Maintaining Gold status - how?

Warks · #1 (**permalink**) 13th September 2004, 01:02 PM

I've been a Gold for the past 4 years courtesy of a major Business Class RTW trip to start and a few re-organisations of the QFF programme where they extended my Gold status for another year without me making the required number of points/status credits. I started off the new year (October is my join date) with a rush and got halfway to my 600 SCs I needed for Gold retention by about March. Since then I've hardly flown - only a few discounted SYD-BNE or MEL flights which don't get me too many.
Currently I need 250 SCs by the end of October or I lose my key to the Executive Washroom that is the Qantas Club. I received an email from QFF telling me that I was set to lose it. And I quote:

Quote:

A preliminary review of your flight activity to date indicates that you may
not re-qualify for your Gold membership when we re-assess it in October.

To view a summary of your membership, including your current Status credits
balance, visit https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyns/LoginForm

We value your ongoing support for Qantas and we hope that we can extend
your Gold membership for another year.

To help us do this, simply supply by return email any relevant information
regarding your travel plans over the next 12 months with Qantas, one world
alliance airlines or Air Pacific.

Alternatively, you may contact the Frequent Flyer Service Centre on 13 11
31 within Australia, 0800 101 500 within New Zealand, (61) 3 9658 5302 from
elsewhere, or by fax on (61) 1300 305 747.

My question is will they extend my membership if I just say that I have a big overseas trip planned for November or would they have to see bookings made? What are my chances of promising to travel more next year offering the excuse for the remainder of this year that my company has cut all travel but will turn over a new leaf on Jan 1st? (that's true BTW)

Yes I am not hopeful in any case... so feel free to shoot my dreams down in flames.
Got a cheap SC run? One that costs less than QC membership anyway!!

davem · #2 (**permalink**) 13th September 2004, 02:46 PM

You searched for a minimum cost routing from SYD to SYD earning at least 250 status credits.

Search results are as follows:

SYD to WLG, costing $216.00 and earning 20 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to WLG, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
WLG to CHC, costing $61.10 and earning 10 status credits.
CHC to SYD, costing $172.02 and earning 20 status credits.

Total cost $1671.12, earning 250 status credits, @ $6.68/SC

or

if you don't want to go to nz

You searched for a minimum cost routing from SYD to SYD earning at least 250 status credits. International flights have not been included in the search.

Search results are as follows:

SYD to MEL, costing $80.00 and earning 10 status credits.
MEL to CBR, costing $82.00 and earning 10 status credits.
CBR to OOL, costing $150.00 and earning 20 status credits.
OOL to CBR, costing $153.00 and earning 20 status credits.
CBR to OOL, costing $150.00 and earning 20 status credits.
OOL to CBR, costing $153.00 and earning 20 status credits.
CBR to OOL, costing $150.00 and earning 20 status credits.
OOL to CBR, costing $153.00 and earning 20 status credits.
CBR to OOL, costing $150.00 and earning 20 status credits.
OOL to CBR, costing $153.00 and earning 20 status credits.
CBR to OOL, costing $150.00 and earning 20 status credits.
OOL to CBR, costing $153.00 and earning 20 status credits.
CBR to SYD, costing $88.00 and earning 10 status credits.
SYD to BNE, costing $75.00 and earning 10 status credits.
BNE to SYD, costing $79.00 and earning 10 status credits.

Total cost $1919.00, earning 250 status credits, @ $7.67/SC

thadocta · #3 (**permalink**) 13th September 2004, 04:15 PM

Just tell them that you intend making more flights next year, and that your anticipated flights will be more than this year.

They will comp you to Gold anyway, as the "feel good" factor is worth far more to them than what it actually costs you - and will make you more loyal to them.

Dave

swissbignose · #4 (**permalink**) 13th September 2004, 04:22 PM

$1670 to get a $685 QANTAS Club membership...

Somehow I think there's a better way.

I would definitely write to QANTAS and let them know of your future travel plans. Given that you've re-qual'd Gold three times now, they may be accommodating. I know that I was close to missing (maybe 150 SCs away) a couple of years ago and received the same letter from QANTAS. I didn't respond with any future travel plans, but was re-qual'd Gold anyway.

I believe that it would be different if you were 250 SCs away from qualifying in the first place...

thadocta · #5 (**permalink**) 13th September 2004, 04:46 PM

They WON'T comp you there if you fall short and aren't there already - that would devalue the whole thing.

But they will comp you based on past usage, and I think three years of requalifying will do it.

They comped me after I qualified for the first time with 955 SC's, and then failed to requalify the very next year with 415 SC's. I think they must have looked at it, saw "700 to qualify, 600 to requalify equals 1300 over two years" and then looked at me "955 one year, 415 the next is 1370 SC's over two years" and decided to give it to me anyway.

Email them, see what happens.

Dave

NM · #6 (**permalink**) 13th September 2004, 05:22 PM

I have never received one of those emails (I know many people who have), so can't speak from personal experience. However, I would recommend being very careful to tell too many pork pies if you don't think you will re-qual next year. If you tell them you will make it and you don't, then don't expect the same generosity next year.

That said, QF are reasonably generous in comping re-qualifications if they think it will retain your loyalty. But as thadocta said, QF won't promote you to a new level unless you make the points, but re-qual for an existing level is not unheard of.

oz_mark · #7 (**permalink**) 14th September 2004, 12:07 AM

While I wouldn't condone telling too big a tale about your plans, I would suggest yoyu would be better off arguing that you will do enough flying next year to requalify.

I did that last year, and while I am still waiting the business class trip to the US

, most of the rest of what I said happened.

Lindsay Wilson · #8 (**permalink**) 16th September 2004, 10:15 PM

If you are looking for some SC chasing (mileage runs, call them what you will), then you should check out StevePER's thread on Flyertalk's Qantas forum about his status chaser calculator...

Back to the points about re-qualification, thadocta's post (three above) and NM's follow-up are both smack on the money. I may be in exactly the same position early next year, as I will have screamed past Gold requal level but may be just short of Plat. After 2 years of Plat re-qual, I'm hoping my SC average (2365 + 1200 + ??) will be sufficient for them to show loyalty to me (and I'll do so in return - what other airlines fly around Australia, anyway??)...

NM · #9 (**permalink**) 17th September 2004, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindsay Wilson

...will be sufficient for them to show loyalty to me (and I'll do so in return - what other airlines fly around Australia, anyway??)...

Hmm, better not tell them about that *Gold card and those upgrade certs you now carry around with you :wink: . Did you get the LH or UA flavour in the end?

Warks · #10 (**permalink**) 17th September 2004, 04:47 PM

Thanks for all the feedback. I will have a fair bit of domestic plus at least one overseas trip next year so they should keep me on. Also the brakes have come off a little on domestic travel within the company - I've got to go to Darwin a few times so will work out some high SC flights: SYD-BNE-TSV-Darwin (dunno code) and back via Alice Springs and MEL?? Won't get me over the line but might get me in range.