The ex-QFF benefits list. What do you miss the most?

[harvyk]

I'm not trying to get out of paying Taxes but methinks that's a bit over the top....

Why should we have to pay the taxes? Wasn't the whole point of FF points that you'd get genuine free flights?
50% tax is nothing though, there are a few sale fares out there where somehow the "taxes" on a FF redemption are more than had you simply purchased the ticket outright. This is especially noticeable if you purchase JQ flights.

 

[infoworks]

The question is how much do you fly OW, and with what breakdown of carriers?
etc...

Thanks Penegal...that was pretty much as I saw it and much better said and clarified. Mostly OW is QF and CX. US is now once a year typically and airline depends on how my route is constructed. Last time via YVR with CX and then AA (mostly to ORD), but was able to turn it into an RTW also using Iberia, Royal Jordanian and QF. This time it's via SIN and return via SIN, so SIN/UA and that sets up my RA to mid 2015, and I get to fly SQ37/38. Depends on work and time available, what I can do/set up. Most flying is Oz/Asia/M.E. and both multi-Asia stops and limited time to "leverage" the travel. In the "good old days" with av 6 trips to US a year, UA100K and better chance to use SWU, etc.

These are mostly work-related, so typically J (or F deals and upgrades). Not in US enough to benefit from AA. I have Gold status with CX MPC and I approached them to count miles on the basis that I was already gold and "only" needed 60K to get Diamond, but they insisted (as their rules state), that it starts at zero, regardless. sigh...

 

[JohnMcC]

I have several comments about the FF program which I will write about later but the taxes are out control. I also had 1k status with United and had to send my wife to Europe earlier this year. I could use the United points or One World with either QF or JAL. United's taxes and charges from Australia to Europe were $200 in business class. JAL and Qantas wanted four times that amount. Then I recently booked some flights for my kids on Singapore using United points from Melbourne to Bangkok. So this is not even a direct flight and it is only $120 per person. Again, Qantas and JAL wanted so much I could have found discount Air Asia tickets for the same amount. United only charged me thus:

Fare Breakdown
Airfare: 0.00 USD
Australia Passenger Movement Charge: 52.10
Australia Safety and Security Charge: 4.00
Australia Passenger Service Charge: 31.80
Singapore Passenger Security Service Charge: 2.40
Singapore Passenger Service Charge: 7.20
Thailand Passenger Service Charge: 22.70
Per Person Total: 120.20 USD

What is the difference? American customers who would not stand for what Qantas and JAL push on their customers!

I recently hit my Platinum renewal of 1200 credits for next year, I do try to support Qantas and I am glad they are not of the quality of the American airlines or bankrolled by gulf state dictatorships. But...but...gee I wish Qantas could stop charging so much for their taxes, fuel surcharges etc. It is not as if Classic awards are easy to find any more, the cash slug just feels so crooked. Sorry for the long rant.

 

[JohnMcC]

Thank you very much for clarifying this, the original post caught me by surprise as well!

 

[Melbourne girl]

No.

One of the questions I asked at the QF lunch was with regards to the ever increasing "taxes and charges" on award redemptions, and in particular fuel fines. QF didn't really seem to care, the only answer they had was that "the fuel surcharge doesn't come close to covering the cost of fuel". Which is possibly true but disingenuous as there must be a component of the base fare that contributes to the cost of fuel. When it costs almost as much in "taxes and charges" on an award fare as it does to buy the ticket outright for cash ... well the value has pretty much gone from the program.

I am considering a flight Melb to LA and was shocked to find the charges over $800, hardly seems worth the effort as they are advertising the fare at $1299 right now. What's the explanation Qantas? Last year, Melb to coughet, 2 "free flights" cost over $800 even though it was Jetstar. Rang to say couldn't be right, explanation, the ticket has QF number - how come when Qantas doesn't fly to coughet??? Please explain Qantas. Think I'll drop out, just not worth the effort. Also discontinued Qantas Club membership due to very ordinary catering.

 

[darrend]

I understand this is a post around QFF but just as an illustration around how extreme QF is with taxes for redemption bookings I'll offer the following. I purchased 3 x J return MEL-LAX for next april. (With Virgin) For each the fare was 167,700 points and $62.78 as detailed below.

Fare AUD 0.00

Taxes/Fees/Carrier - AUD 3.98 WG (International Safety And Security Charge)
Imposed Charges AUD 31.50 WY (Passenger Service Charge)
AUD 6.10 YC (US Customs User Fee)
AUD 7.80 XY (US Federal Inspection Fee)
AUD 5.60 XA (US Aphis User Fee)
AUD 2.80 AY (US Security Fee)
AUD 5.00 XF (US Passenger Facility Charge)
AUD 0.00 UO (Taxes)

Fare Calculation MEL VA LAX0.00ZZDAUCH VA MEL0.00ZZDAUCH
Line NUC0.00ENDROE0.976805 XFLAX4.5

Endorsement / VLD VA ONLY/REFER ISS OFF
Restrictions 167700/210xx_xx_x

Form of Payment Velocity Frequent Flyer - 167700 points
Total Fare* AUD 62.78

 

[klavdy]

My brain hurts and I have the dumb.
With these new changes,can you still fly, say LAX to FLL on a status run flying A.A and get Status Credits on Qantas?
I'm also on a painfully slow Internet connection, it's not very easy to do a search from here in P.N.G.

