Cedar Jet

This is logical and true. If I'm a queue for anything from now on I'll have to compete with P1 and CL....you honestly dont see that as a dilution?

Can someone, (read Red Roo) please tell me exactly what benefits have current plats received with this new upgraded version of QF FF?

I also note Red Roo has convienetly declined to respond to luggage delivery woes for premium pax.

CJ

serfty

I have been a top level QFF for ~12 of the last 17 years. Other than the beginning when had QP for ~19 months (while being "old" Blue/Silver) and was 2nd Tier SG for 4 years.

I have seen many alterations to the program over that time. During that period, being WP (or "Old" Gold) has always had significant additional benefits over SG (or "Old" Silver) and certainly worth striving for (if one was regularly travelling).

This year's (so far) two major changes really devalue being WP in relation to SG.

PO will be a new tier with "special" (to be determined) benefits - it's really not a new level; it's just out on the open, publicised and specifically attainable. This points to WP not really having been top level within Qantas for several years - it has indeed been obvious there were unpublished criteria for additional benefits.

So WP is no longer the Eldorado of QF Status!

OTTOMH, Some of the current defined benefits WP have over SG are:

1. Oneworld First Class lounge access.
2. Ability to pre-allocate from a greater range of seating on a QF flight.
3. 33% greater QFF status bonus earn on QF/JQ/AA/BA flights.
4. Amongst the first group of PAX being considered for points reward upgrade on international QF Flights on QF metal.

In relation to each point:

1. As against Business lounge/QP, I would expect this to continue for the foreseeable future.
2. This is apparent from anecdotes, Qantas can vary this at their whim.
3. This was 50% greater
4. Probably no longer, I'm sure PO will get first dibs going forward. (i.e. a PO on a U ASA will be upgraded before a mere WP on a B fare)

In the last two decades I have had various employment roles, most of which had me doing a lot of work related travel. I could have travelled on industry fares if I desired, but was generally able to get permission use strategic Apex fares and later Red e-deals and the like to continue status. If I perceived insufficient travel for the status level I considered attainable, I would do (what I now know to be) a Mileage Run.

My employment related travel is basically no more these days. For the last 18 months I have been travelling out of my own pocket. I have met some great people and seen some wonderful places in that time.

Now to the Crux of this post! Being now Lifetime Gold, I am wondering if WP is still worth pursuing. I am AirNZ gold Elite, as such I can book any fare (including awards) and upgrade on the spot (just like the early 2000's with QFF). Oneworld sapphire stills gets reasonable benefit with oneworld travel (just no F/Lounging on non F fares).

I really am re-considering my loyalty to Qantas.

Awesom Andy

I'm not entirely sure why there are so many complaints on the JQ Business (nee *C) fares. In the end, they could've put their fares up quietly, and nobody would've said a thing. And that's adding to the fact that it was probably a very silly idea to have such accrual rates in the first place, especially for promo fares (which I have to admit I took advantage of). I earned about 520 SCs in the past few months for approx $1700 AUD, and if I do get to SG this year (just 350SC left, with 10 months to go), I can imagine myself to be somewhat disliked among the community...

Dave Noble

Except that they have quietly put up their fares whilst trumpeting the new fare options. For starclass a refundable HNL-SYD is now $1499 where it was $1299 and a flexible/refundable MEL-SYD is $339 where it was $269

Dave

DownUnderFlyer

And in addition to what Dave Noble has said, you know have the situation that an Economy fare will earn SCs and the much more expensive C fare will not. I also think that QF is making a nice profit out of JQ C fares and a $2500 return to Hawaii will leave enough to the QF bottom line to justify C earnings.

DownUnderFlyer

I very much agree with your summary and I think quite a few here are now thinking the same. Even so I don't want to get the thread OT, I would add to this list the loss of any time lounge access which was another big differentiator between SG and WP in the past. It didn't cost QF much too have it and if the intention was to not pay for lounges for WP flying on DJ then I guess this has backfired if people now leave QF as they don't see the value of WP anymore.

Dave Noble

I posit that most that earn status on Qantas do it just by virtue of the travel they are doing and that most will not see that there has been any impact to them. Someone else getting more is not affecting them

people who are getting status by virtue of the travel that they need to do, are not likely to just stop flying imo

DownUnderFlyer

If the QF/AA cooperation Trans Pac gets approved, maybe one can use AA SWUs on those flights. Which might make some people move over to AA.

DownUnderFlyer

I agree but you can also turn this on its head a bit. Yes, there are some people who will just get status due to the flying they do and will not engineer anything to obtain status. For them QF product is much more important than any loyalty program perks.
But there is also a significant group who wants to get a higher status. And if you are a SG now you do think whether you spend the extra money/company money/time to get you to WP or not.

Dave Noble

I think that that is a small minority. I know people who get gold status and they don't sit around thinking how to get to platinum.

I think that those who will take travel just to get a higher status is minimal

Dave

DownUnderFlyer

If that would be the case then there is no need to have a loyalty program. People would just fly what they fly anyway.
I think you underestimate the power programs like QFF have. Almost everyone I know in my former company (large multinational) engineered company travel to get status. Either by doing flights which were not necessary, booking fares which were not required or just the choice of airline. Among corporate Frequent Flyers this will be the majority, not the minority.

Dave Noble

Many do and just take the points as the side effect.

I also know numerous for whom the aim of earning miles would influence their desired choice of carrier

I know none at current or previous that will take unnecessary flight

gaia

I've been WP since it first was introduced & for me it's exceptionally easy to earn QFF points but also inordinately difficult to spend them. It appears to me that WP & SG are now little different. When priority boarding is called WP & SG are called together and I'm satisfied to use the biz lounge (QF has few first class lounges anyway).

Each year I now only fly enough OW to maintain WP & then fly *A. Usually QF & CX in OW and TG & SQ in *A. In the past 12 months I've flown 103 flights - 2 domestically in OZ & the other 101 internationally. All of my earned travel points are in paid biz class & I like to spend my points in first class with my wife and family accompanying me (I pay biz & upgrade myself and get reward tickets for my family.).

I could easily obtain P1 but the only thing that might entice me to do so is if I could spend my QF points as easily as I can spend my TG points. Last month TG approved a first class reward upgrade for me & 3 accompanying first class reward returns for my wife & 2 adult children from SYD to LHR in 24 hours - and this is typical of the service which I get now from TG. I used to get the same 24 hour turnaround from QF 10 years ago, but that's now long gone. For me to get first class seats for my family of 4 from SYD to LHR in 24 hours is impossible & my upgrade wouldn't be known until the day.

Red Roo

The increase in Cabin bonus benefits Platinum Members more significantly than other tiers, by virtue of the cabins typically flown. Platinum Frequent Flyers have a distinctly higher incidence in premium cabins, compared to other tiers.

In our last round of changes, we added a reward option of 50,000 points at 2400 Status credits, which has been extremely popular, in fact more popular than any of the other options available at 2400 Status credits.

Just to reiterate the point, Platinum remains a oneworld Emerald tier with access to the Qantas International First Lounge and Domestic Business Lounge. This has been a concern raised on AFF, so we just wanted to make this clear. Platinum One will involve the introduction of new benefits in addition to what Platinum Frequent Flyers have today.

I can't say too much at this point in time, but we are paying extra attention to Platinum Frequent Flyers for the upgrade process.

There has been work taking place behind the scenes on improving delivery of benefits, such as baggage delivery.

og

Thanks Red Roo for your regular input on this issue. It is appreciated.