Upcoming Qantas Frequent Flyer Changes

[JohnK]

how about just being a little more generous with ODU at the gate on off peak flights when the J cabin is empty. Itd cost them nothing but would go someway to restoring the goodwill that WP's have shown with their loyalty?

That would devalue the J product so yes it would cost qantas.

Going Off-topic but do deadheading crew devalue the business class product?

Yes I know it is written into their award but there were 21 business class seats occupied last night and the majority were deadheading cabin crew. Which flight would they have needed to work on at ~11:15pm at night in BNE?

I can see where the argument is going but platinums are just as important as, if not more than, crew so letting them burn QFF points could be a good idea. I would even go as far as throwing Platinums and higher regular op-ups even when business class cabins are empty.

 

[Mal]

But on what basis are you saying that the revamp will be a "huge shock" to the FF market? Based on Virgin Marketing? Virgin can go either way - a huge letdown or a game changer. Historically both have happened.

Why wouldn't Velocity changes be a shock? They are actively trying to take away Qantas customers, this is already apparent. It's a no brainer that they will introduce a better loyalty scheme.

We could go around for ages discussing this, but probably better we don't. Instead, I'll leave it with "It will be VERY interesting to see what Platinum One actually ends up being".

Keep in mind, Qantas did market it as "Exciting News about your membership" and the description being:

Platinum One - Exclusive extra benefits for our most
frequent flyers

Many of our members earn more than triple the Platinum
retain level of 1,200 Status credits a year, which equates
to many hours in the air. When airports and our aircraft
are your second home, we want to do even more to ensure
your journey is as smooth as possible. We'll soon
introduce extra benefits for members who earn over 3,600
Status credits within their membership year, including
a dedicated team to look after your travel needs every
step of the way.

Now when they introduce it with a 2000SC Qantas earn requirement, or say "Limited to 10000 people - you need to be in the top 10000 FF'ers" or something equally similar, remember the original spin.

 

[markis10]

Yes I know it is written into their award but there were 21 business class seats occupied last night and the majority were deadheading cabin crew. Which flight would they have needed to work on at ~11:15pm at night in BNE?.

QF97 leaves after 11 most nights ex BNE, although not Monday night.

 

[docjames]

QF97 leaves after 11 most nights ex BNE, although not Monday night.

They may be positioning at end of shift for the next am's flight(s).

 

[serfty]

They may be positioning at end of shirt for the next a[r]m's flight(s).

Perhaps they're keeping something up their sleeve?

 

[QF029]

DJ can introduce the world's best ever FF program - I'm still not going to fly them again until the number of cancellation / delay stories I hear about them is the same as the number I hear about QF.

The only change DJ could possibly make that would make me reconsider that position for even a nanosecond would be if DJ joins *A. And even then I would have significant doubts.

Good point. I was required to fly DJ for the first time in several years recently. My flight got cancelled "for operational reasons".

 

[nlagalle]

I haven't been following the whole thread. But I just want to say...

Nowonder Red Roo dosen't interact as much as VA does, every new post they have created, has somehow turned into a Qantas bashing thread.

It really annoys me, I think they have made an improvement to the program. Yet some Platinums are whinging that they don't get anything new.

I'm no mod, but maybe we can try to be respectful of the Qantas reps who gave up their time to speak to us on here? Maybe if we are a bit kinder, we will hear from them more often.

Liam Rasmussen,

I suggest you do read the entire thread then. I didn't see one post where anyone was attacking the Qantas Rep. In fact many people thanked Red Roo for being there. I've seen more attacking between AFF Members.

Most were voicing opinions to the changes that are "enhancements". it wasn't only on here, same thing happened on Facebook too.

I don't agree totally with you that they have improved the program, yes great the SG and PS get some status bonii but I don't agree with the change to the loyalty bonus. as that hurts NB PS and WP's only. A NB will never see a loyalty bonus. I just hope that the next round of enhancements will have something for WP's as the last round was all take. you can't deny that one either.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Liam Rasmussen,

I suggest you do read the entire thread then. I didn't see one post where anyone was attacking the Qantas Rep. In fact many people thanked Red Roo for being there. I've seen more attacking between AFF Members.

There's been plenty of complaining about how QF doesn't listen, QF doesn't care, blah blah.

