Red Roo - once again thanks for taking the initiative to ask us the question. I hope the quality and quantity of feedback here doesn't overwhelm.
Before I add my views to those already expressed - I want to raise one of my own.
My own thoughts
Firstly - Would you please, please, please improve the QF website.
There are so many deficiencies and unnecessary amounts of clicks to complete requests. You already know who I am as I have logged in - so why not help me do business & find information faster.
I pose improvements to the site I'd like to see as questions,
- Why can't the Your Account page be a window into my QF life - and provide a list of my coming bookings on that page?
- Why isn't my booking linked to the entertainment options on my flight? You know what flight I'm on, so I should be able to click once, rather than fill in another form to provide information you already know.
- Why can't I see all my outstanding feedback requests to QF, and monitor their status as well as being able to provide additional information.
- Why can't I see what credits I currently have available to me for use?
- Why can't I apply a credit to any reservation that can be made from your website? If I've got a voucher number, I should be able to apply this when going to pay rather, specially in the case of multi-city bookings which have to be done via Reservations thus incurring an extra $50 charge.
Secondly - Please get your customer service house in order, specially when it comes to online feedback and requests. QF continues to be abysmal in this area, and I can count no less than three separate pieces of online feedback where I've wanted a response and none has been forthcoming.
The oldest of these, while a small and non-consequential request, was lodged over nine months ago.
Thirdly - Feedback reply emails don't include any form of tracking number. So of course there's no way I can provide a reference so if not answered it can be easily followed up on. This is quite surprising as I know the system you use for these purposes (RightNow) and it has full capability for this.
And now my thoughts on points raised by others
6) Remove award assisted booking fees for Platinum and Gold members - or fix the QFF website so ALL available seats and airlines are available.
Integrated upgrading and award ticket system used across the One World alliance. Its always very frustrating not being able to book an award seat online and having to call up to get it booked, thus costing 2.5K points. Maybe your most loyal customers (Platinums) should have the phone booking fee waived as a sign of gratitude by QF. The fee should be waved in this case. Another improvement would be the ability to purchase or get standby upgrades (On points of course) on other OW airlines.
These two points on something that has irritated me about QF for sometime now - being the capability of their website to service requests without having to call Reservations/Contact Centre and being hit with fees.
Firstly, I disagree with
pauly7 on the complete removal of assistance fees.
If what is needed by the customer cannot be achieved using a self-service option, then assistance fees should not apply, or be charged at a reduced amount.
Examples of where self-service systems are needed/could be improved include rewards bookings that are currently not available online, and redemption of credit vouchers online for multi-city itineraries.
This creates an internal incentive/dividend for QF to develop online systems and thus reduce the workload on Reservations/Contact Centre.
Where complex assistance is needed, it should be costed accordingly.
1) Confirmed at time of request points upgrades for international domestic flights - (with the ability to also waitlist if unsuccessful at that point in time) for CL, Platinum and Gold members only (all others continue to waitlist until 5 hrs before departure).
I'd second that. It would be nice to see a select amount of seat inventory for instantly confirmed International upgrades. Frankly however, I don't think this should be limited based on status (should be first come, first served). If they're there, then anyone regardless of membership level should be able to access if they have an upgradeable fare & the points to cover it.
3) Convince Jetstar to give out 0.5 points and pro-rata status credits per Jetsaver/Light fare mile instead of 0 as it currently stands.
I'm not with you on that one. Points cost money, and if you're buying the cheap fares on the LCC then all you should get is the seat. JQ has enough problems on the service and systems front without having to cut into profit centres further by paying for points.
4) Convince Jetstar to give CL, Platinum and Gold members access to 'upfront' and exit rows domestically free of charge.
See my previous point.
4.1) Waive exit row charges for Platinum and Gold members flying Qantas internationally.
Again, this should be a first come, first serve thing. If QF can make revenue out of something from paying pax, why should they give away the farm just because of status.
Why not offer, the ability to buy an exit row seat using points, the cost of which could scale depending on your membership tier. Far more effective and keeps benefit options fair for everyone.
