is probably about as good as QF. AA and EI have a way to go.

I've been watching the discussion on earn and burn rates with keen interest and I'd say that AA is going to get a lot more of my business from now on, even if I prefer not to fly with them.

 

[Yada Yada]

I wouldn't be surprised if QF are forced to make some genuine enhancements to the FF program next year after Virgin Blue hooks up with more airline partners.

 

[NM]

I wouldn't be surprised if QF are forced to make some genuine enhancements to the FF program next year after Virgin Blue hooks up with more airline partners.

Now that would be good news. Hopefully some string competition both locally and from the leak to *A and AA programs might point out the need for some review.