Upcoming Qantas Frequent Flyer Changes

[Red Roo]

Hmmmmm. Interesting. Thank you, Red Roo. Now, to learn what the magical threshold within the 3600 is.

Red Roo actually mentioned this in non SQL when I replied to your last post

 

[drewbles]

Whilst we were fairly quiet during the suggestions period, with over 30 responses in this thread so far, I think Red Roo deserves some credit

Full credit where it's due, you have been extremely accommodating and forthcoming with assistance after the latest round of announcements. It's good to see you are engaging people and offering feedback, something which we haven't seen before (Is it a different Red Roo or additional ones )

Keep it up. Also, keep up the feedback to the powers that be. We do appreciate you around here, we just get frustrated when previous benefits are taken away or devalued in some way (even with your reference to other in-region carriers, there are still other non-in-region carriers that are FAAr more generous of course).

 

[mannej]

So in summary, QF doesn't know:
1. what the benefits are
2. how many people it will apply to
3. whether or not it will require additional QF status credits

Good one, QF!

Virgin Australia, now's the time for a status match!

Could you not say the same for VA, and their rebranding?
1) They announce partnerships with other airlines, but not the full details (lounge etc).
2) The A330? 2-2-2 or 2-3-2? I have asked about the IFE with no response. Is it because it is the same coughpy loop based IFE that EK used? Lets forget about the Y product, its just the touched up EK A330 product.
3) Apparently Velocity is changing, but nothing has been released yet.

I remember a certain AFF member being shot down in flames because he was disappointed DJ didn't release all the information in one shot.

Maybe I missed your point?

 

[Danger]

In relation to Economy, we have particularly generous Economy earn, particularly when there has been a industry trend towards reducing or even not having earn in Discount Economy (some of our competitors have five levels of Economy earn). Referring to the list of QF, SQ, NZ, JQ, EK, DJ, CX, MH and TG, ask yourself, how many of these carriers still offer 1 point per mile flown in Discount Economy, particularly on low or sale fares?

This is a particularly valid point, I think (although it doesn't directly relate to the current round of changes) and one I'm especially grateful for (as are, I'm sure, those who are often subject to BFOD policies). When I'm looking at CX or AA fares, I'm constantly cross-referencing with the QF earning table to determine whether or not I'm making a bookin in a QFF fare bucket.

Whilst we were fairly quiet during the suggestions period, with over 30 responses in this thread so far, I think Red Roo deserves some credit

There have been many members on this thread alone that have thanked you/your team for the comments and interaction. It is appreciated.

Red Roo actually mentioned this in non SQL when I replied to your last post

There you go. I missed it (in post 419, although I think you were replying to an enquiry from another member). Thank you for pointing that out. I guess this means that a change to each FF member's summary page would be required, indicating not just total status credits earnt but those on QF/JQ.

 

[tuppaware]

I think you'll need to tighten up your WHERE clause with a

AND last_membership_year_QFSC >=

I can assure that we have run a lot of SQL for this review and exercised our spool pretty well!

lol at Geeky DBA jokes !

 

[nlagalle]

There has been a lot of comment in regards to Platinum, particularly in relation to points earn (given the changes at Silver and Gold levels). I think it is worth noting that a 100% points bonus is one of the most generous bonuses in the region. If you compare the Platinum Status bonus to the top ten international carriers in the Australian market, specifically QF, SQ, NZ, JQ, EK, DJ, CX, MH and TG (noting D7 doesn't have a FFP), we have the most generous Status bonus by far. Some of these carriers do not even have an elite earn bonus. Acknowledge that redemption pricing varies across programs and the value equation will vary from individual to individual.

Furthermore, the improvements to cabin bonuses also improve points earn, and hence earn/burn ratios for redemptions. We felt this was a way we could better recognise the contribution from premium cabins, in addition to the status earn recognition accorded. Whilst the increases to Cabin bonuses are applicable to all tiers, in general, they impact the Platinum tier far more significantly, due to the cabins typically flown by Platinums.

In relation to Economy, we have particularly generous Economy earn, particularly when there has been a industry trend towards reducing or even not having earn in Discount Economy (some of our competitors have five levels of Economy earn). Referring to the list of QF, SQ, NZ, JQ, EK, DJ, CX, MH and TG, ask yourself, how many of these carriers still offer 1 point per mile flown in Discount Economy, particularly on low or sale fares?

Red Roo,

Granted that what you said above is true, what you need to understand is that you have effectively diluted the worth of Platinum by making silver and gold better earn rates. That is what people are upset about.

