TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

[straitman]

Qantas' offshore social media team is great at taking compliments or dealing with minor individual issues. They go very quiet when there's been a big company stuff up.

Too hard basket....

Yes and Red Roo received a copy of the first post by the OP.

I suspect the plan is to officially make the TBIT lounge another exception (that does not allow access before domestic flights), hence nothing from Red Roo.

I think there might have been a subtle change in engagement by QF on AFF.

We can probably expect to see a focus on positive stories... new routes, product innovation, and new code shares, as well as some assistance for individual cases such as the ticketing delay yesterday.

How is that a change?

But that's always been the modus operandi, hasn't it? Their absence in this thread, where there is criticism of the company, is not unexpected by me.

Is this pick on Red Roo Tuesday :?:

Red Roo has been very helpful to quite a few on this forum, including myself, when we have needed that help. As an Australian based individual there is only so much that she can do at any given time. It is only just over 5+ working days since the OPs original post and it's been a big week with the Fund Raiser to LRE. Those who came to AFF #9 in Cairns would have met her and seen how dedicated she is to her job and to helping people on the forum. I have no problem with people having an opinion that she should do things 'different' however in doing so let's stick to the facts and get rid of the cheap shots.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is this pick on Red Roo Tuesday :?:

Red Roo has been very helpful to quite a few on this forum, including myself, when we have needed that help. As an Australian based individual there is only so much that she can do at any given time. It is only just over 5+ working days since the OPs original post and it's been a big week with the Fund Raiser to LRE. Those who came to AFF #9 in Cairns would have met her and seen how dedicated she is to her job and to helping people on the forum. I have no problem with people having an opinion that she should do things 'different' however in doing so let's stick to the facts and get rid of the cheap shots.

I would appreciate if you could exclude me from your quotation! I have specifically referred to Qantas, not the individual. It is quite apparent for example that QF has decided, even after several weeks, not to engage in discussion around simpler and fairer #2.

 

[moa999]

Agree with straitman, this is more pick on RedRoo week!

While RedRoo does jump into threads where they can immediately help, and occasionally adds some humour to threads, this is not one of those.

This is a policy interpretation/change in a far away lounge where there are obviously some issues/changes (and I suspect much of it is around AAs position on when they pay QF).

After raising it with management, I would much prefer RedRoo come back with a considered and approved position, rather than engage in idle speculation.

 

[opusman]

Being unable to distinguish between the person behind Red Roo and their role as an official Qantas representative is a common problem for some AFF members. I've given up arguing about it.

 

[dfcatch]

Agree with straitman, this is more pick on RedRoo week!

While RedRoo does jump into threads where they can immediately help, and occasionally adds some humour to threads, this is not one of those.

This is a policy interpretation/change in a far away lounge where there are obviously some issues/changes (and I suspect much of it is around AAs position on when they pay QF).

After raising it with management, I would much prefer RedRoo come back with a considered and approved position, rather than engage in idle speculation.

I agree with Straitman - but not you.

This is a very serious issue for QF of a senior manager in a position of authority explicitly enforcing the wrong rules in a QF premium lounge that is directly affecting QF Premium pax who should be entitled to access.

I'm very surprised at Red Roo's absence as well.

And the reference to Red Roo is not as an individual as (whilst there is a "primary" Red Roo) the social media team is bigger than one individual.

And QF is bigger than 1 singular PR event last Saturday.

There's no speculation about it - the manager is in the wrong, the matter has not been resolved - and the lack of information from QF only adds to the speculation that they:

1/ Realise that they have c%^%ked up;
2/ Are in damage control
3/ Aren't getting paid properly by a recalcitrant US-Airways (sorry.... apparently they call themselves AA now)
4/ Will respond with a kneejerk reaction of a Lounge Exception of "TBIT International Departures Only".

 

[RooFlyer]

Agree with straitman, this is more pick on RedRoo week!

While RedRoo does jump into threads where they can immediately help, and occasionally adds some humour to threads, this is not one of those.

This is a policy interpretation/change in a far away lounge where there are obviously some issues/changes (and I suspect much of it is around AAs position on when they pay QF).

After raising it with management, I would much prefer RedRoo come back with a considered and approved position, rather than engage in idle speculation.

To my mind, it seems to be more of a misinterpretation of black-and-white rules by some QF staff (including those who should know better) rather than an change in policy. Not every pax is being bounced who fall into the category of the examples given (that's an assumption on my part but otherwise there would probably be a revolution at hand).

There is no obligation on the official company rep to participate in any thread, but I think it would have been useful for a Red Roo to have jumped in and said something to the effect 'OK, noted, its been brought to management's attention and we are working on it'.

 

[drron]

I doubt RedRoo has the clout to do anything about this particular problem other than bring it to the attention of senior staff particularly the email writer who really does need retraining or needs to find another job.
Though I agree with RooFlyer that a simple "it has been passed on to management early in the thread would have been wise.It would not have changed the problem though.In this situation I am glad I am not on RedRoos team.

 

[JohnPhelan]

I have no problem with people having an opinion that she should do things 'different' however in doing so let's stick to the facts and get rid of the cheap shots.

Especially this fallacious claim - that some people keep repeating - that QF's social media people are "offshore". Red Roo has made it very clear that the social media team is onshore, and some us know who the people involved are, and they are most certainly in Australia.

It rather reminds me of the "offshore maintenance" brigade who like to continually imply that all or most of QF's maintenance takes place overseas ...........

