Qantas Frequent Flyer - What do they think they're doing?

Ok someone please tell me I'm missing something here.... please!

I'm flying to Perth in November and I'm trying to arrange flights.

How it looks at the moment is that I'll have to fly Jetstar to Melbourne and connect to QF for the flight to Perth, as QF is only going to service Launceston at midday.

With no boarding passes, no through checkin of baggage and my body on Jetstar I'm starting to think that DJ is a respectable airline! Please tell me I'm missing something!

Or drive up to Devonport http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

As it will be QF staff at Launceston, perhaps they issue boarding passes for your QF connecting flight and then you go and recheck your luggage only at MEL? Granted this is still inconvient but at least you amy get more preferred seats this way?

Has Jetstar or Qantas confirmed or denied the rumour that was spread recently about no through-checking of luggage? I this only came from the QF unions and I have not seen anything from either QF or JQ about it.

I would be very surprised if this nasty rumour is found to be true. Then again, I have been very surprised in the past http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif. But don't assume that a rumour started by a dissatisfied union is actually true.

Also note that in this week's announcements, it was confirmed that in most cases, JQ passengers without checked luggage who are eligible for QP access, can check-in for their JQ flight in the QP. That implies to me that there is likely to some link between the QF and JQ systems.

There's NO through checking of louggage, even on shared DJ/QF sectors, as this LST-MEL-PER example shows. So you'd have to pretty much allocate extra time in MEL for your connection, for example, if your PER flight left MEL at say 1500, you'd want to be landing at MEL on JQ prob ~1420 latest to give you time to walk out of QF dom arrivals, do a U-turn, up to departures, and check-in (this assumes you have bags).

And since JQ/QF are not interlining, you can bet if your JQ flight is late - QF won't be very understanding. Indeed in the FAQ section on the JQ website it pretty much says "tough titties" if connections are missed or late since "jetStar is not a connecting operation. They are point to point"

It really does make you wonder when there must be lots of pax from regional/smaller cities like LST/HBA etc who will connect not only with QF domestic flights, but QF to international destinations who may well be screwed over by this kind of policy.

And you can bet the first time someone does get hosed and goes to the media about it, QF will have to think quickly on it, because they will lose a crapload of pax from those smaller cities that JQ serves (and if DJ was smart, they'd start extendin codeshare arrangements with big foreign carriers like SQ/UA etc) to allow connections from places like LST/HBA/MCY etc to interational, even if it's just in terms of through booking/check-in so at least that airline knows you're "on your way").

Just a thought.

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

RichardMEL is quite correct NM, as it is expressly advised on this QF web page (http://www.qantas.com.au/needhelp/dyn/faq/jqBookings).

For those who can't access:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Will Jetstar provide through check-in and baggage transfers to/from Qantas?

As part of its low cost model, Jetstar will not offer through check baggage services. Connecting flights from Jetstar to Qantas may be booked, but you will need to collect your baggage and check-in at the connecting points. Ensure that you allow at least 90 minutes to connect between flights. If you are connecting between Jetstar and an international flight (Note: QF1-399 leave from the international terminal), you must allow at least 150 minutes. Neither Qantas nor Jetstar will take responsibility if you miss your connection. </font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by QF WP:
RichardMEL is quite correct NM, as it is expressly advised on this QF web page (http://www.qantas.com.au/needhelp/dyn/faq/jqBookings).
</font>
Well, I am once again very surprised http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif. See, I said it would not be the first time. I wonder what the cost of through-checking luggage would be? Surely being able to check the luggage in PER for destination LST would have some efficiencies for JQ in MEL??

If DJ can fly LST-MEL-PER and they will through-check the luggage, then that will be more attractive to those not seeking the QF points and SC's on the MEL-PER sector (rules out all of us then http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif).

Well it seams to me that QF are totally neglecting their business market here in LST. If (and hopefully its not the case) the only QF flight out is the lunch time one and JQ for the other flights then we will always need to reconnect in MEL... huge hassle - including the 90 minute transit time, and the potential for all kinds of hassles when connecting flights are delayed etc.

It makes no sense to me. It seams like QF are going to send me to DJ. I can handle the idea of mass boarding (well only just) but to not provide connections, and to say "stuff you" when their are delays etc leavs me with no other choice.

Drive to Devonport? Yeah right!

Seems to me QF are basically giving up on secondary cities - giving up in terms of business/serious pax anyway and ceeding it to JQ.

