Completely ridiculous - and worth noting that those quotes are the MINIMUM required for Anytime rewards.... so they will go higher....
At these sorts of prices I wonder how successful it will be?
It will be a flop. The current scheme is already a flop and the new scheme will be no better if the examples above are true. The SQ FF scheme is much better especially on seat availability for all classes even on short notice. E.g. I can get MEL-SIN-BKK return for this Sunday (outbound) and Wednesday (inbound) in F class for 119,000 SQ points (plus taxes)! In addition, now that AMEX offers 1:1 transfer to SQ, it makes QF's scheme a real dud.
Programs: QF WP (LT Gold), LH SEN, OZ Diamond, CO Nothing, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Avis PC
Posts: 6,847
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailrob81
Just completed the survey.
One point not raised yet is the promotion of the QFF Store. One question requested that I give a likelyhood of me purchasing a Myer Voucher or MP3 player with my points. My answer "Not bloody likely!".
Other airlines are very successful with FF stores where you can get decent value for your miles. Not fantastic but about on par with what Credit Card companies offer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crdaus
It will be a flop. The current scheme is already a flop and the new scheme will be no better if the examples above are true. The SQ FF scheme is much better especially on seat availability for all classes even on short notice. E.g. I can get MEL-SIN-BKK return for this Sunday (outbound) and Wednesday (inbound) in F class for 119,000 SQ points (plus taxes)! In addition, now that AMEX offers 1:1 transfer to SQ, it makes QF's scheme a real dud.
I don't think the current scheme is a flop. It makes QF a very profitable airline because it exploits very cleverly the lack of competition in the Australian market. It might not be good for consumers, but it is good for Qantas.
Award availability on Star Alliance is usually much better than on OW anyway. The SQ program is not even a particular good program within Star Alliance.
If a J award SYD-SIN-SYD is over 500K points, just imagine what an F award SYD-LHR or SYD-JFK will come to .
At about $0.01 per point, I suspect somewhere just over 1 million points :-) Well, I suspect it will be around 1.25 million just for return SYD-LAX (let along JFK!)
That's not necessarily bad value. But it does reflect the expensive cost of QANTAS long haul F/J cabins.
Quote:
The only people this is going to benefit are those that launder millions of points through corporate/business credit card spend .... and of course the winner is Qantas as they are earning good revenue by selling those millions of points to the credit card companies.
Absolutely.
FF will still get their lounges, and priority service at airports. But rewards of flights will go to those that earn QANTAS lots of money through CC spend.
Programs: QF WP (LT Gold), LH SEN, OZ Diamond, CO Nothing, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Avis PC
Posts: 6,847
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonymousCoward
At about $0.01 per point, I suspect somewhere just over 1 million points :-) Well, I suspect it will be around 1.25 million just for return SYD-LAX (let along JFK!)
I think you are right. If this is really what QF will announce, then they just apply a 1 Cent value to a point. This is roughly how much I value credit card points when used outside airline redemption.
Interesting is that LH has just reduced the amount of miles you need for any seat redemption. It used to be double the normal award price and it is now 1.5 times. But you still need to pay for taxes and fees.
These anyseat rates are ridiculous. I guess a good reason to consider where else Amex points can be used - but perhaps that's want QF wants anyway.
One thought I haven't seen raised anywhere however is a companian award scheme similar to CX. To me it's a great idea to offer a well priced (in points) companian ticket to accompany a paid ticket. Looking at the corporate market, the exec flying in paid J or F will happily push business to QF if they know their better half can come along for a reasonable number of points.
I have awards coming up later in year and spent all but 187 points.
Most come from cc spend. I since accumulated about 25000 in amex and 14000 in QF from ANZ QF card so it goes in automatically.
I see Velocity is offering a 50% bonus if I transfer amex points by 30/06/2008. Any travel in the near future will be domestic. Does transferring to velocity make sense at the moment for the bonus
But it seems it will be credit card loyality and not QF frequent flyer loyality. Will they rename the scheme frequent spender program
I am having a problem with this as well and the direction Qantas may or may not take.
My understanding of a Frequent Flyer program is to reward those who are frequent flyers - that is someone who buys airline tickets to travel on that carrier. That is how you attain the various levels of status and provide revenue for the airline in my view.
Perhaps as a number of posters have noted Qantas my be moving away from what I see as a frequent flyer model to a revenue model that is based around multiple revenue streams including credit card spend, frequent flyers and their online store to name just three. The number of points you are going to require from other posters comments on information they have would indicate the only way you are going to achieve those high redemption numbers for overseas flights is through credit card purchases?
