Upcoming Qantas Frequent Flyer Changes

[connieguy]

I read right through the huge thread about switching to AA, and it all just seemed a bit hard. I'm about to requalify WP which will take me through to 30 Nov 2012, it might just be time to sit back consider throwing the next 18 months of earn at AA instead and see what other "enhancements" are coming the way of WP.

I just had 3,200 SCs wiped at the end of April. Easy to get WP again AND AA EXP or just WP1. Decisions, decisions. Which way to go?

Does QF help by letting us know the specifics of the WP1 benefits? QF (Red Roo) says they will not reveal the WP1 benefits until later in the year. WTF? Thanks guys. That is such a big help.

I do know as a AA EXP I'll get unlimited domestic (US) F upgrades and 8 system wide J upgrades that do not cost ANY miles.

With QF WP1 I get a dedicated team (all that is so far revealed of WP1 benefits) to help me with my travel arrangements, which I do myself. Sorry but for me that is not a game changer.

So it will be either WP1 or WP and AA EXP for me. Should get my 1,200 SCs for this years WP in about 3 - 4 months. Sure hope QF shows me why I should work to gain WP1 and not to gain AA EXP?

 

[ozmille]

Definite downgrade :!: with the Loyalty Bonus calculations. More points are an offer at a slight increase in SC required but if you don't reach the 500 SC mark ... then its wiped clear and you start again. Soon we will be reading threads asking "How do I earn a quick 5 SC to hit my loyalty bonus (before I lose it)" !

Yes this is definitely a QF "enhancement" or "adjustment" as it is now called.

 

[el_rooto]

It could potentially increase the value of standard platinum by meaning fewer people go for it and thus making the lounges quieter and the service more attentive.

Also, I hope WP's arn't loosing the platinum call centres. It would be nice if WP's got a status bonus increase to 125% or something or a status bonus of 50% or something on CX. WP's could potentially get preferred access to award seats over SG or PS as an enhancement.

The JQ changes are mostly positive.

However, I'm mostly happy with the changes as they stand right now. Thankyou to RedRoo and QF for taking on some of our advice. (We arn't all haters and we're very grateful that you can contribute, no matter how much it is constrained by corporate communications.)

 

[pshepvic]

I think you have misread the changes - for a WP, they are not that good; in fact they are basically neutral.

What they have further reduce the separation in benefits between SG and WP; since I am Lifetime SG, it may encourage me to finally go AA.

I still see benefits - points and SC's on Jetstar economy are a benefit for the 2-3 times a year I need to fly them domestically, the cabin bonus increase are good as I fly PE and J fairly regularly, and the loyalty bonus increase is good. Whilst everyone gets these benefits, they are still of benefit to me as WP and therefore that cannot be completely neutral.

However, I do agree that I'd like to see something else introduced to better differentiate for WP from SG, particularly for those of us who aren't up at the WPO level (Platinum One).

On the Starclass topic though, I'm disappointed they've removed SCs and points from the sale/promo *C. This is a definite reduction in benefits for me having flown *C several times, with a quick search as an example, it is $500 more for MEL-KIX on Business Max - and debatable whether the points and SCs are worth that much. Would be nice if they offered points and SCs at Full Economy level or something like that at least. It makes using JQ for SC runs less attractive - for Japan I'd go Amex companion fares on JAL instead - price is barely more than JQ Bus Max, and for a much better product.

Once I hit LTG (a little way off - I'll be LTS next year, and then if I maintain WP will be LTG in <6 years after that) I'll definitely look at the AA option.

 

[kooky]

So the only people earning Loyalty Bonuses in future will be Silver FF and higher because to reach 500 status credits you'd have to pass the 300 Silver level. Well that's the end of Loyalty Bonuses then for the majority of plebs then. In a sense it's no longer really a "loyalty" bonus at all, to me loyalty implies being a long-term customer that keeps going back, regardless of how often you go back in a defined amount of time.

Anyway I'm sure with all these bonuses it's only a matter of time before the redemption points tables will be updated to "bring them in line" with something or to "reflect" something else.

 

[awilcockson]

Hmm - I'm still curious about which route this is.

Does it matter? Do you think I'm making it up? BNE-LHR-OSL return 17th Aug outbound, 24th August return (dates picked at random just to get some prices).

