QANTAS talking to the disaffected!

[AIRwin]

x.com

x.com

ATC error?

Air India, IndiGo planes involved in near miss at Mumbai airport; air traffic controller suspended

SINGAPORE: An air traffic controller has been suspended and an investigation is underway after two planes narrowly avoided a collision on a runway at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Indian media reported on Sunday (Jun 9). In the incident on Saturday, an IndiGo flight...

www.channelnewsasia.com

 

[Flyerqf]

Sincere question; why would General Counsel attend this?

He is also Group Executive, Office of the CEO. Maybe he was involved in that capacity.

 

[downgraded]

Somethings seems to be happening to try and keep frequent flyers more 'on side'. Last night I was flying economy back to Melbourne from Delhi with my wife (Both Gold) and for the first time ever the Cabin Supervisor came over after the first meal service and said " Welcome back, is there anything I can help you with?"

That's what they used to do for Gold in Y

 

[stm1sydney]

So predictable that the Qantas marketing dept would publicise this. Qantas is always holding out the promise of improvement (SYDi J lounge, AKL lounge, priority boarding etc etc etc) but fails to deliver. But it keeps the rusted-on customer rusted on.

 

[ozflier]

Somethings seems to be happening to try and keep frequent flyers more 'on side'. Last night I was flying economy back to Melbourne from Delhi with my wife (Both Gold) and for the first time ever the Cabin Supervisor came over after the first meal service and said " Welcome back, is there anything I can help you with?"

I wonder if any one ever responds in the affirmative to "Welcome back, is there anything I can help you with?"
I would potentially ask for an inflight upgrade or a decent drink or whatever but never have bothered.

 

[OATEK]

I wonder if any one ever responds in the affirmative to "Welcome back, is there anything I can help you with?"
I would potentially ask for an inflight upgrade or a decent drink or whatever but never have bothered.

When flight running late I have asked to be kept up to date re connections.

 

[dajop]

That's what they used to do for Gold in Y

I remember in 2002 back as SG flying JFK-LAX (-SYD) and on that sector we were greeted by the cabin supervisor, and he looked after with so many scotch's that my partner nearly vomited. Part of it was that I was SG, but the other part of it I think was that we were obviously 2 guys that were partners and he was "family".

 

[elanshin]

For one thing though, having executives at these types of meetings can only be a beneficial thing (and no I don't expect them to be the ones opening their mouths promising things).

Even if it's for show, hearing some accounts of things occuring is better than sitting in the ivory tower ignoring everything. Of course actions will dictate how things go going forward.

As for them not commenting, I get that as someone that runs businesses. You're going there to observe complaints about your business and learn about it. You're not there to run your mouth off promising things or countering arguments. It's usually a lot more productive to listen than to talk in these cases.

Ultimately though, whether this is theatre or if they genuinely help, only time and QFs actions will tell, but I'd say it's at least something.

 

[justinbrett]

I wonder if any one ever responds in the affirmative to "Welcome back, is there anything I can help you with?"
I would potentially ask for an inflight upgrade or a decent drink or whatever but never have bothered.

There's an entire thread on this topic

I've noticed recently (last 6 months) this has been more specific to drinks, something like "we'll be stating our bar service soon, but can I get you a drink in the meantime?" (this is long haul Y)

As WP I'd rate this has almost 100% on international flights. Frequent on long domestic flights, but hit/miss on busy short domestic flights.

As QF WP/OWE I've also been welcomed on EK and QR (both in Y) within the last year.

 

[clifford]

There's an entire thread on this topic

I've noticed recently (last 6 months) this has been more specific to drinks, something like "we'll be stating our bar service soon, but can I get you a drink in the meantime?" (this is long haul Y)

As WP I'd rate this has almost 100% on international flights. Frequent on long domestic flights, but hit/miss on busy short domestic flights.

As QF WP/OWE I've also been welcomed on EK and QR (both in Y) within the last year.

I think you're somewhat of a lucky ducky.

Never happened to me in Y, except perhaps for a flight from MGB to ADL, where the FA offered me a second drink (which was very nice).

But then, I do try very hard to not fly in Y.

 

[jb747]

I wonder what percentage of a load is actually “frequent fliers”. The feeling I get is that if they only look after them, and forget about those infrequent flyers (who really have no reason to fly with QF vs anyone else), you might have somewhat empty aircraft.

 

[downgraded]

I wonder what percentage of a load is actually “frequent fliers”. The feeling I get is that if they only look after them, and forget about those infrequent flyers (who really have no reason to fly with QF vs anyone else), you might have somewhat empty aircraft.

In the days before online check-in (yes it was a thing) when you didn't get checked in until you got to the airport, I ended up near the back of an A330 doing Mel-syd (yes that was also a thing). But got my aisle seat. I moaned to a flight attendant at being so far back down the plane and they said there were over 50 WPs in economy so I had probably just got the first available aisle seat. That was probably 15 years ago. I suspect that the level of acknowledgement of any specific tier of FF is very much related to his many are on the plane.

What is often notably obvious is when QF crew spend their time looking after the rich and famous (or friends and fellow crew) to the detriment of everyone else in the cabin.

 

[JohnM]

What is often notably obvious is when QF crew spend their time looking after the rich and famous (or friends and fellow crew) to the detriment of everyone else in the cabin.

