QFF seems terrible, but am I missing something?

[niteswmr]

Qantas seem surprisingly uinterested in attracting genuine frequent flyers into their program when compared to other airlines (e.g. American with their "challenge"). I started a new job in Melbourne mid-Jan that has seen me fly to the USA once, NZ once, and Asia 4 times as of Saturday (unfortunately all economy). I've been flying mostly Star Alliance because I used to be Gold with them a couple of years back and I prefer their service. I'm soon to hit their Gold status again - would have sooner but my status points got reset in March.

The problem I have is that I've also now started a lot of domestic travel, and so even if I reach Gold again soon with Krisflyer that won't help me. So first I joined the $355 Qantas Club offer on impulse but I'm unimpressed so far. The latest problem (my fault for not reading the fine print) is that my Cathay flight on Saturday leaves me out of all lounges. My next problem is that my anniversary date for Qantas is September, and there's little chance I'll get enough points for Gold by then. I phoned to see if there was anything I could do but they were completely uninterested. Seems self-defeating because if they did *something* for me I'd put nearly all of my 100k+ miles/year through them.

Anyway, it seems like my only alternative is go to American or stock with Singapore, unless someone can suggest something. I say, bring on deregulation of the Australian and Australia-US route so that I can fly Singapore all the time.

 

[BlacKnox]

No you're not misssing anything, QF is terrible. :shock: Nonetheless

1. Welcome to AFF.

2. Post this question also to the Flyertalk Qantas forum @
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=498

3. If you don't get any sound advice, then consider writing to Qantas explaining your predicament. Often airlines are more flexible with comping status or helping when someone relocates or gets a new job. Don't complain, just mention you "love" Qantas and you'd like to direct your new frequent business... Don't let one staffmember's refusal put you off, even if you're flying in Y. Good luck!

I say, bring on deregulation of the Australian and Australia-US route so that I can fly ...... all the time.

Agreed.

 

[niteswmr]

Hi BlacKnox, I persistently tried your suggested approach, but with no luck.

After being told I had no chance by the first operator, I went up to the supervisor level (who then checked with other supervisors at times) and have concluded that Qantas have no discretion or special consideration in this case. The best they were willing to do is look in the system for future bookings and if I'd be near to Gold by the end of August they'd maybe consider putting me to Gold soon - if I wrote a letter. This is an impossibility because I a) will probably only be 2/3 of the way by then (I've flown 4 of my international trips since Feb with Star Alliance, so points are way down), and b) I often only book my flights less than a week in advance (for instance, I booked this weekend's Cathay flights today). I did have a return east-cost US trip in mid July in the system though.

Even though they agreed that my traveling profile was that of a Gold to Platinum member, they said they just had no rules for giving away Gold "for free". This is a bit insulting considering I've paid for QC membership - so the marginal benefit is slim - and I also started off the negotiation by asking if they could just shift my anniversary date to the end of the year to make up for Q4 2004 when I only flew Star Alliance.

The lowlight was when the supervisor said that other Gold members "wouldn't like Qantas giving away for free something that they've had to earn, and I'm sure you would appreciate it too when you reach that status", and also boasting that "even when Ansett went under we wouldn't do status matching". I told her that "some people" would say that not matching Ansett statuses was a sign of a carrier that knew they had no competition any more. BTW she also claimed that Qantas have one of the best FF programs in the world.

Anyway, we calmly discussed every possibility over 45 minutes and I concluded they have no flexibility for people in my situation, unlike American. She said "try writing to management but they will say no" and when I said to her that I would actually be giving up and probably not putting my flights through Qantas anymore her attitude could be described "so be it, those are the rules". I think their corporate policy really does reflect the arrogance of a carrier that has no genuine competition down here.

 

[BlacKnox]

I think their corporate policy really does reflect the arrogance of a carrier that has no genuine competition down here.

I hear you nitesswmr. Looks like you've been fairly thorough in your approach. Unfortuntely (or fortunately ) I rarely fly QF so can't offer any meaningful suggestions. Perhaps someone else can help?

 

[NM]

Another option is to take the AA plat Challenge and reach OneWorld Sapphire status very quickly. Along with that status comes access to the Qantas Club lounges when flying with Qantas. Also AA miles can be earned faster from flying and will earn more valuable rewards for the same number of miles/points.

 

[Guest]

Another option is to take the AA plat Challenge and reach OneWorld Sapphire status very quickly. Along with that status comes access to the Qantas Club lounges when flying with Qantas. Also AA miles can be earned faster from flying and will earn more valuable rewards for the same number of miles/points.

Yup... do what NM suggests!!! You may need to buy slightly higher class airfares, but if gold is important to you there should be no problem doing the AA PLAT (QF GOLD equiv) challenge.


BTW: 100k miles worth based on mel-lax (15k return?) means 7 trips for 100k, which, on economy fares like you mention will generate you 560 odd status credits, not even enough for QF GOLD.

I wouldn't comp you to gold either, unless of course, you bribed me :roll:

 

[sully]

It took me 33 flights on OW, travelling most routes in zoo class. There were the odd WT+ flights to/from the UK but that was it.

The supervisor is right, I wouldn't be happy that a whinge would get you what others had to earn.

Get over it.

 

[danielh]

Yeah. I'm on week 11 of return flights MLB-SYD. Need 7 more weeks to get gold.

Just been told they need me to fly until Nov this year to I might actually make 35 weeks of flights (70 trips) to get Platinum.

Not sure if flying for 35 straight weeks is worth it though.

Regards
Daniel

 

[Guest]

Yeah. I'm on week 11 of return flights MLB-SYD. Need 7 more weeks to get gold.