 

[medhead]

I will do enough to requal platinum each year, but that's it (unless the platinum 1 changes are too good to ignore). I have been averaging about 3,000 SCs per year for the past 5 or 6 years now, but the icing on the cake was the capping of the loyalty bonus - thwe only ones punished there are their most valuable members - simply does not make sense, and will alienate all the WPs between 1,200 and 3,600. That's a lot of valuable passengers.

not exactly. Loyalty bonus are earned upto 2000SC, then at 2400SC you can get more points if you wish and then there is nothing to say that WPOs won't get a different loyalty bonus system. 50000 points at 2400SC is better that what would be earned on 1600SC (3600-2000). It is highly likely that this is better for WPOs (or perhaps WP+++)

 

[Robert K]

There was a RFP (Request for Proposal) that was sent out about this. Let's hope they work on the security aspect of the lounge wireless, I can show you in a matter of minutes how simple it is to hijack someone's Facebook account on an open wireless system.

All you have to to do is log into facebook via https:/facebook.com (notices the 's' after http)


This move by QFF kinda makes sense. It seems that making WP is pretty easy and does not convey exclusivity anymore. So to keep First lounges to people flying First or VIP, they can keep the premiumness.

Anyone can get into business lounges these day, i guess thats why QFF decided to make it easier to make SG. (I'd guess it's a lot cheaper to run the business lounges since the food there always seems kinda cough)

I predict platinum will be scrapped eventually, and the majority of frequent flyers will be on SG with very few in WP1.

 

[kpc]

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[connieguy]

Once I hit LTG (a little way off - I'll be LTS next year, and then if I maintain WP will be LTG in <6 years after that) I'll definitely look at the AA option.

I have thought about that as well. I asked myself what would LTG give me? I mean if you do not fly, then it is not worth a cracker. I don't see my flying dropping off over the next 10 years, so LTG has little value for me. However AA EXP has very definite value as all US domestic flights are done in F, while paying the lowest cost discount Y fares and you get 8 x J system wide upgrades per year without costing you ANY points. QF has nothing to compare with this. AA EXP benefits are the same as WP plus the extra AA EXP benefits.

Sorry but unless WP1 gets close to matching the AA EXP benefits, I will be moving to AA EXP. Nothing to do with country loyalty. Just business and being involved with a airline which appreciates its FFs who spend a lot of their life with their butts in airline seats and give them cost less upgrades to make those sets more comfortable.

With WP you may get a OpUp if the gods smile on you or you win the points upgrade lottery. Why so unprofessional a method to reward those WPs who do sit in airline seats a lot of their life? Makes QF WPs seem 2nd class FFs compared the AA EXPs. Wake up QF and create a professional way for your WPs to feel appreciated and gain some benefit from all the long haul miles they sit in QF seats.

 

[Nam Taf]

The bonus is nice to those under WP, but the Jetstar changes are terrible for me.

With these changes, as seats get purchased on a flight and the tickets become more and more expensive, you still don't get any of the extra perks over the basic starter pack. For example, book 3 weeks out and you get the starter pack for $139 or pay the extra (bumping it up towards $299 or something) to get the full pack (aka: Jetflex). If on the other hand you book 1 week out, the cost may be up to $299 by then, but you get exactly the same starter pack product and still have to pay extra to get any bonus (i.e: status credits, seat selection, etc.).

Currently, at least I get some reward from having to book the higher fare in that the $299 seats left 1 week out from travel are the jetflex seats, which means I automatically get the perks. Now it seems like you get charged the same as a jetflex - that is, the cheaper seat 'bins' are all full so you get bumped up - but without the perks of a jetflex.

This seems like a complete downgrade to me and it hurts me because my work travel is almost exclusively on JQ/DJ thanks to it being between BNE and MKY, where the mines book QF out months in advance leaving $450+ seats each way as the only option compared with $200 seats on the others. I highly doubt work is going to pay $25 extra each way just to let me earn points, given that they already work on a BFOD system.

I see how it'd rock for points-earners if you could pay that extra, cause then the $135 becomes a $160 flight that earns points - well under the jetflex equivalent of old - but for companies working on BFOD systems I don't see them giving a toss about that!

