Qantas to fast track airline loyalty program status

[trippin_the_rift]

Qantas should publish an article "How to run a lacklustre customer acquisition campaign" with this promotion as a prime example.

Qantas missed all key points in acquiring new top-tier elites.

$10 says this fizzes out within a day.

 

[SeaWolf]

Why would they, IMO VA platinum is comparable to QF gold.

Why would they offer anything? Prevailing wisdom on here has been that QF wasn't going to offer any kind of incentive to switch because all the business customers and top tier flyers would do it anyway without them needing to.
Obviously QF feels that isn't the case so it's offering incentives to encourage switching. Not a massive incentive (the offer isn't all that great), but something at least.

 

[serfty]

There will be a cancellation fee though:

I don't think 4500 velocity points to cancel a booking is really that much of a problem when running down points balances ...

 

[Daver6]

Why would they, IMO VA platinum is comparable to QF gold.

In some senses yet but in others no. Take a QF WP flying domestic Y. Can't select bulkhead or exit row. VA WP gets economy X seating for free. That's quite a valuable benefit IMHO.

 

[AIRwin]

I don't think 4500 velocity points to cancel a booking is really that much of a problem when running down points balances ...

But @Jousams was disappointed with having to incur the cancellation fee...

 

[Jousams]

But @Jousams was disappointed with having to incur the cancellation fee...

not overly stressed about the loss of the points lmao

 

[flydoc]

have put in an EOI - here's hoping they come back to me soon. Have got some VA flights booked over the weekend that i'd be happy to switch to QF.

As in tomorrow or in 2 days time? Maybe ambitious?

From ET:

“You can expect to hear back from Qantas via email within 10 business days, at which point you'll need to:

• provide a colour copy of your current frequent flyer program membership card (with a future expiry date) for the qualifying airline
• provide an activity statement for the last 18 months to demonstrate that you've earned that status with the qualifying airline.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You know what would have been nice? Silver or gold membership to frontline healthcare workers. Yeah, I get why qantas is doing this, but I wonder if they thought outside the box in terms of bottom line... a handful of people matching status from another airline, or the huge press and positive PR by rewarding those that actually got out and saved our butts during this pandemic?

 

[Jousams]

As in tomorrow or in 2 days time? Maybe ambitious?

From ET:

“You can expect to hear back from Qantas via email within 10 business days, at which point you'll need to:

• provide a colour copy of your current frequent flyer program membership card (with a future expiry date) for the qualifying airline
• provide an activity statement for the last 18 months to demonstrate that you've earned that status with the qualifying airline.

aware im probably pushing it haha.

 

[Happy Trails]

... or the huge press and positive PR by rewarding those that actually got out and saved our butts during this pandemic?

The state premiers already have CL membership.

 

[Matt_01]

Why would they offer anything? Prevailing wisdom on here has been that QF wasn't going to offer any kind of incentive to switch because all the business customers and top tier flyers would do it anyway without them needing to.
Obviously QF feels that isn't the case so it's offering incentives to encourage switching. Not a massive incentive (the offer isn't all that great), but something at least.

Point taken however the comment that I was responding to was from @glasszon and as I read it was a VA WP to QF WP status match.
Although not the best,I do not think this is not a bad offer for a VA WP to switch to QF gold the following reasons:

• they will have access to the QF pub, about the same as a VA pub.
• all that priority check in, extra baggage and boarding stuff is about the same across both programs
• they will get OW(S) status and all the associated benefits when travelling international
• QF has a larger and better structured partner network than VA.
• SC to retain QF SG is lower than VA WP however with VA family pooling, Coles SC transfers etc. I would suggest that it is easier to retain VA WP than QF SG

In some senses yet but in others no. Take a QF WP flying domestic Y. Can't select bulkhead or exit row. VA WP gets economy X seating for free. That's quite a valuable benefit IMHO.

That would be the only advantage and at the time of posting suspected I would get this response I had forgotten QF WP have to pay for certain seats.

I keep my feet in both camps so do not really care.