I do think though they will have to offer other mainline flights to connect with any kind of a major bank, eg: ex-LST to meet evening european departures and morning pacific/asia departures.

The schedule seems to be mixed with a bunch of JQ and a bunch of QF* (QF17xx) series flights that may or may not change to JQ - it's hard to tell....

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

RB,

I'm in LST too, and am thinking that the drive to Devonport is the best option. I can't understand why the only QF flight isn't the 6.25am which is usually full of business passengers.

Hi Everyone else,

I've benn lurking here for quite some time and have enjoyed the information flow tremendously. I am SG, which is due to the SC I pick up from the flights from Lton to Melb, so am not looking forward to JQ starting up.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RB:
Well it seams to me that QF are totally neglecting their business market here in LST. </font>

How big is the LST business market compared to the inbound/outbound non business low yield market.

If QF were making great yields from business pax then they would not have ceded the route to J*.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DJINTAS:
I've benn lurking here for quite some time and have enjoyed the information flow tremendously. I am SG, which is due to the SC I pick up from the flights from Lton to Melb, so am not looking forward to JQ starting up.</font>
DJINTAS, welcome to FT as a poster!


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Moderator of the decidedly off-topic Qantas forum ...

Well if QF are going to only have a midday flight ex LST my preferences would be:
1. fly ex Devonport instead (easy for me as its just a bit further than LST from where I live.
2. fly DJ
3. fly JQ

Now if I was only flying to MEL then it wouldn't be too huge of a problem. But with most of my flights being to onward ports its just going to be too much of a hassle with the reconnections.

I don't know how big the business market here in LST is, but the way it looks to me is that QF are leaving the market and handing it to DJ on a silver platter.

Its a pity because I'd much prefer to fly a QF jet ex LST than a QF turbo prop ex DPO. But Dash 8's are still going to be better than JQ any day

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RB:
Ok someone please tell me I'm missing something here.... please!

I'm flying to Perth in November and I'm trying to arrange flights.

How it looks at the moment is that I'll have to fly Jetstar to Melbourne and connect to QF for the flight to Perth, as QF is only going to service Launceston at midday.

With no boarding passes, no through checkin of baggage and my body on Jetstar I'm starting to think that DJ is a respectable airline! Please tell me I'm missing something!</font>

The Qantas concept with Jetstar is (from a business sense) a great idea. They don't however seem to have thought of ALL the possible consequences.

I believe that they have a long way to go to make the big picture a winner. As mentioned they are currently handing some of the market to VerminBlue on a platter.

I've been talking to my TA. She thinks that QF will likely retain the first flight out and last flight in to/from MEL. That would make more sense, especially if QF also retains a lunch time service.

That way we would still be able to have QF flights with through connections to the mainland, as well as the lunch time flights allowing connections to and from the internationals. Lets hope she's right!

Well, if you look at end of may flights as they currently stand:

LST-MEL, May 30:

0625 QF*
0725 JQ
0940 JQ
1310 QF
1700 JQ
2055 JQ

LST-SYD, May 30:

1855 JQ

So, they do have the 0625 service operating as QF* (QantasLink) in a 717. Still shows the same past August. I'd say they are keeping that flight as much QF mainline as possible (SC's etc), along with the 1310, which would connect (a longish one) to afternoon connections to SIN/BKK/LHR/FRA etc...

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RichardMEL:
0625 QF*
0725 JQ
0940 JQ
1310 QF
1700 JQ
2055 JQ

[snip]

So, they do have the 0625 service operating as QF* (QantasLink) in a 717.</font>
I can only assume the 6:25 aircraft comes in the night before. It is reasonable to expect it to have overnighted there in order to be prepared for the early departure. So there should also be a late evening MEL-LST QFLink service for connections back into LST, which will be good news for those spending time beyond MEL.

I would think the 6:25 am QF flight will end up being removed from the timetable.

Perhaps it will be if/when QF see how JQ goes and if they can tell what the connecting pax are doing.

I think QF would be stupid to nuke it though, even with JQ flying an hour later.

MEL-LST looks like:

0600 JQ
0805 JQ
1135 QF
1525 JQ
1920 JQ

I was about to wonder where the QF* went, and looks like the schedule has been fixed - since I looked yesterday the 0625 LST-MEL has, indeed, gone!


