og

My feelings are the same. I am so glad I kept my AMEX MR points within AX rather than transferring them blindly to QF. I can now see far more opportunities outside the "everything QF" feeling I had several years ago. This includes *A and the ShyTeam. And - surprise - surprise - the others are usually cheaper. And, of course, other OW FF programs.

Platy

And crucially, with Amex, it's possible simply to buy the points if needed (I didn't realise this until recently).

This has a couple of implications:

• A huge degree of freedom in topping up points balances across a whole suite of airlines schemes or (a business round trip on MH from Australia to Europe can be had for 102,000 pts plus surcharges, that's about $2550 plus charges)
• Being unshackled from the need to over invest in one or two frequent flyer schemes
• It puts the true value of QF and other points in cold hard terms of actual cash (the purchase cost) - arguments about the worth of points can be simply subsumed to the question of how much they would cost to replace ($25 per 1,000 on Amex MR or far less on other schemes such as US Airways, AA, Avianca, etc) - posts like one or two above valuing QF at the price QF sells them are off the mark: add on the superior burn rates on almost all alternative FF schemes (except perhaps EK and BA over medum/long distance) and QF looks even more devalued
• Having the means to sit in premium cabins at relatively low cost (if you don't happen to have the points) means status becomes of minimal value: if you're already in business or first you are getting most of the benefits of status anyway - no point chasing status and no point in loyalty anymore
  • The cost benefit of any trade off between earning extra points on say QF by being loyal to an over priced product can easily be assessed - the extra points earned by loyalty to an overpriced QF can be assessed against the dollar savings and how many points that could purchase at worst $25 / 1000

By taking the one big differentiator of Marginal ASAs out of the equation QF points become only as maximally valuable as their replacement cost, which practically for Australians is the Amex MR cost.

For Australians the strategy swings inevitably away from QF loyalty and towards alternative if not multiple FF schemes backed up by the flexibility of Amex MR.

Of course for those stuck on corporate travel with reduced or no say on their travel options may be limited.

Dave Noble

How many people in Australia really are aware of the value of other schemes ; I know many people who in the past credited points to Qantas blithely unaware that there are othe better value options

Even with news articles about the wailing and gnashing of teeth of members about the changes ( that I saw ) , none put forward using other programmes and showed the benefits to be had

Fortunately for Qantas, to me it seems that many in AU are blinkered to only see the local programmes

serfty

Any Seat award were introduced in 2008 (2nd ¼?) - they did not earn points or SC's.

AFF -ANy Seat Redemption

The direct sweep changes began mid-late 2008.

AFF - Qantas hard sell on direct sweep

Obviously their use did not meet expectations as in March 2010 Qantas introduced points and SC earning for Any Seat Awards.

AFF - Earning Status Credits & Points on ANY SEAT booking

I firmly maintain that the facet MASA's could be used to garner status credits relatively cheaply was a product of the "law of unintended consequences" when they decided to encourage use of any-seat by allowing points/SC' earning.

serfty

I would say that it the case - I hope it does not go the way as it i in NZ with Airpoints and New Zealand residents.

Until these changes, my travel patterns was a Platinum Status flyer made QFF the better option over AAdvantage - just. I had begun to employ AAdvantage where it better suited (Have a First AAward between NRT and ORD coming up.).

Come July 1 I don't believe this is the case - I will look closely at maintaining Emerald status, but not necessarily with QFF.

perthite

Well, based on my reading today, the introduction of P1 looks to have been the fly in the ointment with all of this. Seems MASAs have allowed more to get there than expected. I don't really know how much extra a P1 costs over a stock standard P though....

serfty

reposted

serfty

... mASA combined with double SC promotions have enabled quite a few P1 from my reading.

It's been years since I received a 2 x SC offer I could actually use, so, if they are partly responsible for the devaluation, for my own selfish reasons I wish they ceased.

Blackcloud

Double posts for the Double SC statement?

bmam7

A little OT but whilst all this reduction in points and in some cases SC's is going on, I've just received an email from QF confirming my take-up of an offer of 50% increase in SC for travel between 9 April to 31 May for flights booked between 9 to 17 April!

It's not clear, however, if this is only for "purchased" tickets or includes P+P. The rep assured me that the cancelled ticket voucher I used for a flight BNE/MEL/BNE on Monday would be ok so I get 45SC instead of 30, so it may also apply to P+P as that involves a "cash" transaction.

Also, it is interesting that many OW airlines seem to be making changes to their FF programs. AA, for example have just advised they will no longer offer Oneworld Explorer fares on AA points. If you want to do such an itinerary, you will have to do sector by sector on partner airlines, thus increasing the number of points required.

To my knowledge you can still do an explorer ticket with QF FF for 280k business or 140k economy, so at least, in that regard we are better off than our cousins with AA.

Princess fiona

Just as a point of interest in the past week I have booked SYD-MEL-LHR and LHR-MEL-SYD for March 15 as ASAs. The int sectors are in P class and I used minimum points plus co-pay. It was relatively straight-forward via the Platinum desk and my QFF account shows "Qantas and Jetstar Any Seat Award" for both the outbound and return. The agent confirmed on the second call that bookings for these will cease after June 30.

og

Contemplating an xASA or three pre June 30th. But, as a newbie to xASAs, is the xASA points price the same number of points as the web site shows for a 100% points on a points plus pay quote?

serfty

No, not even close if you book a revenue fare bucket.

QFF are now referring the old "points plus pay" as ASA's.

There's a really good locked sticky thread on AFF advising on how best to book these.

igel

Hi everyone,
I called up today to book a JASA in U class for a flight in Jan 2015. The booking process seems to have gone through but points not deducted yet and not ticketed yet, so I can't see whether it is deducted correctly as an ASA instead of classic.
If it is done correctly, I should see on my QF account
-60,000 Any Seat Award or something to that effect, right?
Also since it is booked today but travel is in Jan 2015, I should still be earning points and status credits just like any JASA currently?
The QF agent said I would, and so I went ahead with the booking. Just to double check here. Thanks.
Cheers, Gerald

Princess fiona

If your statement says "Qantas and Jetstar Any Seat Award" you will
earn points and SC in the relevant equivalent revenue booking class