The Jetstar Business Class/Business Max price differential is just absurd

[Sifor]

January next year I'll be making a MEL-SIN return trip with Jetstar "Business" but without the SC or lounge package...$1,368 is still better than doing it in economy on QF for twice the money.

I agree though, this "pay for SC and lounge" is absolutely ridiculous and I'll be dammed if they want me to pay it.

 

[oz_mark]

I agree though, this "pay for SC and lounge" is absolutely ridiculous and I'll be dammed if they want me to pay it.

I wouldn't mind paying something towards it - just that the price differential is out of all proportion to the extra benefits provided.

 

[BVT]

I am heading off on Friday on a *class trip, purchased on sale, before the "enhamcements". It will be interesting to see if I get any SC's and how long it will take them to be credited, if they are.

Generally, I agree with the previous posters who think the surcharge to earn SC's is ridiculous! I might in the future buy * class sale fares but will not pay a premium to earn SC's. I wonder what JQ/marketing consultant genius came up with that idea, and how is it going for them?

 

[UP4014]

Generally, I agree with the previous posters who think the surcharge to earn SC's is ridiculous! I might in the future buy sale fares but will not pay a premium to earm SC's. I wonder what JQ/marketing consultant genius came up with that idea, and how is it going for them?

Yes, be interesting to see how the sales figures are going and what the various take up rates are.

 

[Timtammi]

I am now in a position where I need to book a number of return flights (for multiple people one of them is 4 tickets) and I would have previously booked Jet* *class. i need to book NRT, HKT and probably at least one other Asia trip. Now that they are forcing us to pay extra for SC's and points it makes the value proposition much less for their "business class" (I use that term loosely!). If I'm not going to get the points and SC's (and I refuse to pay their inflated prices to get the MAX bundle) then I may as well look at some of the other Asian carriers like Air Asia or Air Brunei or maybe even Thai. Or perhaps I will spend more for some real business class or at least a decent economy in QF or SIN.

Wake up Jet* - you aren't fooling any of us with this "business class enhancement"! All you are doing is encouraging us to consider your opposition!

cheers

Timmi

 

[tuapekastar]

Wake up Jet* - you aren't fooling any of us with this "business class enhancement"! All you are doing is encouraging us to consider your opposition!

cheers

Timmi

Spot on. I was planning on a *class SIN trip early next year (after having done the same early this year) but the ludicrous surcharge for SCs (why would I bother flying JQ if I didn't get them?) and lounge access (I already have it) has put me right off. I'm not deluded enough (quite ) to think I'm the only flyer out there and recognise it may appeal to some people, but I reckon in general the sort of flyers to whom the SCs would appeal would already have lounge access.

So definitely looking at alternatives, or perhaps not bothering to go at all.

 

[dajop]

I sense a lot of dislike towards the new product. Perhaps a smaller differential would be better (somewhere like MEL-SIN $100 would seem OK)

Here's a question ... which is the better of the following options:

MEL-SIN-MEL JQ Business Fare $1268
MEL-SIN-MEL JQ Business Max $1668 inc. 11,250 FF pts + any status bonus + 240 SC's
MEL-SIN-MEL QF Premium Economy "Sale" $2242 inc 9,375 FF pts + any status bonus + 120 SC's...
Or QF Economy "Sale" for $1030 inc 7,500 FF pts + any status bonus + 60 SC's ....

Seems to me Business Max is more than competitive with Qantas Y+, but I do realise you can't make this comparison on most JQ routes. Now if only the JQ Business Fare earned at Y+ rates .....

 

[richie9x]

I think the main issue is that the two of main benefits are appeal to different people and in a way the benefits are mutually exclusive.

If status credits are important to you then you probably already have gold or higher status with Qantas so already have access to a lounge through your status.

If lounge access is important to you then you probably don't fly much so extra status credits won't mean much.

Of course there will be some people who benefit from both, such as if you are starting off with nothing but trying to get to SG. But on the whole I think Business max is overpriced.

 

[MH_fan]

I think the new pricing structure for Business and Business Max is quite absurd too. I have only previously considered Star Class if I thought it was good value for money. Business class it is not and calling it that is almost a crime in my eyes! The product is barely tolerable and I will not be flying JQi anytime soon. I would prefer to pay more for a full-service business class on SEA airlines that set the benchmark for what business class should be like!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

if you were short of the SCs required to requalify for gold or plat then yes biz max might be worth it (and the miles would then be a 'bonus'). But otherwise if one already has lounge access then I can't see the benefit.

