Upgrade Priority. Staff vs. Paying Passenger

[DAC1]

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....estions/who-gets-priority-staff-op-29594.html

If people think this gets off topic then ill get back on topic with #9 in this linked thread which is the perfect brief answer and explanation to the topic

 

[Tryin Bingham]

Well.... let's bring it back to the OP. Did Qantass get his/her upgrade? Do let us know.

 

[love_the_life]

Yes, Qantass posted that the upgrade went through so all good.

 

[JohnK]

To your second point - wrong again. If you have been in J and all know so much about staff travel, you would notice that during meal service particular people may be skipped and not offered a meal and are served last - that's staff. Hardly seems "preferential"...

There have been many accounts of staff receiving preferential treatment over paying customers. Should never happen.

I think one account was from Virgin where a paying customer in premium economy was moved to a middle seat on a 14 hour flight so 2 staff can sit together in bulkhead/exit row.

Don't do it to me because I am not going to leave it alone....

 

[acrimmo]

I believe I said pilots have access to F travel and have now confirmed that this includes their nominees. I know this because I am a pilots nominee and have just booked an F flight to LHR. He is not a captain, but a new hire with only about 8 months seniority. What little I know about confirmed travel is that its available twice per year and at a much higher fare than SA travel. I can't comment on whether or not it books into a specific fare bucket, but know that it confirms into the booked cabin and the seat is removed from inventory, the same as if it were sold commercially.

Not true sorry!

Only mainline Captains are entitled to book F class, so definitely not a new hire with 8 months in the company. No pilots from any subsidiaries are entitled to F class on INTL flights. QLink and Jet* pilots are able to book INTL J class only. If the booking is domestic, then the booking will show as 'Upgradable to First' even though F class does not exist domestically. This is a limitation of the staff travel booking website.

No form of Staff Travel (leisure) is confirmed. It may show as conditionally confirmed, and you can still be bumped. The chances of that happening though, are less. You may be thinking of the 'High Priority' trips or which you may use twice per year. Still not confirmed but a higher onload than other Staff/leisure travel.

For the record, I've been sitting in J (leisure travel) having my OJ and been offloaded due to broken seat in Y on a full flight. Broken seat wasn't identified until pax went to use seatbelt.

Hope this clears it up. :mrgreen:

 

[smit0847]

Just to add some fuel to the fire:

I know a guy who is a long-time QF dom CSM (10+ years). He recently announced he was going on a holiday to Europe flying QF A380 J with his partner. Okay, fair enough I thought, this has probably be planned for quite some time. I naturally assume he is using staff travel. I know he does fly a little bit dom for leisure and other business interests but certainly not enough to gain SG or WP and again I would assume this leisure travel would all be staff travel (which does not earn status credits?). His partner he is travelling with definitely does not hold status.

Yesterday he posted a photo of the two of them enjoying the SYD FLounge starting their holiday.....

 

[cwphoto]

Just to add some fuel to the fire:

I know a guy who is a long-time QF dom CSM (10+ years). He recently announced he was going on a holiday to Europe flying QF A380 J with his partner. Okay, fair enough I thought, this has probably be planned for quite some time. I naturally assume he is using staff travel. I know he does fly a little bit dom for leisure and other business interests but certainly not enough to gain SG or WP and again I would assume this leisure travel would all be staff travel (which does not earn status credits?). His partner he is travelling with definitely does not hold status.

Yesterday he posted a photo of the two of them enjoying the SYD FLounge starting their holiday.....

Probably a Long Service accrued trip, but nontheless I don't have a problem with it - everyone deserves some perks in life.

 

[UP4014]

Just to add some fuel to the fire:

I know a guy who is a long-time QF dom CSM (10+ years). He recently announced he was going on a holiday to Europe flying QF A380 J with his partner. Okay, fair enough I thought, this has probably be planned for quite some time. I naturally assume he is using staff travel. I know he does fly a little bit dom for leisure and other business interests but certainly not enough to gain SG or WP and again I would assume this leisure travel would all be staff travel (which does not earn status credits?). His partner he is travelling with definitely does not hold status.

Yesterday he posted a photo of the two of them enjoying the SYD FLounge starting their holiday.....

you might have been had, perhaps a gag, a good wind up, staff cannot use any lounge when on benefit travel even if they have the status or QP paid member, there is an exception of course, they need to be guested by a full fare paying passenger travelling with them.

 

[tuapekastar]

Just to add some fuel to the fire:

I know a guy who is a long-time QF dom CSM (10+ years). He recently announced he was going on a holiday to Europe flying QF A380 J with his partner. Okay, fair enough I thought, this has probably be planned for quite some time. I naturally assume he is using staff travel. I know he does fly a little bit dom for leisure and other business interests but certainly not enough to gain SG or WP and again I would assume this leisure travel would all be staff travel (which does not earn status credits?). His partner he is travelling with definitely does not hold status.

Yesterday he posted a photo of the two of them enjoying the SYD FLounge starting their holiday.....