Oh well, I guess I'm no longer earning FF points

I guess one way to possibly get around this is let me, after the travel is booked, buy the add-on package for $25 out of my own pocket if I choose to rather than requiring it at the time of booking. I doubt you'll be able to do that though

 

[awilcockson]

2. awilcockson

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Nope, it's 7am in Norway

 

[pauly7]

Thanks Red Roo for the info! Just got my email from QFF.

Looks like QF, JQ and QFF were all listening pretty closely in your epic suggestion thread (before the anytime access moaners took over ). Great to see it was acted upon.

Some great improvements - I'm excited and looking forward to hearing more.

Virgin are really going to have to do something spectacular now with Velocity and their new product.

 

[DTM1]

not exactly. Loyalty bonus are earned upto 2000SC, then at 2400SC you can get more points if you wish and then there is nothing to say that WPOs won't get a different loyalty bonus system. 50000 points at 2400SC is better that what would be earned on 1600SC (3600-2000). It is highly likely that this is better for WPOs (or perhaps WP+++)

Sorry, I stand corrected on that point.

I used to ask for partner gold, but won't bother any more. Even the benefit of the 50k points at 2,400 is quesionable, if you switch over to AA at 1,200, then the extra flying on AA to get to Exec Plat produces benefits with a vlaue of > the 50k.

I still think that this part of the strategy has not been thought through very well. As others have said, unless there is a (positive) enhancement to WPs (eg 125% miles), then I think QF will lose a fair amount of premium pax where they have another option.

 

[straitman]

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I would be really surprised if Virgin Australia was not reading the thread :!:

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Does it matter? Do you think I'm making it up? BNE-LHR-OSL return 17th Aug outbound, 24th August return (dates picked at random just to get some prices).

if the $5089 fare you are finding is straight off the QANTAS website, then that books into B class all the way, and only earns discount economy SCs.

The current PE Sale fare for that route is $5246, and PE Saver is $6058, so I think your original point (PE costs a lot more than full Y, but doesn't earn extra SCs) isn't valid.

The full Y fare for that route (YKEE1Y) will set you back around $6000 or so (I'm estimating the taxes there)

 

[trippin_the_rift]

What?

That's like telling Silver members their membership has been enhanced to provide them with the ability to achieve Gold? This is not at all useful to Silver members who don't fly enough to reach Gold.

How is this a benefit? It's more like a feature. It's just a higher level to achieve.

Love your work OverrideServlet!

I would have just fallen shy of the magical Platinum One last membership year (March). This may have enticed me to put some non-oneworld booings to QF if announced earlier. Red_Roo, you need to announce a date and some teaser benefits ASAP to actually retain this (non-business) customer loyalty.

As a whole QF has the right idea with adding value, but sadly I feel these changes only help Silver, Gold and 3600SC+ Platinums. If you regularly sit at the 1200-3590SC/year mark, there seems to be NO benefit above what average Joe traveller can get. Infact there is a devaluing of the program for Platinums as there is a cap on points earned per 500 SC.

Red_Roo: This membership year I'm putting 100% of my travel spend through QF/Oneworld - enjoy while it lasts. If everything goes to plan I'll also pass LTG in the next 10 months and qualify for Platinum One with months to spare. After this time (taking a hint from another AFF member), I'll be mailing QF quarterly tax receipts of bookings I make with their competitors to show you how bad program changes affect your bottom line, arpu and retention. From next year, QF won't see 1 cent of my cash or CC points. This year should be >$100K in travel.

PS: If any other carriers reading this want my business, I'd be happy to consider any offers just shoot me a PM.

 

[Danger]

SMH has an article on the changes which, of particular interest to me, is an alleged statement by Joyce that Platinum One would come into affect from the fourth quarter of this year.

 

[TonyHancock]

I would be really surprised if Virgin Australia was not reading the thread :!:

Not to mention crazydave98!!....oh I just did!

 

[Danger]

Infact there is a devaluing of the program for Platinums as there is a cap on points earned per 500 SC.

Very, very good point. As you've noted, this only impacts on those in the Platinum domain. Another devaluation of WP indeed. So again, if you reach Platinum at 1200 (or 1400) and you've got a reasonable idea that your travel isn't going to be greater than a few hundred more SCs, you'd be silly not to divert earning to, for example, AA.