QFF - how's the new program really going?

[qffplat]

Qantas claims to have improved their FF program with their ANY REWARD SEAT ON ANY FLIGHT. Has anyone actually used it when the old Classic Reward (at fixed price) was unavailable?

I looked for a J class redemption seat to New York in September. In the Classic system, nothing available (surprise surprise). In the Any Award seat scheme, I could get that seat at 1.4 million points each way...... I have to ask, how is that an added benefit? What a complete and utter rip off and waste of time.

I am a Platinum member and have been so for the past 6 years. I have accumulated several million points, yet I would NEVER, EVER part with so many points for one flight. And the Qantas agent I spoke with last night on the phone agreed. He even said it's not working and no-one was using it. In fact, he then directed me to Cathay Pacific where I could purchase a return trip from MEL to JFK in business for 278,000 points - less even than the QF Classic scheme by 14,000 points. And in my opinion, a better business class cabin (except against the Qantas A380). And I'd be happy to pay the $50 phone fee to make this booking.

The Qantas FF program is a joke in this regard - all these incentives to earn more points through credit card spending and the like is only jacking up prices for seats and making them unattainable to most people. If the Oneworld alliance was fair dinkum, they'd step in and make things more consistent and transparent. If it is a true "alliance" I should be able to see the Cathay option on the QF website when QF seats are not available, as another Oneworld option.

Get your act together Qantas.... or you'll find more business slipping through your fingers and into the hands of your partners, or even competitors.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Hi,

I've never personally used the AnySeat reward options. But there are probably some people out there who have millions of points (think a business that puts their spend through a CC) for which a million points is nothing.

Additionally, your example is an extreme one. SYD-JFK or MEL-JFK has got to be one of the most expensive fares on the QF network. Hence the very expensive point cost.

As long as classic award availability remains the same, I don't see the downside in having choice. Prior to AnySeat, you were always able to book with other OneWorld carriers, and QF is losing just as much business now as it was before.

 

[qffplat]

Yeah what you say makes sense. I guess I was venting since it was just such a rip off. Like I said though, I'd like to see more of an 'alliance' where Oneworld members can search on one website for their preferred seats, rather than search airline by airline with huge discrepancies.

Appreciate your comments.

 

[dajop]

Like I said though, I'd like to see more of an 'alliance' where Oneworld members can search on one website for their preferred seats, rather than search airline by airline with huge discrepancies.

In theory what you're saying makes sense. In practice (from a purely selfish perspective) I think it's quite good that the QF OBE doesn't bring up all the partners, then availability would suffer as more people would know there were a range of other options Without having invested the time researching it on AFF.

For CX/KA availability online you can get this by joining Asia Miles and checking availability through the CX/Asia Miles websites. Find the seats and a call to QF does the trick to book for 2,500 pts. Nice secret to know. MA, BA, AA all come up online (if the destination is listed) JL doesn't, not sure about LA, RJ, AY, IB though.

Oh, as for Anyseat, yet to find anything worthwhile, but there are reports of occasional good deals in F. I try and find redemptions that give at a value least 1.3-1.5c/point (in Y, higher in J), and Anyseat seems to hover around the 0.5c/point.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Yeah what you say makes sense. I guess I was venting since it was just such a rip off.

I think the term "rip off" is your opinion - other people might see it as a good value. FWIW A 1% return in many rewards programs is usually a decent deal (though not spectacular by any means)

Like I said though, I'd like to see more of an 'alliance' where Oneworld members can search on one website for their preferred seats, rather than search airline by airline with huge discrepancies.

I believe that's coming soon - IIRC OW has already announced that they will be the first alliance to allow full cross searching of award seats on all members.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Oh, as for Anyseat, yet to find anything worthwhile, but there are reports of occasional good deals in F. I try and find redemptions that give at a value least 1.3-1.5c/point (in Y, higher in J), and Anyseat seems to hover around the 0.5c/point.

Really? Most fares I've checked seem to be about $0.01/point. E.g. 1.4 million points for J return SYD-JFK would equate to about $14,000 (1c/point), which is closer than $28,000 (0.5c/point) for the cost of that flight.

Curious to know what routes are only offering 0.5c/point.

 

[dajop]

Really? Most fares I've checked seem to be about $0.01/point. E.g. 1.4 million points for J return SYD-JFK would equate to about $14,000 (1c/point), which is closer than $28,000 (0.5c/point) for the cost of that flight.

Curious to know what routes are only offering 0.5c/point.

You seem to be right, I could swear last time I looked, SIN-MEL-SIN it was around the 0.5/0.6c mark, but seems to be more around 0.9c mark now (for economy). Maybe it has improved.

(oh and a little math error ... $7K is about 0.5c/point for 1.4million, not $28K...that would be a nice 2c/point....)