This, on the surface, would appear to differ from my friend I posted about earlier in this thread. I suggested she use the lounge at AKL, she rang her longtime QF employee brother whom she got the discounted J staff fare through (though she ended up flying Y due to a full J cabin), and he said most emphatically 'no way', if she tried to use the lounge it would become a disciplinary matter for him. Admittedly there is a difference with the stories, it was a QF employee flying vs. a non-QF employee flying, so who knows? Maybe there are subtle differences.

 

[milehighclub]

Onboard managers get First Class lounge passes for exceeding KPI's (and after 3 years in a row of exceeding can buy F upgrades).

Crew can also be rewarded with domestic lounge passes if an CSM or CSS thinks a crew member has done an exceptional job during the flight (this is 1 of 5 options that crew can redeem with the voucher)

So lounges can be used when on leisure travel, if you have earned the reward. Access is of course based on capacity at the time of entry.

 

[UP4014]

Onboard managers get First Class lounge passes for exceeding KPI's (and after 3 years in a row of exceeding can buy F upgrades).

Crew can also be rewarded with domestic lounge passes if an CSM or CSS thinks a crew member has done an exceptional job during the flight (this is 1 of 5 options that crew can redeem with the voucher)

So lounges can be used when on leisure travel, if you have earned the reward. Access is of course based on capacity at the time of entry.

I suspect that's for use when they buy a ticket, as many staff do. Lounges cannot be used on benefit travel.

 

[Kangol]

Crew can also be rewarded with domestic lounge passes if an CSM or CSS thinks a crew member has done an exceptional job during the flight (this is 1 of 5 options that crew can redeem with the voucher)

What are the other 4?

 

[milehighclub]

I suspect that's for use when they buy a ticket, as many staff do. Lounges cannot be used on benefit travel.

Yes they can be used on leisure staff travel. (As I said already in my post)

 

[milehighclub]

What are the other 4?

Just noticed there are now 6 options.

Qantas staff travel voucher
Jetstar staff travel voucher
Frequent flyer points
Qantas club passes
Q bag tag
Donation to Qantas fondation

 

[daturtle]

Just noticed there are now 6 options.

Qantas staff travel voucher
Jetstar staff travel voucher
Frequent flyer points
Qantas club passes
Q bag tag
Donation to Qantas fondation

How happy would you be getting a bag tag...

 

[JJ25]

I have witnessed first-hand the preferential treatment given to QF staff (both duty & leisure) many many times. I was surprised to see the number of comments quizzing people on "how do you know they are staff????" - seriously?? I would expect that to anyone who flys frequently enough to be part of this forum, the signs are pretty easy to pick..... QF cabin crew are never discrete at the best of times, so one doesn't have to strain their ears very far to listen into their conversations. Why, just the other day I was flying SYD-MEL in J on an A330. Sure, I had used points for the ticket, but at the time i booked i noticed that they were advertising this fare for $900!!! Can you believe it??? $900 for a o/w J seat SYD-MEL! What a bunch of freaks. Anyway, I remember thinking that I would have been so ANGRY, had I paid that money, to get the service I received. The staff were lazy, hardly ever came around to top up my drink, and the CSM spent most of his time chatting to a pair of staff on holiday - the whole cabin could hear the conversation. I have also seen them serve staff their meals first and missed out on my choice - I made an issue of it - and they ended up bringing me my choice from the REAR galley where they had already stashed their crew meals!!! Unbelievable.

Recently, I was flying SYD-MEL on a Saturday and there was some kind of football game on so the flights were all full. I arrived about 2 hours earlier and tried to get an earlier flight - I had a fully flexible ticket. I was told that it was full and that I could "come back and see when the flight was boarding". Anyway, I did that, the lounge person said that there was still nothing (although expert flyer displayed 3 empty seats) but I could "try my luck at the gate". I went to the gate, asked the agent there, and he said "I got nothing mate - sorry". Only when I challenged him and showed him the expert flyer seat map did he change his mind! And then , as he printed my boarding pass, he said to me "I bumped off some staff for you - they are going to miss the footy." What a tosser.

My sister works in QF head office in a senior managment role, and they can confirm her leisure travel (domestic) in J - THE NIGHT BEFORE. I dont know how that works - she doesnt either. They only do it on flights that are way open, but still..... I assume that if something went wrong she could still be booted?

Finally, I see QF staff whom I personally know in the First lounge all the time.... I hate that.

 

[Blackswan]

I have witnessed first-hand the preferential treatment given to QF staff (both duty & leisure) many many times. I was surprised to see the number of comments quizzing people on "how do you know they are staff????" - seriously?? I would expect that to anyone who flys frequently enough to be part of this forum, the signs are pretty easy to pick..... QF cabin crew are never discrete at the best of times, so one doesn't have to strain their ears very far to listen into their conversations. Why, just the other day I was flying SYD-MEL in J on an A330. Sure, I had used points for the ticket, but at the time i booked i noticed that they were advertising this fare for $900!!! Can you believe it??? $900 for a o/w J seat SYD-MEL! What a bunch of freaks. Anyway, I remember thinking that I would have been so ANGRY, had I paid that money, to get the service I received. The staff were lazy, hardly ever came around to top up my drink, and the CSM spent most of his time chatting to a pair of staff on holiday - the whole cabin could hear the conversation. I have also seen them serve staff their meals first and missed out on my choice - I made an issue of it - and they ended up bringing me my choice from the REAR galley where they had already stashed their crew meals!!! Unbelievable.

