Taken Free Stuff - Who Wants to be a VA WP (Velocity Platinum)

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Who wants to be a WP with VA. Over the past couple of years I have given away VA SG companion status but not WP so this is a first. I have no one to give it to, MrsM has the QF complementary WP and does not need or want this one.

I have called the VA CC and they confirmed I am good to go. Like most of my "free stuff" posts there are a couple of conditions, being:
  • AFF member for at least 3 months,
  • At least 25 posts,
  • a picture of your favourite travel destination (picture must be yours, i.e not pinched/ borrowed from the web)
I would prefer to give this to someone who will get some use out of it, if selected, you will need to provide me with your name and VA FF number, I need to give your details to VA. If you are not comfortable providing this detail don’t throw your hat in the ring.

I will leave the thread open for a while and when I think there is enough responses or pictures a decision will be made. As per other 'free stuff' posts I will ask MissM and MissM to agree on which response they like the best and that will be the winner. Simple.

All the best.

Edit: I have been informed by VA that companion platinum is just like normal platinum that being if you do not maintain you will fall back to gold so you will get a couple of years as either WP or SG.

Hi Matt,

I'm about to lose my Silver status, so would appreciate being able to get WP - or even if it were possible to give it to my son, as he flies back and forth to college in the USA on virgin/delta, and it would really help make his life easier. I myself have 2-3 international trips this year so Platinum would help my sanity.

Favourite holiday destination is New Zealand.

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Seriously who wouldn't want a WP with VA: such a generous gift!
For a lowly VA red member, who this year has made it the year of "ME", the membership would be the icing on the cake, and what an icing it is. This year my boys are shouting me a tropical retreat trip and a Northern Lights trip (I must have done something right), and this year I'm taking my travel 'TO DO' list and giving it a thrashing.
Please consider this aged lady for your generous offer. I have attached some recent photos from my home town of Brisbane, Moreton Island sunset where I started the year and Pai Canyon Thailand where I hope to end it.
Thanks for your consideration

Libby
Brisbane skyline.jpgBrisbane Festival.jpgMoreton Island Jan 20.jpgPai Canyon Thailand.jpg
 
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Gee Matt, super generous. With our first VA experience in a long time just completed (and enjoyed) we're looking to spread our wings outside of One World. QF WP locked in for next year but after our flights to South Africa in July nothing planned for FY21 and this would be an excellent tempter for us to venture outside of 'the fold'.

Favourite destination? I'm going with most life changing destination(s) - in the space of 18 months we visited Greenland and Antarctica. Lots of flying for one and not much at all for the other. We now know what we'll have lost if it's eventually gone

scoresbysund pb.jpg

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emperor ross sea.jpg

selfie off Coulman Island.jpg
 
Very generous offer Matt, I would love to nominate.

I share this account with my wife and I also pool my VA SC to her so she can maintain gold. Unfortunately in December last year she had to have surgery for a detached retina and can't fly for 2 months. We had to cancel our flights home for Christmas (160 SC booked during double SC) so she didn't have enough SC to maintain gold.

It would be great if we had WP status as we have trips to Fiji, Cairns and Japan planned. We also have 2 family trips booked with my parents and brother to Darwin and Melbourne, it would be great if I could guest my wife and parents into the lounge and use my wife's silver passes for my brother. They've never been into a lounge so I would love to treat them.

Here are some photos of my favourite destination Neuschwanstein Castle. This was one of my first overseas trips as a child. I returned in July last year with my wife and tried to recreate the photo. Bit of a difference between winter and summer!
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A most generous offer @Matt_01
Please take me into consideration.
I've never been higher than Gold and am currently Red.
Turkey is such a fabulous destination. The sights, the sounds and the smells. I find the people very welcoming too.
It's the only place I know that even has a cat visited by presidents.IMG20190903143530.jpgIMG20190904111138.jpgIMG20190908174321.jpgIMG20190908093203.jpgIMG20190911121359.jpgIMG20190914171933.jpg
 

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Wow - @Matt_01 such a generous move, and I think a reflection of the sprit that inhabits the AFF Community. I have VA Gold (dropping down from Platinum through status match - Qantas could learn something here), and I really like the photos and storeys from those who would like to experience VA through your offer. Those alone have made my day, after a very hectic few weeks on the road, and trying to relax.
 
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I wonder how Matt will cull the heard - all those who didn't read his email and only post "a photo" will be first? Sorry, just wondering how I would decide.

:)
 
I wonder how Matt will cull the heard - all those who didn't read his email and only post "a photo" will be first? Sorry, just wondering how I would decide.

