Qantas is aiming to win over New Zealand's frequent flyers as the airline steps up its focus on the trans-Tasman market.
A seven-member team from the Qantas Loyalty division is in Auckland this week to engage with local Qantas Frequent Flyer members and launch the 'Curiosity' advertising campaign featuring NASA's Mars rover in the NZ market.
The itinerary includes a breakfast for NZ media, a lunch for Platinum One members and a cocktail evening for the most active frequent flyer members across all status tiers.
"Outside of Australia, New Zealand has the largest Qantas Frequent Flyer member base" says Lesley Grant, CEO of Qantas Loyalty, "and we are very focussed on making sure we continue to add new elements to the program to keep it relevant and rewarding.”
"We're very much looking forward to engaging with our members face to face to highlight the many benefits available to them, in particular following the recent partnership with Emirates."
That partnership now sees Qantas partner Emirates Airbus A380s flying daily between Australia and New Zealand, on routes which can be booked using cash or Qantas Points.
Qantas also makes its chauffeur drive service available to NZ travellers who connect to Qantas in Australia for selected international flights in business class or first class.
Qantas has also targetted selected QFF members based in New Zealand with a double status credits promotion which runs through to June 2014.
At the same time, the Curiosity campaign will represents Qantas' biggest advertising campaign to date in the NZ market and include TV, outdoor, online, direct marketing, experiential and social media. In other words, think 'no escape' and you'd be on the money.
Qantas has also shot a localised version of the TV spot featuring a replica of the Mars rover scooting around some iconic New Zealand spots including in the mountains of Queenstown and exploring a rugby field.
As Australian Business Traveller reported last month, Qantas has identified New Zealand as an area in need of renewed attention, with Stephanie Tully, Chief Marketing Officer for Qantas Loyalty, saying that "there’s a lot of work to be done to re-engage new travellers.”
“I think what happened when Qantas transferred its domestic flying to Jetstar is that a lot of new members didn’t understand the opportunities in the program” Tully said.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
19 Jan 2012
Total posts 427
LOL...Lesley Grant and QF managers actually talking to real customers? You must be joking...!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Oct 2013
Total posts 30
Downgrading the QF domestic service in NZ to JQ must have been a slap to the face to local QF business travellers. It seems to me that is rather insulting to say that "a lot of members didn't understand the opportunites in the program". Most likely scenario is that, after the service downgrade, local QFF business travellers have switched to NZ for a better domestic flight experience. On a more positive note though, looking forward to taking one of the QF code-share EK A380 flights on my next flight across the ditch.
19 Jan 2012
Total posts 427
Enjoy the trip!
I shouldn't be forgotten that Air NZ's 777-300 excellent business class goes on trans-Tasman on some flights and can at times be bought at very favourable rates through VA's website.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2204
I was always under the impression that Jetconnect's domestic operation was never very successful.
22 Jul 2011
Total posts 96
Completely agree. I wish Qantas would stop the spin. Honesty is far more appealing and effective. How about "we understand that our decision to withdraw from the domestic market disappointed our NZ customers. We hope, however, that New Zealanders will take another look at Qantas in light of our new partnership with Emirates." Also, I think Stephanie means "reengage (with) past travellers".
09 Jul 2012
Total posts 10
Stephanie Tully's humdinger of a comment is breathtaking re Jetstar & F/F members in "that a lot of members didn't understand the opportunities in the program" How about getting off the high horse and saying, "gee we were really stupid, we didn't effectively communicate our dumbing down & foisting Jetstar onto you because, well, we really didn't give a toss about the NZ market until the Emirates joint venture"
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