Qantas Platinum One experiences?

[nutwood]

The link has the heading: Platinum One Briefing for Feb 2021.
I don't recall getting an email this month, maybe I've missed it or it will be arriving soon!

I also did not receive it.

 

[RichardMEL]

Perhaps it has not been sent yet.. although Feb is running out!

also note it's one time only discount - as with the previous such offers.

 

[pjm99au]

The briefing has come through this morning confirming the 20% discount, a 6 points Avis offer and win a rail trip

 

[defurax]

VIP team just gave me another complimentary upgrade. Second upgrade in only three revenue flights this year. All my other flights were awards booked in U, so no chance for comp upgrade there...

 

[Fergo747]

Great experience just now with Charlotte from the VIP team. Was able to get some last minute seats released for my wife who needs to unexpectedly travel which was very much appreciated from my end.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Had a fab telephone experience today. Trying to use a credit voucher and utilize my Business Rewards discount. Picked up within 60 seconds and fab service from the team.
I must admit I think the new VIP Service team doing reservations is a huge improvement over the old system where they would patch you over.

 

[RichardMEL]

I can add a small experience. I called to cancel a reservation made with a GV I couldn't do online. Hesitant due to the crazy call loads they must be having with the BNE lockdown and all but I wanted to do the cancel before the J sale ended yesterday ) ) so anyway I phoned, zero wait after I put in QFF# (well as P1 that would be expected / hoped for I guess but I was still surprised). Answered as VIP Team. I expressed my apologies for calling as they must be under a huge call load etc. "It's fine. You can call anytime. We're your VIP team here for you".. transaction completed within about 2 minutes, easy, no issue and handled very well. I prefer to do everything I can online and not have to call, but in this instance I obviously had to and it was a quick and pleasant experience. Again, given the obvious stress QF call centre folks would be under right now it was faultless.

 

[flyingfan]

Had very good experiences with the VIP team in the last few months - due to lockdowns and border closures I've had to change a number of bookings which I feel they've handled really well when I've called. Even when they answer they address me by name, which I suppose they could do for the lowliest NB member who's put in their FF # and PIN but it does make me feel very valued (which I suppose is one of those intangibles I prize).

They've also sorted out some lounge invites when I wanted to transfer them to a friend, calling the lounge manager on my behalf when it couldn't be done online (because the QC isn't open and the website doesn't let them be applied to the business lounge). Also had some seating requests that they've always handled cheerfully too.

 

[Fergo747]

Question for the brains trust regarding complimentary Platinum nomination.

I had previously (when I initially gained P1 in 2019) given the complimentary platinum nomination to my father. He has a June YE, whereas I have a March YE. I had thought that when I gifted him this that his YE would change to the same as mine, however that never transpired. Also when my membership year clicked over in March last year (2020) he was still showing as my nominated person in my profile.

Move forward to now, I noticed that in my profile it now says that I should nominate someone. I checked with him today and he said that he is still showing at Platinum, his YE hasn't changed and that he received all the same status boost etc measures handed out that the rest of us got as well as the email about booking / flying one flight prior to his membership YE to extend by another year.

Now my question is - does anyone have any experience as to whether I could nominate someone else (e.g. my wife) and that he would keep his platinum status (as well as extend to June 22)? My alternative is to wait until he takes a flight early next month to see whether it updates to show extended to June 22. I just wouldn't want to nominate someone else and have his status revoked but also don't want to re-nominate him if I could pass the benefit to someone else. Thanks all.

 

[aus_flyer]

He will receive all the status extensions/support that other Platinums receive.

 

[Burgo]

My alternative is to wait until he takes a flight early next month to see whether it updates to show extended to June 22.

Be aware that according to the QF T&Cs that his status extension won't display once the flight is completed, but at roll-over of his membership year, so it is unlikely you'll be able to know if the status extension has been done until end Jun-21.

"Please note, the Membership Year end date displayed on the qantas.com ‘Status Activity’ page may not reflect your 12-month Status Extension until the start of your new Membership Year. "

cheers

 

[Matt_01]

@Fergo747 I think it is a good question and one I do not know the answer to. When I nominated my wife several years back I also thought that her end date would also change to the same as mine, it didn't and remained at Feb. Out of curiosity I asked SST if I did not retain P1 would my wife fall back down through SG, PS to NB as per normal and was told 'no' and if I do not retain P1 her status will drop back to NB on the day I am no longer P1. I have not enquired since and do not know if anything has changed. I am not sure if there is some type of flag in the system that identifies her status is a gift and tied to my status. I have often wondered if I do not retain (Jul) if her status would remain intact through to the following Feb.

What happens to the recipient's status when the P1 no longer retains may be a question that that a former P1 may know the answer to. Also who knows what QF may have done in their systems to accommodate the one flight and status retention offer.

Maybe call the VIP team and ask what may happen. In my dealings with with them they have been quite helpful.

 

[Stevo.1702]

As an extra data point and by far the best thing that has happened to me within the QFF program...

I reached P1 (only time) in 2018. I went online to nominate my partner for QF Plat, said it worked but nothing changed on her account for weeks. Called up and it all got sorted. Her expiry month was 7 months after mine and she managed to keep QF Plat for a little over 18 months before she had a soft landing to Gold (not through her own earn). She has now enjoyed nearly two years of gold thanks to the status extensions from covid.

