To platinum or not to platinum

[medhead]

Hi All,
So what are some ideas for the best value direct flights on JASA to get maybe 160 SC without goin round the houses.. (maybe over 2 trips?)

All advice welcomed.

Cheers
Ozvirginuk

A couple of ideas. You could book some/all of your trips to Brisbane as JASAs. Also CBR to ADL return via SYD will get 200 SC as JASA. Add in a ASA or JASA syd to cbr return, with the BNE JASA trips and that should net 260 SC

 

[DrAndyC]

I did a CBR-SYD-HBA-MEL-SYD ASA award yesterday in J. 180sc base on my account today. Would rather pull my teeth out then do it again. Even plenty of wine and showering in SYD business lounge couldnt offset that dry icky feeling one gets in the low humidity from flying all day.....on second thoughts...i can probably blame the wine for that! Going up and down all day actually took the pleasure out of flying (in my opinion).

 

[supersizeme]

I have to agree DrAndy. I have just completed flight 3/4 of my second CBR-SYD-HBT-MEL-CBR status run two weekends in a row. Absolute hell and I question the value of it all. Should have listened to some of you in the first place! Overnighting in Hobart is reminiscent of my days as a war criminal lol.

Last weekend on the MEL-HBT leg the aircraft went U/S and so we switched to a 738 with four less business class seats. Ofcourse I got bumped because it was a JASA along with the three women who used a points upgrade, as there were 6 platinums in J as well. I was promised the status credits for J anyway and also a points refund.

I just got chased this up because it still hadn't posted: stupidly it was a Sunday so the points department isn't in today. The reservation agent read the notes out to me and I lost it completely!! They basically read something like: 'One leg downgraded to economy but because it was a through leg and the seat was so few points, he actually owes us 9000 points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Trying to calm myself before my phone call at 8am tomorrow morning. Disgusting; this airline will be in a world of hurt once VB rebrand themselves.

 

[medhead]

I have to agree DrAndy. I have just completed flight 3/4 of my second CBR-SYD-HBT-MEL-CBR status run two weekends in a row. Absolute hell and I question the value of it all. Should have listened to some of you in the first place! Overnighting in Hobart is reminiscent of my days as a war criminal lol.

Last weekend on the MEL-HBT leg the aircraft went U/S and so we switched to a 738 with four less business class seats. Ofcourse I got bumped because it was a JASA along with the three women who used a points upgrade, as there were 6 platinums in J as well. I was promised the status credits for J anyway and also a points refund.

I just got chased this up because it still hadn't posted: stupidly it was a Sunday so the points department isn't in today. The reservation agent read the notes out to me and I lost it completely!! They basically read something like: 'One leg downgraded to economy but because it was a through leg and the seat was so few points, he actually owes us 9000 points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Trying to calm myself before my phone call at 8am tomorrow morning. Disgusting; this airline will be in a world of hurt once VB rebrand themselves.

Surely this is a case where you get points for what was booked and "paid" for - i.e. original routing request. No need to get upset, just be happy to re-educate the CSR.

 

[supersizeme]

just be happy to re-educate the CSR.

It's not my job to A) have to chase this up in the first place because they couldn't be bothered calling me to explain the outcome and B) educate Qantas' staff.

Agree?

 

[djfuzz]

It's not my job to A) have to chase this up in the first place because they couldn't be bothered calling me to explain the outcome and B) educate Qantas' staff.

Agree?

While I agree, when you're chasing status it's just one of the things you have to accept and deal with. As medhead so rationally put it, just call the service centre in the morning and have an email prepared with your e-ticket and boarding passes attached to prove your original routing and that you actually did fly, albeit on a different route / class.

During the course of chasing WP, I had to follow up claims for incorrect/missing points on CX, QF (JASAs) and LA. It's not pleasant, takes way too long, and requires patience and persistence, but then again, so does flying up to four flights a day on numerous occasions, in J or not.

You also have to expect and accept some bad luck - in my case, not getting the double SC promotion which would have got me there a month and many fewer flights sooner.