I'm one (of many I know persnally) who are Platinum by flying 95% of the time in Economy (business if I fly myself or upgrade on points). So that is a lot of hard slogging. I'll get Platinum again this year - however I may decide to direct my flying to Virgin instead as there is no tangible benefits. Lifting PG to 2400 has put it out of my reach. Personally I would rather stick to one carrier as I have done to date, but give me something tangible to do so (63 of my 66 flights were on QF metal, the other 3 were CX and 9W).

I am sure you can see that the last 2 rounds of "enchancements" have only taken away from Platinums (PG bar raising and Anytime access removal) but given nothing tangible back.

The other back move for your lower tier members is resetting the "loyalty bonus". Bascially it means only Gold and above will ever get it - or a silver that gets halfway to gold. In the case of someone like my daughter who flies with me on occasion she will never see a "bonus" as you will reset it every year. if you want to cap the number of bonuses per year fine, but let it roll over per year as it does now. Then you look after those smaller fliers that may not fly all the time, but they still get a bit of a kickback every few years.

I do thank you for spending time on here and engaging us. We may seem hard to please, however there are things that do make us happy.

A suggestion from me, if you have ideas for the program, run a survey here to gauge responses. At the end of the day you will gain valuable feedback before announcing "exciting news" and ending up getting negative responses here and on places like Facebook (which I feel was a PR disaster for QF)

Of course I am more than happy to volunteer for the Advisory panel..

Cheers,

Nick

 

[Red Roo]

Full credit where it's due, you have been extremely accommodating and forthcoming with assistance after the latest round of announcements. It's good to see you are engaging people and offering feedback, something which we haven't seen before (Is it a different Red Roo or additional ones )

Red Roo hasn't had any joeys

Keep it up. Also, keep up the feedback to the powers that be. We do appreciate you around here, we just get frustrated when previous benefits are taken away or devalued in some way (even with your reference to other in-region carriers, there are still other non-in-region carriers that are FAAr more generous of course).

There is some irony in that comment from a Platinum, given that OWS and OWE have the same elite mileage bonus in AAnother program that I suspect is being hinted at here

 

[connieguy]

There has been a lot of comment in regards to Platinum, particularly in relation to points earn (given the changes at Silver and Gold levels). I think it is worth noting that a 100% points bonus is one of the most generous bonuses in the region.

What has this to do with explaining why Silver has been given a 100% status bonus mileage earn increase, Gold has been given a 50% status bonus mileage earn increase and Platinum has been given, well nothing? Oops sorry Loyalty reward bonus capped at 20,000. So WPs who earn over 2,000 SCs per year, in fact went backward. I mean fair go mate but giving us WPs a 25% status bonus mileage earn increase and the old uncapped Loyalty reward system would have broken the bank how?

Or is it the QF desire for WPs to start earning AA miles, which I see you conveniently left out of your status bonus miles earning comparisons?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Thanks to Red Roo for sticking around. You seem to be coping it here, FT and on FB.

I would say that 99% of my flights are in Y and even my recent SYD-BNE and BNE-ROK, a Bronze earned the same as me in the Y cabin. Sure, you've increased earn rates (to Golds and Silvers), but on short hops, there is no differentiation. QF still has one of the industry's worst burn rates. SYD-LHR, upgrade from Discount Y > J is 96k:shock:

Can l ask, why the change of the loyalty bonus?

You did touch on op-ups, but l've only had 1 in 11 years (and that was about a month ago). I'm not holding my breath for another one, and l'll be honest here, if DJ come out with upgrade vouches as part of VA Gold when they relaunch Velocity, l'll probably make the switch not long after.

 

[Keith009]

I would also like to add my thanks to Red Roo's participation on AFF. Whilst a lot of members are frustrated at the current state of affairs, the anger is directed at Qantas rather than yourself personally. I for one am very appreciative of your engagement with the AFF community, and have found your posts to be extremely insightful even if I may not always agree with the official company line.

 

[futaris]

Keep it up. Also, keep up the feedback to the powers that be. We do appreciate you around here, we just get frustrated when previous benefits are taken away or devalued in some way (even with your reference to other in-region carriers, there are still other non-in-region carriers that are FAAr more generous of course).

There is some irony in that comment from a Platinum, given that OWS and OWE have the same elite mileage bonus in AAnother program that I suspect is being hinted at here

AAnother program?

