Too many status flyers? Where will the love go....

[Deleted member 29185]

VA lost $67m last year.

If things were fine with the current number of VA elites, there wouldn't be a status match in place.

VA needs these Qantas dollars to survive and while there may be less love to go around for now, it's better than VA closing their doors.

I haven't searched (I do have work to catch up on today, left over from last week where a particular announcement pretty much destroyed an entire day of productivity), but how much of the current few years of loss, is to do with the implementation of all the changes (including the addition of all the lounges from a few years ago)? Have DJ ever been profitable? If yes, then surely the losses currently experienced are a result of one off infrastructure upgrades as opposed to trading losses.

I'd be concerned if they are trading losses, as an airline flying with chocker block full planes and still turning over trading losses each year is destined to die!

 

[markis10]

Last year they had a 77M EBIT and 21m net, given the year we have had so far I am surprised they were not more under water (their office was in the BNE floods)!

 

[connieguy]

I agree totally. Up until 3 weeks ago I actually had over 1000 SC but have now dropped back to 897 as of this week. I will be flying in the coming month that will ensure I reach platinum however I really feel that the loyal VA flyer who have earned that statuses and supported Virgin over the years should have been given some thought when it came to the Platinum matching.

Have you PMed the VA reps on this forum with a Platinum request based on your past flying experience? From what I have read here, they do seem to have a receptive ear. It costs nothing to politely ask to be comped Platinum. If you do this, please report the result, either way.

 

[Jama]

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Good thinking. All Gold's PM VA for complimentry Platinum as a sign of good will. Ready all together 1, 2, 3 now.....

 

[Jama]

Does QF have any time access to their lounges ? Was thinking, if not this is a potential issue, since after all the status matches everyone is going to decend on the VA lounges that do. If both QF and VA have ATA then those with dual status should spread the load.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

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Good thinking. All Gold's PM VA for complimentry Platinum as a sign of good will. Ready all together 1, 2, 3 now.....

I know that was posted "tongue in cheek", but as a new gold, I'm more than happy. In short, in the spirit of the intention of Platinum, I haven't earned it.......but that said, I do genuinely believe there to be many golds who have paid their dues and deserve a Plat upgrade, as I've said before, those over the 800 SC maintain level, especially if they got there predominently on the more difficult yield system of earlier this year.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Does QF have any time access to their lounges ? Was thinking, if not this is a potential issue, since after all the status matches everyone is going to decend on the VA lounges that do. If both QF and VA have ATA then those with dual status should spread the load.

QF "enhanced" away the benefit of ATA to supposedly free up over crowded QPs.....then proceeded to go on a membership drive with cut price rates. QF really have taken their elite FFers as absolute idiots.

 

[munitalP]

Have you PMed the VA reps on this forum with a Platinum request based on your past flying experience? From what I have read here, they do seem to have a receptive ear. It costs nothing to politely ask to be comped Platinum. If you do this, please report the result, either way.

Why would you - wouldn't that work against you? Ummm, havent made it far enough for VP up till now, why would VA put that into their risk model? At least comping WPs to VP, they know the WPs have actually earned the WP status therefore, if VA can get that money - a good risk.

 

[Gremlin]

Why would you - wouldn't that work against you? Ummm, havent made it far enough for VP up till now, why would VA put that into their risk model? At least comping WPs to VP, they know the WPs have actually earned the WP status therefore, if VA can get that money - a good risk.

If I interpreted DSFlyer's comment correctly they HAVE been far enough for VP but the rolling status thing burned them due to timing. I would've thought that someone who has had over 1,000 SCs at some point in the past year AND is currently more than 800 SCs (ie, they've held enough to have qualified for Plat and currently have enough to requalify for Plat) might have been awarded Plat.

 

[JohnK]

I believe VA made the right decision to offer a status match as a way of buying loyalty. Unless there was something seriously wrong with QFF there is no way I would try to earn status on VA from scratch. This way VA may get a little more of my business over the next couple of years. Win, win for both.

So, now there will be potentially the same number of VA status PAX as there will be QF PAX - what the hell is going to be different? Seriously. The love VA have shown their (actual) status PAX I believe will be lost now due to the watering down of status and the ease to get it.

I have a couple of VA flights later this month. I am not really expecting drastic changes from the last time I flew VA in July. Have things really changed that much?

