Unoffical Wake for WP Anytime Access, Jan 29 2011

[medhead]

OK curiosity got the better of me so I called QF.

Apparently QF will turn a blind eye to the change fee and the rule about changes on the day of departure but if I want to leave tomorrow I have to let them know I am leaving early.

I need to make sure I can get out to the airport before making any changes....

That sounds good.
I'm finally back on a proper computer. here is a link: Qantas Major Disruptions - where we keep you informed of developments and the choices that are available to you

My mum's "friend" who is a cabbie in Brisbane says that he can get to the airport ok. If your up on the hill there (tower mill way) then I would say the best bet might be over the Storey Bridge, through Camp Hill to the Gateway and then over the gateway. I would guess there would be problems around breakfast creek, but you could check that, Bowen bridge road I think is cut near the RBH. But there might be a way out via Sandgate road and through hendra way if you can get to Sandgate Road.

Well looks like the Gateway is shut now. Maybe out via Red Hill, Ashgrove, Enoggera, Wooloowin, Clayfield to the Airport

 

[drewbles]

QF already have 1 very highly ranking flyertalk thread about qantas club&platinum members being booted out. Considering how this ranks on search engines I've got no doubt this has cost them many memberships.

QF would have to be the world's dumbest airline to do anything except allow the day to go as planned - within the rules. Especially as there are travel journalists on the flight.

Totally agree with you, although I wouldn't put it past them doing something untoward. It's QF, after all

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Totally agree with you, although I wouldn't put it past them doing something untoward. It's QF, after all

Qantas is great at a lot of things and does them very well, but they fail in PR and social currency. This is a chance for them to give it a shot and show 1000's of top tier frequent flyers how awesome they can be. And that - is worth more than any full page newspaper ad or tv spot.

 

[drewbles]

Qantas is great at a lot of things and does them very well, but they fail in PR and social currency. This is a chance for them to give it a shot and show 1000's of top tier frequent flyers how awesome they can be. And that - is worth more than any full page newspaper ad or tv spot.

Agree once again. I'm happy to be shocked and surprised if they do. I would welcome it

 

[awilcockson]

Agree once again. I'm happy to be shocked and surprised if they do. I would welcome it

I flew threw SYD about 30 hours ago, and I did a quick count of the dining tables in the F lounge ... I hope they're prepared for us, we're going to take up most of them.

 

[anat0l]

I flew threw SYD about 30 hours ago, and I did a quick count of the dining tables in the F lounge ... I hope they're prepared for us, we're going to take up most of them.

It's quite conceivable that they will make you decide who will sit at a table and have a proper meal vs. sitting in the other parts of the lounge and having a "bar" menu. (They may serve proper meals away from the restaurant, but that's a bit doubtful).

It's not entirely fair to other pax to deny them restaurant tables. Nor is it reasonably conceivable that the lounge would be prepared for a "stress" scenario like this.

 

[Lawlass]

It's quite conceivable that they will make you decide who will sit at a table and have a proper meal vs. sitting in the other parts of the lounge and having a "bar" menu. (They may serve proper meals away from the restaurant, but that's a bit doubtful).

It's not entirely fair to other pax to deny them restaurant tables. Nor is it reasonably conceivable that the lounge would be prepared for a "stress" scenario like this.

Why not?

They know it's going to happen. Why not just put on one or two extra staff, organise the tables and keep everyone happy?

I live in St Kilda. During St Kilda Fest, Pride, NYE and the Grand Prix they know more people (whether desirable types or not, whether potential repeat customers or not) will be rocking up. So they put on more staff to keep the important customers happy. How hard is that to understand?

The people coming are their most loyal customers. Why in business' name would they do anything other than try to welcome them and hope to get repeat business? Anything else would be profit suicide.

 

[Ewing]

They may serve proper meals away from the restaurant, but that's a bit doubtful

They do

They've provided the full restaurant menu and service to the couches for me before when the restaurant was full (I had the option of waiting for a table, or being served where I was sitting - I chose the latter as I only had about 40 minutes until boarding).

As far as I can tell, the seating areas are assigned table numbers just like in the restaurant and this didn't present any service difficulties at all.

 

[markis10]

Seems we have drifted off topic, we have gone from exercising a privilege for the last time on a weekend before its removed, to being worried about table service in the F lounge before taking a Jetstar flight.........:shock:

 

[Lawlass]

Seems we have drifted off topic, we have gone from exercising a privilege for the last time on a weekend before its removed, to being worried about table service in the F lounge before taking a Jetstar flight.........:shock:

You forgot the foray into potential serving vessels for beer.

 

[anat0l]

They know it's going to happen. Why not just put on one or two extra staff, organise the tables and keep everyone happy?

Do you really think so? I have my doubts, irrespective of what the forum may have expressed, and frankly going by the tone that has been expressed in a couple of threads I'm more than surprised that you have faith in the company to actually realise this, let alone anything else, so it would seem.

The people coming are their most loyal customers. Why in business' name would they do anything other than try to welcome them and hope to get repeat business? Anything else would be profit suicide.

From what I can tell from both this thread and the master thread on the loss of the benefit being "celebrated" in this Do:

• The majority who are participating are not QF's most loyal customers. They may have a card that says so, but their future intentions clearly are not.
• The company has already committed "profit suicide" according to most here. They do not have any respect for the further actions of the company and there is nothing that is going to garner them any repeat business. In other words, most people here are a "lost cause" for the company because many here have made up their minds. A single solid gesture with this Do, or indeed anything for here on in, is going to do nothing (or worse than nothing).

QF may be a backstabbing ears-shut grey faceless corporation that you all make out to be, but frankly the hypocrisy is so thick here you could cut it with a plastic knife.

 

[anat0l]

Seems we have drifted off topic, we have gone from exercising a privilege for the last time on a weekend before its removed, to being worried about table service in the F lounge before taking a Jetstar flight.........:shock:

I believe using the F Lounge was a "categorically endorsed" part of the Do (although it is not relevant to the purpose of the Do itself), hence the problem being discussed is relevant.

Well, that's my twisted explanation anyway.

 

[markis10]

I believe using the F Lounge was an "categorically endorsed" part of the Do (although it is not relevant to the purpose of the Do itself), hence the problem being discussed is relevant.

Well, that's my twisted explanation anyway.

Sounds good to me, looking forward to hearing all about what really happens when the JQ travellers arrive in MEL, if its not already on the site

 

[samh004]

You forgot the foray into potential serving vessels for beer.

And the issues if the Brisbane river was still high

The majority who are participating are not QF's most loyal customers. They may have a card that says so, but their future intentions clearly are not.

I think most are. Like take me for example, sure, I’m not actually a Platinum frequent flyer, but I do predominantly spend my money on QF, and am predominantly doing the same next year just to re-qualify. I’m loyal and I think many others are too, despite the talks of switching to Virgin Blue… yet everyone is also still waiting to see what happens there.

And if bossreggie makes it, I can’t imagine they think he’s not loyal, considering what they’ve bestowed upon him

Sounds good to me, looking forward to hearing all about what really happens when the JQ travellers arrive in MEL, if its not already on the site

You have little faith

I’ll be tweeting it and posting it as I go… and potentially before the doors close on the plane, and then just after we land in MEL

…not withstanding a network failure!

 

[JohnK]

This is getting better by the day. I wish I could be there but I am not budging on my stance on Jetstar....

 

[medhead]

Just wanted to report on the start of my early Anytime Access wake. I just got my first free kick from Qantas as the new computer and printer in the ADL QP successfully printed out my DJ boarding pass for my flight tomorrow that the start of my early wake.

I'm doing this early because of my daughter's 10th birthday is on the 29th. Of course, SWMBO said I could go on the 29th if I wanted, just after I booked the first of my flights tomorrow.

My plan is DJ BNE-SYD, JQ SYD-MEL and then MEL-ADL

I've been pretty vocal on Qantas' changes so I would like to comment on the below points in relation to my situation.

[*]The majority who are participating are not QF's most loyal customers. They may have a card that says so, but their future intentions clearly are not.

In my case, that is an incorrect characteristion. Qantas has given me a clear price signal on how much they value my loyalty. I think it is entirely reasonable that I will look after my own comfortable at a level that is appropriate given that situation

[*]The company has already committed "profit suicide" according to most here. They do not have any respect for the further actions of the company and there is nothing that is going to garner them any repeat business. In other words, most people here are a "lost cause" for the company because many here have made up their minds. A single solid gesture with this Do, or indeed anything for here on in, is going to do nothing (or worse than nothing).

Again I think this is an incorrect characteriation of my situation. I am looking forward to see what other changes Qantas might have planned. The problem is that I can only act on what Qantas has announced now. So yes I think they have committed profit suicide with the current announced changes. However, that does not mean that I am not going to respect further actions and future changes. It is a massive jump to claim that people have written off Qantas. I would also point out that I have consistently said that I am going to do what I need to do to have lounge access when I have to fly with DJ, either by flying or purchased lounge membership. That doesn't mean that I'm not also going to fly with Qantas. I do think it is extremely strange that Qantas, in trying to stop free kicks for DJ, have pushed me to spend money with the competition. :shock:

 

[serfty]

I have posted this before, but I will repeat:

Failing the provision of any other information, the First Class Lounge management will be aware of the number of WP's flying on the JQi flight and should be able to extrapolate possible guest numbers from that.

 

[anat0l]

I have posted this before, but I will repeat:

Failing the provision of any other information, the First Class Lounge management will be aware of the number of WP's flying on the JQi flight and should be able to extrapolate possible guest number from that.

One way to take them by surprise, then, would be not to put your QFF# on the booking (especially on the tix which earn nix).

 

[drewbles]

Updated: 20 confirmed at last count for JQ35 :shock::mrgreen:

  Ewing [WP]
  Alanslegal [WP]
  Bundy Bear [WP]
  kpc [WP]
  jdlover23 [WP]
  Mal [WP]
  FuzzyAUS +1 [WP]
  awilcockson [WP]
  samh004 [SG]
  trippin_the_rift [WP]
  Danger [WP]
  munitalp [WP] 
  yohy?! [PS]
  drewbles + 3 [WP/WP/PS/NB]
  Dfcatch [WP]
  Lawlass [SG]
  Bossreggie [CL]
  nlagalle [WP]
  straitman [WP]

OK is this still the right number of people? With the event only 12 days away probably be nice to firm it up based on number of WP/SG/PS/NB's we have.

On an intoxicating weekend, I managed to talk 3 others into it. One is a WP, the other two are PS and NB so my WP guest spot to the F Lounge is now taken (and my friend will be guested in by the other WP coming along). But after doing the status' above, we will have no shortage of guest spots (wow a lot of WP's coming along... and I agree we need to take a pic of all the WP cards together ).

I've added status above based on people's info on here. If wrong, someone let me know

I'm also changing my flight up on DJ to the earlier (0715 departure) on the 29th, providing the nice people at The Lounge will let me change it as Velocity Gold (Anyone had any luck changing flights? My 3 friends are all going up on the 0715 and i'm currently booked on the 0815).

 

[serfty]

...(Anyone had any luck changing flights? My 3 friends are all going up on the 0715 and i'm currently booked on the 0815).

The only time I tried it at the lounge I was moved with no fuss and even received a seat in the first three rows [on a "Happy Hour" fare].