VA to Extend status for Some until 30th September 2022

[jakeseven7]

Got mine but not really using VA2 anymore, our company was one of the many accounts that switched to QF. Wish I could gift it to someone!

 

[MooTime]

Got mine but not really using VA2 anymore, our company was one of the many accounts that switched to QF. Wish I could gift it to someone!

Your company one of the many companies that lost out as paying more per flight as well known here that QF more expensive than VA even on corporate rates.
Those costs add up & I suspect in time some will transfer back to VA.

Flight frequency very comparable.
Just couple lounges missing.

 

[henrus]

I have a previous email from Virgin in 2020 telling my my Platinum Status is valid til June 26 2022 (my review date).

There seems to be a mix-up there if you got the September 2022 email and then it's slightly shorter. I'd just wait for now and see because these things seem to change all the time.

I want to go overseas to UK ASAP , so can get my SC's up but not without the 90% Pfizer protection.
As Gov has announced they are going to let foreign students in in 2022 they had better get on with the vacs.

It'll be interesting to see how this all looks in the future. Only time will tell if VA scraps some alliances or continues to work with EY/SQ both of whom used to be but are no longer owners of VA.

 

[jakeseven7]

Your company one of the many companies that lost out as paying more per flight as well known here that QF more expensive than VA even on corporate rates.
Those costs add up & I suspect in time some will transfer back to VA.

Flight frequency very comparable.
Just couple lounges missing.

Nope, as VA2 can’t service our business requirements anymore we moved, so I guess we won.

Anyway what does it matter, VA2 aren’t focused on business / corporate anymore and that is very clear. Their new target and positioning is their focus now.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Your company one of the many companies that lost out as paying more per flight as well known here that QF more expensive than VA even on corporate rates.
Those costs add up & I suspect in time some will transfer back to VA.

Flight frequency very comparable.
Just couple lounges missing.

Frequency depends on which route you are talking about with VA

When I booked MEL-PER about 6 weeks ago

Choice of 4-5 daily departures. Now down to 2.

My departure ex-PER changed from 1430 to 1120. If I want to change, the next flight is 0630 the next morning (or the same flight I've been moved to, 24 hours later). Very inconvenient with morning commitments on the original day of departure.

 

[SheikYerbouti]

Yes, I had already had status extended with an expiry date of late 2022... then I received this email with "special privilege" of having my expiry date moved forward to March 2022.

My Velocity app shows the new earlier expiry of Mar 2022. Luckily my Apple Wallet velocity card still shows the late 2022 expiry. Time to email them I think.

 

[mad_atta]

As far as I can tell I'm eligible for the extension yet my account still shows a review date of 4th May 2021.

I qualified for Plat in May last year, with the 2nd 35SC 'gift' being what pushed me over the threshold. I booked and few 2 paid sectors in March this year (using travel credit, but I believe that's still legitimate according to the rules). Doesn't that mean I should be eligible?

 

[MooTime]

As far as I can tell I'm eligible for the extension yet my account still shows a review date of 4th May 2021.

I qualified for Plat in May last year, with the 2nd 35SC 'gift' being what pushed me over the threshold. I booked and few 2 paid sectors in March this year (using travel credit, but I believe that's still legitimate according to the rules). Doesn't that mean I should be eligible?

I'd think so.
The T&C's have slipped my mind, I thought I wasn't going to get extended on the recent Sept 2022 deal, but I was.
I did take paid flights in Jan & have booked (March paid booking) further flights for October.
My bookings fell under the extension rules as your's seem to too.
Best you go over the offer n check your booking date.
Then a simple phone call will solve any issues.
Maybe 15-20m min wait time.
I think it'll be resolved in your favour.

 

[hydrabyss]

As far as I can tell I'm eligible for the extension yet my account still shows a review date of 4th May 2021.

