"... we'll shortly announce a major investment to improve our Frequent Flyer program"

[levelnine]

If only Marriott would partner to open a credit card in Australia.....

This post doesn't make a lot of sense. Where are you getting 4c/pt value on Y redemptions?

Additionally, Marriott points are generally worth 0.8c/pt and most Marriott cards earn, at most, 4x on non-Marriott spend, meaning they earn, at most, 3.2c/point.

And the earn rates would be worse in Australia due to lower interchange fees.

In other words, even your wish is unrealistic.

 

[Seat0B]

One reason against CC points being less is that surely it would defeat the object of the changes and make the FF program no more attractive to members anyway?

If you’ve made a tier of flight rewards that’s 50% of what points + pay would be but at the same time cut the points they can earn by 35-40%, it’s not really going to lead to much greater satisfaction from the FF program.

We might see people being able to use their current balance more easily but that won’t last long.

The FF program is a golden egg for Qantas unlike many other airlines - the optimist in me thinks anything that makes the overall scheme less attractive to members (which includes points earning abilities on the ground) would potentially be a risk to Qantas.

I truly hope Qantas sees it like that - but previous enhancements of the program suggest that they probably don't.

 

[kookaburra75]

I just received an email titled "a quick survey about Qantas Frequent Flyer". There were many questions, with the first being
How likely would you be to recommend the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to a friend or colleague? I gave them a six, with my comment being that it has taken me 15+ years to get to know how to use the scheme, so any one new will find it a bit daunting.

Later in the survey the question below, and my responses. I don't think my answers are unreasonable

 

[zig]

I just received an email titled "a quick survey about Qantas Frequent Flyer". There were many questions, with the first being
How likely would you be to recommend the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to a friend or colleague? I gave them a six, with my comment being that it has taken me 15+ years to get to know how to use the scheme, so any one new will find it a bit daunting.

Later in the survey the question below, and my responses. I don't think my answers are unreasonable
View attachment 374121

Also completed it and gave full and frank feedback about my current level of dissatisfaction with the program.

 

[ozflier]

Looking forward to hearing the definitive details .
Or is it still a matter under discussion - throwing out potential scenarios to get interim feedback.
Sadly, I can see the number of classic rewards being reduced to our detriment.

 

[bullerdude]

Didn't receive the survey

 

[Flyfrequently]

Also completed it and gave full and frank feedback about my current level of dissatisfaction with the program.

Ditto @kookaburra75
Hopefully some notice will be taken of comments - though not holding my breath!

 

[VPS]

I just received an email titled "a quick survey about Qantas Frequent Flyer". There were many questions, with the first being
How likely would you be to recommend the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to a friend or colleague? I gave them a six, with my comment being that it has taken me 15+ years to get to know how to use the scheme, so any one new will find it a bit daunting.

Later in the survey the question below, and my responses. I don't think my answers are unreasonable
View attachment 374121

I also received it, so I will be very frank with my comments

 

[am0985]

I truly hope Qantas sees it like that - but previous enhancements of the program suggest that they probably don't.

I've only been using QFF since I moved here six years ago (and didn't use it much in first year), I don't recall that many bad "enhancements" over this time? Granted it's never been that good a program but that arguably reduces scope for things to get worse anyway.

Some changes to redemption rates sure these last few years, but that's to be expected. CR reward availability not as it was but that's a global trend. Few extra non-OW airline partners added...

Points Club (especially Plus) has been a genuinely good addition. Maybe I'm being forgetful though...

 

[Seat0B]

I've only been using QFF since I moved here six years ago (and didn't use it much in first year), I don't recall that many bad "enhancements" over this time? Granted it's never been that good a program but that arguably reduces scope for things to get worse anyway.

Some changes to redemption rates sure these last few years, but that's to be expected. CR reward availability not as it was but that's a global trend. Few extra non-OW airline partners added...

Points Club (especially Plus) has been a genuinely good addition. Maybe I'm being forgetful though...

Removal of non flying guest access to lounges. Removal of Any Seat Awards. Finally giving us a LTP - but largely unachievable at “only” 75k SC when LTS is 7k SC and LTG is 14k SC. Removal of Any Seat Awards. Removal of predictable classic reward award seats at the 350 ish day point. Heck, removal of any meaningful qty of classic reward seats.

I agree points club is good but it’s not actually part of the frequent flyer offering. It’s a completely separate thing for big spenders on points earning goods and services.

 

[Seat0B]

Didn't receive the survey

Me neither

 

[am0985]

Removal of non flying guest access to lounges. Removal of Any Seat Awards. Finally giving us a LTP - but largely unachievable at “only” 75k SC when LTS is 7k SC and LTG is 14k SC. Removal of Any Seat Awards. Removal of predictable classic reward award seats at the 350 ish day point. Heck, removal of any meaningful qty of classic reward seats.

I agree points club is good but it’s not actually part of the frequent flyer offering. It’s a completely separate thing for big spenders on points earning goods and services.

