Quick Question
 

Before I possibly get flamed for asking this, I appologise in advance as I cannot seem to find any information anywhere as to the answer, here or the QF website.

In a couple of weeks, I am heading off to Sydney on QF129 (YAY!) and was considering joining Qantas Freq Flyer. I only travel by plane around 3 or 4 times return a year, and not too sure if its worth it. Which brings me to my question, can points be earned for the family member I am travelling with, or do they also need to join?

On another note, I just want to say Hello, as this is my first post here, after finally signing up and not just reading.

Welcome to FT, bren-e!

If the QF scheme is the best one for you (which depends on your travelling habits) and you are going to earn some points in it every year, you can't lose very much by joining as opposed to not joining. The points will stay alive as long as there's some activity in your account once every three years, and you can just add to them as and when. It's better than a smack in the face with a wet fish.

However, you can only collect flying points for your own flying. The family member would have to join separately and earn their own points in their own account. There's a new thing of family transfers now, if you can persuade them to do that for you subsequently, but they would have to join up themselves first.

Thanks for your welcome, and reply.

I used to always fly Virgin Blue (swore never to fly Jetstar and still do, especially after troubles other family members have had). However, after my last 2 flights being horror on Virgin, Its back to good ol' Qantas for me :)

Something else I forgot to ask is, If i join, can I get credits for the flights which I have already booked, and depart for in 2 weeks?

Don't forget that all companies - not just airlines - have the proverbial "bad hair day" - I stick by Qantas, and have never had a bad flight, but I know people who have, so it does happen from time to time.

You can get credit for flights up to 30 days BEFORE you join.

Dave

Thanks for clearing that up :)

Out of my last 4 Virgin flights, 3 were a nightmare (including check-in not opening until 45 mins before scheduled departure!). Also, I dont think saving $10 is really worth it in the long run.

Thanks for all your help tho, I think I will just join and look forward to my trip.
Just crossing my fingers for that window seat now, on a nice shiny A333 :P

Actually, I would be holding off on joining up - it is $82.50 to join, after all (unless you can wangle an address outside of Australia or New Zealand) and you do have the 30 day buffer.

Travellers are a strange breed, some love Vermin/hate Qantas, others love Qantas/hate Vermin.

Give yourself a couple of flights and then join, just remember to save your boarding passes.

Dave

Flying on QF129 from International terminal, I have heard they keep the bording pass. Do you imagine this would be an issue?

Sorry for so many questions.

Any time they have wanted to keep my boarding pass, I have just asked for it back. I have never been refused.

They will keep and retain the long part of the BP, the part with the 'D' sticker on it. To do otherwise would be a major security nightmare, particularly from a customs viewpoint.

They will however allow you to keep the small stub, which will have your name on it, as well as the flight details.

Dave

Between international terminals? It is standard procedure that nobody - to emphasize, NOBDY - gets out of there with a BP with a 'D' sticker on it. Of course, lapses occasionally happen, but you are making it sound like it happens all the time.

Dave

ah, thanks for clearing that up. :) I feel a lot happier now.

i suppose i better head off, its amost 1.30am now :P

thanks for everyones help :)

Bearing in mind that everytime for me can be counted on the fingers of one hand, I guess I have just been lucky.

If you can use an overseas address it's definately worth joining since it is free otherwise the $83 might well be a waste imo; you need to earn more than 20,000 points to make it worthwhile ( going on the fact that flights that are in the 20k range can be purchased for about $83 or less ) and with 3 or 4 trips that's likely to take a long while; if you cannot find someone outside of AU/NZ to use for a joining address, I would suggest perhaps joining the AA scheme since it is free to join and you can earn mileage on most QF fares ( albeit at 50% earning with 500 min )


Dave

I agree with Dave 5 :-: Noble here. I joined QFF with an overseas address and vola, saved $82.5. However, one thing to be careful of is that QF will not send you a membership kit nor a permanent membership card even if your contact address is swtiched back to an Australian one.

I rang up the QFF service centre the other day to equire my 'missing' membership kit and card that I thought I would receive. But the friendly agent told me I had registered with an overseas address and its QF policy not to send membership kits nor cards to overseas members. She told me I could get a proper membership card for a A$25 service fee, but she told me that my paper membership card would still be valid, but the only downside is that I can't use to self check-in machines.

So, just keep this mind when joining with an overseas address.

RickyT,

you are able to use QuickCheck without a QF FF card. You can either insert the credit card you bought the ticket with or you can type in the booking ref.

After reading this post. I have an itching question.
I'm living in Hong Kong and my address is in New Zealand. I paid my $50 to join long time ago.
Just before I get my gold, I switch the address to Hong Kong. Will they post it to me in Hong Kong? Will they post the kit to me in Hong Kong?

Yes, they post the elite card packages overseas. I think what the OP is saying is that if you sign up for a "free" overseas QFF account they won't send you a kit. Assumedly because they are too cheap.

I've always gotten a kit each year in the US from QF, mailed in a large envelope with several dollars postage and complete with card, luggage tags and brochure (I presume identical to the Australian kit). Definitely got one for both Gold and Platinum (I qualified for both in the same month), think there was also a Bronze kit mailed when first signing up, but that was in 2001. At least for existing members QF is sending out kits in the US and presumably the rest of the world.

Sorry, my bad and Thank you for reminding me bravoecho :-: ^ . That is what I was told by the cutsomer service agent over the phone. Something along the lines of "you simply can't use those self-checkin machines..."

Guess I will just stick with my paper card then.

Interesting to note that although signing up for AA is free (both here and OS), they still send out the membership card and welcome kit.
Seems any excuse for QANTAS to save money/cut cost :rolleyes:

Well I decided to just go out and join. Hopefully I will also get approved for the ANZ card and earn some bonus points :P