Tier Matching at DJ - Oct 2010 [Offer closed]

[medhead]

Tier Matching at DJ - Process

Completely agree - if by 'service' you mean a range of things like metal offering, FF program, lounge standards, meals onboard etc not just face to face 'customer service'.

Yet for mine DJ is not inferior in these areas. Their meal offerings are superior to beetroot chips or plum cakes and maybe even warm scrolls. There is a FF program and lounge that cover all my needs so not inferior. As for the metal I noticed you mentioned widebodies trans Tasman and then went on to discuss 73Hs in detail, and face to face service. Is a 73H a widebody aircraft?

 

[im.daniel]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

Sure we're not in an alliance with airlines such as Royal Jordanian, Malev and Finnair, but frankly bugger-all Aussies fly with these airlines. Our "few airlines" will cover the travel needs of the vast majority of Australians with same or better status benefits than delivered by joining a formal alliance.

But you could be in an alliance with SQ, LH, NH, TG, OZ, UA, etc who many people actually fly with.....

 

[pauly7]

Tier Matching at DJ - Process

Yet for mine DJ is not inferior in these areas. Their meal offerings are superior to beetroot chips or plum cakes and maybe even warm scrolls. There is a FF program and lounge that cover all my needs so not inferior.

Great! That's good for you, means you have a choice For my patterns of domestic flying, standards and requirements of an airline DJ just don't meet the bar (yet).

International/alliance wise - no where near it (yet).

As for the metal I noticed you mentioned widebodies trans Tasman and then went on to discuss 73Hs in detail, and face to face service. Is a 73H a widebody aircraft?

Apologies medhead, no the 73H is not considered a widebody - I jumped around a bit and didn't elaborate!

A poster said there were no QF widebodies on TT and that all the changes had 'not gone down well'

QF fly A332's (widebody) pretty much daily, I fly them often as I did on Tuesday and also got upgraded to Skybed

I then went on to discuss why the changes that apparently 'have not gone down well' - actually have gone down well, the more frequent next gen 73H schedules full to the brim with good pax feedback, more coming in Jan/Feb and new routes TBA to boot.

 

[pauly7]

Tier Matching at DJ - Process

But you could be in an alliance with SQ, LH, NH, TG, OZ, UA, etc who many people actually fly with.....

Plus 1 for SQ!! - if they can provide decent redemption rates and access to J savers on ALL SQ aircraft not just the ones SQ can't sell all the seats on

 

[markis10]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

A poster said there were no QF widebodies on TT and that all the changes had 'not gone down well'

QF fly A332's (widebody) pretty much daily, I fly them often as I did on Tuesday and also got upgraded to Skybed .

QF dont have a daily widebody service at all servicing TT, the only one operating is the positioing flight for the A332 to AKL ex Sydney prior to heading to LAX, BNE and Melbourne have nothing.

Compare that to Air NZ who are putting their new equipment on the route!

As for alliances, if DJ go down the same path as VS I think they pretty much have all the bases covered, interestingly VS Gold members get access to SIN Terminal 3 lounges whereas *Gold dont - global alliances are not the nirvana they promise.

 

[Ozvirginuk]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

The last thing we want is to get in the middle of a domestic!

will check it out.

Thanks Velocity Rewards. It's a status war in my house now, and I'm losing at the moment... lol

Ozvirginuk

 

[JohnK]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

As for alliances, if DJ go down the same path as VS I think they pretty much have all the bases covered, interestingly VS Gold members get access to SIN Terminal 3 lounges whereas *Gold dont - global alliances are not the nirvana they promise.

How about intra Europe? And intra-Asia the only choice appears to be MH.

 

[markis10]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

How about intra Europe? And intra-Asia the only choice appears to be MH.

VS have SQ/MH for south Asia, Air China and ANA for northern Asia, Jet for India, BMI/SAS for Europe, CO/US Air for LOTFAP and Gulf Air for the ME. Like I said, if they follow VS in terms of alliance direction, its a good spread.

 

[serfty]

... Compare that to Air NZ who are putting their new equipment on the route! ...

They have been running 772/744/763 across the tasman for some time; gernerally however, only in the mornings westerly and lunchtime easterly.

Other than that you have the 320's which are undergoing a reconfiguration including the removal of Business class with most seats at 30" pitch, down from 32"-35"!

 

[jakeseven7]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

QF dont have a daily widebody service at all servicing TT, the only one operating is the positioing flight for the A332 to AKL ex Sydney prior to heading to LAX
.

LMAO

Um semantics much.... Just admit you missed it mate

It doesn't matter that the daily QF widebody service to NZ then flies onto LAX! It is still a service that you can - and many do - book as a stand alone segment from Aus to NZ and as far as most customers go they would have absolutely no idea it then flies onto LAX if you bought it as a single segment(s).

pauly7 actually missed that QF also codeshare on a daily widebody A340 service via LAN as well, if we want to get REALLY pedantic.

