Virgin cancels anytime access - they almost had me

[haggiscat]

hey QANTAS types,

Just tried to get into a Virgin Lounge and was told ATA had been cancelled.

When I got comped to Gold with Virgin, ATA was a big deal for me because I am so often at the airport on unrelated business. I was seriously considering replacing my QANTAS WP with Virgin WP.

Now, about a year after the status matching, it's all over.

The whole thing was just a bald faced attempt to con customers into the Virgin camp and there was no intention of allowing it to continue beyond the status match period. I really resent that sort of scam marketing.

Bad show, and the occasional Virgin flight I used to take will now remain a thing of the past. I'd rather pay $600 for a QANTAS economy ticket.

 

[simongr]

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....nytime-lounge-access-finishing-yes-41489.html

Mid August it ended.

 

[Blackadder]

IMHO was only a matter of time before ATA went by the wayside, and anyone that thought it would last indefinitely was being rather naive.

 

[EmilyHoward]

Virgin .... always followers ..never Leaders!

EH

 

[anat0l]

IMHO was only a matter of time before ATA went by the wayside, and anyone that thought it would last indefinitely was being rather naive.

Don't be so sure - many people were praising Virgin as a visionary highly when they "announced" ATA with the relaunch of Velocity; giving them what QF took away, as a distinct marker against the competition.

Many people here were "surprised" when ATA was withdrawn; more were surprised and angry that it was done very quietly.

So most assessments of this kind, unless made at the time of announcement, are mostly retrospective / hindsight.



To the OP: I'm surprised you just tried and failed, since the last Virgin communication (at least) should've advised you of this fact. And, of course, had you been on AFF , you should've noticed the hot thread that ATA was disappearing (and you would've heard it first here, not when Virgin officially "announced" it!)

 

[straitman]

hey QANTAS types,

Just tried to get into a Virgin Lounge and was told ATA had been cancelled.

When I got comped to Gold with Virgin, ATA was a big deal for me because I am so often at the airport on unrelated business. I was seriously considering replacing my QANTAS WP with Virgin WP.

Now, about a year after the status matching, it's all over.

The whole thing was just a bald faced attempt to con customers into the Virgin camp and there was no intention of allowing it to continue beyond the status match period. I really resent that sort of scam marketing.

Bad show, and the occasional Virgin flight I used to take will now remain a thing of the past. I'd rather pay $600 for a QANTAS economy ticket.

As has been highlighted in post #2 of this thread. This is old news BUT Virgin did not inform people particularly well. To say it was a con however is drawing a particularly long bow IMHO.

 

[Blackadder]

Don't be so sure - many people were praising Virgin as a visionary highly when they "announced" ATA with the relaunch of Velocity; giving them what QF took away, as a distinct marker against the competition.

Many people here were "surprised" when ATA was withdrawn; more were surprised and angry that it was done very quietly.

So most assessments of this kind, unless made at the time of announcement, are mostly retrospective / hindsight.



To the OP: I'm surprised you just tried and failed, since the last Virgin communication (at least) should've advised you of this fact. And, of course, had you been on AFF , you should've noticed the hot thread that ATA was disappearing (and you would've heard it first here, not when Virgin officially "announced" it!)

Good marketing ploy by Virgin to draw people away from QF, but that was always going to be the extent of it.
If they believe they can match it with QF and save costs by withdrawing ATA, it is a win/win situation for them.
Moral of the story, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

 

[markis10]

Bad show, and the occasional Virgin flight I used to take will now remain a thing of the past. I'd rather pay $600 for a QANTAS economy ticket.

LOL, sounds like you need to keep a closer eye on AFF, that $600 QF flight is worth 3 J flights with DJ if your on the ball!

 

[AaronBradford]

Going by their terms and conditions I would be tempted to demand being let in, as they are (were) supposed to give 30 days written notice of detrimental changes. I probably wouldn't go through with it, as I'm usually a quiet type, but this was handled very poorly by Velocity. Written notice would have saved the awkward run-in you had.

 

[markis10]

Going by their terms and conditions I would be tempted to demand being let in, as they are (were) supposed to give 30 days written notice of detrimental changes. I probably wouldn't go through with it, as I'm usually a quiet type, but this was handled very poorly by Velocity. Written notice would have saved the awkward run-in you had.

Only required to give you notice of detrimental changes in said T&Cs, ATA was not in them.

 

[QF1]

I am not sure why we get worked up on this...ATA was a bonus and never an entitlement. We did not pay for the access and so Virgin cannot be blamed for changing their policies on the ATA.

 

[simongr]

Why can they not be blamed for changing their policies. They changed them and they are the ones that should take any "blame".

It is amusing that this topic was a massive hot topic when QF did it but now that DJ have done it - it isn't a big deal. It may not have been in the T&Cs but it was advertised on the DJ website:

Subject to space availability, Velocity Gold members are welcome in the Virgin Australia lounge at any time, and do not require a boarding pass

 

[oz_mark]

As has been highlighted in post #2 of this thread. This is old news BUT Virgin did not inform people particularly well. To say it was a con however is drawing a particularly low bow IMHO.

The lack of notification was a surprising thing. I got the notification the day after ATA stopped, and even then it was a bit buried in the newsletter. I really think they could have done a better job with the communication on that one.

 

[anat0l]

It is amusing that this topic was a massive hot topic when QF did it but now that DJ have done it - it isn't a big deal.

The most common reason for the difference is that comparing ATA (coming and) going for both QF and VA was comparing apples and oranges.

The detail being that ATA was slightly different for QF and VA; VA had it only for one year, QF for several years; QF did it first. The only real kicker in the head for VA is that they didn't announce the change as loudly as QF did (and the latter with more time).

Of course, another noticeable difference on AFF is that when QF withdrew ATA, no one would ever buy that people abused the benefit and QF had no basis for withdrawal of the benefit. When VA did the same, people believed that abuse was a clear reason for the withdrawal, and chastised those who did abuse the benefit for its loss.

All said and done, I agree with your argument, but we seem to be in the ostracised minority here.

 

[yohy?!]

there's no such thing as a free lunch - particularly for people who were status matched and thus had no commerical value to VA it seems only logical that ATA should have been on an introductory basis

 

[Fruitcake]

It is amusing that this topic was a massive hot topic when QF did it but now that DJ have done it - it isn't a big deal.

48 pages of discussion isn't "hot" enough?
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....nytime-lounge-access-finishing-yes-41489.html

Admittedly, only a little under a third of the size of the equivalent QF discussion, but given given that the QF group represents 65% of domestic travel that seems fair!
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....tinum-anytime-lounge-access-ceases-25773.html

 

[lovestotravel]

Let me know how that Qantas anytime access works for you please!

 

[simongr]

QF don't have ATA so I am not sure of your point.

 

[MadFairlane]

I do enough flying now... So the last thing I need to be doing is going to the airport lounge more...

But as always YMMV....

 

[lovestotravel]

QF don't have ATA so I am not sure of your point.

The point being that rants/posts along the lines of "I am going to fly Qantas now as Virgin doesn't have ATA" are quite ironic given that Qantas also do not have ATA

This topic (Virgin ATA and it's removal and lack of notice) has been do death as per the other links provided