Will I lose my QFF Gold Status?

[Richobirk]

I have been a QFF since 1994. Some years I have exceeded Gold status credits and fallen short of Platinum. These disappear completely. This year I put a case in writing for continued Gold Status ( Just short) based on loyalty, excess status credits, projected travel on the basis that I exclusively fly Qantas domestically (never flown Virgin. Tiger or even Jetstar). I have even converted some of my client paid travel to Qantas!. They did call me to reject my submission. In fact I felt they were quite rude in refusal and I said really I was being treated similar as a newcomer not loyal since 1994 and they confirmed that was the case due to "airline hardship". Therefore talk of complimentary Gold status for one year to me is dreaming. I even stated that "business hardship" could cause me to use other airlines for the first time and they seemed OK with that. Still I think Qantas are great and my #1 but their arrogance will force me to use economical airlines domestically in the iterim and the other Q (Qatar) for International as clients reckon they are superlative. They offered me a Qantas Club for $470 per annum which isn't value if you are not flying with them domestically and using Business Class on Qatar which has impressive club lounges/services. Not flown Qantas once since my yearly start date.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Some remarkable similarities about the last three posts...


Cheers skip

 

[Qld4101]

Great summary from greglow - totally agree with his comments. Virgin really are a breath of fresh air and actually (generally) appear to want you to be on their aircraft, at times it feels like QF are annoyed that you are in the way.
I took up the offer to match to Plat to try Virgin and really have stayed with them for most flights - only couple of exceptions have been to ports where they dont have lounges if I know I am going to have a longish wait.
keep it up Virgin - don't drop the ball now........

 

[greglow]

Richobirk, don't threaten to move away. Just move away. I think you'll be surprised.

Even on my QF flight out of MEL this morning, we boarded 20 mins late "because a tray table was broken". Given the plane wasn't full, who cares? If they'd taken a vote amongst the passengers, it would have been "let's just go on time". It was the first flight of the morning for the plane. If the tray table was so important to them, why wasn't it fixed overnight? But once again, we were standing around in a QF departure lounge, after the departure time, with no hint about why we were all still standing there.

 

[markis10]

Some remarkable similarities about the last three posts...


Cheers skip

Content yes, origination point, no.

 

[AirKat]

To the OP, I hope they look after you

Like all WPs I did the status match with VA. The few times I have had to fly with them I would not describe the air as fresh, certainly I feel a lot more love from Qantas and I can actually watch the news and eat something.

 

[Kangol]

Aaah gold to silver would be the most awful drop

You mean WP to SG...

 

[yo yo ma]

...last year I finished 40 credits short and they bumped me down (did not even tell me or send me a new card until I called)

It is not up to QF to call you; You can logon to your own account and check how many s/c you require. If you did not do this, then it is your fault.

...when I called and pointed out that their no flying period caused me to make other arrangements, they demanded proof of my alternate flights before considering it...

Did you provide them with the proof?

#takeresponsibilityforyouractions

 

[v8Statesman]

Or its d which is very much a possibility:

D being a comp with no notice, just a rollover with a new expiry date of next year for your Gold status.

This (as some of you may remember) is what I got with 0/600 to my name for the year. (It was showing online about 6 weeks out if I recall correctly.) But no actual notification from QF. Has the OP logged in and had a look at his reassessment date?

 

[flyingfan]

You mean WP to SG...

A lounge is better than no lounge...

 

[jamesatfish]

Even on my QF flight out of MEL this morning, we boarded 20 mins late "because a tray table was broken". Given the plane wasn't full, who cares? If they'd taken a vote amongst the passengers, it would have been "let's just go on time".

On a SYD-CBR evening flight last year there was an issue with catering meaning no meals were available in either Y or J. After boarding the CSM took a straw poll of the J pax asking if they would prefer to fly without catering or wait 30 minutes for the meals to arrive. All voted in favour of getting home without dinner, and away we went.

Perhaps equipment issues, however trivial, need to be attended to for legal reasons which meant the same common sense couldn't be applied in this instance.

I do wonder what would have happened if one pax had asked to delay the flight though.

 

[PineappleSkip]

You mean WP to SG...