 

[glasszon]

Point taken however the comment that I was responding to was from @glasszon and as I read it was a VA WP to QF WP status match.
Do I not think this is such a bad offer for a VA WP to switch to QF gold the following reasons:

• they will have access to the QF pub, about the same as a VA pub.
• all that priority check in, extra baggage and boarding stuff about the same across both programs
• they will get OW(S) status and all the associated benefits when international
• QF has a larger and better structured partner network than VA.
• SC to retain QF SG is lower than VA WP however with VA family pooling, Coles SC transfers etc. I would suggest that it is easier to retain VA WP than QF SG

I agree in terms of the effort required to get VA WP; in fact I would argue it is easier to get VA WP than QF SG if you have two regular flyers within the family with one pooling all SC into the other.

QF offer isn't bad at all, it's just that most of us have matched VA WP to QR WP, and if QR does offer a one year extension given the current travel situation, then it reduces the value of the QF offer except the QF offer will make it easier to requalify QF SG.

 

[Matt_01]

it's just that most of us have matched VA WP to QR WP

I also took up that offer and will most likely never use my QR WP status. It just adds to the DYKWIA, having OWE status on 2 OW carriers at the same time is of absolutely no benefit and to make matters worse QR never did send me a shiny platinum card

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Also note that while the QF offer is technically a 'Status Match', it's really a Status Challenge.

I wonder if anyone at Qantas realises what the top 5 benefits to an airline when running a status campaign? I can tell you that "ticket sales" doesn't come into it, and yet, this offer appears designed to try and achieve exactly that.

This is why it will fizzle out.
Plus, all the top Velocity members already have QR Platinum, which is worth a lot more than QF Gold!

I also took up that offer and will most likely never use my QR WP status. It just adds to the DYKWIA, having OWE status on 2 OW carriers at the same time is of absolutely no benefit and to make matters worse QR never did send me a shiny platinum card

QR copied EK by not issuing physical cards. Big downer, I agree.

 

[Matt_01]

@glasszon and the other VA flyers, disclaimer I have spent no time looking into the following suggestion. If you did the QF status match thing and got to gold you may also fall into the offer made by QF a day or so back here depending on QF rollover there might be the opportunity to pick up the SC boost and roll forward any SCs that have been accumulated in QF from QR. If that works then retaining SG for at least another year may be easier.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Bit bummed out I never applied for QR Platinum. I will have to think about trying this one, though some of my 18 months is definitely pooled travel so that might knock me out...

 

[Maccaj73]

I think this is a great move by QF to show the public who the real premium carrier is and who cares for their business and corporate dollars ... “People know exactly what to expect when they fly with Qantas, whether it’s complimentary food and drinks, baggage, Wi-Fi or access to dozens of lounges around Australia,"

All we have heard from Virgin is how they will be reducing their product and not chasing business travellers. As a loyal platinum of years I’m very disappointed we haven’t been communicated with or considered and no reassurance has been given. It’s pretty obvious now as a business traveller VA don’t really care for you and you are not the priority.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I note that the FAQ states

You will receive Gold with Qantas for at least 12 months. To retain Gold going forward, you will need to earn at least 600 Status Credits and fly on at least four eligible Qantas Group flights in a Membership Year.

I'm thinking that your membership year stays the same then and if you have a year that ends in, say, October, if you achieve gold through this scheme you would actually have Gold until October 2022?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Bit bummed out I never applied for QR Platinum. I will have to think about trying this one, though some of my 18 months is definitely pooled travel so that might knock me out...

Here's an option for you.........

1. Use your Velocity Platinum to match into Frontier Airlines Elite 100k status (top-tier) at www.frontierstatusmatch.com (there is a US $349 fee)
2. In 3....6...9 months from now, another US airline will offer a match. Use your new Frontier 100K status to match into that new airline
3. Use that new US airline status in Oz!

Effectively, you'd be buying future status for $349. Good deal in my opinion.

 

[Mattg]

Here's an option for you.........

1. Use your Velocity Platinum to match into Frontier Airlines Elite 100k status (top-tier) at www.frontierstatusmatch.com (there is a US $349 fee)
2. In 3....6...9 months from now, another US airline will offer a match. Use your new Frontier 100K status to match into that new airline
3. Use that new US airline status in Oz!

Effectively, you'd be buying future status for $349. Good deal in my opinion.

Can we be sure if another US airline offered a match that they wouldn't check to make sure you'd actually earned it and/or exclude Frontier? Bought Frontier status wouldn't qualify for the current QF match, for example, on either of those counts.