Seemingly comped Silver status

[samh004]

Bad overall for those with status as more and now in the "pool", and odd that they haven’t told anyone via email or anything else that this is happening (other than that phone operator).

I wonder, but probably hope not, if they’ll also change the SC’s to get to SG/WP… and if they go that far, I feel sure lifetime might change (though things are going down, so it can’t all be bad).

My gut feeling underneath it all is this is mainly to get more NGCI FF-ers and maybe they can use the increased numbers of FF-ers to make their program look better, even though all they did was lower the bar.

 

[thewinchester]

Well i just called QFF customer service, the guy tells me it is not in error and the SC's required to reach silver have been shifted slightly. Now 300 attain, 250 to retain.

I'm tempted to wait a while and call again to make sure he's right I had planned a return trip to CBR to make it to 350 sc's, but it seems i wont need to now

time to change my status on here haha

I can confirm Matt P's findings, having just spoke to Simon at the QP Corporate Service Desk after reading his post.

Changes only happened within the last few days (didn't have an exact date), and website still reflects old information.

Having just got off the phone, I didn't ask if the qualification barrier had dropped on statuses other than PS. Digging into this using a friend's QFF account who I manage on his behalf, he reached 300SC thanks to a RTW (exc. 35SC from IB that are still missing). His summary page reports that he is now PS, and that it is still 700SC to qualify SG.

So, two phone confirmations and the indicative evidence of other members who've gone to PS pretty much confirms that it's only 300SC to qualify PS is now in effect.

Thankfully, this also means that the trip I'm flying next month across Asia will move me well into Silver, and not 15 SC's short per my current planning. Sweet.

 

[dejium]

So, two phone confirmations and the indicative evidence of other members who've gone to PS pretty much confirms that it's only 300SC to qualify PS is now in effect.

Thankfully, this also means that the trip I'm flying next month across Asia will move me well into Silver, and not 15 SC's short per my current planning. Sweet.

I just got off the phone too. Apparently the changes will be detailed in an email on October 6. Good news for me too - I was planning an SC run to KGI.

 

[oz_mark]

Bad overall for those with status as more and now in the "pool", and odd that they haven’t told anyone via email or anything else that this is happening (other than that phone operator).

I wonder, but probably hope not, if they’ll also change the SC’s to get to SG/WP… and if they go that far, I feel sure lifetime might change (though things are going down, so it can’t all be bad).

My gut feeling underneath it all is this is mainly to get more NGCI FF-ers and maybe they can use the increased numbers of FF-ers to make their program look better, even though all they did was lower the bar.

It will just make for a larger silver pool. I suppose they have crunched the numbers and decided that there is a benefit in having a few extra move up from Bronze to Silver. I suspect that you may be right with your gut feeling.

 

[serfty]

A "Left Field" thought - maybe they are trying to alleviate a situation with international seat pre-selection - perhaps not enough PAX are able to do it.

 

[Brettmcg]

I would have thought the easiest way to address any Seat Selection issues would be to simply open it to everyone. The technology is more than capable of presenting available seats based on status or lack thereof. If Serfty's assertion is true that this is how they are addressing that issue, I think QF need to become a little more creative.

Having said that, I imagine there must be other motivations for wanting an increase in Silver members? OR are the benefits of PS going to be "enhanced" in that good ol' Qantas way?

 

[dajop]

It will just make for a larger silver pool. I suppose they have crunched the numbers and decided that there is a benefit in having a few extra move up from Bronze to Silver. I suspect that you may be right with your gut feeling.

Will it make it that much larger though? People who don't fly much, simply don't fly much. Wonder how many would fit into that 300-350 category? And of those that do, how many are not already QC members (as, apart from the 25% status bonus and benefits flying other carriers, QC benefits outweigh Silver benefits anyway).

I would have thought the most obvious reason for doing this is a pre-emptive strike against what DJ may want to do in the market, in a group of travellers who are really not locked into Qantas at all.

 

[notzac]

I would have thought the most obvious reason for doing this is a pre-emptive strike against what DJ may want to do in the market, in a group of travellers who are really not locked into Qantas at all.

+1 much more likely.

Can QP NB not do International seat selection? I think I can infer the answer, but to me that would have been a more obvious benefit to add..

 

[oz_mark]

+1 much more likely.

Can QP NB not do International seat selection? I think I can infer the answer, but to me that would have been a more obvious benefit to add..

A Bronze FF can only do International Seat selection within one week of the flight.

 

[samh004]

+1 much more likely.

Can QP NB not do International seat selection? I think I can infer the answer, but to me that would have been a more obvious benefit to add..

I didn’t think even Velocity Gold could do so though. I know I tried with my Pacific Blue flights and couldn’t. So if anything they’re already better than their competition.

 

[serfty]

A "Left Field" thought - maybe they are trying to alleviate a situation with international seat pre-selection - perhaps not enough PAX are able to do it.

It was only a left field thought ... QP members who otherwise have no status cannot normally pre-select seats either.

There's probably a far more obvious reason that I am missing at the moment.

 

[markis10]

There's probably a far more obvious reason that I am missing at the moment.

Yes, now all the qual levels end in a 00 .

 

[samh004]

There's probably a far more obvious reason that I am missing at the moment.

And hopefully it’ll be in the email on Wednesday

 

[Flashback]

A "Left Field" thought - maybe they are trying to alleviate a situation with international seat pre-selection - perhaps not enough PAX are able to do it.

That was a thought that crossed my mind also, so not too far left field

 

[oz_mark]

The Qantas website now reflects the change.

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Benefits & Privileges

 

[Flashback]

The Qantas website now reflects the change.

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Benefits & Privileges

We will probably never know why they decided to drop the bar for PS. At least it makes my renewal a lot easier.

 

[oz_mark]

We will probably never know why they decided to drop the bar for PS. At least it makes my renewal a lot easier.

There may be hints of it in the forthcoming email - although the spin may make the true reason dificult to see.

 

[Flashback]

There may be hints of it in the forthcoming email - although the spin may make the true reason dificult to see.

Hopefully the e-mail will go out to all members, rather than just NB or PS. That being said, if it goes to PS I'll receive it anyway

 

[YQY]

This change will allow Ms YQY to get status. She's currently booked on a BKK-MEL-SYD flight in J (JQi *Class + QF Dom J) - this will give her 180SC's - with the planned trips to ADL, MEL & AKL in Y - she will be within striking distance on PS.

This will give the YQY family a Qantas Royal Flush - Ms YQY PS, Mrs YQY PG & Mr YQY WP. With the arrival of another YQY next year - I will hopefully have a NB as well.

 

[dajop]

We will probably never know why they decided to drop the bar for PS. At least it makes my renewal a lot easier.

There may be hints of it in the forthcoming email - although the spin may make the true reason dificult to see.

Really, is it that difficult to understand? DJ is now being led by a key former QF person, and have publicly declared they are going to come after QF in the business market. I think this change to PS qualification is just one of a broad range of initiatives (some that have been announced and some that haven't) to pre-empt DJ's plans and shore up support for QF.