Edit: She had WP for 7 months longer than I had Plat One.

We normally only fly economy and 95% domestically, she usually does enough to comfortably keep Silver so the longer than expected WP and SG have been incredibly good value for us.

Not sure if this will be anything like your experience Fergo but I have my fingers crossed for you and your father.

 

[Fergo747]

Thanks to those for responses / experiences. Still uncertain how I'll handle this (as I have no immediate need to) but will let you all know once I do.

@Matt_01 - Yes, I considered calling the VIP team but also wouldn't want to 'alert' them to this in case it's a loophole which would allow me to benefit more people.

Knowing the inherent challenges QF have with their IT systems, I would be very surprised if they were able to flag the type of status (gift, earned, given). As an example, a friend of mine's father was CL due to his position in a company. He retired many years ago (and I assume his CL status was passed on within the organisation), however somehow QF are yet to revoke his membership.

 

[Matt_01]

@Fergo747 given what @Stevo.1702 posted it sounds like your plan could play out as you hope. Maybe if you call the VIP just ask them if there is time limit to renominate as you are re considering options or something like that. If there is no time limit or if they will let you change it next month I would be inclined to to wait until after your father has taken his flight that way he has all the QF extension boxes tick. This is just the way I think but reading stevos post it is unlikely that your fathers status will change between now and Jun so either way it is likely that he will retain through to 2022. I must say it is a very good pick up and a cunning plan. That renominating message is new to me I do not ever recall seeing this and from memory we can change the nomination once per year.

On the assumption that we can travel international at some point and the information that Stevo posted I have hope that after I drop in 2022, my wife will remain WP to the end of Feb 23 so as a family unit of 3 the OW F lounge access remains on the table. Happy with that.

 

[Stevo.1702]

Not trying to be pessimistic but I don't believe my experience is how QF intends things to go. My partner's elevation to WP and eventual drop to SG were all pre-covid and the introduction of status extensions may make things more complicated.

Not a bad thing... complication means more chance for error in your favour.

I suggest being sufficiently vague in why you are asking. Don't want to draw attention to an error you don't want fixed.

 

[Fergo747]

I must say it is a very good pick up and a cunning plan.

Hoping that it pays off then I will consider it to be a cunning plan.

On the assumption that we can travel international at some point and the information that Stevo posted I have hope that after I drop in 2022, my wife will remain WP to the end of Feb 23

Yes, I have a similar thought process as I know I will drop come March 22 (as I only really earn status by travelling international) hence my original question.

That renominating message is new to me I do not ever recall seeing this and from memory we can change the nomination once per year.

Renomination might not have been the best terminology for me to use. Essentially it's the same message I had the first time I hit P1, however last year at my status rollover (and for the remainder of the year) it was showing as my nominated person. Logging in the other day I noticed that this now shows.

I suggest being sufficiently vague in why you are asking. Don't want to draw attention to an error you don't want fixed.

Yes, very much so. Hence my original hesitation to contact them in the first place!

 

[Matt_01]

My partner's elevation to WP and eventual drop to SG were all pre-covid

This is the only bit I was interested in, my wife has been WP since I became P1 well before covid. She has has received all the status extensions however in her case it makes little difference, she only has status via P1 and would be surprised if she managed to earn 100SC per annum. I had long assumed that her status would not drop immediately, it was just what the SST agent told me years back and as I have retained since then I have not had the opportunity to test my assumption.

@Fergo747 I have not rolled over this year may that nomination message is yet to appear.

 

[Stevo.1702]

Sorry if I'm going too far off-topic.

Because I had a 'glitch/error' in nominating her as the WP recipient, I theorised that the workaround by the QF staff on the phone was to manually assign her to WP status. This would explain the soft landing and that the date she was demoted being her FF anniversary instead of my expiry as Plat One.

I imagine the computer logic for a normal gifted WP may be different.

I have no way of knowing though. I definitely was not going to ask.

 

[dairyfloss]

As an example, a friend of mine's father was CL due to his position in a company. He retired many years ago (and I assume his CL status was passed on within the organisation), however somehow QF are yet to revoke his membership.

Going a little off topic here for some rarely shared CL experience that may help to explain this one...

As one of the many hats I wear in the multi-national corporate I'm a slave to, I hold the Global relationships with the airlines and hotels, and so do the dishing out on things like QF CL & AA CK access to those who are worthy; generally it is decided by an executive committee of sorts.

The company is [informally] allocated a number of CL spots by QF based on spend (and entry level is assumed to be ~$1M in base fares, but they admit nothing). Members (and their nominated partner/spouse) are given a 24 month card when issued, and they don't cut them off part way through that. So long as the company maintains their spend (and market share is very important, too), and no-one tells QF the CL member has left the company, the CL members just seem to renew for 24 months at a time. They only really change if someone on our side notifies them to do so (leadership changes, most often), or, if the spend or market share falls below the line and stays there for too long. This said, even with declining spend over the years (a lot less J travel), we haven't ever had to revoke anyone's memberships... we just wouldn't get approved on a replacement CL application if we were stupid enough to try.