Just been told they need me to fly until Nov this year to I might actually make 35 weeks of flights (70 trips) to get Platinum.

Not sure if flying for 35 straight weeks is worth it though.

Regards
Daniel

do it in K class... get there faster

 

[QF WP]

niteswmr, that's right, Qantas (being one of the few very profitable world airlines) feel no need to "give away" status and disgruntle other Gold or Platinum members - the only way to get status is to earn it by "bum on seat". We all did (to get the status) and do (to retain it); so join the queue (hopefully, the shortest one).

Status is a privilege, not a right. You never value anything that is given to you...only when you earn it. The closest thing to advanced elite membership on OW airlines is the AA Platinum Challenge.

I'd use QF to credit all your domestic flights until your USA trip, take the AA Plat Challenge when you have your USA trip; but use your QC membership to access QC until your AA Plat membership comes through. Your AA Plat status will then be there until 28 February 2007.

 

[dajop]

niteswmr, that's right, Qantas (being one of the few very profitable world airlines) feel no need to "give away" status and disgruntle other Gold or Platinum members - the only way to get status is to earn it by "bum on seat". We all did (to get the status) and do (to retain it); so join the queue (hopefully, the shortest one).

Occassionally though QF do make it easier to achieve status, but you have to be targetted by them (not request it) and usually it's associated with something else happening. By "half" I mean you still have to fly a lot, but they award double status credits, which means you get the status with half the flights.

The two occassions I can think of were in 2002 and earlier this year. In early 2002, when the TESNA consortium was trying to revive Ansett, they came up with a scheme that seemed to award double status credits (& double points!) to those who'd come into the QF fold since the collapse of AN . The other occassion was early this year when they tried to get some of the silvers up to gold more quickly, in what I suspect was an effort to avert some of the backlash associated with the May 25 changes. In other words, gotta be in the right place at the right time!

All in all, I do think it is fair that they don't just give away status, I agree with Lindsay that we all had to earn it, and some the hard way (ie cramped up the back of 737's!). If the customer is truly a high value business customer as many status matchers purport to be, then it doesn't take that long to get to Gold. The only thing they could do that could be arguably fair would be give members 1 or 2 opportunities in the life of their membership to bring their anniversary date forward by terminating an existing period at 6 months; or by assessing status on a rolling 12 monthly basis.

 

[danielh]

Well I've been one of the lucky people who was on Silver, did nothing for that 12 month period and when I got the letter saying that my Silver was going to be dropped at my anniversary date (Feb 28th) I just called them up and said that I would be doing a lot of flying between either MLB and Singapore or MLB-SYD over the next few months. Mind you these were only 20% chances but I told them with enough confidence for the lady to give me comp Silver for another year.

In retrospect they made a good deal with me as I have since been flying MLB-SYD for the last 12 weeks and will be doing this until mid Dec (week 35).

Regards
Daniel

 

[niteswmr]

So how many of you are in it for the ego/status, or for the benefits? How can people be so in favour of the AA Platinum challenge (which I think does allow people to earn an elite status who "don't deserve it") yet warble on with "when I was young I had to walk 20 miles to school" lectures about how hard it was for you to earn qantas membership? It's hypocritical and self-centred. It doesn't appear that you have a problem with someone being given an exception because the extra person because it would diminish the benefits of your status - rather that it would diminish your own sense of eliteness!

For what it's worth I didn't "whinge" to the supervisor. My first and main request was whether they can change the anniversary date to allow me a different qualifying year. We also considered the option of quitting the program and restarting in order to achieve this, as others had apparently done in the past. Does this make my desire to work through the status credits from May to May somehow less worthy because my anniversary date happens to be in September?

 

[QF WP]

So how many of you are in it for the ego/status, or for the benefits?

Well, I can't answer for anybody else on this Forum, but for some, we're in it for work. My clients dictate whether I'll be in BNE next week, or anywhere else in Australia. The FF benefits are a by-product of the travel and the cost to produce those benefits are built into the cost of each ticket I buy. But I still like to be recognised as a valued customer (all of us have ego, but not all are egotists) - QF are providing the service, I am partaking of it and because of my regular patronage, they look to "reward me" which should build my loyalty to the brand and the inherent goodwill in every commercial transaction. As I said previously, status is a privilege and not a right...abuse it and it will come back to bite the hand that feeds it.

How can people be so in favour of the AA Platinum challenge (which I think does allow people to earn an elite status who "don't deserve it")....It doesn't appear that you have a problem with someone being given an exception because the extra person because it would diminish the benefits of your status - rather that it would diminish your own sense of eliteness

Irrespective that the last sentence doesn't make sense (I think the words "because it" are incorrect), I think I understand what you are saying. What we are pointing out is that we are trying to assist you with knowledge about how you can get the "advanced status" in another OW program (perhaps not the one you want, but one nonetheless) that you are unable to achieve in QF's. Many people have tried what you are seeking - but as we have pointed out (as well as the QF CSA's); unless you are the travel spend decision-maker in a large corporation with a QF senior account exec who will champion your cause to the QF Board; a major local or multi-national CEO, CFO or Board member; a parliamentarian, a very senior public servant or or finally know any of the QF Board; then you have buckley's chance...

The fact that it is with another Airline doesn't impact on my QFF status at all...you'd be getting status in another OW program that I owe no allegiances to. I have personally assisted more than 8 people (including my wife!) achieve the AA Plat status (some on this Board). We don't care if you choose to follow our advice or not..it is gratuitously given, however the quote" you can lead a horse to water, but can't make it drink" seems to ring true here.

The important thing to you is that you have exhausted all options put to you - but are you any closer to achieving it...unfortunately it doesn't sound like it. Perhaps then the AA Plat Challenge is your only viable option left???