I have noticed lately that where I sit on the plane is not based on the price I pay for the seat or if it is an award redemption. Rather it is based on the frequency of flights I take. That is, if I have six flights in the system for the future I get a better choice of seats then If I have nil forward flights booked in the system.
I am having a problem with this as well and the direction Qantas may or may not take.
My understanding of a Frequent Flyer program is to reward those who are frequent flyers - that is someone who buys airline tickets to travel on that carrier. That is how you attain the various levels of status and provide revenue for the airline in my view.
Perhaps as a number of posters have noted Qantas my be moving away from what I see as a frequent flyer model to a revenue model that is based around multiple revenue streams including credit card spend, frequent flyers and their online store to name just three. The number of points you are going to require from other posters comments on information they have would indicate the only way you are going to achieve those high redemption numbers for overseas flights is through credit card purchases?
I have noticed lately that where I sit on the plane is not based on the price I pay for the seat or if it is an award redemption. Rather it is based on the frequency of flights I take. That is, if I have six flights in the system for the future I get a better choice of seats then If I have nil forward flights booked in the system.
I think that perhaps what has not been mentioned is the benefits of status, and in particular the extra availability of reward seats that this brings. If this were to continue (and there is no suggestion it won't), then the only way you have access to these rewards is pretty much through actually flying. No amount of spending on the company Amex is going to help you out here. If this remains as it is (yes, I know a big if), then Golds and Platinums (i.e. those that fly a lot), should be no worse off.
It is perhaps the bronze and silver flyers that don't really earn big balances that will have issues.
As for seating assignments, it certainly appears that they are moving to a system that rewards current revenue (what's in the system now in terms of bookings) rather than past revenue (status).
I have noticed lately that where I sit on the plane is not based on the price I pay for the seat or if it is an award redemption. Rather it is based on the frequency of flights I take. That is, if I have six flights in the system for the future I get a better choice of seats then If I have nil forward flights booked in the system.
I seldom have fewer than 8 - 10 flights in my bookings but I still get poor seats allocated fairly regularly, for what that is worth.
Programs: QF WP (LT Gold), LH SEN, OZ Diamond, CO Nothing, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Avis PC
Posts: 6,847
Quote:
Originally Posted by orac
My understanding of a Frequent Flyer program is to reward those who are frequent flyers - that is someone who buys airline tickets to travel on that carrier. That is how you attain the various levels of status and provide revenue for the airline in my view.
I think this is not what QF is thinking. QF wants QFF to be a general shopping rewards program, which will be separate entity and sold or floated on the stockmarket. In theory (and this is not going to happen) the program wouldn't need Qantas at all.
You earn points at your petrol station and spend it at Bunnings. Flybuys on steroids. It will take the Aeroplan approach as a very independent business. The big difference in Australia is that QF can get away with offering a much, much lower redemption value than anyone else on the planet.
Last edited by DownUnderFlyer; Jun 25, 08 at 5:30 am.
Reason: big typo
From 1st July the current redemption method becomes 'classic awards' and absolutely nothing will change from they way you redeem and book now. What cost 50,000 points today, will cost 50,000 in July. What is added is the ability to use more points or a mixture of points and cash to get any seat on any flight. You'll even be able to use points to pay for your taxes, fee and surcharges as well. Along with flights you can shop from over 700 products and over 100 different gift vouchers.
Programs: hh diamond,Qantas club life,AA EX-explat.SPG plat.
Posts: 814
Well here is another who is very happy to have switched to Aadvantage.Just did a check and can get milesaaver F awards next week NRT-JFK-NRT or JFK-LHR-JFK for 125000 points.Mrsdrron is currently using a NRT-JFK-NRT award in J.Paid the princely sum of $US39.40 in taxes and then she goes and gets upgraded to F on the NRT-JFK segment.
2 weeks ago I rang the explat line and got confirmed upgrades to F for myself and mrsdrron for our October JFK-LHR segment.When QFF can match this service I may consider returning.In the meantime my Diners points go to AA.
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From 1st July the current redemption method becomes 'classic awards' and absolutely nothing will change from they way you redeem and book now. What cost 50,000 points today, will cost 50,000 in July. What is added is the ability to use more points or a mixture of points and cash to get any seat on any flight. You'll even be able to use points to pay for your taxes, fee and surcharges as well. Along with flights you can shop from over 700 products and over 100 different gift vouchers.
The only thing that'll change is availability which will, I am guessing, be even more scarce than it is right now.
I've still got 300k QF points burning a hole in my pocket - but I really don't need to use them until 2010 at the earliest
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