The pointless pathetic penny pinching that pushes away customers thread

[shearsense]

If you are complaining of not getting unadvertised benefits and decide to move, I think you will be on the losing end of the deal. You have flown to get WP, to get the benefits you need to fly. If you don't use the benefits and cut off your nose to spite your face, then go for it, go fly VA and build up your status to WP and go enjoy the fly ahead with no J lounge or OWE.

While the OP may not have done it, in my case QF are on the losing end of the deal because of their emerging "computer says no" approach to customer service. Got my LTG, shifted most international travel to other OW carriers, but still use status benefits. As is my right to vote with my feet. CX and MH - on average more flexible service. So there is an impact on QF in this case (particularly if others do the same). If only they offered LT Platinum and anytime lounge access, but in this context I can guess why they don't.....

 

[Pushka]

On the other hand, people booking cheaper later flights expecting to get moved to an earlier (more expensive) flight could be seen as representing a loss of revenue.

Why assume the earlier flight was more expensive? Could well be cheaper but I'm guessing the price was never checked. It's more like "you booked a cheap fare and you want to see if you can change it?" - shock horror! As opposed to VA who just check if there are seats.

 

[Noob]

I have. I've started moving more and more travel to VA. I've already dropped to Gold on QF and will be WP on VA soon).

(Written from 1A on a QF 737 where the crew are seething with unfriendliness and we haven't even taken off yet).

My natural solution in such service situations is to bombard them with friendliness, you can sometimes even see the wave of guilt rush over them

I hope your flight was enjoyable after all.

 

[medhead]

On the other hand, people booking cheaper later flights expecting to get moved to an earlier (more expensive) flight could be seen as representing a loss of revenue.

Good thing I'm not one of those people. As I've already written at least once, when I booked all flights were the same cost.

 

[Ewing]

I hope your flight was enjoyable after all.

Pretty uninspiring actually. Service was very artificial - almost clinical.

Crew even did a vanishing act at top of descent and empty wine glasses remained for the entire descent and landing.

 

[basso]

Good thing I'm not one of those people. As I've already written at least once, when I booked all flights were the same cost.

Unless it is a special medhead crackdown, then it's probably not about your specific case. Qantas are cracking down on things that are costing them money. The revenue people have possibly decided that this is one of the things that is costing them money (and they probably have some fantastic financial model to support their claims). So, in your specific case, maybe they wouldn't have lost money, but I suspect in the overall case, they feel it is costing money.

 

[amaroo]

As a weekly commuter for 4+ years and counting....BNE-SYD and MCY-SYD I've been knocked back when flying on a cheap ticket. The days I've flown on a more expensive ticket and wanted an early flight....I've always been accommodated.

I would be very pi$$ed off if I couldn't get a seat on an early flight because it's been filled up with el cheapo flyers changing flights at the last minute!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

As a weekly commuter for 4+ years and counting....BNE-SYD and MCY-SYD I've been knocked back when flying on a cheap ticket. The days I've flown on a more expensive ticket and wanted an early flight....I've always been accommodated.

I would be very pi$$ed off if I couldn't get a seat on an early flight because it's been filled up with el cheapo flyers changing flights at the last minute!

i also suspect the couple of platinums with a shadow might not be too happy with a flight changer taking 4E?

 

[medhead]

Unless it is a special medhead crackdown, then it's probably not about your specific case. Qantas are cracking down on things that are costing them money. The revenue people have possibly decided that this is one of the things that is costing them money (and they probably have some fantastic financial model to support their claims). So, in your specific case, maybe they wouldn't have lost money, but I suspect in the overall case, they feel it is costing money.

No doubt that is the case. My premise is that such cost cutting, and there are a number of recent examples of this type of cost cutting, encourages me to spend more money with the competition. (as a general view)

 

[medhead]

As a weekly commuter for 4+ years and counting....BNE-SYD and MCY-SYD I've been knocked back when flying on a cheap ticket. The days I've flown on a more expensive ticket and wanted an early flight....I've always been accommodated.

I would be very pi$$ed off if I couldn't get a seat on an early flight because it's been filled up with el cheapo flyers changing flights at the last minute!

Don't worry, 3 flights went out before my booked flight with plenty of seats available for sale.

 

[Jousams]

At VA it is my god given right to get on the earlier flight on my $59 ticket and bring more than one person into the lounge.


Upon saying so I will 99% of the time fly with VA and regularly tell my friends and colleagues of how great I find VA and what they do for me. When you work for an organisation with many many many frequent flyers, those minor 'rights' can (and do) go a long way.

