? improvements coming to QFF
Apr 21, 2008, 7:13 pm
#46
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 805
I wonder where Qantas Club sits with all of this QFF spin off. Will Life members slowly have their membership devalued?
I now look at my QP Life as an insurance policy that means I have the possibility of lounge access when having to fly JQ, which has become more and more of a reality with my organisation's BFOD policy.
I have managed to keep AA Plat thanks to overseas travel (both work and personal) through until Feb 2010 and that is my primary mileage earning point. Thanks also the better transfer rate from MR to SPG to AA, it has become even more attractive.
I have used QP membership very well for the 8 or so years I've had it. It has certainly saved me in the US when flights have gone pear shaped and AC AAngels have come to the rescue (before the candy steal).
I now look at my QP Life as an insurance policy that means I have the possibility of lounge access when having to fly JQ, which has become more and more of a reality with my organisation's BFOD policy.
I have managed to keep AA Plat thanks to overseas travel (both work and personal) through until Feb 2010 and that is my primary mileage earning point. Thanks also the better transfer rate from MR to SPG to AA, it has become even more attractive.
I have used QP membership very well for the 8 or so years I've had it. It has certainly saved me in the US when flights have gone pear shaped and AC AAngels have come to the rescue (before the candy steal).
Last edited by goback; Apr 21, 2008 at 7:23 pm Reason: Add info about AAngels
Apr 21, 2008, 7:51 pm
#47
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AAdvantage EXP
Posts: 1,482
Spun programs are not the norm so assuming that because one set of people said it was a good idea does not mean it will happen.
Apr 21, 2008, 9:46 pm
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
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Apr 22, 2008, 3:29 am
#49
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NUE,MUC,INN,FDH
Programs: QF LTG, LH (SEN*** till 02/26), AF, AA, AB-G†
Posts: 2,076
Having (and earning) quite a significant amount on SCs on short BA trips I considered moving to BA. Lifetime Status is the reason I do not put all my money into LH/SQ/NZ
Apr 22, 2008, 3:38 am
#50
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Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Unfortunately, my expectations of the dynamics of a post-spin-off environment fall far short of meeting my hopes.
Apr 22, 2008, 3:48 am
#51
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Unless doing a lot of US-LHR/LHR-US trips, some may want to consider AA lifetime status. And even if doing a lot of those trips, it is my expectation that if some mergers of US airlines are allowed to go ahead, then sooner than later the restriction on earning AA miles for BA flights between the US and Heathrow will be set aside eventually.
Apr 24, 2008, 6:22 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,016
Another newspaper article by Simon Cready of the Australian Qantas fix frequent-flyer complaints
QANTAS Loyalty boss Simon Hickey is well aware that the airline's 5 million frequent flyers are a vocal bunch when it comes to expressing their displeasure.
He has seen the complaints about not being able to redeem points, the lack of seats on key routes at popular times and the difficulty in getting upgrades.
...
<snip>
..
Other changes will include the ability to pay for taxes and charges using frequent flyer points, as well as to more easily use a mix of cash and points to pay for flights. Qantas estimates that taxes and charges on a Sydney-London return trip of roughly $700 will add about 70,000 points to the 128,000-point cost. The result, says Hickey, is a win for frequent flyers looking to convert what he calls their "invested value" in their points balance.
...
<snip>
..
Qantas is not planning to spin off its entire frequent-flyer program and is believed to be looking at an initial public offering of about 40 per cent of the business later this year. But work has been under way for some time on separating the business so it operates as an independent segment, with its own balance sheet.
Strategy planning began in May last year, after Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon appointed Hickey at the helm of the new business. In October, it moved into its own headquarters in Sydney's CBD.
He has seen the complaints about not being able to redeem points, the lack of seats on key routes at popular times and the difficulty in getting upgrades.
...
<snip>
..
Other changes will include the ability to pay for taxes and charges using frequent flyer points, as well as to more easily use a mix of cash and points to pay for flights. Qantas estimates that taxes and charges on a Sydney-London return trip of roughly $700 will add about 70,000 points to the 128,000-point cost. The result, says Hickey, is a win for frequent flyers looking to convert what he calls their "invested value" in their points balance.
...
<snip>
..
