Recent content by Blinky

Got VA gold and platinum mainly through work travel, and have been platinum for about five years. Having retired mid last year, it was more of a struggle, but managed to retain my status with business class return with my wife to Bali, Sunshine Coast and a couple of times to Sydney, augmented...

I saw VA fares from MEL to SYD in January with lowest fares $220 one way, fully flexible $400 and J $290!

Yes. I was pleasantly surprised. 1615517111 You are now going to tell me I was ripped off......

i recently purchased two SYD-MEL return flights for $318. it will be interesting if this offer bests that.

Back flying finally, and am just finishing three days in Sydney. In Melbourne, where I live, people take mask wearing seriously, but I have walked into many shops, restaurants and pubs where checking in was barely or not enforced. Not so in Sydney, where every place I went to not only insisted...

I’m having about 5 or so zoom catch ups a week. One is our pub one at 4.30pm on Friday, which is the highlight. I still have face to face meetings most days (one at 7am tomorrow) and am getting productive work done, but like nearly everyone am below target. Can’t see me back in the office for...

Pay the extra and stay at Rydges provided you get a room overlooking the runway. Watching a busy airport at efficient business is a sight to behold. Worth the extra cost.

It’s been about 5 years since I redeemed about 500k VA points for two business class fares from MEL-LHR and FRA-MEL return on Etihad, but I found the call centre to be wonderfully helpful and we got exactly the flights we were after. I was Platinum then, as I am now, so that may have helped as I...

The thought of putting people on ignore has never entered my mind. Unlike other forums I’m on, where bitterness and anger prevails even in well moderated forums, I don’t think I’ve detected a single troll here. In fact it was quite a shock to find so many people willing to go out of their way to...

I avoided the Thunberg thread here because I was up to my neck in another forum battling things out with US conservatives. But I think the Playground section is very important to this forum. I’m not flying much just at the moment so the flying sections aren’t of great interest to me now. I still...

In the past year and a bit I’ve stayed at three Sofitel Hotels, once at Nusa Dua for 10 days and twice in suites at Singapore for four days each. I was not given points for the first two as they were booked with Luxury Escapes. It was probably in the small print, but when I queried it I was told...

Totally subjective, but VA staff seem to enjoy their work more, which makes for a better overall experience.

It seems that only high status flyers have been invited.

FWIW I don’t think VA will ever consider lifetime status. How many members do see here saying “I have Qantas lifetime status, so I will now chase status on other airlines”? Lifetime status can and does work against loyality

I should add that I haven’t flown for a few months, so the invite couldn’t have been generated by recent flights only