Qantas Frequent Flyer - More points to be needed for BA WT+

Just posted on the QF website:

Important News: BA World Traveller Plus
From 1 November 2006, you will need 50% more points for a British Airways Award flight in World Traveller Plus than you need for a Qantas Economy Award flight.

Currently, the points difference is 25%.

Received notification of this by email overnight (down from the heralding of reduced award points required for some domestic & international flights).

Does this:

1) recognise the successs of the BA product and try to price QF award redemption away

2) recognise the success of the BA product and try to encourage a greater burn rate

3) flag some other agenda?

BD

Got the same e-mail myself, but failed to spot this at first glance..not exactly highlighted, is it!

Maybe just maybe QF will see that SLF actually like WT+ and might think that they can generate a market share for themselves :eek: . Don't hold your breath for anything though.

It's QF response in the only way they know how:

* They acknowledge the success of the BA product (that even with the axing of MEL service, WT+ ex-SYD will continue to have high loads with pax willing to pay a premium price for a premium seat)

* They either don't want to convert planes to 4 cabins or 3 cabins (J, E+ and E) because it'll cost too much and they can't see the return

* They tacitly acknowledge that they can't compete (their Y product v WT+) and as BD1959 and og pointed out, increasing award pricing accordingly.

So, if I pay for a ticket in WTP from, say Amsterdam to Dallas, then they book the fare in B class for the AMS LGW and I get discount economy status and mileage award. Then I take the WTP seat from LGW to Dallas and get a 10% bonus on the full economy rate.

Now to redeem the miles on that run, I would need to use lots more miles.

QF, up the earning and then you can up the burning!

I am not sure that this is particularly fair! However, it is not unknown for a Y redemption via LAX to book into WTP at times...