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

[jase05]

it is just that even more of them are now only for those with status.

Which is really how it should be for QF’s own metal
High status customers should always get the spoils and the rest of us get to pick over the carcass

 

[opusman]

Referring to the original quote, would the mooted CR+ really count as a "major investment"? Or is there something else coming as well?

Any gossip / speculation on what that phrase may mean?

 

[levelnine]

Referring to the original quote, would the mooted CR+ really count as a "major investment"? Or is there something else coming as well?

Any gossip / speculation on what that phrase may mean?

It's a major investment because (1) Qantas are effectively raising the floor value of Qantas points from 0.7c/pt (the current Points + Pay) to 1c/pt (CR+ in economy) and (2) it is going to reduce breakage (ie easier/more attractive to redeem points). That increases the costs of points to Qantas and therefore what they mean by 'major investment'.

 

[aikman]

Which is really how it should be for QF’s own metal
High status customers should always get the spoils and the rest of us get to pick over the carcass

Good point. To those complaining that CR+ will make CR harder to get, you just need to be more loyal, become a P1, and you can have your fill of CR seats. Problem solved.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'd love for that to be true, but I actually believe CRs will soon be completely phased out and this is the first step in that process.

The prediction of myself and many others is that those 'Classic CRs' will dwindle even more to a point where it is impossible to find them.

I think after the introduction of classic+, CRs will be gradually squeezed out so punters are trained that classic+ is the normal way to obtain seats.

 

[sudoer]

All this discussion is a good reminder of why it's best to not warehouse points with one specific airline!

 

[TheInsider]

So many conspiracies on here all talking like they are fact.

The changes to CR+ maybe just be that. Maybe they may add bag only fares, something completely different to the frequent flyer program, who knows. Maybe they may make more fare classes 'flexible', maybe they may makes less fares 'flexible'. Maybe they'll change the fare rules around.

 

[RooFlyer]

Referring to the original quote, would the mooted CR+ really count as a "major investment"? Or is there something else coming as well?

Any gossip / speculation on what that phrase may mean?

Qantas is investing it's staff time to come up with a way to relieve the punters of more points without giving too much away.

 

[I love to travel]

So many conspiracies on here all talking like they are fact.

Agree, but Qantas not providing info by April (and yes, the semantics of what "by April" means has been already discussed) is only giving people more time to do this.

 

[RichardMEL]

Where WOULD we be without conspiracy theories? I mean where WAS Alan Joyce in November, 1963 when JFK was shot anyway? The moon landing? Delayed so badly they had to fake it. Jan 6? Obvioisly frequent flyers looking for CRs....

 

[levelnine]

So many conspiracies on here all talking like they are fact.

The changes to CR+ maybe just be that. Maybe they may add bag only fares, something completely different to the frequent flyer program, who knows. Maybe they may make more fare classes 'flexible', maybe they may makes less fares 'flexible'. Maybe they'll change the fare rules around.

This is a laughably bad take.

What we're commenting on has already been reported to the media through deliberate Qantas leaks and Qantas incompetence (accidentally releasing CR+ prices on the website a few weeks back).

 

[downgraded]

Good point. To those complaining that CR+ will make CR harder to get, you just need to be more loyal, become a P1, and you can have your fill of CR seats. Problem solved.

Loyal doesn't necessarily mean frequent though. If you loyally earn QF points and only fly a couple of times a year, why should you be excluded from access to CR seats? That's precisely the premise of PC.

 

[jase05]

Loyal doesn't necessarily mean frequent though. If you loyally earn QF points and only fly a couple of times a year, why should you be excluded from access to CR seats? That's precisely the premise of PC.

Personally I believe those that fly enough to have high status deserve far better access to CR’s than those who accumulate points but each to their own

 

[levelnine]

Loyal doesn't necessarily mean frequent though. If you loyally earn QF points and only fly a couple of times a year, why should you be excluded from access to CR seats? That's precisely the premise of PC.

Same idea actually. You're loyal, just not loyal enough.

Only earning a few hundred thousand points per year is the points-earning equivalent of, say, Silver status.

Once you earn a couple of million points per year, you are the points-earning equivalent of P1 status and get access to the best CR+ seats (ie return LHR in J).

 

[downgraded]

Same idea actually. You're loyal, just not loyal enough.

Only earning a few hundred thousand points per year is the points-earning equivalent of, say, Silver status.

Once you earn a couple of million points per year, you are the points-earning equivalent of P1 status and get access to the best CR+ seats (ie return LHR in J).

But if someone is prepared to be patient and takes longer to earn that million points, then they should still be able to get that CR, just less regularly.

And as per your own example, then let the P1 pay that same CR+ redemption rate if they are indeed equivalent to the PC+ earner.

Perhaps points should just expire like other programs do. Buy toasters or lose it.

 

[levelnine]

But if someone is prepared to be patient and takes longer to earn that million points, then they should still be able to get that CR, just less regularly.

And as per your own example, then let the P1 pay that same CR+ redemption rate if they are indeed equivalent to the PC+ earner.

Perhaps points should just expire like other programs do. Buy toasters or lose it.

They are able to get CR less regularly. If a Bronze sits on qantas.com every day, once every six or so months they'll be able to find a long haul J seat to the US departing in the next week.

 

[bjm76]

There is a paywalled article on AFR from yesterday - does anyone have full acess?

Internal documents provide clues of Qantas’ new frequent flyer scheme

A new tier of rewards as part of the long-awaited revamp will not be available on Jetstar. But it will be there for all Qantas Loyalty members at the same time.

www.afr.com

 

[RichardMEL]

There is a paywalled article on AFR from yesterday - does anyone have full acess?

Internal documents provide clues of Qantas’ new frequent flyer scheme

A new tier of rewards as part of the long-awaited revamp will not be available on Jetstar. But it will be there for all Qantas Loyalty members at the same time.

www.afr.com

Go back a few pages. It was posted already.

 

[elanshin]

But if someone is prepared to be patient and takes longer to earn that million points, then they should still be able to get that CR, just less regularly.

And as per your own example, then let the P1 pay that same CR+ redemption rate if they are indeed equivalent to the PC+ earner.

Perhaps points should just expire like other programs do. Buy toasters or lose it.

That's possible even today.

The key is always patience, knowing how the game rules, being informed and having flexibility.

Most punters at best have one of the 4 (most probably none) and get a surprised face there's no CR to a highly popular destination (Tokyo for example) during the next school holidays 6 months out for their family of 5.

 

[Seat0B]

As someone with alot of points but low status due to infrequency of travel I can tell you I basically never see Qantas as an option to me for international travel

As someone with high status and a lot of points, I just tried to get one way economy MEL-CBR CR on Sunday 16 June for a family member - zero availability. The red-e deal was almost $300. Equivalent on Virgin was $180. So Seat Son will be flying on Virgin this time. I suspect I will be following suit pretty soon.