Is This For Real?
Mar 22, 2013 | 12:34 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,153
Perhaps we should not be too surprised of this enhancement, particularly when sevral years ago BAEC shutdown down under and referred interested punters to sign up with the amazing QFF.
In my earlier posts on this forum I mentioned the term QF cancer to refer to the new policies that EK will have to adopt just to address QF's concerns. Namely the QFF which, by QF's own admission is the most profitable division. If EK was to stick to the old earn/burn levels, we would have seen an exponential migration to Skywards not that current frequent flyers are not members with both in the first place. But most will prefer to move their earning to Skywards because of it's current viable burn rates in contrast with QFF's. A level playing field had to be set up by both partners to ensure that there are no incentives for current plat QFF'ers to move over to Skywards. The fact that, lounge benefits were aligned (sort of anyway) and that Skywards excluded QF domestic flights from earning points (unless under an international ticket) further reinforces this observation.
I think the concern raised by PhillipM is a valid one nonetheless. What about all the current accounts that hold several hundreds of thousands in miles? Like other do, I clock up the miles when I fly then when going as family I burn the points. Within the confines of this scenario, my Skywards account has lost value.
In my earlier posts on this forum I mentioned the term QF cancer to refer to the new policies that EK will have to adopt just to address QF's concerns. Namely the QFF which, by QF's own admission is the most profitable division. If EK was to stick to the old earn/burn levels, we would have seen an exponential migration to Skywards not that current frequent flyers are not members with both in the first place. But most will prefer to move their earning to Skywards because of it's current viable burn rates in contrast with QFF's. A level playing field had to be set up by both partners to ensure that there are no incentives for current plat QFF'ers to move over to Skywards. The fact that, lounge benefits were aligned (sort of anyway) and that Skywards excluded QF domestic flights from earning points (unless under an international ticket) further reinforces this observation.
I think the concern raised by PhillipM is a valid one nonetheless. What about all the current accounts that hold several hundreds of thousands in miles? Like other do, I clock up the miles when I fly then when going as family I burn the points. Within the confines of this scenario, my Skywards account has lost value.
Mar 22, 2013 | 1:12 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 46,129
Devaluation of points is pretty much an expected situation over time in any FF programme. It is rare for points to gain in value but common over time for loss of value
imo points are something not to stash away for long periods but to use
imo points are something not to stash away for long periods but to use
Mar 22, 2013 | 1:22 am
#18
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: KYE
Posts: 4,153
Mar 22, 2013 | 5:23 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 545
Upon re-reading the post I agree there was a little too much look at how much of a knob I am.