Having finally got there I still haven't had the chance to use it yet, and as you'd expect, my intensely regular flying requirements are starting to wind down leaving little time to enjoy the benefits of WP without making my own opportunities. Don't get me wrong, it's a goal I wanted to get to, and don't regret making - but I'm not unaware that the benefits at the end of the day are contingent on still more regular flying and some international flights in the mix as well.

As you noted earlier, chasing status is great once you're there, but it's damn hard work along the way, and extremely draining in the thick of it - flying J or above is a relatively small comfort for all the extra flying. I'd much rather just take a few longhaul F flights, budget permitting.

 

[supersizeme]

Sorry you two have misunderstood the situation it seems; my route never changed. I was just downgraded for one leg which was no big deal at all. I negotiated with the ground manager in Melbourne to keep the business class status credits and also get the points refunded for the change. No big deal at all let me stress - these things happen.

What makes me angry is the lack of customer service here; they have since looked into my booking and made the decision that I don't get that refund that they promised when they couldn't deliver what I had paid for. Instead of just calling me up and explaining it they decided as 'great customer service agents' I was better off left hanging.

 

[djfuzz]

Sorry you two have misunderstood the situation it seems; my route never changed. I was just downgraded for one leg which was no big deal at all. I negotiated with the ground manager in Melbourne to keep the business class status credits and also get the points refunded for the change. No big deal at all let me stress - these things happen.

What makes me angry is the lack of customer service here; they have since looked into my booking and made the decision that I don't get that refund that they promised when they couldn't deliver what I had paid for. Instead of just calling me up and explaining it they decided as 'great customer service agents' I was better off left hanging.

Yeah, actually didn't misunderstand - it's the same thing. You were downgraded but 'paid' for a J class ticket. Therefore the e-Ticket proves the points/SCs you were entitled to, and the BP proves you actually flew. These are the essential items for evidencing any missing points claim, and you will naturally have to provide them to the FF service centre in due course.

As for what you negotiated with the ground manager - I hate to say it, but you may have made an error. I don't believe you'll have an easy time chasing up any such agreement unless you got it in writing, clearly specifying the name and position of the ground manager, or informed the FF service centre of the changed arrangements immediately prior to flying. Then there's the issue of whether or not the ground manager was authorised to offer you such a refund.

Even assuming all is hunky dory with the arrangements made by the ground manager, you still have to accept that it's going to be a sh*tfight to get everything credited properly - even at the best of times points go missing, that's why there's a service centre. Until you've spoken with them directly, it's perhaps a little counterproductive to get upset at someone who doesn't have the authority or knowledge to help you.

 

[medhead]

Yeah, actually didn't misunderstand - it's the same thing. You were downgraded but 'paid' for a J class ticket. Therefore the e-Ticket proves the points/SCs you were entitled to, and the BP proves you actually flew. These are the essential items for evidencing any missing points claim, and you will naturally have to provide them to the FF service centre in due course.

Agreed entirely. I also don't think I misunderstood the situation. The point is that a J fare was booked and paid, and that is what should earn the points. The conversation with the ground staff person is irrelevant, mainly because they didn't (or coudln't) follow through on their side of the bargain. Also because IMO refunding any points would then make you ineligible for J earning. Because the arrangement didn't go through we are back at the beginning - J fare purchased, flights taken, and J points to be credited.

It's not my job to A) have to chase this up in the first place because they couldn't be bothered calling me to explain the outcome and B) educate Qantas' staff.

Agree?

Yes, Agreed.
But
A) what's for them to call and explain? It is simple, you booked a flight and you took the flight, they need to credit the appropriate points for what was booked. It should be you calling up to say where are my points, when they don't appear. No need for any other verbal arrangements.
B) sometimes companies don't educate their staff or the staff don't understand properly. It may not be your job to educate them, but it sure as hell makes your life (and potentially my life) easier if you do point out their mistakes. (in a polite and respectful way of course)

 

[Ewing]

Surely this is a case where you get points for what was booked and "paid" for - i.e. original routing request. No need to get upset, just be happy to re-educate the CSR.

That's what one would think.

I've been bumped from J plenty of times when connecting through SYD or MEL to CBR - most of the time it's because my inbound A/C has been late and I've either had the choice of waiting for the next jet service or taking a Dash 8 imminently.

