22nd October 2008

Dear Richard

Thanks for your prompt reply and I thought I would write to you direct to share my thoughts about loyalty programs, membership and Qantas.

I have been a Qantas FF for many years. I have used you domestically and internationally for a long time.

I have travelled with you through your various viscitudes and changes – ever loyal and ever a believer in the flying Kangaroo.

I have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars with you, both mine and the various companies I run.

I have observed the manner in which you have changed in recent years. How shareholders and certain executives interests were placed ahead of customers.

I flew with you as the age of your aircraft deteriorated.

I flew with you as your attitudes to customer service diminished.

I flew with you as meals became of poorer quality and when an apple and an ice cream were considered to be a meal.

I flew with you and received the same treatment, service and food as those who flew on heavily discounted fares.

I flew with you as you withdrew services to various domestic and International ports, replacing them with Jet Star.

I flew with you during the early teething problems of Jet Star.

I flew with you as you tried to convince investors that the deal with Babcock and others was a “good thing” for the company.

I flew with you as your treatment of cabin crew conditions impacted their “love” for Qantas and were in turn transferred to passengers.

I flew with you as your attempts to drive profits to shareholders came at a cost to your lifeblood (loyal customers in case you had forgotten).

I flew with you despite the frequent changes to your loyalty program.

I flew with you despite the fact that the only way I could ever use “points” with any degree of certainty was to use them for upgrades.

I flew with you during your poor treatment of your own employees – cutting their wage growth, whilst attempting to line the pockets of executives and others.

I flew with you during increasingly disturbing and frequent ’safety’ incidents.

I even remained loyal during a huge decline in on-time efficiency and ever increasing flight delays and cancellations and still flew with you. But I do admit that this year on at least 10 occasions whilst I was booked with you I flew an alternative (Virgin) at the last minute as you had once again cancelled/delayed a flight. Perhaps those flights had they been on time or not cancelled would have got me over the line regarding FF status – who knows!

In short I flew because I was loyal.

But no more! Why? Because I now realise that Qantas and loyalty are not co-joined.

I realise that Qantas has sadly ‘lost the plot” and has embarked on a course of action that will deliberately or not, increasingly alienate those that are loyal.

But now I know I have a choice. I have experienced Virgin and you know what they are OK. They do reward loyalty, they have newer planes – their food is no better or worse than yours, they are better on time, I can use their loyalty program with ease – they pretty much fly every where you do and they are less expensive and jeez they are also easier to like! And, I like them! They work for me, so this really is a farewell letter.

So you can say farewell to my loyalty, to my spend and where possible that of my company and where I can convince others, that of my peers.

Finally, may I refer you to a great book written by Jan Carlson of SAS airlines “Moment of Truth” – I suspect the executives of Qantas could do with either being introduced to it, or re-reading it.

This is my “Moment of Truth”. Goodbye Qantas – Hello Virgin.

Yours sincerely

Stephen Tunley
CEO
Mirvac AQUA

No censorship on onegoodeye.org…….information wants to be free.

Great link by the way……….I’ll keep an eye out for Wildroot Cream-Oil.

I bet they sell it “somewhere” in Orchard road, circa the Hilton Hotel .

So – at this spa do you eventually end up in the piranha tank? That way you can get rid of ALL unwanted skin problems.

Now Kirk I put in a comment to your post on Kickapoo joy juice (including references to the origin) – but it never appeared…. am I being sensored?