Surely it is now now time to change lounge access rules

[simongr]

Also remember that P1 has been marketed as a status within a status and not a new tier thus generally should expect the same benefits as WP.

 

[ReLoad]

This thread is a joke right?

 

[oz_mark]

I wonder how much busier it will get when all those emirates flying platinum folk gain access.....

Sent from my GT-I9300T using AustFreqFly

 

[Feper]

At great risk to personal flaming I will wade back in to the debate.


the point that I am trying to make here is that i believe that the very top "status" flyers being -


First - Because they pay the most per seat
CL - Because they potentially control a large revenue opportunity for QF
P1 - Because by definition they spend the most amount of their times on QF metal


Have either paid for or earned the right to expect decent facilities during their trips, they should be ale to access a shower, they should be able to find a seat in a lounge and they should be able to get a meal where those facilities exist, be able to access decent broadband.


This is not about who gets the largest lounge, who gets the massages, who gets to feed their ego by being made to feel important, it is simply about servicing these high value customers.


As a P1 who has cranked up over 6000 SC YTD with 3 months to go, I do feel that I bring experience to the debate, all I expect from a lounge is what I have mentioned previously, I have never used the spa facilities, never used the concierge facilities, typically I will grab a meal at the lounge, so that I can go straight to sleep or work on the plane, I expect to be able to catch up on emails before a flight, give me a seat so I can do this.


Everyone should take a bex and a have a good lay down, I am not saying to take away your facility's, just make sure that the top 3 tiers can access theirs.


So the challenge to QF is to provide the facility's , yes SIN has probably caused me the most grief over the past few months, but the same has happened at Dom J at MEL, don't even talk about Dom J at PER, Flounge at SYD is 80% of the time fine but I have noticed it is getting more and more crowded, and I feel that these double SC offers are creating false entitlements.

 

[markis10]

So the challenge to QF is to provide the facility's , yes SIN has probably caused me the most grief over the past few months, but the same has happened at Dom J at MEL, don't even talk about Dom J at PER, Flounge at SYD is 80% of the time fine but I have noticed it is getting more and more crowded, and I feel that these double SC offers are creating false entitlements.

On the flip side there are some who have had status for a long time, not racked it up with crazy flying volumes in the last few years as you might have done, who feel they are entitled to benefits befit of their long standing contribution to Qantas revenue over many a year (including flying when there was no J or F lounges as they stand today).

Double status credits promotions have been around for over ten years, as have comps for those whose flying pattern matches the drought/deluge cycles our country is famous for. Calling for enhancements to the program just because you have arrived late to the party is a bit rich IMHO, and dismissive of the efforts of those who found the climb less rewarding in the past as far as the journey goes yet share the same benefits we all share today, while providing the profits to enable those benefits to built in the first place.

 

[medhead]

Well here is a short reply. You now want to do this because of the situation in SIN, a port that will no longer have first class passenger shortly and where qantas will no longer have a first lounge. The trend is closing lounges not opening new lounges.

As has been mentioned Platinum one is not a separate tier. It is additional benefits within the platinum tier.

There is no domestic J lounge in PER, I'm not even sure how that is an issue. Again QF decided to not spend money on opening a J lounge there.

Finally, SC are not a good measure of the amount of flying someone does due to the weighting that is given to the premium cabin. Flying 6000 SC in business class would be equivalent to 1500 SC in discount economy. So it is entirely possible that someone getting 1500+ SC has done more flying than the platinum one who flys in J or F.


Sent from the Throne

 

[oz_mark]

Everyone should take a bex and a have a good lay down, I am not saying to take away your facility's, just make sure that the top 3 tiers can access theirs.

Well, actually, by saying that Platinum members should not have access to the First lounge you are suggesting that their facilities be taken away. While there may be a problem, moving the platinums to the Business lounge is just going to make the problem worse there.

Ultimately, only Qantas know how many people have been pushed up a level through the various promotions, but my gut feel is that it probably is not a huge number.

I guess what I am saying is that while there may be a problem, I don't think removing Platinum access is the right answer to solve it.

 

[nlagalle]

At great risk to personal flaming I will wade back in to the debate.


the point that I am trying to make here is that i believe that the very top "status" flyers being -


First - Because they pay the most per seat
CL - Because they potentially control a large revenue opportunity for QF
P1 - Because by definition they spend the most amount of their times on QF metal


Have either paid for or earned the right to expect decent facilities during their trips, they should be ale to access a shower, they should be able to find a seat in a lounge and they should be able to get a meal where those facilities exist, be able to access decent broadband.


This is not about who gets the largest lounge, who gets the massages, who gets to feed their ego by being made to feel important, it is simply about servicing these high value customers.