If I was the marketing department of QF, then I would start to question whether it's worth engaging the community via this endeavour, since so little of the commentary here is commercially savvy, or even constructive. They can spend their time on better, more productive ways to make a more profitable airline.

QF is not a charity. If you want benefits - find a way to justify it to them. Or convince DJ to offer something corresponding (but again, don't expect to not lose something in another area: someone - i.e. the customer, always has to pay)

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Going Off-topic but do deadheading crew devalue the business class product?

Yes I know it is written into their award but there were 21 business class seats occupied last night and the majority were deadheading cabin crew. Which flight would they have needed to work on at ~11:15pm at night in BNE?

This is sometimes frustrating. Seeing 20+ QF staff in F/J/W on longhaul. Sometimes they have to slum it in W but there are people who have put in for upgrades to J or F, and these are turned down.

I would even go as far as throwing Platinums and higher regular op-ups even when business class cabins are empty.

Never going to happen. And if you want to be savvy about this, then you should know that the cheap ways of gaming the system (YUPPS, NAN runs, CX ex-TPE flights) is not going to get you "space available" upgrades on premium routes. If QF ever did this, then a $1000 outlay will get you $10000 seats. No way this is ever going to happen - it will be on every gamer site out there.

 

[medhead]

There's been plenty of complaining about how QF doesn't listen, QF doesn't care, blah blah.

If I was the marketing department of QF, then I would start to question whether it's worth engaging the community via this endeavour, since so little of the commentary here is commercially savvy, or even constructive. They can spend their time on better, more productive ways to make a more profitable airline.

QF is not a charity. If you want benefits - find a way to justify it to them. Or convince DJ to offer something corresponding (but again, don't expect to not lose something in another area: someone - i.e. the customer, always has to pay)

However, it has been platinum that has paid with the last 2 sets of changes. PS had there qualification drop and status bonus increased, SG increased status bonus. WP = removal of benefits. I sorry but it seems to be very commericially savvy to question why the most loyal customers, who spend the most, are getting screwed.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Looks like I'll be getting there early tomorrow morning for a guided tour... have the champers ready, Pats!

Hope this was "tongue in cheek"

 

[samiam]

If I was the marketing department of QF, then I would start to question whether it's worth engaging the community via this endeavour, since so little of the commentary here is commercially savvy, or even constructive.

For me, being the end-recipient of annual customer and staff satisfaction surveys, the hard data (where responses are ranked into Top 5, Bottom 5, Areas for Improvement, etc etc) is informative.

The individual comments section, however, is pure gold. It gives me a broad ranging perception of client (and staff) sentiment through an opportunity for an anonymous respondent to say what they really think. It's pretty easy to pick up a theme that you're either doing well or otherwise, and my opinion is the (majority of the) commentary on here might offer similar valuable insight- repetitive, albeit, I detect a theme.

QF's MMV.

 

[samiam]

Hope this was "tongue in cheek"

Yep- more of a scotch drinker at 6 am

 

[simongr]

I haven't been following the whole thread. But I just want to say...

Nowonder Red Roo dosen't interact as much as VA does, every new post they have created, has somehow turned into a Qantas bashing thread.

It really annoys me, I think they have made an improvement to the program. Yet some Platinums are whinging that they don't get anything new.

I'm no mod, but maybe we can try to be respectful of the Qantas reps who gave up their time to speak to us on here? Maybe if we are a bit kinder, we will hear from them more often.

Before you comment about what people have said in the thread perhaps you should actually follow the whole thread? Try reading the second post in the thread (by me). I was the first person who expressed any dissatisfaction with the change. You will note the lack of attacks on Red Roo, the welcome for WP1 and my other comments.

 

[Leumas]

There's been plenty of complaining about how QF doesn't listen, QF doesn't care, blah blah.

If I was the marketing department of QF, then I would start to question whether it's worth engaging the community via this endeavour, since so little of the commentary here is commercially savvy, or even constructive. They can spend their time on better, more productive ways to make a more profitable airline.