I do hope NZ tie up with DJ though on the TT, as to your point about the new NZ widebody metal which I agree with being decent and they are FAR better than Pacific Blues cramped no frill 737s. But they operate limited services on TT and NZ A320's are pretty awful and I think they are pulling out J of them as well... grrrr

Jetconnects 73H's beat both DJ and NZ's 737/A320 metal HANDS DOWN.

 

[markis10]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

LMAO

Um semantics much.... Just admit you missed it mate

It doesn't matter that the daily QF widebody service to NZ then flies onto LAX!.

Who missed it, its not a daily service I think the pax on daily AirNZ widebody to SYD as well as BNE and MEL are LOL, as are those on EK.

Not sure what I am admitting to:

I also suspect the recent changes to trans tasman operations with the removal of widebodies from QF timetables has not been greeted well,

Note the lack of an "all" in there.

 

[medhead]

Tier Matching at DJ - Process

Great! That's good for you, means you have a choice For my patterns of domestic flying, standards and requirements of an airline DJ just don't meet the bar (yet).

I think this is what I was challenging. In what way do you think, say, velocity is inferior. Sure on some routes their aircraft are not the best. But also not inferior. Food offering how is that inferior? That's the thing DJ is at least equal to the base level of service that qantas offers and I would ask where they are consistently inferior?

 

[dk4]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

In what way do you think, say, velocity is inferior.

It's all about the polish around the edges, IMO.

Significantly, when it comes to "customer issues", DJ has traditionally viewed customers on today's ticket value basis, whereas QF has seen the impact a decision makes today on tomorrow's future relationship with a customer. Recent changes at both airlines seem to imply a movement in the opposite direction, at each group.

 

[JohnK]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

VS have SQ/MH for south Asia, Air China and ANA for northern Asia, Jet for India, BMI/SAS for Europe, CO/US Air for LOTFAP and Gulf Air for the ME. Like I said, if they follow VS in terms of alliance direction, its a good spread.

We are discussing DJ and following VS is another big "if" and I am not prepared to switch FF prograns on the chances of a big "if" happening anytime soon.

As I said earlier let's wait and see if and when DJ gets their act together in a few years time and what they have to offer before making rash moves away from QF.

Personally I have too much invested in QF and I am hoping there are no serious "enhancements" again in the near future. I have enough for 2 Oneworld awards and well on the way to accumulating a 3rd and want to use these once I have finished my stint in BNE. It is not a necessity but it would be nice to have status when booking and travelling on the Oneworld awards.

 

[markis10]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

We are discussing DJ and following VS is another big "if" and I am not prepared to switch FF prograns on the chances of a big "if" happening anytime soon.

I expect they are going to follow VS, which is why I am using them as the guide to what possibly may happen in the future as hinted at by Crazydave. The drive to make all the Virgin airlines more cohesive has been apparent in recent times and will help when it comes to making more partners sign up.

I have learnt not to invest all your eggs in one basket as I am sure many Global Rewards members did, the value of WP for me is arguable at the requal level and non existent beyond that level IMHO, may as well move the spend to where I do get the value.

 

[JohnK]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

I have learnt not to invest all your eggs in one basket as I am sure many Global Rewards members did, the value of WP for me is arguable at the requal level and non existent beyond that level IMHO, may as well move the spend to where I do get the vale.

I agree with you in a way which is why my Amex MR points have stayed with Amex.

For the time being I will also only do enough to requalify Platinum, put a few domestic fliights to DJ and international flights (apart from CX flights used for Platinum requalifying) will go to SQ and TG. These extra flights are nowhere enough for me to maintain status in 2 alliances or 2 separate FF programs.

What DJ does in the future is pure speculation at this stage. Either way DJ is a long way away from being able to compete with QF on both domestic and international routes. Perhaps I am wrong in my assessment and you are all right. I won't lose any sleep over my decision though.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

For the time being I will also only do enough to requalify Platinum, put a few domestic fliights to DJ and international flights (apart from CX flights used for Platinum requalifying) will go to SQ and TG. These extra flights are nowhere enough for me to maintain status in 2 alliances or 2 separate FF programs.

What about QF Gold and DJ Gold (with a DJ comp to help you on your way)? Would that be achievable?

 

[JohnK]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

What about QF Gold and DJ Gold (with a DJ comp to help you on your way)? Would that be achievable?

Not for me. The biggest issue would be spending ~$7,143/year to maintain DJ Gold. That is a lot of Go! Fares and Blue Savers.

Quite happy to have QF Platinum and DJ nothing for a fraction of the cost it would take to maintain QF Gold and DJ Gold.

 

[clifford]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

I do hope NZ tie up with DJ

Well they do both have cough fare-based FF schemes. A pox on both their houses.

 

[serfty]

re: Tier Matching at DJ

Actually, It's quite simple to get AinNZ status if you live in NZ when compared to getting QFF status ex Oz.