As a P1 who has cranked up over 6000 SC YTD with 3 months to go, I do feel that I bring experience to the debate, all I expect from a lounge is what I have mentioned previously, I have never used the spa facilities, never used the concierge facilities, typically I will grab a meal at the lounge, so that I can go straight to sleep or work on the plane, I expect to be able to catch up on emails before a flight, give me a seat so I can do this.


Everyone should take a bex and a have a good lay down, I am not saying to take away your facility's, just make sure that the top 3 tiers can access theirs.


So the challenge to QF is to provide the facility's , yes SIN has probably caused me the most grief over the past few months, but the same has happened at Dom J at MEL, don't even talk about Dom J at PER, Flounge at SYD is 80% of the time fine but I have noticed it is getting more and more crowded, and I feel that these double SC offers are creating false entitlements.

There are a number of inaccuracies and assumptions in your statements.

As many have said P1 isn't a new tier. Surely if they were that special, wouldn't QF let them use the Chairmans lounge?? At the end of the day they are still a WP, with a couple of perks.

Per J lounge?? Where is it? Perth is a bit different for pax due to FIFO. Also I can't see where they could extend or make a new lounge before they end up in a new terminal.

Mel Dom J lounge yes is smaller but I've still not being able to get a seat. Both morning or evening.

Also none of us know how many people used the DSC promo (if they received it, remembering it was targeted) and moved up to WP. My guess like many others that outside of AFF, there won't be too many. You'd find more people making PS and SG. There is still a lot of flying to make WP even with the offer and most of the traveling public wouldn't do status runs to make it. To me the lounges in Melbourne and Sydney are no more crowded this year than they were last year. Also if there are more seats out per day then naturally there will be more people in the lounge. So you can't claim lounge overcrowding is caused by DSC without knowing the numbers. General observations aren't an indicator.

 

[markis10]

There is still a lot of flying to make WP even with the offer and most of the traveling public wouldn't do status runs to make it. To me the lounges in Melbourne and Sydney are no more crowded this year than they were last year. Also if there are more seats out per day then naturally there will be more people in the lounge. So you can't claim lounge overcrowding is caused by DSC without knowing the numbers. General observations aren't an indicator.

I agree, and given the double SC offer is rarely offered to the same person two years in a row, its unlikely anyone who does not normally meet the WP level keeping WP the following year, so its effect long term is somewhat negated.

 

[k3nnis]

I would like to see the OP's reply to this

So wait a minute, on one hand you are complaining about false status holders filling up "your lounge" and you feel they should have put the BIS miles in to deserve access, and yet on the other hand, you accepted a status match, which gave you lounge access as part of that match, without even paying DJ a cent and yet you don't see a problem with that?

 

[whughes3]

This thread is a joke right?

Rather disturbingly, it appears to be deadly serious!

 

[Feper]

I would like to see the OP's reply to this

Yes, I took the DJ status match solely to get the Hertz Presidential membership, which gives free upgrades.

i have never sat in a DJ plane in my life, hence I am not adding to this issue that I am sure that DJ platinum members are just as annoyed with the influx of QF pretend plats.

 

[k3nnis]

Thanks for your reply

Yes, I took the DJ status match solely to get the Hertz Presidential membership, which gives free upgrades.

i have never sat in a DJ plane in my life, hence I am not adding to this issue that I am sure that DJ platinum members are just as annoyed with the influx of QF pretend plats.

 

[Mal Ware]

At great risk to personal flaming I will wade back in to the debate.

Once the pack has tasted blood it is hard to stop them....

I am not saying to take away your facility's, just make sure that the top 3 tiers can access theirs.

I can see your point, not sure why most others have an issue with it.

If your spending that much money/time flying then you should be afforded the knowledge that you will be able to get a seat.

I went from Silver to Platinum this year and getting lounge access was a disappointment, more times than not I cannot get a seat or a computer but that is mostly in Perth. It also happened to me in Singapore. Brisbane can also be messy at times, will have a year of the business lounge now so can make an observation about that as time goes by.

I often have that "whats the point" feeling when going into the lounges only to see them full up every time, I imagine it would be even more frustrating if you were P1 and spent a lot more time flying.

I don't think Qantas should take anything away from members, but ensuring their top tier are looked after would be more incentive for people to reach that level.

 

[harvyk]

Yes, I took the DJ status match solely to get the Hertz Presidential membership, which gives free upgrades.

i have never sat in a DJ plane in my life, hence I am not adding to this issue that I am sure that DJ platinum members are just as annoyed with the influx of QF pretend plats.

The thing is on one hand you where complaining that DSC offers devalued your hard earned P1, and in a way you might be right, and yet had no qualms in taking the carrot which DJ was tangling in front of you which was every bit a quick cheat to the DJ higher levels as QF's DSC promotions.

Regardless of if you are occupying seats in DJ lounges or not, you are still getting advantages from the DJ WP which you should have normally had to spend BIS time on DJ planes to get, and like you, there where a lot of DJ WP's which complained bitterly at the advantage which you have taken which they had to spend time earning. So again, how does this not make you hypocritical since you have no qualms in using shortcuts to benefits for yourself, and yet complain if you see someone else taking advantage of similar benefits?

