Do Airlines (specifically Qantas) care about awards like to Freddie Awards?
9 replies
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Do Airlines (specifically Qantas) care about awards like to Freddie Awards?
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Do Airlines (specifically Qantas) care about awards like to Freddie Awards?
daf40
daf40
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 May 2016
Total posts 6
Notice another years Freddie Awards and another year Qantas doesn't feature in any class, with Virgin winning multiple regional categories it makes me wonder does Qantas even care about awards like these?
Grannular
Grannular
Member since 31 Mar 2014
Total posts 272
I am guessing probably not. I would think most people wouldn't have heard of Freddie Awards before. I know I haven't.
kimshep
kimshep
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Oct 2014
Total posts 412
I am guessing probably not. I would think most people wouldn't have heard of Freddie Awards before. I know I haven't. [/end]
I would respectfully disagree. In previous years, Qantas has promoted voting for Qantas in the 'Freddies'. It has included website elements and in some cases, targeted email approaches - so .. yes - they do care. "How much" now becomes the relevant question.
Since there are two major 'global' annual survey mechanisms that gain public attention, you can be sure that Qantas (and other carriers) are moderately aware of them. The larger (Skytrax) often attracts some controversy from sceptics that believe that it is a 'paid'- driven award - despite the fact that huge numbers of travellers are surveyed. The Skytrax Awards deal specifically with Airlines, Airports and Alliances. On the other hand, the 'Freddies' tend to deal with Airlines and Hotels - a point of differentiation.
Both awards (Skytrax & the Freddies) are always promoted in the mainstream media and are also doyens of the Travel pages in most publications. Airlines bask in their 'recogniton' .. when it occurs .. but the amount of pre-survey effort by airlines can be variable ... depending on their current workload.
moa999
moa999
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 Jul 2011
Total posts 835
I think the only really care about profit.
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
While it's great for an airline to be able to say they have the "best frequent flyer program", the Freddies are awarded primarily on popularity (number of votes) as opposed to objective merit (reward availability, redemption rates, carrier charges, perks and gaining status, etc.), so some airlines take the approach of encouraging votes from their members to win the various titles, and others don't bother too much with it (or at all).
Of course, if members of a program feel compelled to go and vote for it, that program is obviously doing something right, otherwise they wouldn't bother - but that's what's determining these "bests". :)
craigj77
craigj77
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 09 Aug 2016
Total posts 12
Winning an award like a Freddie provides a few days of free PR a year, and that's probably about it.
daf40
daf40
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 May 2016
Total posts 6
Of course, if members of a program feel compelled to go and vote for it, that program is obviously doing something right, otherwise they wouldn't bother - but that's what's determining these "bests". :)
If Freddie voting is based on numbers, its amazing how Qantas don't win, don't they have more than double the VA members?
daf40
daf40
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 May 2016
Total posts 6
I am guessing probably not. I would think most people wouldn't have heard of Freddie Awards before. I know I haven't. [/end]
I would respectfully disagree. In previous years, Qantas has promoted voting for Qantas in the 'Freddies'. It has included website elements and in some cases, targeted email approaches - so .. yes - they do care. "How much" now becomes the relevant question.
Since there are two major 'global' annual survey mechanisms that gain public attention, you can be sure that Qantas (and other carriers) are moderately aware of them. The larger (Skytrax) often attracts some controversy from sceptics that believe that it is a 'paid'- driven award - despite the fact that huge numbers of travellers are surveyed. The Skytrax Awards deal specifically with Airlines, Airports and Alliances. On the other hand, the 'Freddies' tend to deal with Airlines and Hotels - a point of differentiation.
Both awards (Skytrax & the Freddies) are always promoted in the mainstream media and are also doyens of the Travel pages in most publications. Airlines bask in their 'recogniton' .. when it occurs .. but the amount of pre-survey effort by airlines can be variable ... depending on their current workload.
Think the "how much" is the point. Imagine the free publicity would be appreciated.
Bollen
Bollen
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 20 Dec 2017
Total posts 32
I also had never heard of these awards before this post! I imagine that Virgin would be happy to win it none the less. It would make zero difference to how I choose my airline company though.
kimshep
kimshep
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Oct 2014
Total posts 412
@grannular and @bollen,
The Freddy Awards have been in existence since 1988 .. ie: 30 years, so not exactly 'new'. From their 'About' page ..
"Introduced in 1988 by InsideFlyer magazine’s Randy Petersen,
the “Freddies” are named in honor of Sir Freddie Laker and have grown in stature and importance to become the most prestigious member-generated awards in the travel loyalty industry. The goal of the Freddie Awards is to give voice to the frequent flyer and to honor the efforts of an industry that counts more than 300 million members worldwide."
This year, some 4.2 million public votes were received.