Qantas is not planning to spin off its entire frequent-flyer program and is believed to be looking at an initial public offering of about 40 per cent of the business later this year. But work has been under way for some time on separating the business so it operates as an independent segment, with its own balance sheet.
Strategy planning began in May last year, after Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon appointed Hickey at the helm of the new business. In October, it moved into its own headquarters in Sydney's CBD.
Apr 25, 2008, 7:10 am
#53
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: STR/SYD/SMF
Programs: QF Lifetime SG, LH HON, OZ Lifetime Diamond +, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 14,372
Apr 25, 2008, 2:05 pm
#54
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ Gold, BA Gold, QF Silver, IHG Platinum Elite Ambassador, Accor Diamond
Posts: 1,048
Maybe follows NZ airpoints?
As a member of QFF and NZ Airpoints, I know NZ airpoints restructuring a few years ago has been closely followed by Qantas and others.
This would mean:
Points are converted into actual $ which can be used to buy flights, upgrades and the like.
$ are earnt according to fares paid not distance, so expensive domestic business class can earn more than some cheap long haul economy class.
Means it is easier to spend FF points, but earning is harder for those on cheap tickets (but easier for those in F and C).
This would mean:
Points are converted into actual $ which can be used to buy flights, upgrades and the like.
$ are earnt according to fares paid not distance, so expensive domestic business class can earn more than some cheap long haul economy class.
Means it is easier to spend FF points, but earning is harder for those on cheap tickets (but easier for those in F and C).
Apr 25, 2008, 3:00 pm
#55
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: OOL Australia
Programs: QFF (Gold), Skywards, Rapid Rewards,United, Velocity, Hilton Silver
Posts: 2,440
As a member of QFF and NZ Airpoints, I know NZ airpoints restructuring a few years ago has been closely followed by Qantas and others.
This would mean:
Points are converted into actual $ which can be used to buy flights, upgrades and the like.
$ are earnt according to fares paid not distance, so expensive domestic business class can earn more than some cheap long haul economy class.
Means it is easier to spend FF points, but earning is harder for those on cheap tickets (but easier for those in F and C).
This would mean:
Points are converted into actual $ which can be used to buy flights, upgrades and the like.
$ are earnt according to fares paid not distance, so expensive domestic business class can earn more than some cheap long haul economy class.
Means it is easier to spend FF points, but earning is harder for those on cheap tickets (but easier for those in F and C).
Apr 25, 2008, 7:35 pm
#56
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Apr 27, 2008, 4:39 am
#57
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: SYD
Programs: DJ, QF, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 2,984
Earning a minimum of 1000 points a flight means very little if you need 1m points to redeem a flight.
QF will spin it faster than Warney by saying you can now redeem flights a lot easier, without telling you how many more points you will need.
Apr 27, 2008, 5:22 pm
#58
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AAdvantage EXP
Posts: 1,482
I don't think QF will be able to hide the true cost of any adverse changes (if any) from this group
Apr 29, 2008, 7:48 pm
#59
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sydney
Programs: QF WP, QF Lifetime Gold, SQ/*G, Velocity Rewards, IHG Rewards, Hilton Honours, Accor Le Club
Posts: 156
*A alternatives
As the majority of my points are from Amex & Diners, I think it maybe time to consider an alternate *A program.
Any suggestions?
I would want no annual fee, ability to have an Australian address and not a dollar/point earner (eg. AirNZ). I'm not worried about status; just the abilty to spend Amex/Diners points and as I anticipate being able to make 1 rtw trip each year from next year I would like the ability to earn points if a *A rtw happens to be attractive than a OW rtw at the time.
The less said about my previous *A experience (650,000 AN points down the gurgler) the better
Any suggestions?
I would want no annual fee, ability to have an Australian address and not a dollar/point earner (eg. AirNZ). I'm not worried about status; just the abilty to spend Amex/Diners points and as I anticipate being able to make 1 rtw trip each year from next year I would like the ability to earn points if a *A rtw happens to be attractive than a OW rtw at the time.
The less said about my previous *A experience (650,000 AN points down the gurgler) the better
Apr 29, 2008, 8:58 pm
#60
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: used to be PER, now it's nowhere/eveywhere
Programs: QFF NB, AA GLD
Posts: 3,467