I qualified for Plat in May last year, with the 2nd 35SC 'gift' being what pushed me over the threshold. I booked and few 2 paid sectors in March this year (using travel credit, but I believe that's still legitimate according to the rules). Doesn't that mean I should be eligible?

Did you renew plat last year or upgrade from gold.

 

[serfty]

Hmmm, I would have thought you would still have to qualify those numbers in the 12 months immediately preceding your new status date (as is normally the case).

From their T&C's in the email:
"Eligible members for the Status extension are still able to maintain or upgrade their Status to the next Status level in accordance with the Velocity membership Terms and Conditions. Find out more about how to maintain or upgrade your Status level. This offer is not transferable. Any Status Credits and Eligible Sectors earned in a member’s account are subject to expiry after 12 months from earn."

That does not make much sense.

Qualification is fine - 365 day earn but is not relevant for those who already have status.

The poor wording could mean that those with the extension only have 6 months to get their 800 / 400 etc. to requalify.

 

[mad_atta]

Did you renew plat last year or upgrade from gold.

I upgraded from Gold. When gold my review date was December 24th, so new review date of May 4th reflects the date I qualified for Plat.

I've emailed the Plat address so will await their response with interest.

 

[oz_mark]

I upgraded from Gold. When gold my review date was December 24th, so new review date of May 4th reflects the date I qualified for Plat.

I've emailed the Plat address so will await their response with interest.

Maybe the second dot point

You won’t be eligible for the Status Extension if you:

• are a Pilot Gold, Discover Gold or VIP Velocity member;
• upgraded your Status between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021
• were awarded an individual discretionary Status Extension by Velocity

 

[mad_atta]

Maybe the second dot point

You won’t be eligible for the Status Extension if you:

• are a Pilot Gold, Discover Gold or VIP Velocity member;
• upgraded your Status between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021
• were awarded an individual discretionary Status Extension by Velocity

Ugh, you're right. I had completely failed to read that. That does seem quite a bizarre and random rule. It's true that it was a 35SC 'gift' that pushed me over to Plat but it shows how close I was to qualifying, which I absolutely would have done.

Oh well, it will be interesting to see whether they apply any discretion in this case. It was pretty frustrating to qualify as Plat for the first time when it was essentially impossible to fly!

 

[blackcat20]

Silver isn't much but an extension would have been nice...

 

[serfty]

were awarded an individual discretionary Status Extension by Velocity

I had one of these until May 2022 with review coming around next month - so by that I should have been ineligible.

However, I was still extended under this scheme with a review date of end March 2022.

 

[hydrabyss]

Ugh, you're right. I had completely failed to read that. That does seem quite a bizarre and random rule. It's true that it was a 35SC 'gift' that pushed me over to Plat but it shows how close I was to qualifying, which I absolutely would have done.

Oh well, it will be interesting to see whether they apply any discretion in this case. It was pretty frustrating to qualify as Plat for the first time when it was essentially impossible to fly!

My partner was in the same position and had the rest of the year to get the remaining status credits but I was pooling points and when it was announced it was too late to turn it off. So she upgraded to Plat on 4th April and was not eligible for any status extension.

The best she could get was they applied her 12 month extension that was given in march last year but based on her gold review date. So checking the other day she now shows 11th Feb 2022.

Not sure why they excluded her from the extensions as she had around 900+ status credits in march last year and the rest of the year to earn them. I received the 12 month extension last march so was not eligible but did take flights before end of march this year and received the 18 month extension letter.

Let us know how you go but without Virgin flying to New Zealand anytime soon I am finding it hard to see it worth the expense of keeping it with domestic travel only.

 

[Nathant123]

I’m obviously ineligible for this as I haven’t flown with VA for at least a year and don’t think I will be flying with them moving forward, except to burn points as we’ve switched over to QF for all travel and took advantage of the status fast track. Best thing for me that’s come out of my platinum velocity status is the QR platinum match for lounge access and the Hilton diamond status. It’s a real shame to see my once favourite airline become something I’d compare with tiger. Also with no real indication as to which partnerships they’ll keep with other airlines and which international routes they might resume once COVID is behind us leaves me with no other option other than to invest in the only Aussie alternative.

