One of the main reasons Qantas spruced up its Frequent Flyer scheme earlier this year was to prepare for a possible share market float of that business as a separate concern. Today, the airline confirmed that those float plans have been put off until at least next year. I'm rarely fussed about stock market developments, but as a frequent traveller I reckon that's a good thing -- having separate private ownership was hardly going to increase the likelihood of getting decent flight bargains through the program. Check out our guide to how to make the most of the new scheme to ensure you're getting maximum value for your points.

Qantas today unveiled major changes to its Frequent Flyer program, adding options to fly on any day where seats are available and an expanded range of other products to its traditional use-points-and-fly-if-you're-lucky approach. Where can the best deals be had and how can you ensure you get the flights you want? Click after the jump for our initial impressions, and add your own best advice in the comments.

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An engineers' strike means that Qantas services are likely to be disrupted on Thursday May 29 and Friday May 30, leading to delays and various other hassles, especially for commuters in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Flight disruptions are often an unavoidable fact of life, but there's some useful strategies you can adopt to minimise the hassle.

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