The imminent Dash 8 has always been credited as discount Y (even when the original fare has been full fare J), but a quick email to the frequent flyer service desk gets it fixed within 24 hours followed by an apology phone call.

It's only happened once on a JASA, but again I've had no problems getting it credited when filing a service desk ticket as original routing request.

 

[supersizeme]

What?? How have I become the bad guy here?? :mrgreen:

Djfuzz: I was credited the business class status credits and points. I never said I wasn't? What I didn't get was the refund of points for flying economy not business, which is what I paid for and what I was offered by:

• W**** the ground service manager in Melbourne confirmed and agreed to the status credits being J plus a refund for the downgrade in consultation with the FF centre
• **** in the Melbourne Business lounge agreed to and confirmed the same
• C**** ******* the cabin service manager on board also agreed to the points refund and offered an additional bottle of wine for the downgrade. He provided me his business card in the situation that this occured and they didn't come through with what was offered

All three followed up with the FF centre to make sure the refund went through. That was excellent. Where my complaint comes from is the FF centre. They have crunched the numbers and decided amongst themselves that I no longer deserve that refund that was promised. Instead of contacting me about this they just left the matter there.

It makes me angry that you guys are so casual and defensive when it comes to bad customer service. No wonder they get away with it.

 

[Dave Noble]

You were told that you would get any applicable refund, which based on the itinerary you undertook led to no refund . Doesn't seem that anyone lied , just that they had no understanding of the fares to know that economy+business would have costed more than what was undertaken. The person does seem to have stated that the refund would be in consultation with the FF service centre

The best thing to do if a company provides bad service is to use another company. If people find service bad yet continue using it, then there is no incentive for a company to change

 

[medhead]

What?? How have I become the bad guy here?? :mrgreen:

Djfuzz: I was credited the business class status credits and points. I never said I wasn't? What I didn't get was the refund of points for flying economy not business, which is what I paid for and what I was offered by:

• W**** the ground service manager in Melbourne confirmed and agreed to the status credits being J plus a refund for the downgrade in consultation with the FF centre
• **** in the Melbourne Business lounge agreed to and confirmed the same
• C**** ******* the cabin service manager on board also agreed to the points refund and offered an additional bottle of wine for the downgrade. He provided me his business card in the situation that this occured and they didn't come through with what was offered

All three followed up with the FF centre to make sure the refund went through. That was excellent. Where my complaint comes from is the FF centre. They have crunched the numbers and decided amongst themselves that I no longer deserve that refund that was promised. Instead of contacting me about this they just left the matter there.

It makes me angry that you guys are so casual and defensive when it comes to bad customer service. No wonder they get away with it.

We're not being defensive. Perhaps I didn't read the earlier posts closely enough, but this is the first point that I understand that you have been credited with the points relevant to J travel. Non points crediting is what I thought was wrong, and I was offering advice towards getting what I thought were missing points. Sorry that I misunderstood. But I most definitely wasn't beeing defensive, just cutting to the chase of what I thought (wrongly) was the problem.

Now having said all that I don't understand what is the problem. As I understand you've undertaken this trip for the purpose of getting status. So yes it is really, really, really bad luck if you haven'y got to travel in J. But you did get the J status. Hence, the trip has fulfilled it's purpose?

Good luck with getting the points refund you were promised. IF they gave you beetrot chips in Y then you should have the whole points amount refunded with some extra points for pain and suffering.

 

[AdamR]

IF they gave you beetrot chips in Y then you should have the whole points amount refunded with some extra points for pain and suffering.

I had those the other day. They should give double credits to anyone who is put through that!

 

[markis10]

I had those the other day. They should give double credits to anyone who is put through that!

Read the ingredients, they dont add up!

 

[Foreigner]

What?? How have I become the bad guy here?? :mrgreen:

Djfuzz: I was credited the business class status credits and points. I never said I wasn't? What I didn't get was the refund of points for flying economy not business, which is what I paid forthrough with what was offered...All three followed up with the FF centre to make sure the refund went through.

Reminds me of the proverb "You cant have your cake and eat it too".

And how did you gather the three QF agents followed up with the FF centre?

 

[Foreigner]

And btw, we seem to be drifting from the thread header "To platinum or not to platinum"...maybe time for new thread for recent posts here.