As for calling it business class it is 'kind of' comparable to QF short-haul domestic business class. This would work as long as you had some service differentiation... like BA with their Club Europe and Club World (JQ Starr class being the 'club europe' equivalent.

Qantas already brands their international business class as, well, 'International Business'. I think the Qantas Group needs to come up with a name for their short haul product that can be applied to domestic business and JQ star class offerings. Perhaps something like 'Regional Business'.

This would simplify the classes to First, Business, 'D'-lite and economy. ('D-Lite' applying to domestic business, Y+ and Jq's Y+/[cough] 'business')

 

[Robert K]

i think the j* business max fares are great for status runs. If i'm short 80 status credits and don't have the time to do $69 deals ex syd. you could get the same points for ~$350 cheaper on a J SYD-MEL-SYD run. $898 on JQ, $1255 on QF

J* Business isn't a 'real' business seat but it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
The normal business traveller isn't J*'s target market anyway.

more choice can't be worse for the consumer.

 

[clifford]

if you were short of the SCs required to requalify for gold or plat then yes biz max might be worth it (and the miles would then be a 'bonus'). )

Well, not really, as this would be an expensive way of doing it.

I really can't see who would go for this "Biz Max" fare other than the brain dead (or the very rich).

Oh, and I should say that I would never pay for Business on JQ as there are absolutely no benefits (to me) at all.

So surely JQ has shot itself in the foot with this one. Time will tell!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well, not really, as this would be an expensive way of doing it.

I really can't see who would go for this "Biz Max" fare other than the brain dead (or the very rich).

I don't understand your logic!

If i was short of 120SCs for gold or plat requalification, and was going to Singapore or Bangkok anyway, it would be worth it to spring the extra cash to get those SCs.

How else would it be cheaper for me to get those SCs?

 

[dajop]

Oh, and I should say that I would never pay for Business on JQ as there are absolutely no benefits (to me) at all.

I agree, it does nothing for me at all, mind you given that I am not bothered with Qantas status anymore I wouldn't have bothered with Starclass either, unless cheaper than Y. But what mystifies me is why people would pay double the JQ "Business" fare to travel on Qantas Premium Economy? Is it that much better than JQ "business"?

 

[clifford]

I don't understand your logic!

If i was short of 120SCs for gold or plat requalification, and was going to Singapore or Bangkok anyway, it would be worth it to spring the extra cash to get those SCs.

How else would it be cheaper for me to get those SCs?

OK, you spend $1000+ to get your 120 SC's.

I've just spent $100 + 16,000 points to get 100 SC's.

So what's the best deal?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

OK, you spend $1000+ to get your 120 SC's.

I've just spent $100 + 16,000 points to get 100 SC's.

So what's the best deal?

As i clearly stated - if I was going to Singapore or Bangkok anyway (as in, I wanted to be in one of those cities for work or leisure and I was flying in JQ star class) and I needed the 120SCs, then I would fork out the $200 extra to get them.

Using points aside (even accruing the points has a cost), I can't think of another way to earn 120SCs for AUD200?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

It will be interesting to see what fares MH has on offer when then join the OW Alliance. There may be plenty of good deals ex Oz to SE Asia via KUL.

Saves bothering with Business Max/Pepsi Max/Would you like fries with that.

 

[Vinny]

It will be interesting to see what fares MH has on offer when then join the OW Alliance. There may be plenty of good deals ex Oz to SE Asia via KUL.

I've been wondering myself about this very subject. I quite like the MH product in J international and a cheapy Y domestic MH flight. The service is excellent, planes newish, food good, IFE OK and with a bit of shopping around thousands can be cut off the QF price to Europe by flying MH. I've really enjoyed two return J trips on MH in the last year, one to KUL and one to CDG.

However with QF sponsoring MH's entry into OW I would like to know what MH will be required to do for QF in return. Bumped up prices for example?

 

[oz_mark]

However with QF sponsoring MH's entry into OW I would like to know what MH will be required to do for QF in return. Bumped up prices for example?

I would have thought that would be a bit risky - if the ACCC got any whiff of such things there would be trouble all around.

 

[Vinny]

The ACCC has been a toothless tiger looking to have its tummy rubbed for some time now. Oil companies are getting away with widely varying pricing each week. Don't forget that QF along with BA I think it was, were fined for conspiring to fix air cargo rates. The fine was $20 million. Who knows how much they made in the meantime?

I'm not sure of the equivalent to the ACCC in Malaysia, even if there is one.