 

[N860CR]

Just to clarify, a significant number of the Qantas Social Media team staff are in Auckland.

I appreciate that some people here feel they've developed a "close relationship" with the character known as "RedRoo" on this forum, however they are more than a single person and ultimately are just another Qantas employee. It's no different to calling the call centres.

As I said before, Qantas are quick to jump onto social media for praise and small individual grievances, however when it comes to actually rectifying major failures (this incident, the Los Angeles Downgrade etc etc), they tend to disappear.

 

[samh004]

I appreciate that some people here feel they've developed a "close relationship" with the character known as "RedRoo" on this forum, however they are more than a single person and ultimately are just another Qantas employee. It's no different to calling the call centres.

That's not what I heard, but then we probably go to different social events

I think the important thing to take away here is that not all events are appropriate to comment on. I'm sure Red Roo hasn't missed this thread, and given their willingness to engage on many other threads I would expect the issue has been flagged. But there's no use providing updates when there are none

 

[kpc]

That's not what I heard, but then we probably go to different social events

I think the important thing to take away here is that not all events are appropriate to comment on. I'm sure Red Roo hasn't missed this thread, and given their willingness to engage on many other threads I would expect the issue has been flagged. But there's no use providing updates when there are none

I'm sure this issue has been flagged by Red Roo to senior management for review, and a statement will be provided by QF in due course. Whilst there are several people who can (and do) post as Red Roo, there is mainly one person who does, and a number of AFFers have met her, including me. I'm not one for defending QF, and have been quite critical of them myself in the past, but overall Red Roo's contribution on AFF has been a very +ve one, and we should be very appreciative that Qantas are happy to engage with us.

 

[hutch]

That's not what I heard, but then we probably go to different social events

I think the important thing to take away here is that not all events are appropriate to comment on. I'm sure Red Roo hasn't missed this thread, and given their willingness to engage on many other threads I would expect the issue has been flagged. But there's no use providing updates when there are none

I'm not sure I can totally agree with that statement. There appears to be a fair bit of commentary here and on other sites relating to this issue (much of it negative)... In my experience, I believe that QF being proactive and openly advising that they are looking into the issue, may actually reassure customers.

 

[russ]

... we should be very appreciative that Qantas are happy to engage with us.

That's like saying "we should be very appreciative that QF answers the phone"

Of course QF should be engaging with us. We are its customers.

 

[kpc]

That's like saying "we should be very appreciative that QF answers the phone"

Of course QF should be engaging with us. We are its customers.

Thanks so much Red Roo.

One private email and all is sorted.

No problems with booking, just in a queue waiting to be issued.

For future reference, this is not unusual given that it was a reissue, with different One World partners and a long way in advance.

Thanks again Qantas and Red Roo.

Just one example of QF reaching out to help an AFF member

 

[hutch]

That's like saying "we should be very appreciative that QF answers the phone"

Of course QF should be engaging with us. We are its customers.

Agreed.

I certainly give credit to QF for engaging with AFFer's... but it is a relationship where both parties benefit. Qantas has plenty to gain by being active on here.

 

[timster]

I have no problem with people having an opinion that she should do things 'different' however in doing so let's stick to the facts and get rid of the cheap shots.

With "The Castle" having been on the box again recently, the best response to this I can think of is "Get your hand off it Darryl".

 

[dfcatch]

I had neglected to mention - one of the things they have been trying to do is to funnel people off to the Business Lounge.

Their thinking is that they'll send people to the "Oneworld Lounge".

Which of course is ridiculous when you think about it.

A QF WP gets allowed into a TBIT lounge, but can't access the QF F lounge as a WP.

(Reading between the lines - AA is refusing to correctly pay for lounge access for its operating pax (even non-AA elites) but can't weasel out of not paying for the OW lounge).

Piss poor handling by QF and really is a display of incompetence.

So many ways the issue could have been handled (and even policy changes if necessary) without this dog's breakfast.

The lack of response from QF is deafening (despite some folks' misguided view of Red Roo as an individual rather than a corporate role), and despite the personal affinity that many of us have for the regular position holder.

I will report back on my discussions with LAX QF management, but thus far - I'm not sure they appreciate the magnitude of the c$&kup.

In fact - I am led to believe that their primary strategy has been to enforce the new (incorrect) policy hard, stand ground, and weather the storm.

As I said - incompetence.

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip>
In fact - I am led to believe that their primary strategy has been to enforce the new (incorrect) policy hard, stand ground, and weather the storm.

<snip>

That wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. The alternative would be that some-one moderately senior (and hence also the airline) admitting they coughed up and couldn't understand their own rules.

To paraphrase a phrase: "Better to stay silent and be thought incompetent than to say something and remove all doubt."

 

[dfcatch]

Interestingly I'm currently at the Airline Loyalty Conference in San Diego.

Qantas is noticeably absent, but this lounge saga is providing a great case study into "what not to do" when dealing with your premium customers. All the other airlines are shaking their heads at the level of incompetence displayed.

I also had a chance this morning to speak with a number of lounge staff about the issue, and to observe quite a number of passengers being turned away, some correctly, many incorrectly.

I'm more convinced than ever that this is not a minor issue, and that QF has a PR disaster on their hands.

Whether they realize that fact or not - is the 1400 status credit question.

 

[grussellt]

Perhaps Qantas has been denied access!