QF is not a charity. If you want benefits - find a way to justify it to them. Or convince DJ to offer something corresponding (but again, don't expect to not lose something in another area: someone - i.e. the customer, always has to pay)

I'd suggest if QF is serious about taking part in this (or any similar) forum, they treat it as a 2-way channel. In most parts, I see the 'exchange' goes like this:

QF: 'We are introducing some exciting changes...'
Us: Comments - positive or negative, then some questions
QF: 'We can't answer because it's commercially sensitive, but we're listening.'
Some of us to the people that don't like the changes: 'Stop your whinging'

Rinse and repeat.

This is not how an Internet forum works. It may work in the traditional marketing channels, but not in this 21st century market, where engagement is key.

Talking to QF through this channel (and some may argue, ALL channels) at the moment is like talking to a black hole - most of the time you're hearing echoes of your own voice. Sooner or later, you'll be sick of it and say nothing.

Ideally, I want them to operate like the SPG reps on FT. I appreciate QF may not want to do that and just use it as a market research tool. Fine, but at least do it properly.

Now, having said that, there have been occasions where changes were made due to our feedback (or our feedback was acknowledged to have made a difference), for those times, I've given them credit where it's due. However, these occasions are far and few between.

Personally, this round of changes (or at least those that have been announced) doesn't really affect me. I can't see myself going to P1 and since getting LTG, I'm still undecided whether to stick with QF. My concerns are how will a new official level NOT affect WPs, which QF have been saying since Day 1 - this is something I'm yet to see a satisfactory answer on. The non-increase and reset of various bonuses don't really worry me too much.

 

[kpc]

Talking to QF through this channel (and some may argue, ALL channels) at the moment is like talking to a black hole - most of the time you're hearing echoes of your own voice. Sooner or later, you'll be sick of it and say nothing.

This is exactly how I feel:!:

 

[JohnK]

Never going to happen. And if you want to be savvy about this, then you should know that the cheap ways of gaming the system (YUPPS, NAN runs, CX ex-TPE flights) is not going to get you "space available" upgrades on premium routes. If QF ever did this, then a $1000 outlay will get you $10000 seats. No way this is ever going to happen - it will be on every gamer site out there.

Interesting that you did not mention cheap any seat awards? Or maxxed out DONEs/AONEs that company pays when only travel between A and B was required? But I am getting way off topic again.

Anyway I would be very surprised if the seat actually cost QF $10,000 and if it did cost that much then I would firstly process any requests for points upgrades and then if any space is available let dead-heading crew sit in them in order of seniority.

By the way have I mentioned how I loathe the smugness on the faces of dead-heading crew sitting in premium cabins? "Oh look at me I am sitting in business class. I am so much better than you."

 

[simongr]

JohnK - I actually use DONE4s to enable me to maximise what I can do for minimum outlay - I then do as much as I can with it. Even some of my heftier DONEs have enabled me to cover more ground for the company and be away longer than I wanted at a fraction of the cost. I saved my boss US$12K on one flight by giving him innovative routings - and the airline still got paid $10K. A DONE4 isnt cheap!

 

[JohnK]

JohnK - I actually use DONE4s to enable me to maximise what I can do for minimum outlay - I then do as much as I can with it.

I was simply trying to make a point but obviously did not do it quite well.

I know a DONE4 is not cheap but if purchasing on AA or CX stock with only 0/1 QF sectors, maxxed out itinerary with F sectors in USA and long same day turnaround sectors in Europe and credited to QF is really no different to doing a YUP/KUP? What additional revenue has QF received from that DONE4 over a YUP/KUP?

By the way I am not being critical of you or anyone who gets status the best way they can. I simply do not understand why anyone would think that a QFF Platinum who gets status via other airlines is not important and should not be entitled to the benefits of that status. Funny how QFF sees fit to provide all benefits of Platinum status to anyone holding Platinum status.

Just as well as some people on AFF would have us believe that a person who has QFF gold status courtesy of a QF SYD-LHR return in F is more important than someone who does 60-80 domestic QF red e-deals a year and some international flights to maintain Platinum status!

 

[Jobu]

Never going to happen. And if you want to be savvy about this, then you should know that the cheap ways of gaming the system (YUPPS, NAN runs, CX ex-TPE flights) is not going to get you "space available" upgrades on premium routes. If QF ever did this, then a $1000 outlay will get you $10000 seats. No way this is ever going to happen - it will be on every gamer site out there.

Hotel loyalty programs offer this though. Automatic upgrade subject to availability...