Qantas Status Credits Boost

[Port Power]

Thank you all from Bayside (gender male).

Who’s to know until one knows? But now I do know.

 

[DC3]

Who’s to know until one knows? But now I do know.

Thank you, kind sir.

 

[ChrisW.]

The current status credits boost runs out tomorrow. Do we know what Qantas will do after?
Still not many flights we can take to get Status Credits.

 

[DC3]

The current status credits boost runs out tomorrow. Do we know what Qantas will do after? ...

I have no inside information, but I’m hoping for 50 SC to continue to post in the first few days of each month, until I have 1200 by my year-end, the end of April. .

Just need to sort out a few squiggles.

Edited

 

[mviy]

I expect further 12 month status extensions will be needed.

MEL residents can’t fly anywhere and QF doesn’t expect QF international flights to resume till July

Perhaps when QF formally cancels more international flights they will address this as well.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

The current status credits boost runs out tomorrow. Do we know what Qantas will do after?
Still not many flights we can take to get Status Credits.

The most logical approach from an 'airline' perspective would be:

- Nobody drops in status until +12 months AFTER intl flight caps are removed and Australians can freely travel overseas (this will logically mean domestic is open again).
- Anyone flying now should automatically receive 4x status credits, and removal of QF~ (a brilliant way for QF to secure accrual revenue from members outside of AUS)

However, if I were Qantas Loyalty, I'd be stitching up non-air partnerships that include status credit-earning and exclusive Qantas elite member benefits (real benefits - not marketing ploys).

The bank earning gravy train is slowing. Trains take time to stop.

 

[Fergo747]

I'd be stitching up non-air partnerships that include status credit-earning and exclusive Qantas elite member benefits

But does having multiple non-air partnerships not devalue the whole 'frequent flyer' element even further? Don't get me wrong I do understand it makes sense from an airline revenue perspective, but as a (relatively) frequent flyer I feel that the lounges and benefits currently offered are being devalued by the sheer number members able to earn status through DSCs and alike.

Would not non-air partnerships exacerbate this problem and in doing so potentially drive frequent flyers away? I know from a personal perspective it has certainly changed over the past 5 years (since I achieved SG+) and as the 'exclusivity' of the lounge and other benefits erodes I feel that this change push people away.

 

[PineappleSkip]

How many frequent flyers actually exist as such now? Closing down the QF Pub and sending whoever is still flying to the J lounge erodes the exclusivity of the latter, but is it overcrowded given doodley-squat flights?

QF seem to have got as far as non-air partnerships that include status credit-earning ... benefits, but haven’t seen any exclusitivity yet. Like your thinking though, trippin_the_rift.

cheers skip

 

[Fergo747]

How many frequent flyers actually exist as such now?

Very few now which your post alludes to and I agree with. I'm not concerned with lounge crowding now, I am talking about longer term. Given how crowded the lounges were pre-COVID (Dom J lounges in capital cities were hard to get a seat, F-Lounges there was often a wait to get a seat in the restaurant), increasing the non-air partnerships this problem will be extended. Plus, once these things are introduced, people will become used to them and it will be more difficult to remove (plus the airlines will become used to the revenue).

 

[theozflyer]

Surely they would have to continue with status support through to July next year. Otherwise there is a risk that FFers don’t return. If FFers drop a tier due to the circumstances, they are less likely to be loyal to QF. QF really has lost its shine, both in terms of product and customer treatment (and that was pre-covid). Now with Rex entering the golden triangle, there will be more options for fewer flyers. I hope QF are thinking carefully about how to be loyal to loyal customers who have supported QF for decades. If they don’t, I think it will be to their detriment.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

But does having multiple non-air partnerships not devalue the whole 'frequent flyer' element even further? Don't get me wrong I do understand it makes sense from an airline revenue perspective, but as a (relatively) frequent flyer I feel that the lounges and benefits currently offered are being devalued by the sheer number members able to earn status through DSCs and alike.

Would not non-air partnerships exacerbate this problem and in doing so potentially drive frequent flyers away? I know from a personal perspective it has certainly changed over the past 5 years (since I achieved SG+) and as the 'exclusivity' of the lounge and other benefits erodes I feel that this change push people away.

My estimation is that Qantas Loyalty makes very little (if any) revenue at all from the flying activity of frequent flyers (points earned from flying = left pocket right pocket, other airline partner accrual rates barely worth mentioning). Your value as a frequent flyer is to the airline, and not to the loyalty program. And the airline can't take you where you need to go right now, therefore your value to the airline today and the foreseeable future is zero (perhaps you're even a liability as they need to send you stuff, maintain your account etc).

With that in mind, if you remove revenue from banks and fuel fines on redemptions - what revenue is remaining for QF Loyalty?
In today's market - flight redemptions ain't a thing, and the longer the Governments keep borders closed, the less attractive that QF points will be for credit card holders, especially as banks figure out they can make a fortune with a compelling cashback program to lure QF points junkies across to bank reward programs.

So between 'frequent flyers' not generating QF Loyalty much $$ from flights in good times, and pressure from banks/customer choice in rewards -- I'd say that Qantas (and Velocity) have no choice other than to add relevancy to the real world and not just at airports.

Whichever airline loyalty program can transfer their 'loyalty market power' from airline into 'real world' businesses by stitching up exclusive deals will be the ones that can survive through this whole mess.

 

[Pushka]

How many frequent flyers actually exist as such now? Closing down the QF Pub and sending whoever is still flying to the J lounge erodes the exclusivity of the latter, but is it overcrowded given doodley-squat flights?

No. QP pubs in Adelaide and Brisbane (J) were extremely quiet when we were there.

 

[ChrisMars]

Yea same experience here, pretty much quiet and exclusive in the few lounges I visited, with one exception for me on Monday morning a few weeks ago at Brisbane J due to Fifo traffic. So many hi-vis everywhere . They ran an overflow coffe station in front of the J lounge door.

 

[mviy]

Now that QANTAS has cancelled international flights through to the end of March, hopefully they will provide a further status boost and/or extension soon.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Now that QANTAS has cancelled international flights through to the end of March, hopefully they will provide a further status boost and/or extension soon.

Possibly, to have their cake and eat I too. Given the fluid nature it might be retrospective if they do anything on the Status Credit boost front. They are still yet to cancel some bookings for October/November still.

 

[DC3]

Now that QANTAS has cancelled international flights through to the end of March, hopefully they will provide a further status boost and/or extension soon.

Waiting .... waiting ....

 

[sudoer]

Now that QANTAS has cancelled international flights through to the end of March

Have they officially cancelled? I've got a HND-SYD QF flight in early Jan that's still confirmed.

 

[PineappleSkip]

QANTAS has cancelled international flights through to the end of March,

Curious about the half-announced NZ travel bubble, I checked fares SYD-AKL and BNE- AKL. Multiple daily flights from the second week in Dec, but only offering flexible Y fares, and not a bargain at about $1,200 return. Looks like a sort of placeholder for bookings if the bubble happens.

cheers skip

 

[sudoer]

Curious about the half-announced NZ travel bubble, I checked fares SYD-AKL and BNE- AKL. Multiple daily flights from the second week in Dec, but only offering flexible Y fares, and not a bargain at about $1,200 return. Looks like a sort of placeholder for bookings if the bubble happens.

Looking at EF Qantas has flights loaded from 25 Oct (IATA winter) but with zero inventory. Fares are also loaded. Qantas just needs to readd the inventory for sale.

 

[RichardMEL]

Remember the NZ "bubble" between NZ and NSW and NT is for inbound (ie kiwis coming here) only... keep that in mind.