Thanks,

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

Fare Breakdown
Airfare: 0.00 USD

What is the difference? American customers who would not stand for what Qantas and JAL push on their customers!

With American carriers (and a select few other carriers), the fuel charges are included within the "Airfare" component of the total fare. Most non-American airlines show the fuel as a separate charge - when they give you a reward ticket and the airfare component is covered by the points you use, they can still charge you for the other elements of the fare, which for carriers such as Qantas and JAL includes the fuel component.

Not sure why the difference but it is what it is, and is a reason you should have points in at least one US program (or one like Velocity)...

 

[Hvr]

My brain hurts and I have the dumb.
With these new changes,can you still fly, say LAX to FLL on a status run flying A.A and get Status Credits on Qantas?
I'm also on a painfully slow Internet connection, it's not very easy to do a search from here in P.N.G.

Thanks,

Yes you can. But the status credits earnt will not count towards the 500 SCs required for the 8,000 QFF point loyalty bonus.

 

[uvkelly]

With American carriers (and a select few other carriers), the fuel charges are included within the "Airfare" component of the total fare. Most non-American airlines show the fuel as a separate charge - when they give you a reward ticket and the airfare component is covered by the points you use, they can still charge you for the other elements of the fare, which for carriers such as Qantas and JAL includes the fuel component.

Not sure why the difference but it is what it is, and is a reason you should have points in at least one US program (or one like Velocity)...

I know this is OT but just to put this into perspective with the $800 fuel and taxes, all of my flights start in LAX fly through SYD then onto various locations. Over the past two years depending on season I have paid (direct to Qantas) $US739-US$1800 per round trip using no points or anything else, in fact my last flight which I head back to LAX on in September was $838, my wife who travels through the US school holidays fare was only $1228. Even when the $ was stronger it was always $100's cheaper to book from the US site. In fact the screen that shows the individual flight costs can be interesting reading. Last year a flight on the A380 WGA-LAX for 19/12/12 on the US site showed individual approximately $600 the same flight on the AU site (same flight number class etc.) was roughly $1000, the AU$ was worth more than the $US at the time. These are all Y flights do too many to go up a class. Seems like there is something weird when my flight outright costs roughly the same as the "taxes" when redeeming an award.

 

[pearler47]

Maybe I am not looking correctly, but I have trouble finding business seats from MEL to BKK or SGN. There are plenty which state that the flight from SYD to either is usually listed as you will fly economy to BKK or SGN. Not much use. I don't regard Jetstar as business.

 

[klavdy]

Thanks for that,HVR, pretty much thought so but nice to have it confirmed.
Cheers!

 

[grey nomad]

I wish that I could still buy senior lifetime membership of Qantas club I could not afford lifetime membership before and as soon as I was old enough they scrapped lifetime membership Ah well another perk gone Grey Nomad

 

[zachary.august]

Not so much a perk but I do miss the custom printed First and Business boarding cards (First with that wood trim on top and Business with that blue)

 

[Nizar]

Question: when was the last time that QF made a change to its frequent flyer program that was in favour of its customers ?

 

[oz_mark]

Question: when was the last time that QF made a change to its frequent flyer program that was in favour of its customers ?

Let's toss out a few ideas:

1 July, 2008: AnySeat awards added to program
23 March, 2010: AnySeat awards start to earn SC and Points
2011: Increased status bonus for silver and gold, increased cabin bonus for PE up

 

[madrooster]

January 2013 - AA status bonus for QF gold increased
August 2013 - AA O and Q classes will earn from 1st Aug (no earn previously)

These are minor changes but still positive changes nonetheless.

 

[Algie]

Taxes, I've only used points a few times for flights. A few internal and one MEL-JFK in 2009, $400 in taxes and received upgrades both ways! Looked at using points for the same flight this year, $900+ in taxes. I can buy a flight for about $1300. If I hear one more time its due to the AUD dropping I'll scream, the dollar was over th US for over a year and there was no drop in these surcharges.

 

[Nizar]

Let's toss out a few ideas:

1 July, 2008: AnySeat awards added to program
23 March, 2010: AnySeat awards start to earn SC and Points
2011: Increased status bonus for silver and gold, increased cabin bonus for PE up

True.
And has the minimum points guarantee recently been increased ?

Last couple of emails said that QFFs earn at least 1,341 points ? (Used to be 1,000 IIRC)

34.1% increase isn't too shabby.

 

[jessesd]

My gripe is that QFF does not appreciate the fact that points are issued to the QFF member, in return for cash from the member’s credit card company etc., who buy the points from Qantas for cash. This equates to a member effectively paying in advance for their seats, sometimes years in advance. You would expect to be treated well by Qantas, but instead, when the member tries to book a flight, using classic awards, he is penalised, with no status credits! I have also had the qff staff tell me that my "ticket was only booked on points!” it made me feel small and ashamed.... way to go Qantas. I have even heard that Qantas makes more money from points than it does from the rest of its business, so why not reward QFF members rather than squeezing them dry. I rack up over a million points per year, and use them all, yet still have virtually no status credits and I am still a bronze member (pauper). I am left wondering if another airline would appreciate my points more than Qantas, but as with most members, I feel loyalty to Qantas, but i am starting to question this.