 

[k3nnis]

Well said harvyk!

The thing is on one hand you where complaining that DSC offers devalued your hard earned P1, and in a way you might be right, and yet had no qualms in taking the carrot which DJ was tangling in front of you which was every bit a quick cheat to the DJ higher levels as QF's DSC promotions.

Regardless of if you are occupying seats in DJ lounges or not, you are still getting advantages from the DJ WP which you should have normally had to spend BIS time on DJ planes to get, and like you, there where a lot of DJ WP's which complained bitterly at the advantage which you have taken which they had to spend time earning. So again, how does this not make you hypocritical since you have no qualms in using shortcuts to benefits for yourself, and yet complain if you see someone else taking advantage of similar benefits?

 

[Feper]

The thing is on one hand you where complaining that DSC offers devalued your hard earned P1, and in a way you might be right, and yet had no qualms in taking the carrot which DJ was tangling in front of you which was every bit a quick cheat to the DJ higher levels as QF's DSC promotions.

Regardless of if you are occupying seats in DJ lounges or not, you are still getting advantages from the DJ WP which you should have normally had to spend BIS time on DJ planes to get, and like you, there where a lot of DJ WP's which complained bitterly at the advantage which you have taken which they had to spend time earning. So again, how does this not make you hypocritical since you have no qualms in using shortcuts to benefits for yourself, and yet complain if you see someone else taking advantage of similar benefits?

Harvyk; as per your tagline, I too wish you had something inspiring to say.

How does my utilising Hertz Presidents Circle possibly impact or effect the lounge facilities of DJ's "true Plats or Golds"? I am not clogging up their lounge or taking ther seat allocation, or using their Wifi, or affecting them whatsoever, as I said I have nevr ever been on a DJ plane.

I suppose somehow the fact that I also took up the offer of a free Fin Review on the weekend is affecting the hard earned privaleges of other, unlikely.

 

[drewbles]

I think the OP has raised some legitimate concerns. The real point is the new SG+ level QF has created through double status credits. As an example MrsH now freely roams the Dom J and Int F lounges up until mid 2014 after securing a massive 650 SC's.

Like the OP I have been to the Syd F lounge and not been able to get a seat in the restaurant. (On more than one occasion)

I'm certainly not advocating a change in access rules to the lounges, and I don't know how QF can realistically handle this. They have created PS+, SG+ and WP+ levels that receive SG, WP, and WP1 benefits respectively.

.....I wonder if I can call the P1 team to bump an SG+ from an F Lounge restaurant table?

On one occasion I could not get a table. The staff kindly offered to get me when a table was available, routed me to a seat in the lounge to wait, bought me Taittinger, food and whatever was requested with excellent service. The second a table became available, I was shown to it. It's better than most restaurants that'll keep you waiting standing at a bar indefinitely. And that was one time only, over the dozens of times i've been through the SYD lounge (never had to wait in MEL).

 

[harvyk]

Harvyk; as per your tagline, I too wish you had something inspiring to say.

Thanks, I'm sure I'll come up with something some day...

How does my utilising Hertz Presidents Circle possibly impact or effect the lounge facilities of DJ's "true Plats or Golds"? I am not clogging up their lounge or taking ther seat allocation, or using their Wifi, or affecting them whatsoever, as I said I have nevr ever been on a DJ plane.

The problem is not that you've taken the undeserved upgrade. DJ put a carrot in front of you and you took it, like anyone in that position would, and like I do when I get carrots waived in front of me, such as in the form of the DSC promotion. That's not the issue, the issue is that you taken the carrot, and yet when you have seen others do the same you've responded with "it's not fair".

The other problem I have with your basic request is it's very much setting the bar where by your ok, and to hell with anyone else. How would you feel if the bar was set to F class and CL's only, and then just to add insult to injury they removed F class from every flight your likely to fly so you couldn't get in that way either? Would you still be as supportive of the idea when you become one of the excluded groups?

I suppose somehow the fact that I also took up the offer of a free Fin Review on the weekend is affecting the hard earned privaleges of other, unlikely.

I don't quite see how, but if you really do feel bad about it I'm sure they'll accept it back.

 

[dajop]

Another thread bemoaning something that QF isn't and maybe should be providing (a seat and a shower). Another thread where it seems QF is holding a gun to someones head to fly them and not providing benefits matching expectations. What I don't understand (not just with this thread, pick any one of a dozen, maybe a hundred threads) if it is not meeting expectations, why not take some of that substantial business elsewhere? Forget moaning about it on websites, send a note to customer service, but then just take your money to someone else. If there is any sort of justification why you wouldn't do that - then QF have you exactly in their sweet spot, and therein lies the answer why they don't need to do anything different.