They're now right up there with Telstra in terms of corporates I hate.
Just went to book 2 flights with FFlyer points. Qantas website tells me I'm 1500 points short, so I buy 1500 points from them for $77. Wicked - 2 return flights to Bali for $77.
Go back to make the booking with newly acquired points and get told it'll be $0 + $770 taxes and charges. WTF? Go to make the same booking with Jetstar (the flights are operated by Jetstar but also offered by Qantas) and cost is $840 including taxes and charges for the same flights.
Call Qantas. On hold for 15 minutes then get cut off. Missus calls Qantas. Qantas tell here that yes, the situation is as we understand it and the same flights are FFlyer points + $0 + $770 "taxes and charges" with Qantas, or no points and $840 all included with Jetstar.
WTF is the point of Frequent Flyer points?
I hear ya, but as far as Telstra goes Ive had an amazing experience with them.
I recieved a bill for $1625.00 and Im on an $80 cap. Needless to say I sh@t myself.
My biggest bill ever was $300 odd and never use the internet that much from my phone.
Had the best service and didnt have to wait on hold or anything and they back dated the bill and put a cap on it so now my bill $127.00 instead of $1625.00 and the woman that helped me out was great even ringing me on a Sunday.
Now I have to get my handset checked as some of the web sessions were from between 19-36 hours long so for the time being my phone is just a phone..
No smart comments Mark_Aust 
FF points give you the plane component free. You still have to pay government taxes including departure taxes etc. I think terminal charges are in there too.
I would fly international with Qantas anyday over Jetstar, although could probably handle the flight to Bali. Budget airlines suck.
FF points are best used on long international trips, domestic flights, upgrades or buying stuff other than flights. Using them for jetstar flights does tend to be pointless, although I recall going to Vietnam a year or two back for around $400 for 2 on FF points, so yours does seem high.
seems strange, I went from Perth to Auckland NZ and back on South African Airlines aquired FF and the cost was less than $ 100.00???? but anyway why would you use Quantas? have you a death wish????
Seems really strange, I didnt know that Qantas flew to Bali anymore, they havent for a couple of years. I think you have some crossed wires somewhere along the line. In terms of FF points I have not had a problem with using them and it has only cost me the $22.00 in fees for a flight from Melbourne.
That's a bummer Dirty Harry !
Some people say not to waste your points on Domestic Flights.... But I've found, you can at least get "free flights" and a good selection of times with FF points, Domestically, if you are at least booking a few days/weeks ahead.... And you do actually save money....
I have also found that FF Flights are hard to get on most International legs, and hard Domestically at peak periods....
OK, after a good night's sleep I have calmed down a fair bit and thought I'd just let everyone know that.... I still hate Qantas.
Maybe Kempsey is an option Cisco. What's it like? Bagus?
Thats crazy!
Last year I travelled return to NYC from Sydney on United using their Frequent Flyer points (actually I accrued the points flying Singapore Air).
I paid a total of USD $117.90 for fees and taxes and then a further USD$100 to upgrade to economy plus.
The problem is you are using qantas FF points to fly on an economy service (Jetstar).
I do agree FF points are pretty worthless these days, don't put much store in them.
It's not a reward program....
It's a loyalty program..
It's not for your good..
It's for their good...
After all It is their program, your just the loyal sucker..
Just like credit card points, get the cheapest card you can, and forget the points.
Same goes for airlines.. And if you got the points through someone else paying your airfares (work etc) make the most of them
It allows Qantas to rank passengers. Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Platinum 1, just a way of classifying cattle.
There are some benefits - higher you go, the better the seats you can choose, the more likely you are to be upgraded, opportunity to "lock out" the seat next to you if you have to travel cattle, more likely to get a seat if wait listed, and access to the Qantas Club for Silver and above.
I used points to get pu to Hong Kong, think the additional cost was $100 or so. Seemed to work ok, it was a qantas operated flight.
It's a loyalty program designed to keep you coming back with the promise that you'll eventually get something for free... haha... what a schmuck.
I went to some market research paid for by Qantas last week... they're real scared about industrial action.
Some facts:
Engineers at Qantas make on average $150k
747 Captains on international routes make $350k
Pilots want to be able to make the same on domestic routes...
Engineers want 1 week for every year work if made redundant, 2 guaranteed flights a year...
90% of maintenance is done in Australia.
The CEO can't actually speak English.
The greedy prucks will end up negotiating the company into bankruptcy eventually, same as Ansett. 
And then they will be crying to the government to pay all their holiday pay and other entitlements. 
And the government will be stupid enought to agree if they think there's a vote in it for them. 
And then the gonvermnet will add a special levy so that you will pay for their generosity. 