 

[djfuzz]

Certainly would like to echo my previous thanks to the Red Roos (is there more than one, or does Red Roo refer to themselves in the third person? ), and underline the fact that these are generally some great changes for some members - absolutely no doubt whatsoever about that - but which cause some minor frustration to some Platinum members who do not necessarily share in the significant benefits granted to Silver, Gold and soon-to-be-Platinum One (coming on top of the loss of some benefits that some Platinum members valued).

That frustration is no reflection at all on the great response you have been giving us here - though it is unfortunate when some of the stuff that we're informed of here does not quite make the cut to the official program (eg arrivals access to international lounges). But that aside for now.

There is some irony in that comment from a Platinum, given that OWS and OWE have the same elite mileage bonus in AAnother program that I suspect is being hinted at here

That's a fair point - however, there's plenty to distinguish AA's PLT and EXP levels, such as complimentary confirmed domestic upgrades on certain fares, a longer clearance window for other upgrades, 8 system-wide upgrades, waived award fees, and free drinks in the Y cabin.

I know some of those wouldn't be commercially viable for QF, but they're a significant distinction between the two types of OWE we're talking about, and also considerably more attractive than OWS in the same program. I guess the issue is, with the mileage bonus for OWS approaching that of the other progrAAm, what else other than preferential lounge access distinguishes these two (now mid-tier) levels of the QFF program?

Realistically, the risk for someone like me is that once I get over the delights of the FLounge (shocking I know, but not far off I fear) I don't know that there's necessarily enough incentive to continue spending and crediting to QFF above Gold at this stage (seeing as Platinum One is way out of reach). So I'm very interested to hear more about whatever this new plan for upgrades is, and I'm sure everyone here is more than grateful (and a little the wiser) for having you here to continue to bat around these things.

 

[drewbles]

There is some irony in that comment from a Platinum, given that OWS and OWE have the same elite mileage bonus in AAnother program that I suspect is being hinted at here

Ahh yes but AAnother ProgrAAm has far superior earn/burn rates. The only thing that stops me moving to it permanently is the lack-of-CC earn in AU (the vast majority of my earn is from flying, but the CC supplement is always nice).

Also, the SWU's and other benefits are also superior. Admittedly, domestic F there sucks generally

*edit* djfuzz said all that

 

[scsto]

I've just started my third year as platinum ... the big deal would be an improvement to obtaining status credits. As it stands, should I achieve platinum again this year, the first thing I'm going to do is try Virgin business. I will make an assessment to stick with QF thereafter.

They've really done very little to encourage regular platinum's ... that seems odd!

 

[Scrimo]

Hi All,

Quick question.. throughout this thread people mention of the status within the status or in other words a way to grade WP's from each other. For example getting op ups or the air magazine.

So does that mean you have a higher WP status if you get these things? I don't get many op ups but have a had quite a few over the last few years, both international and domestic (2 last month) and do get the air magazine.

 

[ricee007]

So, for those of us that only fly Qantas enough to get less than 500 Status Credits a year....... we *will* be worse off.

*YAY* for Qantas? Most FF will be worse off.

 

[RobJ]

Wow. Some positive changes that ticks a few boxes for me (business bonus, status bonus, loyalty bonus looks better for me).

Platinum One might be a bit out of reach though :shock:

I've never used Air Bogan (Jetstar) but it seems miserable even by Qantas standards not to offer FF points or SCs for business fares without paying extra.

 

[oz_mark]

I've never used Air Bogan (Jetstar) but it seems miserable even by Qantas standards not to offer FF points or SCs for business fares without paying extra.

Well, that was a separate change with it's own thread.

(and one that impacts negatively on me....)

 

[tomtom]

The whole point of having a frequent flyer program is so that you can use your points to obtain free flights.
Wake up Qantas! You really need to make more seats available as most frequent flyer seats are booked out up to one year ahead! You do not have any credibility as an airline carrier if you do not provide sufficient seats under the frequent flyer program. There is really no point to becoming a FF member with Qantas if you have to book a seat a year in advance. This is going to become worse under the alliance with Optus!

 

[tuppaware]

The whole point of having a frequent flyer program is so that you can use your points to obtain free flights.
Wake up Qantas! You really need to make more seats available as most frequent flyer seats are booked out up to one year ahead! You do not have any credibility as an airline carrier if you do not provide sufficient seats under the frequent flyer program. There is really no point to becoming a FF member with Qantas if you have to book a seat a year in advance. This is going to become worse under the alliance with Optus!

I booked a good value JASA (any-seat-award - for this weekend) last weekend at a good price per point value so I dont think your totally right there! Classic awards are hard to get - which is far enough.

But if I had my choice between a Classic award and a similar priced ASA I know what I would take.