 

[MooTime]

@Nathant123

VA2 still links for SQ, Etihad & newly mated up with Canadian Airlines.
Nothing changed / terminated with old alliances. Just exact details not yet confirmed.

comparing with Tiger, really, hmm each to their own.

"Only Aussie alternative" ??? Really....hmm you do realize Qantas is 40% foreign owed, obviously not.
And Qantas wanted to expand that limit to 49% in recent times (maybe it did, not sure)

But let's just believe Qantas Red Kangaroo is Aussie owned, it sounds better doesn't it.

 

[mad_atta]

My partner was in the same position and had the rest of the year to get the remaining status credits but I was pooling points and when it was announced it was too late to turn it off. So she upgraded to Plat on 4th April and was not eligible for any status extension.

The best she could get was they applied her 12 month extension that was given in march last year but based on her gold review date. So checking the other day she now shows 11th Feb 2022.

Not sure why they excluded her from the extensions as she had around 900+ status credits in march last year and the rest of the year to earn them. I received the 12 month extension last march so was not eligible but did take flights before end of march this year and received the 18 month extension letter.

Let us know how you go but without Virgin flying to New Zealand anytime soon I am finding it hard to see it worth the expense of keeping it with domestic travel only.

This is interesting. I was in the same situation, I was on 900+ SC with many months in which I could qualify for Plat. An extension to my original Gold review date of December (ie to December 2021) would be better than the situation I'm currently in.

Here's what I got back from Velocity:\\

We appreciate your activities with us and understand how important it is for you to keep your Platinum status.

I've reviewed the Terms and Conditions for Status Rewards and part of it is you wont be eligible for the Status Extension if you upgraded your status between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.

I'm sorry but as you've upgraded your status to Platinum on May 2020 which is within the said timeframe, your account did not qualify for extension.

However, if youve taken 2 eligible flights, youll be eligible to receive the 5,000 bonus Points offer. Similarly, if you take 3 eligible flights, youll be eligible for the Platinum benefits.

I'm also pleased to confirm that we've put a temporary stop to membership downgrades and you'll continue at your current Platinum level until 30 September 2021.

We'll send you more information about this shortly, along with some exciting offers to help get you back in the air.

This is, obviously, better than nothing. And I certainly don't believe I'm "entitled" to anything better. But in an environment where they are trying to incentivise frequent flyers to stay loyal, it does seem odd that due to upgrading, I'm effectively only getting a 3 month extension on a status I earned, as opposed to the minimum of 1year extension (in many cases 1 year + 18 months extension) that so many other elites are receiving.

I wonder whether it's worth calling them to see if I can work out a better offer? Curious to hear others' thoughts.

 

[hydrabyss]

This is interesting. I was in the same situation, I was on 900+ SC with many months in which I could qualify for Plat. An extension to my original Gold review date of December (ie to December 2021) would be better than the situation I'm currently in.

Here's what I got back from Velocity:\\


This is, obviously, better than nothing. And I certainly don't believe I'm "entitled" to anything better. But in an environment where they are trying to incentivise frequent flyers to stay loyal, it does seem odd that due to upgrading, I'm effectively only getting a 3 month extension on a status I earned, as opposed to the minimum of 1year extension (in many cases 1 year + 18 months extension) that so many other elites are receiving.

I wonder whether it's worth calling them to see if I can work out a better offer? Curious to hear others' thoughts.

Give them a call and ask for your extension that you got as gold last march to be applied. I did not get the impression that it was a one off but may have been. My partner is no good at these things and she was lucky when she called back that day and got the same person so she went from April 4th expiry a few days ago to 11th feb next year.

Hopefully something will change over the year but without a double status credit offer and no international flights it will make it hard for most.