Ackshully, I don't think it would be a huge drop. Ever since the infamous WP 'enhancements' here isn't much tangible that's better about WP. Further up the queue for upgrades and the F lounge. That's about it...

Cheers skip

 

[flyingfan]

I do wonder what would have happened if one pax had asked to delay the flight though.

On that route, someone probably would have offered to guest that pax into the CBR CL for all the food they could handle if they agreed to let the flight resume and just hang on for 20 minutes

 

[Kangol]

A lounge is better than no lounge...

I guess, but then again someone who flies to get to SG level will probably be well versed on lounge access and QP membership is likely to be in the bank/on the cards...

 

[hardtolose]

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for why they extend status. We used Qantas Business RTW in Oct'10. Assumed our status would only last 12 months and we don't do a lot of domestic but it is nice to have the use of lounges etc when needed. We didn't get any notification until last month my husband received a card saying we were to go back to Silver but a separate card was enclosed for Qantas Club until July'12 and a Q Club invitation valid until 6/13. I received mine today for the same and yet our travel dates have been the same. As we will be doing the same thing this October once again we will have gold status on return. It's all been good for us.

 

[Richobirk]

greglow, I have moved on. Qantas has sent me a letter to join the Qantas Club at a special rate of $470 that anyone can get & they think I can't work that out and that is very annoying and they have also send a letter offering double status credits. They have done this because they have worked out/checked that I haven't flown with them for over 4 months (the longest period since 1994). Moving on I intend to boycott them as long as I can an use the others. Their maintenance priorities worry me and it will get worse. Late last year I was on the first flight of a new series 737 Bris to Mt Isa. the Entertainment system in Business and Business seat were inoperable in a brand new plane!. Where is their QA/QC systems for new planes let alone old ones(gone). I call it Victims of Bean Counter Disease (BCD) = lower costs- higher risks via collateral assessment and dare we say eventual tragedy via loss of life which is now a when and not if scenario. By the way I have flown in plenty of Qantas planes with broken trays - just a creative excuse from their creative excuse bank. Ansett gone = quality gone and lesser quality each passing year. Virgin must see the opportunity.

 

[MH_fan]

I made gold with QF for the first time last year but it's looking like I'm going to fall just short of requalifying (in September/October) this year. Given what I have read so far, I don't like my chances of being comped. It's not a particularly big deal for me and I'm not going to go out of my way to requalify either. I will be platinum with MH by then and, hopefully, they will have officially joined OneWorld around the same time.
Anyway, I got status matched to VA and I have been very happy with their service to date and they have really made me feel valued as an elite member. I'd prefer to concentrate on requalifying with them...

 

[donlee]

I tried writing to Qantas asking for my SG status to be comped for another year as I had done minimal flying over the last year, and would have requalified in the coming year from planned flights. I had held SG for 2 years prior to this. Alas, it was not to be. So good luck to you, hopefully you may slip pass their radar or perhaps not

 

[simcat]

I have experienced all the various FF level retention scenarios over the years, the 'out of the blue' retention of WP (whilst being nowhere near the required level) being the most satisfying and the phone call for me to 'explain', sorry, I mean pluck out of my @rse - my next twelve months worth of travel being the most annoying!

It all seems so hit and miss and whilst I would love to believe there is an intelligence behind the way these things work out, I am unconvinced at this point in time.

Good luck to the OP - hope you get the complementary retention.

 

[Mark2up]

Dear AFF members,

I have been on Gold QFF status for the last 6 years, especially when I did a lot of travel/business flights, and also had paid for 4 years Qantas Club membership in 2007.
I am afraid in the last year, I have not met the Status Credits to retain Gold: as flying less in that year and only 80/600 credits to my name.
The expiry for me will be May this year.

I however have upcoming - a QF business class trip return to New York in October and QF Economy class return to Hong Kong in December this year.

As I am likely to lose my Gold Status, is there any ways I can improve my chances to keep Gold - ?letter etc.

Many thanks for your help / advice
Bill

Have been in that situation two years running I was fortunate to received a complimentary extension at end of both years with QF by explaining elaborate travel plans. It helps when you are also in a corporate team that has a big spend as well. The third year running was not so successful. I had to drop back to Silver. The common thread of siting several international and domestic flights is usually enough to scrape through another year given continuous Gold for the past 3 years at least. Good Luck.