Recently, I was flying SYD-MEL on a Saturday and there was some kind of football game on so the flights were all full. I arrived about 2 hours earlier and tried to get an earlier flight - I had a fully flexible ticket. I was told that it was full and that I could "come back and see when the flight was boarding". Anyway, I did that, the lounge person said that there was still nothing (although expert flyer displayed 3 empty seats) but I could "try my luck at the gate". I went to the gate, asked the agent there, and he said "I got nothing mate - sorry". Only when I challenged him and showed him the expert flyer seat map did he change his mind! And then , as he printed my boarding pass, he said to me "I bumped off some staff for you - they are going to miss the footy." What a tosser.

My sister works in QF head office in a senior managment role, and they can confirm her leisure travel (domestic) in J - THE NIGHT BEFORE. I dont know how that works - she doesnt either. They only do it on flights that are way open, but still..... I assume that if something went wrong she could still be booted?

Finally, I see QF staff whom I personally know in the First lounge all the time.... I hate that.

Perhaps the "staff" on holiday had actually paid for a full revenue seat? Same goes for those in the First Lounge (or perhaps self funded status)?

 

[JJ25]

Perhaps the "staff" on holiday had actually paid for a full revenue seat? Same goes for those in the First Lounge (or perhaps self funded status)?

Good point.... as to the first I don't know - I wouldn't imagine many QF employees would ever fork out $900 for a domestic J class fare! But you are right - I don't know.

As for your second point, the staff I see in the lounge - I know who they are. I know the jobs they have. I know they wouldn't be forking out $15k each to fly to LAX. Plus I know how they get in the lounge - another acquaintance of mine works there and lets his mates in all the time. They just have to be listed in the "guest book". If you visit the lounge enough, you get to recognise the staff - even when they are not in uniform....

I think it is great that staff get perks at the place they work - most people do. But I think the spirit of this discussion is that QF seems to have the reputation to spoil its staff over its pax.... which is bad.

I used to work at a 5-star hotel - completely different. Staff weren't even allowed to walk in through the front door! We had to use the rear entrance. And we were forbidden from using any of the restaurants or bars in our leisure time - because "guests don't want to hang out with the person that checked them in". It also removed any chance of working staff being accused of giving the work mates any favours..... most hotels have a policy like this. I think something similar should happen with QF....

I have recently been asked to join their Customer Feedback Panel where they send me a survey after every flight - and allow for heaps of personal opinion. I will be very honest with them....

 

[medhead]

Good point.... as to the first I don't know - I wouldn't imagine many QF employees would ever fork out $900 for a domestic J class fare! But you are right - I don't know.

As for your second point, the staff I see in the lounge - I know who they are. I know the jobs they have. I know they wouldn't be forking out $15k each to fly to LAX. Plus I know how they get in the lounge - another acquaintance of mine works there and lets his mates in all the time. They just have to be listed in the "guest book". If you visit the lounge enough, you get to recognise the staff - even when they are not in uniform....

I think it is great that staff get perks at the place they work - most people do. But I think the spirit of this discussion is that QF seems to have the reputation to spoil its staff over its pax.... which is bad.

I used to work at a 5-star hotel - completely different. Staff weren't even allowed to walk in through the front door! We had to use the rear entrance. And we were forbidden from using any of the restaurants or bars in our leisure time - because "guests don't want to hang out with the person that checked them in". It also removed any chance of working staff being accused of giving the work mates any favours..... most hotels have a policy like this. I think something similar should happen with QF....

I have recently been asked to join their Customer Feedback Panel where they send me a survey after every flight - and allow for heaps of personal opinion. I will be very honest with them....

People can access the First lounge via their status level. As such there is no need to fork out $15k to use that lounge. Do you know if these staff are platinum? I know a few qantas staff would are platinum QFF members and hence are allowed to use the First lounge on privately funded flights.

As for your sister. There are different levels of staff travel benefits. As senior management I assume you sister has some level of priority.

 

[JJ25]

People can access the First lounge via their status level. As such there is no need to fork out $15k to use that lounge. Do you know if these staff are platinum? I know a few qantas staff would are platinum QFF members and hence are allowed to use the First lounge on privately funded flights.

Once again, good point. But I know these people are check-in staff. I find it hard to imagine how anyone could be a Qantas staff member AND clock up enough personal trips to become a Plat??? As we all know, a fair lot of flying is needed to maintain plat, and it is pretty much mostly work travel for most people. One would assume that a Qantas staff member traveling for work would always be on duty travel (and therefore no FF status points), and why on earth would anyone pay more than ID90 for their own personal flights? I am interested to know what kind of person is able to do that.