:)
As I added another, then another, I thought exactly what you've said Mike. 'A' photo is so hard :) As hard as 'a' destination!
 
Who wants to be a WP with VA. Over the past couple of years I have given away VA SG companion status but not WP so this is a first. I have no one to give it to, MrsM has the QF complementary WP and does not need or want this one.

I have called the VA CC and they confirmed I am good to go. Like most of my "free stuff" posts there are a couple of conditions, being:
  • AFF member for at least 3 months,
  • At least 25 posts,
  • a picture of your favourite travel destination (picture must be yours, i.e not pinched/ borrowed from the web)
I would prefer to give this to someone who will get some use out of it, if selected, you will need to provide me with your name and VA FF number, I need to give your details to VA. If you are not comfortable providing this detail don’t throw your hat in the ring.

I will leave the thread open for a while and when I think there is enough responses or pictures a decision will be made. As per other 'free stuff' posts I will ask MissM and MissM to agree on which response they like the best and that will be the winner. Simple.

All the best.

Edit: I have been informed by VA that companion platinum is just like normal platinum that being if you do not maintain you will fall back to gold so you will get a couple of years as either WP or SG.
Yes I would love to give WP a go. I am currently SG and have never quite got to the next level.
 
This pic is of the last statue in Bagdad Iraq of Saddam. We did a tv show a few years back and wow did I see some things. Would love to upgrade to platinum.
 

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Me mate Cameron the camel in Petra Jordan. Went here on a tv show tracing steps of a refugee.. ended up in Baghdad Iraq. Pick me for the upgrade. For Cameron's sake.
 

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I wonder how Matt will cull the heard - all those who didn't read his email and only post "a photo" will be first? Sorry, just wondering how I would decide.

:)
You raise a good point and to be honest I have not thought through how we will actually choose someone. The past couple of ‘free stuff’ -gold were not that hard, not many put their hand up.

This one will be a bit tougher, I would like it to go to someone who will good use of it and that is hard to quantify. With status across VA, QF, and SQ I would suggest I have become complacent to benefits that higher status offers. What is getting value out WP status, this entirely is subjective for some the opportunity to get lounge access on say 2-3 international trips may be beneficial, whereas the road warrior who is topping out at gold may get more value out of the free Y+ seating, who knows and I cannot judge.

Unlike QF WP that I can give to MrsM when I am no longer a P1 her status will drop back to NB. The VA complementary WP is proper WP status i.e. whoever gets this will only have to get to 800 SC to retain, thereby passing the need to hit 1000 SC in their first year. If WP is not retained they will fall back through SG on the way back down the totem pole. Also with the timing of the give away if the recipient chooses and activates the HH diamond membership soon they are likely to have that status until March 2022. Then there are the other benefits that come with VA WP that I do not know or care about, I think there are x4 upgrades and other stuff. The value that I get from VA WP is domestic Y+ seating and the 10 points per dollar spent of flights which all end up in KF for SQ redemptions. I have not used VA or their partners for international travel so could not make comment on the benefits. Edit. correction we have used DL for flights CA-US and within the US, I cannot recall if I used my VA card or AMEX within the US or PP in CA to access the lounges. I did have have our VA numbers in the booking as we received points and SC.

I only ask for a photo for a few reasons. One being the person has to put in limited effort to post the photo. I also like photos, when I look at them some maybe of places we have been too but something we missed and may choose to go back. Some maybe of places we had not considered or thought of going too then it gets on the list. Some are photos of a location which is close to a location we are planning to visit and if it looks interesting it gets added to the places to trip.

Length of membership time and minimum number of posts is just a guideline and weed out any one post wonders. When I first discovered AFF I was a lurker, then I joined and started posting, everyone starts at some time. When I joined AFF I was already a frequent flyer and had a pretty good idea about travelling but like many others I have learnt new things and when I am away reading some of the threads or stirring the pot has kept me amused and entertained.

Some that have followed my ‘free stuff’ posts may have worked out I am a bit OCD when it comes to airline PJ’s, amenity kits, sweeping up hotel products and generally taking anything that is offered for free. The problem is I rarely need or use the stuff, it eventually drives MrsM nuts and I have cleanouts with the stuff going the collectors and enthusiasts on this site who like this stuff or shelters that will take it. Same for QF lounge passes, I have a couple of CC that seem to send my these every year and QF also send me F lounge passes. As two OWE they are no use to us and if they are not used by parents or family lounge passes would also go to waste so they end up on this site as well.

There is a family committee to assist @Matt_01 and internal rating system. 😄
My ramble is over so now I may have to put some effort into thinking how to actually give this away. I am sure everyone who has thrown their hat in the ring would get value out of it but I can only gift to one. In the past the 'family committee to assist .... and internal rating system' has had some flaws ;) :rolleyes: and suspect that if there is no agreement the list will be shortened and it may come down to a roll of the dice or pulling a name out of a hat. I plan to decide who gets this over the long weekend.
 
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@Matt_01 very generous offer. I'm just about to lose QF WP but have just made QF LTG so about to venture to the dark side for my travels this year.

I think my favourite spot is anywhere in England or Scotland but sadly don't have any photos as I'm currently cruising the Antarctic and it would be extraordinarily painful to try and get one from my Dropbox. But here's one of the worlds southernmost Opera House built entirely from wood and it was absolutely stunning as was the small town of Frutillar DSC00201.JPG
 
Hi Matt01

I too would like to throw my hat into the ring for your generous offer. VA plat would be useful on two levels. Cheapest fare of the day at work is usually VA but my status is with QF. As travel budgets become tight we really need to justify if we choose QF. So I can be a good girl. The HH Diamond benefit would also be incredibly useful and encourage me to eat breakfast whuch I usually skip when on the road for work.
As per your advice/permission above I have not posted the photos as they contain my mum who is 75 and does not yet quite trust the Internet!! But it is the same location taken 6 years apart which is Times Square New York. I am sure everyone knows what it looks like. It's the story behind the photos which makes it so special.
7 years ago mum's husband died. She was so down we went on a holiday to cheer her up. Our last stop was New York and given that I had been there a few times and is my favourite city I played travel guide. On our last night walking back to the hotel she said what a wonderful time she had and how it had been perfect but it is a pity she hadn't seen Times Square at night as she would never be coming back to NY again.. Despite our exhaustion I "forced" her back on the Subway to take a look and took a photo of her stabding under the billboard lights. . For years she often commented how grateful she was that I did that as it was one of her most precious memories.
Fast forward 6 years. Mum is back in NY with me and her new husband. At 75 she is so happy and has a new lease of life. I took her back to Times Sqaure on ghe last night and took a photo in the same spot as last time to remind both of us that you never know what is around the corner and to hang in there when times are tough.
 
I might add that I've never had Platinum so it would be a new and exciting thing for me.
 
I might add that I've never had Platinum so it would be a new and exciting thing for me.

Me neither and never look like getting anywhere near it sadly. I got to Silver a couple of times, but then circumstances prevented me from maintaining it and getting to the next level. I keep trying but it is not easy when you are no longer in the workforce. Anyway, I remain hopefully and have all fingers and toes crossed for this competition. Will make my next trip just that much easier to bear I am sure :)
 
Generous offer @Matt_01, thank you for the opportunity.

I wasn't sure if i wanted to submit my application for this and maybe wait for a Free Gold Status (all i want/need) to pop up in the future but I have some flights coming up that could use the platinum benefits and i realise i can keep platinum/gold until 2022 and also do some status matching.

I don't travel for work but i do take 2-3 trips overseas a year + 2-3 trips domestically. I have always opted for the best cheapest fare with multiple airlines or use reward redemption to fly so I never held any status.
Now since I know this offer is a once in a life time opportunity for me to hold status, I will vow to keep either gold or platinum status active even by doing status runs.

Trips already booked for 2020:
Iceland & America (few Delta flights JFK-LAX, MIA-JFK)
Singapore & Taipei
Cairns (on VA)
Melbourne (on VA)
Japan&Canada
Philippines

Planning for 2021:
New Zealand
Bali
Whitsunday
Vietnam/Thailand

One of my favorite thing to do has always been hiring a private boat in places like Thailand or Philippines and going island hopping, visiting hidden lagoons and snorkeling. My best mate and I had an opportunity to see the local thai fisherman at Krabi in action because we got stuck in a storm and the guys who took us said it's the best time to catch schools of fish. Using 1 line with multiple hooks they managed to catch 15-20 fish. Let's dive into the pics:

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We were rookies with a fishing rod and all they used was a line.. video here:
IMG-20200123-WA0012.jpg

And if people are interested, this is my gf's video of Philippines she made
(she is forcing me to share to get likes haha):

Good luck all.

Edit: i forgot to add. If you prefer a large freshwater lake and an ancient forest, Khao Sok National park with the huge Ratchaprapha Dam is a great place to visit and you can still hire a private boat to explore. This hidden gem is north of coughet, two nights here to relax and stay on a floating villa/bungalow is beautiful. Plus it's not overcrowded by tourist.. yet
 
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