 

[MarkD]

It seems the changes have altered my flying it seems virgin have increased their fares to a level where qf are actually cheaper, i have found myself booking qf again for my latest bookings. Hope thats not the norm for va



Sent from my iphone and AFF app

 

[dfcatch]

Could work well for BFOD flyers

 

[Justchecking]

Yup. That is what FFer Golden Handcuffs do. They entice you in with the benefits and once there make it very hard for you to leave. Elite FFer programs are a entrapment system, plain and simple.

Yep, you now have to spend thousands a year to maintain your anytime access, purple lanes and good seat selections. As an infrequent flyer it makes no sense to all to join a FF program. I am financially better off price shopping and buying a J ticket on a good deal than trying to earn a J award for the four to six times I will fly. FF programs require planning and a significant shift in spending patterns to maintain. You either need someone else spending or a compelling reason to fly twice a week. I've looked at it time and time again and it's cheaper for me to have no status at all.

 

[777]

Yep, you now have to spend thousands a year to maintain your anytime access, purple lanes and good seat selections. As an infrequent flyer it makes no sense to all to join a FF program. I am financially better off price shopping and buying a J ticket on a good deal than trying to earn a J award for the four to six times I will fly. FF programs require planning and a significant shift in spending patterns to maintain. You either need someone else spending or a compelling reason to fly twice a week. I've looked at it time and time again and it's cheaper for me to have no status at all.

There's a difference between it being no value to join a program and no value to maximise your spending with any airline. Joining a program should cost you nothing providing you don't change you patterns of expenditure.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

These last few posts typify my position at the moment. with all the changes happening at DJ, I've found myself deviating from my business plan (with regard to BFOD) and this week-end, I intend sitting down and actually doing a genuine cost comparison between how much all these extra benefits are worth to me in real terms (both $ and comfort terms), as opposed to how much it's actually costing me over and above (or in fact how much it's saving me) what I can purchase from elsewhere (JQ/TT + food court for one example).

I hope it still lands in favour of DJ, but I don't have an accounts dept with a travel budget the size of Western Australia.......comparatively speaking, my travel budget would be smaller than than the rock to the left of the pier at Rottnest Island :shock:

 

[Justchecking]

Well in my case I'm an occasional flyer at best so getting and maintaining status will be an extra expense that would otherwise pay outright for a J international fare on my annual holiday. The choice is a simple one for me. It will be a different decision point for everyone. If I did say 20+ domestic trips a year then it wouldn't be too much extra to get and maintain status and may be worth it.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

If I did say 20+ domestic trips a year then it wouldn't be too much extra to get and maintain status and may be worth it.

That too is subjective. I usually do between 50 and 80 domestic legs a year, but they're all (almost) zone 1, so maintaining gold may even at times be tight. 20 or so flights a year would see me struggle to even maintain silver, but your point is very valid. Everyone has to decide just how much value status is to themselves.

 

[MarkD]

Bottom line is, it looks like va dont care about small business using their flights any more. Its all about that huge corporate .... Hmmm once loyal, now a thrifty shopper, bfod with all things equal wins my flight. And i will use va lounges when flying qf like all the other qf matched flyers are. Old saying, if you cant beat them, join them


Sent from my iphone and AFF app

 

[VA FF]

That too is subjective. I usually do between 50 and 80 domestic legs a year, but they're all (almost) zone 1, so maintaining gold may even at times be tight. 20 or so flights a year would see me struggle to even maintain silver, but your point is very valid. Everyone has to decide just how much value status is to themselves.

50 legs at a minimum of 10 status credits would get you gold and easily maintain it, 80 woudl re-qualify for platinum if you made it there... Do a few family trips outside that and it's all of a sudden not too hard for you..

 

[Deleted member 29185]

50 legs at a minimum of 10 status credits would get you gold and easily maintain it, 80 would re-qualify for platinum if you made it there... Do a few family trips outside that and it's all of a sudden not too hard for you.

Except not all are on DJ. CNS-HTI is but one example where QF is the only option (also the best option for a one day turn around on HTI). Also award flights don't achieve SCs but hey, I'm not disputing I'll maintain gold but if the prices edge up too much, then the cost basis changes and my business may decrease as a result and mean less sectors! Lot's of maybes.