Non flying guest access removal is perfectly fair though. Would barely impact any members and would help reduce overcrowding to the extent it did.

Any Seat awards were axed 10 years ago.

LTP is an addition, albeit an unachievable one!

So we're left with classic seat awards being less plentiful, but really this is across the board. It's no coincidence other partner awards (which Qantas has no control over) have also dried up over this time.

Compare with airlines like Delta who have made all sorts of controversial changes recently. QFF don't really like rocking the boat!

 

[Seat0B]

Non flying guest access removal is perfectly fair though. Would barely impact any members and would help reduce overcrowding to the extent it did.

Well it impacted me negatively do
It certainly is not an improvement from my perspective.

Any Seat awards were axed 10 years ago.

As I said, previous enhancements were not good. And this is a previous enhancement.

LTP is an addition, albeit an unachievable one!

Yes a virtually unachievable enhancement. Not good.

And if you’ve only been using QFF for 6 years you won’t recall the halcyon days when you could actually get award seats. I took my family of 4 to Europe in the Christmas holidays in 2005 and to USA in 2007 also at Christmas, and even to Japan in 2015 in ski season. But not any more as we all know.
So I stand by my comment. YMMV.

 

[exceladdict]

That's pretty much what Qantas appear to be saying: "Over time, these higher billings are expected to offset the higher program cost and lower breakage".

In layman's terms, that sentence suggests they think Qantas points will be higher in value because customers can now redeem them for 1c/pt rather than 0.7c/pt with P+P (ie it is costing Qantas money to offer this new 1c/pt option) & fewer people will abandon their points (ie breakage) due to being unable to find award seats.

That's relatively easy to answer.

Banks simply assign each point a higher cost basis and therefore giver fewer of them out to customers per transaction.

So banks will start awarding 0.25-0.5 Qantas points per dollar spent on cards rather than the current 0.7-1.25 Qantas points per dollar.

And the Woolworths points conversion will go back to something like 700 Qantas points for every 2000 WW points rather than the current 1000.

If Qantas follow through with this in a big way, it is about to become a lot harder to earn Qantas points.

If Qantas sells less points (because they cost more), they may kill the golden goose, especially if redemption costs and rates rise.

 

[levelnine]

If Qantas sells less points (because they cost more), they may kill the golden goose, especially if redemption costs and rates rise.

They're taking a gamble.

They're gambling on more availability at a higher price making the program more attractive to people, leading them to chase more Qantas points through partners.

The risk is that the public figure out what's happening. If Qantas points become widely understood in the public's mind as being worth 1c/pt (actually less once you factor in classic award taxes/fees), then even Joe Average will be able to work out that it's not worth tapping his Qantas credit card if the surcharge costs more than 1c/pt and will pay with his debit card instead. He'll also work out that there's no reason to switch WW points to Qantas points because they're equal in value (2000 WW = $10 off a shop or $10 off a flight).

So it could backfire.

 

[MooTime]

He'll also work out that there's no reason to switch WW points to Qantas points because they're equal in value (2000 WW = $10 off a shop or $10 off a flight).

So it could backfire.

True and if it's $10 off immediately at Woolies or $10 off a flight in say 12months time or more then obviously more will opt for option A.
I'm not sure how this exactly hits WW or QF bottom lines but will make less engage in the QF side of it. Less engagement.

 

[kookaburra75]

The risk is that the public figure out what's happening. If Qantas points become widely understood in the public's mind as being worth 1c/pt (actually less once you factor in classic award taxes/fees), then even Joe Average will be able to work out that it's not worth tapping his Qantas credit card if the surcharge costs more than 1c/pt and will pay with his debit card instead. He'll also work out that there's no reason to switch WW points to Qantas points because they're equal in value (2000 WW = $10 off a shop or $10 off a flight).

So it could backfire.

I agree. If Qantas are working on the assumption that people will change their spending habits to earn points at a slightly greater cost, then that will be fraught with danger - especially if the immediate rewards ie being able to redeem for seats, aren't certain. I specifically don't go out of my way to chase points, but do look for opportunities to earn points as part of my normal spend.

 

[SydneySwan]

True and if it's $10 off immediately at Woolies or $10 off a flight in say 12months time or more then obviously more will opt for option A.
I'm not sure how this exactly hits WW or QF bottom lines but will make less engage in the QF side of it. Less engagement.

At WOW I always take the $10 off and have done since it started. I would need to see a much greater guaranteed return than 1c per point to even make me think about changing to QF points.

 

[SYD]

At WOW I always take the $10 off and have done since it started. I would need to see a much greater guaranteed return than 1c per point to even make me think about changing to QF points.

Retaining PC and earning SCs on CRs is my incentive to convert WOW to QFF.

Whereas I take cash discount at FBs as I don’t have a lot of need for VFF points.

 

[Big John]

Me neither

Me neither !

I wonder if this survey is only going out to WPs ?