Qantas Moving to Digital Guest Passes

[coyote25]

According to AUSBT Qantas are moving to digital guest passes in the near future.

https://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-moving-to-digital-lounge-passes

I guess this means the end of giving these passes to family and friends and the many eBay and Grumtree sales of these passes (against the T&Cs).

I wonder if the sales issue was been the driver and how long it will take to transition. I've received paper passes that expired in 15 months time so probably take a long time to transition totally to digital.

 

[TomVexille]

IIRC they mentioned that they will still be transferable electronically

 

[mviy]

This will mean that they can more easily check for suspicious transfers of guest passes if they want to.

 

[Hvr]

I wonder how long until we return to a limit on the number of guests we can have per membership year?

 

[coyote25]

I wonder how long until we return to a limit on the number of guests we can have per membership year?

Well definitely easier to track now if we have to swipe our card for access for ourselves and guesses.

Even if no limit is a implemented it's another factor (guess numbers) that QF can use to determine the value / cost we have to them.

 

[kpc]

IIRC they mentioned that they will still be transferable electronically

As long as this remains, I will be happy ...I never personally use the 2 invites I get from Westpac.

 

[samh004]

I guess this means the end of giving these passes to family and friends and the many eBay and Grumtree sales of these passes (against the T&Cs).

I thought this too at first, but many CC's also come with the passes, so I'm sure some will still come in physical format.

 

[mviy]

In the past in my experience sometimes when a physical pass was provided QF wouldn't necessarily take it when e.g. a QANTAS Club member was with the person using the physical pass so it could be used again. Now I guess it will be definitely one time use.

 

[Sdtravel]

As i mentioned on the AUSBT article it seems a little restrictive. You can only be a QF member to use a pass now. Cant be a non member, other alliance member or even skywards member traveling on QF. "Computer says NO". Or here is a free it will cost you $80 to use it.

There should to be a middle ground for this.

 

[michaele]

.... just sign up for free?

Makes sense that they would want it transferred to a QFF member account.

 

[Sdtravel]

I know you can sign up for free using various offers but for someone not living in AUS it wouldnt make sense.
I would say its better to be able to link it to PNR's rather than QFF memberships.

 

[oz_mark]

I know you can sign up for free using various offers but for someone not living in AUS it wouldnt make sense.
I would say its better to be able to link it to PNR's rather than QFF memberships.

How would you the distribute them to someone that doesn't have a current booking?

Linking to a PNR seems inflexible

 

[Sdtravel]

How would you the distribute them to someone that doesn't have a current booking?

Linking to a PNR seems inflexible

Fine the ability to link to PNR or QFF then.

 

[vertisol]

If I was Qantas I'd be saying that they can only be transferred to QFF members. This allows them to be reconciled and a manifest kept and expiry dates more easily monitored.

As a marketing opportunity they really want you to first be a QFF member so they have your details and secondly probably hope that once you have a free feed in the QP you want to go and pay them for the privilege in the future.

For the credit cards that attract free passes I don't imagine it's too hard for them to have QF push your free pass to your account along with whatever points bonus you also earn.

 

[TonyD]

I just came across a packet of 10 guest cards in my drawer from the days before they dated them - therefore there is no use by date. Anyone know if they will allow me to use ?

 

[ramboflyer]

.......................You can only be a QF member to use a pass now. Cant be a non member.........................

Last week I used 4 complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations (I'm not a member) at Tullamarine. 2 for Mrs ramboflyer and myself and 2 for my brother and his wife. I got the passes through 2 different CC's. T & C's said entry to either Qantas Club lounge or international business lounge provided ongoing flight Qantas or Jetstar so no worries. Mrs ramboflyer and I are QFF members but brother and his wife are not.

Am I to understand that now I can't give complimentary passes to others who are non QFF members?

Footnote: If you have to check in baggage at Tullamarine and flying Jetstar and dont arrive 2 hours before flight time forget going to lounge as it's too rushed. Check bags in at T1, walk hastily to T4, go through security, get to lounge, stress out about boarding time because lounge only shows Qantas boarding information, rush back to T1, go through security and walk 15 miles to board flight. Mind you the Stella Artois beer tasted pretty good!

 

[leetripper]

Qantas tightening up further on lounge passes?

Just received my single free Qantas Club invitation today. (I'm Lifetime Silver) It's no longer a physical cardboard pass but an online link address: qantas.com/freeloungeinvite
The only reason I can think of for sending out a physical letter informing me of an online link would be an attempt to stop the selling of passes on Ebay. I have several times in the past purchased Lounge passes if I was heading overseas with family on QF. The going rate is about $50 per pass, although one with a very close expiry date might be a lot less. I don't really understand the logic of "you can give the pass to another person but you can't sell it" Surely its a marketing opportunity for Qantas?

 

[Daver6]

Re: Qantas tightening up further on lounge passes?

You still have the ability to transfer the invitation to another member. It just made selling it even easier. No need to receive the physical card in the post now.

 

[leetripper]

Re: Qantas tightening up further on lounge passes?

You still have the ability to transfer the invitation to another member. It just made selling it even easier. No need to receive the physical card in the post now.

I guess that's true. However, Qantas will now have a record of who gives and receives passes. Also, they can now only be transferred to other members of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program - which limits the market somewhat. The following is cut and pasted from the Qantas website:
"Complimentary Invitations are not for resale and cannot be exchanged for Cash or Qantas Points. Complimentary Invitations can only be transferred within the Complimentary Invitations Portal.A Complimentary Invitation can be transferred within the Complimentary Invitations Portal to another Qantas Frequent Flyer Member with an active Membership Number. It is the responsibility of the Eligible Customer to inform the recipient of the transfer. The transfer is not reversible unless the recipient re-transfers the Complimentary Invitation through the recipient's own Complimentary Invitations Portal page."

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Re: Qantas tightening up further on lounge passes?

I think too, that its an anti onsell measure.
By using an online system rather than a papery certificate, they can easily cancel that online certificate if they find its been onsold.
Of course, I am purely speculating here, but can see many reasons why they could have decided to go the paperless way.
Less chance of it being onsold, lost in the mail, fading, also saving paper and ink and postage, etc.
I have not got the single entry certificate as I am on SG now, probably retain SG till 2018, then fall back to PS but with annual QP, so won't get to see the online certificate, they would probably still send me an annual card as long as I pay the annual fee (joined QP about 3 years ago now).
This must have been approved by AJ or someone high up in QF/QFF.