 

[wandering_fred]

well everybody seems to be cost cutting these days.


typically, I don't fly enough domestic to worry about earlier flights. But I think AA has a better idea here.
you can ask for an earlier flight only if you have status. if you want it confirmed (assuming a seat is free) it costs $$
and stand by exists for every flight with free seats. Amazing how few of those stand by requests actually succeed.

Having people transported earlier is always risk reduction - whether weather or equipment.

Just keep your status flyers happy that the rules permit possible options.

AA's dropping soft landings was enough to make QF a lot more attractive as I have a lot of scheduled flying in2014 and little in 2015. Majority on OW partners of both AA and QF.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[woodborer]

well everybody seems to be cost cutting these days.

It has been going on for sometime with Qantas. But, given some of the threads around here, it would seem they have hit an inflection point and people are starting to make their feelings well and truly heard....Maybe they have just gone a bit far, or maybe a bit fast at it....

 

[Pushka]

It has been going on for sometime with Qantas. But, given some of the threads around here, it would seem they have hit an inflection point and people are starting to make their feelings well and truly heard....Maybe they have just gone a bit far, or maybe a bit fast at it....

Yes. That's it really. Crossed the line in multiple ways. It's gone viral.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

The penny-pinching is the apparent instruction to no longer, never ever move people on non-flexible fares. It is not about one rejection but the advice that this is a blanket direction from management.

How is this "penny pinching"? Surely this is about increasing revenue?

Either way, you know the rules. You asked for them to be bent to suit your personal circumstances, and you were told "no". QF think they have valid reasons for doing that - which matters more to them than your hurt feelings.

Sure, the staff were rude, and that was unnecessary, but I don't really see that as "penny pinching" either, unless hiring surly staff is cheaper :-|

 

[medhead]

How is this "penny pinching"? Surely this is about increasing revenue?

Either way, you know the rules. You asked for them to be bent to suit your personal circumstances, and you were told "no". QF think they have valid reasons for doing that - which matters more to them than your hurt feelings.

Sure, the staff were rude, and that was unnecessary, but I don't really see that as "penny pinching" either, unless hiring surly staff is cheaper :-|

Thank you for your opinion. What's this the third or fourth time you've shared? I've explained my position a number of times. There is no need for you to keep trying to change my opinion.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Thank you for your opinion. What's this the third or fourth time you've shared? I've explained my position a number of times. There is no need for you to keep trying to change my opinion.

Last I checked, we're all entitled to post here.

Just trying to point out that (in my opinion) QANTAS doesn't care - they've figured out that they're better off not doing this anymore. And thus, general bleating about the issue, will not get this policy changed.

That's a separate issue (again, in my opinion) to the lack of merit in complaints re not getting what you were never entitled to in the first place.

My apologies that I didn't have the forethought to combine all of this in the one post the first time around.

But hey, this now gives you a new topic to start a thread about - the excessive verbosity of AFF members who disagree with you!

 

[medhead]

Last I checked, we're all entitled to post here.

Just trying to point out that (in my opinion) QANTAS doesn't care - they've figured out that they're better off not doing this anymore. And thus, general bleating about the issue, will not get this policy changed.

That's a separate issue (again, in my opinion) to the lack of merit in complaints re not getting what you were never entitled to in the first place.

My apologies that I didn't have the forethought to combine all of this in the one post the first time around.

But hey, this now gives you a new topic to start a thread about - the excessive verbosity of AFF members who disagree with you!

Of course we can all post. Just saying that posting the same opinion multiple times suggests badgering to make me change my opinion. As I said I've answered your basic question a number of times in thread. I would suggest that's a starting point before you continue badgering me. Otherwise, I still find a response of "thems the rules" to be unimaginative.

 

[Moody]

My company has a BFOD policy. I bend it a little bit, but often will have to choose a later flight if I want to go on QF. This means I frequently arrive at the airport with hours to spare, and then have some options :-


1. If I'm not in a hurry I will make the best of the lounge time and try not to get too relaxed and miss my flight (it has happened!)
2. If I am in a hurry to get home I will ask if my airfare allows flexibility to move to an earlier flight (knowing damn well it doesn't)


About 10% of the time I will be forward loaded by "the system", and about 10% of the time the lounge staff will do me a favour. The far more common response is "I'm sorry sir - your airfare is inflexible.", and I thank them for looking and head for the bar.


I'm pretty happy with this system because if too many pax gamed the system then the only possible outcome would be an increase in airfares and I would be forced to say goodbye to QFF Gold and jump ship to Virgin.

 

[UP4014]

As I said, I was recalling from memory of what I've read here. Pretty sure the published cost of the catering contract is $20 per meal. More than happy for anyone to provide the actual numbers.

I think a snack is around $3.50 to $4, a meal is less than $10.