Status extension / relief speculation

[sxc]

International travel is back, and domestic travel is opening up. However given that a lot of people's status was earned by business travel, do you think that Qantas might continue to lower status qualification levels for the next 1-2 years? In the immediate future, I think business travel is still going to be curtailed by the powers that be, so does Qantas want to try keep those with status ticking over?

 

[oz_mark]

International travel is back, and domestic travel is opening up. However given that a lot of people's status was earned by business travel, do you think that Qantas might continue to lower status qualification levels for the next 1-2 years? In the immediate future, I think business travel is still going to be curtailed by the powers that be, so does Qantas want to try keep those with status ticking over?

Probably, but their decisions will no doubt be driven by what actually happens, and the data they see about how their membership is tracking towards renewals.

 

[exceladdict]

Probably, but their decisions will no doubt be driven by what actually happens, and the data they see about how their membership is tracking towards renewals.

Absolutely, I'd expect dissecting of the recent sales and classic fright reward promotions.

 

[Danger]

Further Qantas Status Extension?

… Why upset the masses who don't know (and aren't on FF nerd sites? :) ) with something they're not eligible for and may (some will!) feel annoyed about … Yes. Mum and Pop Public wouldn’t get the whole thing anyway. Probably their kids, Joe and Josephine likewise, unless they are aware of QF...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[flydoc]

classic fright reward promotions.

Is this a new offering or just the feeling when you see the size of the taxes on a QF points booking?

 

[Mattg]

I believe there is still a live discussion going on about this within the airline, but I would not be surprised if Qantas did *something* more beyond 30 June 2022, particularly for business travellers and those outside Australia.

 

[exceladdict]

Is this a new offering or just the feeling when you see the size of the taxes on a QF points booking?

hahaha what a slip

 

[Lynda2475]

Those with anniversaries in July - Nov should have their status extended again as those til 30th June did, especially in NSW. We are still largely unable to fly domestically until late December when other state borders open so have had little chance to earn SCs this calendar year for work travel. Its unfair to expect July anniversaries to do 12 months worth of travel within 6 months.

Whereas those with Dec anniversaries will be fine as have a full 12 months of unrestricted travel.

 

[ChrisMars]

I bet on something like:
1. Extension for July -> Dec members
2. Status support for Jan -> June, with a similar scheme as done in the first months of the pandemic: x SC per months
3. New normal after that.
4. A bunch of DSC or on the ground SC to adjust as needed during new normal, to keep the number of members in each status tier close to target numbers.

 

[Danger]

As this thread unfortunately hasn't been merged into one of the multiple existing threads on much the same topic ...

I believe there is still a live discussion going on about this within the airline, but I would not be surprised if Qantas did *something* more beyond 30 June 2022, particularly for business travellers and those outside Australia.

There won't be a distinction between "business travellers" and anyone else. It will be all travellers or no travellers. To do so would mean Qantas would have to introduce a whole new definition, that of the "business traveller", which would be silly.

Those with anniversaries in July - Nov should have their status extended again as those til 30th June did, especially in NSW. We are still largely unable to fly domestically until late December when other state borders open so have had little chance to earn SCs this calendar year for work travel. Its unfair to expect July anniversaries to do 12 months worth of travel within 6 months.

Whereas those with Dec anniversaries will be fine as have a full 12 months of unrestricted travel.

Equally, I'd be stunned if Qantas distinguished between members in different states. The only differentiation I see possible is those with an Australian address and those with an international address.

As for domestic travel restrictions, where does it end? What about the people in South Adelaide and Tasmania who don't have a QF international service? Perhaps we should just give them a routine 20% discount on the number of SCs required each year. Tasmania's got bugger all intrastate flights, too, but WA has a tonne. Maybe we should divide members based on that as well. Of course, those living in the outback who are 300 kilometres from a post office, far apart from 1000 kilometres from an airport Qantas serves should have a 50% head start on status, every year.

And "unfair"? No. Nothing in the Qantas T&Cs say you say anything about having to carefully space out your travel across 12 months. If you're going to do then you should equally penalise Ms Road Warrior who commutes on the golden triangle twice a week. She's got an advantage over everyone else.

It's not a level playing field at the best of times and overly specific attempts by Qantas to make it one would be a nightmare.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

I believe there is still a live discussion going on about this within the airline, but I would not be surprised if Qantas did *something* more beyond 30 June 2022, particularly for business travellers and those outside Australia.

