QANTAS FF RIPOFF ???
WOW Qantas called up to use FF points to USA return used be about approx $250-$300 (few years ago)tax return now $850 TAXES is this true ? Put in correct area if needed BUT blown away. 96000 points $1300 cheapest Qantas to States W/OUT points other airline $1050 ???? SO CANNOT be JUST TAXES
IF TRUE CURRENT AFFAIR AND TODAY TONIGHT TO BE INFORMED
At least a part of the cost is extra charges, like the Fuel Surcharge, which is now a larger part of the cost than the fare itself. The unfair part is that the fuel surcharge keeps going up, even if the price of fuel drops (as it has recently). It means that airlines can keep charging their extras, even if you use your FF points to pay for a fare.
You get more bang for your buck by using FF points for upgrades on discounted fares, rather than for 'buying' the fares themselves.
What upgrades for example?
Try from economy to business class. Or business to first class. Those "upgrades".
We paid the same fees but used our points for first class to the USA and business return from Japan. So buying higher priced tickets with your points is still pretty nice. (But as you say pointless for economy)
We had tried upgrading a few times without success.
$400 for a one way first class to the USA (and a bunch of points) on the A380 is a pretty sweet deal I won't likely experience again in a hurry.
I do pity the other first class passengers who will have to tollerate our 1.5 year old hehe
I would have thought parents would feel bad when their children disturb others - especially on a plane. Who would have thought that on the contrary, they find it funny.
I never put up with that behaviour with my own child. I have seen people bristle when we sit next to them at restaurants and on planes. After about an hour, they realise that not all kids behave how they initially feared.
You are actually a shit person for taking a screaming child into first class. No two ways about it.
So they are meant to miss their holiday or travel in a lower class? So it is OK for their child to disturb people that cant afford a 1st class ticket but don't disturb the well off?
Get a grip people! I fly weekly and take an annual FF trip overseas with the points, I also have kids. I don't like being kept awake by kids but it is unavoidable. We were all kids once and there is every chance that the taxes that kid pays in the future will be funding your pensions one day!
What?
Why not just cash out the points for gift cards, use them for groceries, save the grocery money, buy the flights?
But yea, it is pretty crazy.
Why do people threaten to contact A Current Affair / Today Tonight when they aren't happy about something?
they don't set the bar high when it comes to 'news'
you are chasing the dragon if you think you are going to win by participating in ff programs, just buy the most competitively priced flight you can with decent service!
I work for a department of Queensland public service.
The number of times I have been threatened with "If you don't give me what I want then I will call a Current Affair / Today Tonight…".
I tell them to go ahead. and give them my name and direct number for the producer to contact me. (though I'd refer the producer straight to the departments media spokesperson).
Nice tactic. When there's no issue and nothing to hide, then that's the best way to respond to threats. If the caller has a genuine arguement they'll follow up. Your boldness and up front nature should be enought to put off the 'pretenders'.
I've been waiting for a call from ACA/TT for the last 4 years.
I laugh at the reporters chasing some "bad" guy down the street with a camera and microphone.
If I was a "bad" guy, I'd simply politely say, "please contact my solicitor to arrange a convenient time for a civilised interview. Meantime I have another pressing appointment I must keep - good day." and walk away - not newsworthy footage at all.
An acquaintance of mine — whose business ethics may or may not be somewhat flexible, shall we say — has been fronted by crews from ACA or TT on several occasions. He has never made it onto the program.
Here is what he does. He pays attention when they identify themselves as "Charlie X from ACA (or TT)" and then he uses the name of the OTHER program quite a bit.
"Look Charlie, I am quite happy to discuss this with ACA/TT, please tell me when would be convenient to come into the studio".
Then he says the name of the other program over and over again. Once, when the crew became p——ed off and left, he chased THEM down the street, yelling "But don't you want me to come on ACA/TT?"
They would never run vision of someone mentioning the name of the opposition program, even if you have ritually sacrificed one of the Queen's corgis. Apparently it works every time.
Some destinations are better value than others. Europe has relatively low taxes compared with relatively high non-ff points flights. At least they used to, about $400 return flight taxes.
Fiji is also good value, about $80 taxes and only 18k pts each way. Just shop wisely and points can still represent a good opportunity for a cheap flight…. Provided there is availability of course, another question entirely.
I tried to book tickets using FF points and found that the tax is more than double if I pay for the ticket. Same destination, date and same time booking on 2 different browserS. They are ripping off FF members from the tax. Called the customer service regarding the difference in tax, they were shocked too.
Leiiv asked:
'Why do people threaten to contact A Current Affair / Today Tonight when they aren't happy about something?'
Probably becasue if they have a genuine point where it can actaully be proven that we consumers are being ripped off - then a current affairs program and it's publicity/saturation may well get the guilty retailer to correct their unethical business preactices. As well as the publicity assisting in public outrage and giving the relevant authorities the 'heads up' that a rip off is in play.
I'd love to know what you're on about but your post is all over the place. Could you please summarise.
Don't encourage illiterates.
I have found this before - flights on some routes have "taxes & charges" close to the cost of booking a flight (especially if the flight is on special, as is the case with the US flights at the moment).
I suspect that quote a proportion of the "taxes & charges" is Qantas fees & nothing to do with actual taxes.
Of course they never give you a breakdown of these fees - this would make it obvious.
"Taxes and Charges"
This has always been corporate spin for taxes and FEES, in this case read Qantas fees. Just like postage AND Packaging. i.e. pay for labour to post including rent of premises, electricity, wages, and so on.
Like the pollies, you just slip the word in behind something else and since most people read quickly they misinterpret the meaning.
But really people there is NOTHING new here, most Flybuys, Qantas FF Velocity members have worked out that the store voucher is probably the best return for your points, then use the saved grocery money for your flight.
Maybe when the OP gets a little older they will learn to read things carefully instead of wasting time at 6:30 watching dribble on TV.
Yes I am a little harsh :)
Very poor English.
Sorry, I don't understand what you are saying - are you exclaiming that the FF points show just how marked up their prices are without the points or…something else? Sorry, maybe I'm just tired, but I really don't understand what you're getting at
I guess you can't buy commas or full stops with your points?
But you can obviously upgrade to CAPITALS.
Jac, are you selling your points now? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/100-000-Qantas-Frequent-Flyer-Poi…
(not sure how the seller is planning to get around Qantas' rule of "transer to eligible family member" - guess it's just on-line, and you don't really have to prove it?)
lol …