7) Increase loyalty bonus to 10,000 - or tier it. EG Bronze/Silver = 5,000, Gold = 10,000 and Platinum = 15,000
I disagree with this too. If you fly more, you get the loyalty bonus more often. And not withstanding, you already get tier bonuses on your flights - so why would QF want to give you a second bite at the points cherry.
8) QFF launch it's own Credit card with great QFF earn rates and Platinum and Gold members have access to it at no annual fee - others pay, or again tier it.
Seriously, how peeved do you think existing QF credit card partners would be if they tried this.
Yes, on the one hand you'll happily take our money for customer points, but on the other you (through a company like HSBC, MBNA, etc) are going to compete with us for our customers thus taking away profit opportunities.
An improved int J lounge in SYD. Its cough in comparison to the sakura lounge in NRT and The Wing in HKG. The food and beverage offering when I was there last was completely substandard.
I had the pleasure of both SYD (Breakfast) and MEL (Lunch) within a month of them being run by Sofitel, and I couldn't fault either of them. While it's not the widest selection, it'll more than look after you before boarding.
The ability for upper tiers to apply for upgrades on heavily discounted fairs, even with an increased points cost or lower priority.
Pull the other one. If you don't have an upgradeable ticket, then why should they offer you benefits above and beyond everyone else just so you can have a fun time and clear your points balance. Stop being so cheap and buy the upgradeable fare.
1. I perceive the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program has evolved into a Frequent Spender/Debtor program, with more emphasis selling points to any organisation willing to buy them (credit card companies, banks, supermarkets, restaurants etc) than on providing loyalty benefits to Frequent Flyers.
I agree with the perception, but this helps you augment your earning opportunities for points and take reward flights sooner rather than sitting on balances.
3. The addition of Fuel Surcharges (or fuel fines as they often called here) on top of the high redemption rates for awards makes QFF international redemptions most unattractive to me, especially when compared with AAdvantage redemptions for the same flights.
This is a bit of a jip IMHO, and could be designed in a much fairer way.
4. In recognition of achieving Executive Platinum status with AAdvantage, I receive 8 system-wide upgrades that are valid for a minimum of 14 months. Each can be used to upgrade up to 3 flights in a journey and the upgrades can be confirmed at the time of booking/requesting - no need to play the waitlist lottery.
I think this would be a laudable idea, and a good reason for hitting platinum - the opportunity for a guaranteed upgrade on a defined number of flights (specially International) in any period.
4. Bring balance back to the redemption earn/burn ratios. The FF points earning rate difference between discount economy, full economy, business and first class is small (1:1.25:1.5), yet the award cost ratio for economy:business:first is 1:2:3.
Totally agreed with this. Balance in the earn/burn would be nice.
- Don't forget about Silvers and Qantas Club members. (others on here may not care that silver members can or can not use priority check in etc), but these members also display loyalty to QF. As a Platinum who was Qantas Club Silver not too long ago, those benefits kept me loyal to QF, and now I'm spending a heap more with QF (more than ever before). I'd like to think that LTS will still be worth something when I get there.
As a member of the Club (and a lowly Bronze for another three weeks), I totally agree with this.
I've already voiced the issue on downgrading our benefits while keeping the price the same, which I won't go back into.
I will however suggest this needs to be reviewed, to bring back some balance into what we pay over what we receive.
What about guest credits? Each time you fly on QF if you don't use your guest allocation they get stored for later on (perhaps with a 1 year expiry).
You can then use those credits to take in additional guests such as for that occasional family trip or even for yourself as anytime access.
+1 for this idea. I do have the occasion as a Club member where I'd like to take another person into the lounge beyond my +1 guest allocation.
I'd like the chance to bank an extra guest visit once in a while so I can treat two of my friends, and not have to leave someone outside, or play the embarrassing game of trying to find someone coming in to guest them.
I think that's more than enough for the moment, and I hope at least some of these can be fixed or improved.
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