I hope so. With no sign of the Tasman bubble opening currently the only way to get the 2700 QF SCs for P1 is to relocate permanently to Australia (or Singapore and hope that border remains open too).

 

[ABC]

I bet on something like:
1. Extension for July -> Dec members
2. Status support for Jan -> June, with a similar scheme as done in the first months of the pandemic: x SC per months
3. New normal after that.
4. A bunch of DSC or on the ground SC to adjust as needed during new normal, to keep the number of members in each status tier close to target numbers.

1, 3 and 4 all seem very likely in my opinion.

Unfortunately I really don't think 2 will happen. I can't see QFF gifting monthly SCs again to help keep status, although I would be delighted if they did. I think if there were to do anything along these sort of lines to help people retain status it would be more likely to be reducing the number of SCs required.

 

[jase05]

What about the people in South Adelaide and Tasmania who don't have a QF international service?

Just giving us decent earnings on other OW partners from ADL would be a start instead of punishing us

 

[DC3]

What about the people in South Adelaide and Tasmania who don't have a QF international service?

And those in North Adelaide aren’t any better off either.

 

[sudoer]

We are still largely unable to fly domestically until late December when other state borders open

Not only that but Qantas has also been pushing bookings back by multiple months from cancellations on their side...



I remain optimistic they will extend Jul-Nov anniversaries - the latest status support did state "Depending on how long travel restrictions continue, we will update members closer to the time if we extend our support further."

I expect we'll see another round of extensions in late Dec/Jan once QLD, TAS and SA open, and more international routes start to pick up.

 

[RichardMEL]

sudoer - goodness me YES! This happened to me around three times in a row between Aug and November as in bookings cancelled and rescheduled for a month later. Finally the last cancel resulted in a bizarre situation where the outbound MEL-ADL got cxl and moved to a week later (I think in December at this point, I now forget! there have been so many) but the return had not been, so I ended up with a situation such that my MEL-ADL-MEL became an ADL-MEL-ADL which simply was not going to work. That's when I finally threw in the towel and canceled the whole thing to a pass (had a bit of a chuckle with the agent about the situation as they could see how the PNR had gotten mangled). I mean yes, it's been crazy.

I get it, with the SA border situation and all, but when the system was not smart enough to figure out rescheduling my outbound but not the inbound to match was a dumb idea (and I could not fix this online myself) that's when I just laughed and figured the universe was telling me to just give up on this idea. Since SA is still closed more or less, it seems like a good call. I am trying to go again end of Jan to see friends.. still 50/50 on that one


these kinds of things, which are outside of QF or our control as customers, sure make it hard to even TRY to fly let alone accrue/retain status.

 

[ausfox]

My anniversary date is the end of January. I was QP and had enough bookings to maintain the position. This date meant that when status was conferred due to Covid-19 I missed out by a couple of months on maintaining my status. Did anyone find a loophole around this?

 

[ausfox]

My current status ends 31/01/2022. I was platinum for many years but when the lockdown started in 2020 I had my flights booked but no flying so I was dropped to gold This was then extended to 2022 with a flight as required.
It now seems that I will slip further as I wont get the 275 more I need to maintain gold.

 

[sudoer]

My current status ends 31/01/2022. It now seems that I will slip further as I wont get the 275 more I need to maintain gold.

You just need to book one flight before 31 Jan 2022 for travel before 30 Jun 2022.

Status Support | Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas is offering eligible Frequent Flyer members additional support including a 12-month status extension and the ability to rollover Status Credits to help with maintaining their tier. Details here.

www.qantas.com

Eligible members with a status end date between 31 January and 30 June 2022 who reside in Australia or New Zealand and are unable to earn the Status Credits needed to retain their status will receive a 12-month status extension provided that before the end of their current Membership Year, they simply make at least one new eligible booking for travel before 30 June 2022.

If you have made any new bookings since 11 Aug 2021 and not voluntarily cancelled, you have already met the requirements:

The booking creation date must be between 11 August 2021 and before the member’s current status end date of between 31 January and 30 June 2022. The flight must be booked to travel before 30 June 2022.

If Qantas has cancelled your flight or made an involuntary change to the departure date/time, which has caused you to cancel the flight, you are still eligible for the extension. The extension will be applied to your account in late Jan.

 

[Mr H]

And those in North Adelaide aren’t any better off either.

Just looked up ASP on Google and QF is the only OW carrier operating from there.