That's for sure! Seen that - blatantly - on a PER-E coast A330 flight in J a year or two ago!

Drinks were not forthcoming at level-off. A bit of kerfuffle going on in the galley.

The cabin crew claimed a cart brake had failed - hence drinks not forthcoming - but they had no hesitation a couple of them personally running several glasses of sparkling wine down to some pax in Y before any attempt to serve J pax.

When I queried the CSM on this, she claimed it was some 'priority pax' or something along those lines. I then asked whether it was several CL or WP1 taht they were desperate to serve. She claimed confidentiality in not responding to that question.

I put it on AFF immediately - and I told the CSM that it was up on social media - and just sayin' that FF pax notice such things... Let's just say she had no verbal response - just a pale face.

Clearly it was friends or paxxing crew mates.

Appalling - no subtlety at all.

 

[AIRwin]

That's for sure! Seen that - blatantly - on a PER-E coast A330 flight in J a year or two ago!

Drinks were not forthcoming at level-off. A bit of kerfuffle going on in the galley.

The cabin crew claimed a cart brake had failed - hence drinks not forthcoming - but they had no hesitation a couple of them personally running several glasses of sparkling wine down to some pax in Y before any attempt to serve J pax.

When I queried the CSM on this, she claimed it was some 'priority pax' or something along those lines. I then asked whether it was several CL or WP1 taht they were desperate to serve. She claimed confidentiality in not responding to that question.

I put it on AFF immediately - and I told the CSM that it was up on social media - and just sayin' that FF pax notice such things... Let's just say she had no verbal response - just a pale face.

Clearly it was friends or paxxing crew mates.

Appalling - no subtlety at all.

Vi-John-lante!

 

[Daver6]

That's for sure! Seen that - blatantly - on a PER-E coast A330 flight in J a year or two ago!

Drinks were not forthcoming at level-off. A bit of kerfuffle going on in the galley.

The cabin crew claimed a cart brake had failed - hence drinks not forthcoming - but they had no hesitation a couple of them personally running several glasses of sparkling wine down to some pax in Y before any attempt to serve J pax.

When I queried the CSM on this, she claimed it was some 'priority pax' or something along those lines. I then asked whether it was several CL or WP1 taht they were desperate to serve. She claimed confidentiality in not responding to that question.

I put it on AFF immediately - and I told the CSM that it was up on social media - and just sayin' that FF pax notice such things... Let's just say she had no verbal response - just a pale face.

Clearly it was friends or paxxing crew mates.

Appalling - no subtlety at all.

I see this all the time. Both in J and Y. It's infuriating.

 

[DejaBrew]

Personally, I think it's promising that they're at least making a show of trying to listen to customer concerns and fronting up with senior execs, including VH herself. Time will ultimately tell whether this is purely an exercise in cajoling detractors into changing their opinions or a genuine attempt to turn around service levels and identify opportunities to deliver quick and meaningful impact that will (hopefully) benefit customers of all status levels and travel frequency, but we need to be realistic that any change will not happen overnight. The fact that they have taken the time to contact participants to explain what they've understood from the sessions and how they are planning to address this feedback is a good start. As cynical and skeptical as I know many will be about the whole exercise, there's a (relatively) new/updated leadership team in place and they should be given some benefit of the doubt in terms of the sincerity of their intentions.

 

[ozflier]

Personally, I think it's promising that they're at least making a show of trying to listen to customer concerns and fronting up with senior execs, including VH herself. Time will ultimately tell whether this is purely an exercise in cajoling detractors into changing their opinions or a genuine attempt to turn around service levels and identify opportunities to deliver quick and meaningful impact that will (hopefully) benefit customers of all status levels and travel frequency, but we need to be realistic that any change will not happen overnight. The fact that they have taken the time to contact participants to explain what they've understood from the sessions and how they are planning to address this feedback is a good start. As cynical and skeptical as I know many will be about the whole exercise, there's a (relatively) new/updated leadership team in place and they should be given some benefit of the doubt in terms of the sincerity of their intentions.

Out of interest, was there any mention of getting rid of the “welcome to country” speech?
It makes me so angry !

 

[DejaBrew]

Out of interest, was there any mention of getting rid of the “welcome to country” speech?
It makes me so angry !

No idea as I was not involved in any of these sessions. But for what it’s worth, I highly doubt they’ll be touching that as it’s a key component of the Customer Experience pillar within their Reconciliation Action Plan. So I’d suggest it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future and you’ll just want to invest in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones to filter it out if it bothers you that much.

 

[drron]

Well I think it shows some good signs of QF listening but doubt it will make too much actual difference. Some window dressing going on like new menus and change of some beverage brands but little for the main problems. CRs and limited availability plus slow reticketing processes leading to them being cancelled on partner airlines. Quite pathetic call centres. Again some window dressing going on with those issues.

The thing that arouses my suspicion of this basically being a PR exercise are the posts by @DAC1. The audience made up predominantly of WPs and SGs, participants were invited so did they leave out invites to those who complained about some of those more important issues.

However at least it is a start but at this stage not enough to get me back on QFi.

 

[SeaWolf]

The audience made up predominantly of WPs and SGs, participants were invited so did they leave out invites to those who complained about some of those more important issues.

The audience they really should be interviewing is people who used to fly Qantas regularly or semi-regularly and have now stopped and taken their business elsewhere.