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Qantas service standards under fire

A Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyer this week hits out at Qantas and asserts that loyalty is repaid with disinterested service – and at a premium price! This member has been a platinum level flyer for many years and is becoming increasingly disheartened with the quality of service received at Qantas. Poor service has been experienced … Continued

30 Oct 2014 Qantas

Perth to Vegas – family style using points

Perth would have to be close to being the most remote city in the world when it comes to travel to Las Vegas. With a minimum of three flights required, organising a good fare with nice connections is always going to be a tough ask. Doing the same thing with points is even tougher. This … Continued

29 Oct 2014 Flight Reviews

Qantas losing its gloss?

A newspaper article last week asked the question, “Is Qantas losing its gloss”. Using statistics published by the government on International Airline activity over the past ten years, it argued that Qantas was in significant decline. While some may ask what rock the author had been hiding under, as such news is hardly new given … Continued

28 Oct 2014 Qantas

Where to stay in Bangkok

In recent years, thanks to protest and coup activity, Bangkok has not been as popular a destination as it once was. Throw in a relatively new airport with different transport options, and when it comes to finding a place to sleep, a returning visitor may struggle to find the right solution. Got two overnight stays … Continued

27 Oct 2014 Hotel Loyalty Programs

Getting creative with Airline Lounge food

One of the more popular topics to be found on our community discussion board is anything to do with food or wine. The way to a frequent flyer’s heart does appear to be via the stomach. While the inflight choices may be limited, our members also often spend a lot of their time in airline … Continued

25 Oct 2014 Airports & Lounges

“Acquire” 20,000 Qantas points for 50 bucks (plus some small change)

Our super savvy members have discovered an ingenious way to acquire some Qantas frequent flyer points for less. In a special offer anyone who has an ABN number can pay $50 to join Aquire and they are then eligible for a 10,000 signup bonus plus an additional 10,000 points for purchasing anything at an Aquire-affiliated … Continued

23 Oct 2014 Qantas

The United States of Selfies

The practice of taking a “selfie” is by no means a new one when it comes to our member’s trip reports. While many of our members prefer to capture the scene sans author, others happily include the odd mug shot or two. Some even go to the extent of putting their face into almost every … Continued

22 Oct 2014 Destinations

Virgin gets Tiger’s Tail for $1

Australian aviation history is littered with incidences of companies trying to be a successful third domestic airline. Not long after deregulation, we had Compass Mark 1 and shortly after Compass Mark 2, both short lived. Impulse airlines soon stepped into the role, and it ran successfully until capital was cut off by its backers. As … Continued

21 Oct 2014 Virgin Australia

Connection Conundrums

When it comes to the big trips, getting the right airfare can get tricky. The easiest way is to use a single airline to book the entire journey. Often that airline will have codeshares on the flights it does not operate. Should a delay occur, having it on the one ticket will often give you … Continued

20 Oct 2014 Planning & Booking

Bumped from Business

With a trip to the USA often taking 15 hours or more, the thought of travelling in economy class for that time is one too difficult to contemplate for many. Corporate travellers will often find Business Class mandated for such a journey, thanks to a company’s travel policy. But for the leisure traveller, avoiding economy … Continued

18 Oct 2014 Qantas

Qantas Care Factor

Qantas has coped a battering this week with one member resolutely declaring that the Qantas customer care fail in the inherent requirement of their job… caring! A relatively straightforward request has been met with a poor attitude and a lack of empathy according to one member. This member sought to change the time for the … Continued

16 Oct 2014 Qantas

One award, two trips!

This week’s trip report again features a popular use of Qantas points, in the form of the OneWorld Award that allows for 5 stopovers and 35,000 miles of travel. With Business Class requiring just 280,000 points, it can be a very effective use of points. And as with most awards, there are no limitations on … Continued

15 Oct 2014 Flight Reviews