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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

In the last paragraph of this news article (http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8831920%255E921,00.html) is the following paragraph:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
A Qantas spokesman said yesterday Jetstar would increase Tasmania's flight capacity by 25 per cent and a "majority" of Tasmanian Jetstar passengers connecting to interstate Jetstar flights would have their baggage automatically checked in
</font>

Now does this strike any one else as being inconsistent with what is stated elsewhere?

This seems silly.

Either they should do it for everyone, or nobody!

Can you imagine customer flies LST-MEL-PER. They check-in at LST, and their bags are interlined to QF @ MEL and they go to PER as normal. They return and on check-in are told "You'll have to schlep your bags at MEL yourself"

Oh yes, Qantas. Spirit of inconsistency!

(I guess QF realised they were screwing people over with this policy. I wonder if they're reading this. If so, do you know anyone at Westpac? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif )

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RichardMEL, UA 1P (It's Time to Fly)
A Star Alliance Member.

It is News Limited, after all. Even within that article, they spell "second" as "secon," and I don't see how a "majority" could have special procedures applied. If you're going to have procedures, they'll be consistent. I'd wait to see some other source before putting any credence in that article.

So it looks like the first LST - MEL service will be JQ too.

Well it wouldn't be too bad if there was interlining in MEL but as far as I know this is not the case.

I can understand it if they don't do it for the International flights as DJ don't either. But DJ do check your bags to the final domestic destination so why can't JQ.

Anyway that's enough of me ranting for now I've decided to now fly QF ex Devonport instead, and if that works out too expensive I'll bight the bullet and fly DJ over JQ, unless JQ is going to check me and my luggage to my final domestic destination.

Thanks for listening.

Looks like QF has relented to the pressure (from us at FT of couorse http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif).

AUSTRALIA'S biggest airline (http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8874881%255E421,00.html) has given in to public demand with a pledge to keep flying into Tasmania at business-friendly hours.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NM:
Looks like QF has relented to the pressure (from us at FT of couorse http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif).

AUSTRALIA'S biggest airline (http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8874881%255E421,00.html) has given in to public demand with a pledge to keep flying into Tasmania at business-friendly hours.</font>

Looks like QF1647/1648 NTL-SYD-NTL are getting the arse, too.

Oh well, off to Aeropelican for the 30+ pax doing it everyday, and the God knows how many irregulars & semi-regulars that clearly would have made such a short sector quite profitable for the 717 that (until May) overnights in NTL......

I've already fired off dirty emails to QF about this, and I can't be the only one. Quite a few CL FFs make regular use of that service - a Newcaslte-based Senator, BHP & ADF heavyweights, etc.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NM:
Looks like QF has relented to the pressure (from us at FT of couorse http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif).

AUSTRALIA'S biggest airline (http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8874881%255E421,00.html) has given in to public demand with a pledge to keep flying into Tasmania at business-friendly hours.</font>

The article says that Qantas will fly two-class Boeing 737 into Tasmania. I thought Boeing 737-300 aircraft didn't have Business Class. Boeing 737-300 (will) operate the majority of flights into Tasmania.

I think Jetstar is Bloody Awful especially for Business Travellers from Hobart, Launceston, the Gold Coast etc and for lesiure travellers who are willing to pay a higher fare for a higher level of service (am I the only person?).

P.S. Jetstar's "Jet Flex" fare is not a fully flexible fare, but rather has the same conditions of a "Flexi Saver" fare. Given the prices are the same, why would anyone in their right mind buy a "Jet Flex" fare.

This is all very familiar. Air Canada is in the apparent process of dismantling its newly established discount brands. Tango, a point to point carrier went quietly into the sunset in the fall and Zip their western discount brand which did interline appears headed into oblivion slowly but nothing has been announced (their website now no longer allows bookings and one is re-directed to the main AC site).

Why the major airlines insist on burning millions on these projects is beyond me - none of them have worked so far, anywhere!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Platinum A332:
The article says that Qantas will fly two-class Boeing 737 into Tasmania. I thought Boeing 737-300 aircraft didn't have Business Class. Boeing 737-300 (will) operate the majority of flights into Tasmania.</font>
Perhaps QF plan to reconfig the single-class 737's back to 2-class once VQ gets moving??? Or they are going to use the 738's for the route?

I can't see why QF would need to keep single-class 737's when VQ is operating. But QF may see things different to me ... and they have the real facts and figures at hand to make the "right" decisions http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif.

Well I suppose Hobart got some good news. But Launceston has been left out in the cold according to [url]this article (http://www.examiner.com.au/story.asp?id=220770)