Will the new status credit scheme make it harder?

[knoxd]

Given the new status credit changes on 25 May make it hard to get to PLAT or GOLD in the future?

Will QF change the tier levels to more than 700 and 1400?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Welcome to AFF knoxd

The changes 25 May 05 made it easier to (re)qualify QF Platinum or Gold. I doubt if the requirements will go up in the short term (a) easier status helps soften the blow of the other changes, and (b) the levels are similar to those of NZ Airpoints and I dont think they'll want it to be significantly harder than the main local competition.

 

[danielh]

I actually thought there was no change pre and post 25th May to how many Status credits you need for the various levels.

All I know is that it is going to be REALLY hard to get to platinum in any case.

I'd probably go as far to suggest that Qantas customer service agents have been given a bit more leniency to allow freq flyers and corp customers to retain to upgrade status levels faster pre 25th May.

Regards
Daniel

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I actually thought there was no change pre and post 25th May to how many Status credits you need for the various levels.

No change to the level, but the amount of SCs earnt in most cases increases or stays the same. Therefore easy to (re)qualify.

 

[danielh]

Ahh yes, you might be right there. I remember formatting a large pre and post table for the allocation of SC's in here somewhere.

I think because of the changes to the banding of 5 to 10 bands, some flights managed to get a slight increase in SC allocation.

Regards
Daniel

 

[QF WP]

I agree wholeheartedly with KiwiFlyer's assessment.

From 15 September 2001, there were 5 SC earning bands in the Table (taken from my Making the most of you Membership Benefits Guidebook and looking only at the QF Table):

0 to 1000 miles
1,001 to 2,700
2,701 to 5,000
5,001 to 8,000
8,001 to 20,000

There was a change to the mileage in those tables effective 1 July 2003 (according to my Important Changes to Your Membership booklet issued at the time):

0 to 1,000 miles
1,001 to 2,700
2,701 to 5,000
5,001 to 8,750
8,751 to 15,000

There was no change to the SC's earned in those bands.

Post 25 May 2005, they have made it 10 bands:

0 to 600
601 to 1,200
1,201 to 2,400
2,401 to 3,600
3,601 to 4,800
4,801 to 5,800
5,801 to 7,000
7,001 to 8,400
8,401 to 9,600
9,601 to 15,000

The existing bands have been broken up into smaller bands and there are new levels of SC earning for each band.

Therefore there are going to be winners and losers with any changes - it all depends on your travel patterns (cities you regularly fly to) and your class of travel.

Qantas however didn't change the goalposts for qualifying or requalifying at any level - Silver, Gold or Platinum. That's handy for those whose travel patterns haven't changed and fit in well to the new table (perhaps on the whole, earning more SC's) or those whose travel has increased.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

They also increased SCs earned for business and first relative to economy. So earn more for premium paid tickets.

Eg transtasman in business was 60 each way and now 80.

 

[danielh]

I would have liked to earn more status points for Fully Flexible tickets in domestic econ. Apart from the flexibility of the ticket, there really isn't much else incentive to get it.

Then again I'm biased as I always get this type of ticket.

Regards
Daniel

 

[knoxd]

Well i was speaking to a guy on the QC 13-number and he was hinting that there might be some changes alittle down the road if too many people were making gold and plat with the SC scheme.

I book K-class tickets Domestically most of the time. So its bumped up my total alittle. Its nice to get 15 instead of 10 (30 as appoosed to 20 in K) from BNE to MEL each way.

 

[Guest]

Well i was speaking to a guy on the QC 13-number and he was hinting that there might be some changes alittle down the road if too many people were making gold and plat with the SC scheme.

You mean if too many people keep spending money with QF?

Honestly...whats the cheapest way to get Platinum?

My figures show an aussie living in Australia could get it for around $8k AUD, but thats going to extreemes.

If I spend 10k+ with an airline I'd want some ucking better treatment too!

 

[dajop]

he was hinting that there might be some changes alittle down the road if too many people were making gold and plat with the SC scheme.

Well der.... QF usually have about 12-18 months between changes to the scheme, so something has to be on the cards. They will wait until DJ's scheme comes out and then bang ... there will go some more of the program. Although, I do think, they should have some exclusive benefits for those pax who have earned their status primarily through travel on QF.

 

[danielh]

What is in the works for David Jones?

Also, I hope they don't make too drastic a change as I'm on track for Gold in a 6 weeks and Plat by the end of the year, just before I fly to the US for Honeymoon v2.0.

Regards
Daniel

 

[NM]

I've been too busy earning SCs lately to keep up with reading and posting here. Last month I earned 1520 SCs under the new scheme, while on the old scheme the same flights would have earned 1170 SCs.

 

[thadocta]

I would have liked to earn more status points for Fully Flexible tickets in domestic econ. Apart from the flexibility of the ticket, there really isn't much else incentive to get it.

Rubbish - domestically, fully flexible AND Flexi-Saver get full-Y SC's - s (just as an example) SYD-MEL in discount Y get 10 SC's, K class gets 20 SC's, just like a Y, B or H fare.

(Should apply internatonally as well, but it doesn't).

Dave

 

[danielh]

Rubbish - domestically, fully flexible AND Flexi-Saver get full-Y SC's - s (just as an example) SYD-MEL in discount Y get 10 SC's, K class gets 20 SC's, just like a Y, B or H fare.

(Should apply internatonally as well, but it doesn't).

Dave

No, I'm just saying that if a Fully Flex econ flight costs about $800 (MEL-SYD Return) and a Flexible, non-discounted return flight costs $600 (not too sure about this price), and the fully discounted one costs between $100-200 then I'd like to see a small creep in status (or small bonus) for the 'top-tier' class.

From Qantas's point of view, they will possibly generate about 20% more demand for the more expensive ticket as many business flyers have discretion as to what type of ticket they can get so might opt for the more fully flexible ticket rather then the flexible, non-refundable one.

This will release more 'cheaper' seats for the more casual flyer and make customers more happier all round.

Just some thoughts.

Regards
Daniel

 

[thadocta]

And again, you already have this, in the form of discounted WHY being treated with one set of SC's and flexible WHY being treated with another set of SC's.

Or are you saying that Flexi-Saver fares should be treated differently to flu WHY fares?

If you are, then you are opening up a whole new can of worms. I think the current situation re: SC's for dmestic is just fine. It is on International that it needs to be fine-tuned (actually, massively adjusted) to reflect the commercial reality that NOBODY flies in Y and that corporates flying in B, H, K are paying quite a lot of $$$$$ and should get SC's to match this.

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

It is on International that it needs to be fine-tuned (actually, massively adjusted) to reflect the commercial reality that NOBODY flies in Y and that corporates flying in B, H, K are paying quite a lot of $$$$$ and should get SC's to match this.

Dave

And NZ domestic too :evil: