Virgin Australia > Velocity cleans up at the Freddies [Again]

[leadman]

Interesting e:mail this morning to see that Virgin cleaned up in the Freddie Awards for ME/Asia/Oceania.

Program of the Year — Virgin Australia > Velocity
Best Elite Program — Virgin Australia > Velocity
Best Promotion — Virgin Australia > Velocity
Best Customer Service — Virgin Australia > Velocity
Best Redemption Ability — Virgin Australia > Velocity

The full list is here 2020 Annual Freddie Awards (30th)

I'm not a member and rarely fly with them but they certainly beat some good ones in Asia. For those in the programme I hope the new owners improve on the scheme.

SouthWest was the best in the USA, but as a member i really cannot understand why, its a very basic programme. Same could be said for Norwegian, so it could be the simpler the programme the more popular it is.

 

[Mattg]

It is curious that Velocity would win in every category for Middle East/Asia/Oceania. I can think of several better programs (hello, KrisFlyer) but I guess this is a popularity contest and not an analytical study after all. Did Velocity run another campaign trying to get its members to vote?

Southwest Rapid Rewards is a popular program in the U.S. because of its Companion Pass program. As someone who doesn't live in the U.S. and rarely flies with them, Rapid Rewards has zero appeal to me personally.

 

[flyingfan]

Did Velocity run another campaign trying to get its members to vote?

I did get an email on Feb 27 to vote for Velocity in the Freddie awards. Pretty sure VA does this each year like clockwork

I haven't heard of other airlines touting wins at the Freddies unlike say Skytrax - if VA won at the latter that would carry more weight IMO.

 

[Spongbob]

I haven't heard of other airlines touting wins at the Freddies unlike say Skytrax - if VA won at the latter that would carry more weight IMO.

There are suggestions that Skytrax ratings are partly due to the level of an airlines' financial contribution to Skytrax:

 

[leadman]

I did get an email on Feb 27 to vote for Velocity in the Freddie awards. Pretty sure VA does this each year like clockwork

I received a few e:mails from Marriott asking me to vote in the Freddies.

 

[serfty]

VA have been kicking butt in the region with the Freddie's since 2013

Winner's Circle - Freddie Awards

Much of the voting comes from frequent travellers (such as an AFF forum regulars or FlyerTalkers). With that the Freddies are among the more relevant travel awards.

 

[Mattg]

I received a few e:mails from Marriott asking me to vote in the Freddies.

As long as the winners are the loyalty programs that spent the most time asking their members to vote, the awards don't really mean much IMHO.

Of course, those that run the Freddies are quite happy for the publicity that they get when loyalty programs promote them, so this practice won't change any time soon.

I would put the question over to AFF - do you think Velocity deserves these awards, and why/why not?

My personal opinion is that the "best customer service" award is probably justified. But best elite program? I'm not sure. And I'm not sure exactly what promotion they won "best promotion" for?

 

[flyingfan]

There are suggestions that Skytrax ratings are partly due to the level of an airlines' financial contribution to Skytrax:

Much of the voting comes from frequent travellers (such as an AFF forum regulars or FlyerTalkers). With that the Freddies are among the more relevant travel awards.

Thanks for the insight and links FWIW I think Velocity is great and a strong competitor to QF, sadly seems that hasn't translated into a critical mass of revenue (or whatever the many complex factors are - the company must be doing something wrong to head into administration).

 

[oz_mark]

As long as the winners are the loyalty programs that spent the most time asking their members to vote, the awards don't really mean much IMHO.

Of course, those that run the Freddies are quite happy for the publicity that they get when loyalty programs promote them, so this practice won't change any time soon.

It won't change at all. The promotion of the Freddies by the programs is baked into how the Freddies work.

 

[leadman]

It's like a lot of awards, like our lovely Logies! The voting pages used to be in the New Idea i think. Even go as far as the Academy Awards.

All just fluff & guff, but fun.

 

[p--and--t]

Isn't the title of this thread a misnomer. Virgin did not win any of these dubious honours. It was the Velocity program.

 

[leadman]

splitting hairs, but the award was to Virgin Australia > Velocity as you can see from the award table.

But whatever name, not a bad job at all.

 

[jakeseven7]

It is curious that Velocity would win in every category for Middle East/Asia/Oceania. I can think of several better programs (hello, KrisFlyer) but I guess this is a popularity contest and not an analytical study after all. Did Velocity run another campaign trying to get its members to vote?

It is not that curious

Yearly Velocity spams it’s members for weeks, plastering on its website as well - begging for votes so they can win an ‘award’ then put such ‘award’ in their marketing to try and boost their business to pay for said ‘award’ in their marketing campaign to then enter again to win the award’ the following year...

And the other ‘award’ winners in other regions do the same. That’s why you see barely better than Flybuys FF schemes ‘Scooping the ‘awards’ pool’ every year. Because they are using their databases to drive votes.

The results are therefore meaningless.

The reason SQ etc don’t win these ‘awards’ is that they don’t care about them because they are bought and paid for and why would SQ / KF email spam their members for weeks? Would annoy members...

 

[jakeseven7]

As long as the winners are the loyalty programs that spent the most time asking their members to vote, the awards don't really mean much IMHO.

Agreed they mean nothing.

And it’s nothing to do with Velocity deserving to win (or not) for me - the whole set up is just a marketing fluff and therefore every single ‘award’ nomination or winner means absolutely nothing.

 

[leadman]

Reminds me of an old girlfriend many many years ago that had an amazing collection of sports trophy's (over 50 just for tennis), and at that time i think i had about 2 in my life from hockey. But what was more amazing was to find that most of them were made-to-order by her mother!

 

[TheInsider]

Just as a data point, VA send an email to all their staff advising them that they need and should vote in these awards.

 

[TheInsider]

Program of the Year — ALL > Accor Live Limitless LOL

 

[Mattg]

Just as a data point, VA send an email to all their staff advising them that they need and should vote in these awards.

Do you happen to have a copy of said email?

What a joke...

 

[TheInsider]

Do you happen to have a copy of said email?

What a joke...

Have to say i haven't seen this years email, but last year it was sent to all.

 

[Spongbob]

Just as a data point, VA send an email to all their staff advising them that they need and should vote in these awards.

And Qantas never asks its staff to advocate the virtues of that airline?