VA UpgradeMe Points error

[kyle]

I booked a return flight MEL-BNE for March 2019 last year during the double points promo. It is a Getaway fare.

When I log into my Velocity account to try and upgrade using points, I get
"Booking not eligible

This booking is not eligible for Upgrades using Velocity Frequent Flyer Points."

Has anyone experienced this error?

Original booking was not made on a mobile device and there are no special requests in the booking.

 

[Bagpuss]

I've had this before (wasn't that long ago). Called them and they processed it.

 

[CPMaverick]

Website errors are part of the VA experience. Congrats, you have won a free chat with a CS representative. Give them a call.

 

[FromTheRail]

ah, I have this for a few flights coming up, I just thought that they weren't allowed to be upgraded as they were sale fares, looks like i'll be on the phone soon

 

[clipped_wings]

Don't forget to post your experience with the Call Centre back here on AFF - we love a happy outcome!

 

[adamkps]

Four times this week I've tried to upgrade with points. Each time computer said flight not eligible. Each time I rang Velocity and upgrade processed with no problem. This was on their EOFY sale fares. I told each agent that I'd had an issue and they said that they would alert the tech people.

 

[kyle]

I've got this problem for all of my upcoming flights.

And to add to the list of IT problems, for one of the flights, I can't select Economy X, nor can the call centre agents...

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

I had the same problem for an eligible flight flying in 3 weeks time. The call centre agent just ignored that it could not be done online and processed the upgrades over the phone. She was efficient but it took me 15 minutes instead of 3 minutes total time plus I had to wait the next day till the centre opened.

 

[adamkps]

I had the same problem for an eligible flight flying in 3 weeks time. The call centre agent just ignored that it could not be done online and processed the upgrades over the phone. She was efficient but it took me 15 minutes instead of 3 minutes total time plus I had to wait the next day till the centre opened.

Yes, it's really frustrating...they were great at the call centre but that's not the point...I love VA but it's little things like this that get really annoying....

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

I was also peeved as I spent 20 minutes researching on pointshacks and the velocity website and second guessed myself on the question: 'Did I actually buy a qualifying flight' i.e. one that was upgradable with points.

Yes, it's really frustrating...they were great at the call centre but that's not the point...I love VA but it's little things like this that get really annoying....

 

[adamkps]

I was also peeved as I spent 20 minutes researching on pointshacks and the velocity website and second guessed myself on the question: 'Did I actually buy a qualifying flight' i.e. one that was upgradable with points.

That was my thought too...and a bit sweaty and nervous until I got the confirmation...I wonder how many people give up at that point?

 

[BillytheFIsh]

I've had this issue when I've had other people on the same booking, but whenever it's just me flying, no problem.

I assumed it was an issue with upgrading other people, but it seems the issue is more widespread.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

You may be on to something BillytheFish as my booking is for 2 pax (my wife and me). Wonder why they would require us to call in just for that as I see it as a a notable expense for VA to service these calls.

That was my thought too...and a bit sweaty and nervous until I got the confirmation...I wonder how many people give up at that point?

 

[Jurahn]

This isn't a recent issue either - both Mr J and I have had the same "not eligible for upgrade with points" response on several occasions over the past couple of years. On each occasion, it was one or the other of us travelling solo, no special requests on the booking - from what I recall a couple of times a promo code was used, another time it was a sale fare. No problem with getting the upgrades via the call centre, so seemed to be a website issue.

 

[knagelli]

This isn't a recent issue either - both Mr J and I have had the same "not eligible for upgrade with points" response on several occasions over the past couple of years. On each occasion, it was one or the other of us travelling solo, no special requests on the booking - from what I recall a couple of times a promo code was used, another time it was a sale fare. No problem with getting the upgrades via the call centre, so seemed to be a website issue.

I find it hard to proceed with the Upgrade me points option how ever I am able to place the bid with currency. I suspect it is something to do with the promo code used while booking the tix.

 

[feezable]

Thanks to this thread I have now upgraded our bne-cns flights in November. I booked through a third party because I had a voucher to use. There was no problem upgrading over the phone, if I hadn't found this thread I would have assumed that the way I booked the Getaway sale fare made it ineligible for upgrade.

 

[empiretraveller]

Just wondering if anyone is still having issues with this?

I have not been able to use the "Upgrade with Points" functionality for about a year now. I simply just cannot seem to use this. Normally in the past it would say I was successful or I was placed on a waiting list. These days it simply just says the booking was not eligible. Upon calling VA I am often able to upgrade and if not they put me on a waiting list.

I complain about this every time I call and no one seems to be able to assist.

 

[Jurahn]

We’ve had different issues now - manage to go almost all the way through the process, then instead of the final confirmation page, get a message that the upgrade hadn’t been completed, booking couldn’t be ticketed etc and each time it had to be sorted out by contacting the call centre (I’m back to Silver now, so no more premium line for me), This has happened to both Mr J (who is still Gold) and myself on separate trips, on both Elevate and Freedom fares different dates, paid bookings with no promo codes used, so no idea what’s causing the issue.

On my booking, the call centre said the upgrade HAD actually gone through (although it was concerning that they asked twice whether I had upgraded with points, as I would have thought they could see that?) but they had to manually push the updated e-ticket through, which showed payment rather than points for the upgrade. Took two weeks for the points to come out of my Velocity account. Mr J didn’t receive an updated e-ticket, rang the Gold line who said his upgrade HADN’T gone through, and they had to process it manually and the points came out straight away - even though we had both received identical messages via the website.

 

[empiretraveller]

We’ve had different issues now - manage to go almost all the way through the process, then instead of the final confirmation page, get a message that the upgrade hadn’t been completed, booking couldn’t be ticketed etc and each time it had to be sorted out by contacting the call centre (I’m back to Silver now, so no more premium line for me), This has happened to both Mr J (who is still Gold) and myself on separate trips, on both Elevate and Freedom fares different dates, paid bookings with no promo codes used, so no idea what’s causing the issue.

On my booking, the call centre said the upgrade HAD actually gone through (although it was concerning that they asked twice whether I had upgraded with points, as I would have thought they could see that?) but they had to manually push the updated e-ticket through, which showed payment rather than points for the upgrade. Took two weeks for the points to come out of my Velocity account. Mr J didn’t receive an updated e-ticket, rang the Gold line who said his upgrade HADN’T gone through, and they had to process it manually and the points came out straight away - even though we had both received identical messages via the website.

It is certainly frustrating the issues they're having. I thought originally it was because I had selected elevate fares but even when I booked the Freedom fares I still had the same issue. Another time I ensured there was no sale fares going on, but still had the same problem.

I have over 3 million frequent flyer points in my account and I'm Platinum so I want to pay the base fare and upgrade with points to keep my status. But with so many points I wonder if I should care about my status and just be happy to go back down to Gold and start buying reward fares with points going forward.