Ultralights
6th Aug 2005, 02:08
ok, we all know its impossable to book anything with the frequent flyer points, but now QF want you to PAY them to find a seat for you!!
Most Qantas frequent flyers have experienced the pain of trawling the internet for hours trying to book a flight with points accumulated after years of airline loyalty.
Earning the points is the easy part, booking the flights that actually suit you is tougher.
But a new program - the Frequent Flyer Friend - can search for you (at $65 a year), and will email or text message you when a seat becomes available on your preferred route.
When Frequent Flyer Friend, which is downloaded onto your computer and runs constantly in the background, finds a flight that suits you, it will send an alert and email.
It will eliminate the need for travellers to be in constant contact with Qantas, often calling daily, to secure the right flight.
The program is only compatible with the Qantas frequent flyer program, which has about 4.1 million members, but it is expected to be extended to other loyalty programs, such as the popular Star Alliance.
Clifford Reichlin, the director of frequentflyer.com.au, said the new program would help frequent flyers with their biggest gripe - using points to make a booking.
"We hear every day of people's frustration in not being able to secure frequent flyer bookings," Mr Reichlin said."Frequent Flyer Friend will go a long way to address this issue."
from a business point of view, a great idea! but from a frequent flyer points member, another ripoff!!
Most Qantas frequent flyers have experienced the pain of trawling the internet for hours trying to book a flight with points accumulated after years of airline loyalty.
Earning the points is the easy part, booking the flights that actually suit you is tougher.
But a new program - the Frequent Flyer Friend - can search for you (at $65 a year), and will email or text message you when a seat becomes available on your preferred route.
When Frequent Flyer Friend, which is downloaded onto your computer and runs constantly in the background, finds a flight that suits you, it will send an alert and email.
It will eliminate the need for travellers to be in constant contact with Qantas, often calling daily, to secure the right flight.
The program is only compatible with the Qantas frequent flyer program, which has about 4.1 million members, but it is expected to be extended to other loyalty programs, such as the popular Star Alliance.
Clifford Reichlin, the director of frequentflyer.com.au, said the new program would help frequent flyers with their biggest gripe - using points to make a booking.
"We hear every day of people's frustration in not being able to secure frequent flyer bookings," Mr Reichlin said."Frequent Flyer Friend will go a long way to address this issue."
from a business point of view, a great idea! but from a frequent flyer points member, another ripoff!!