Companion gold or family pooling

[moa999]

Was hoping that someone may be able to answer a question, I have around 1140 SC. At about 850 they made my partner companion gold. Now they have just made my partner Platinum. My understanding is that I should have hit 1300 SC for gold to happen, and 1800 for Platinum to happen. I am nowhere near this. Am I not understanding or is Virgin just being generous? Could someone help me with this please.

How did you get Companion Gold. An email, or pop up on website.

 

[flying foon]

I called the contact team to upgrade a flight and they told me I had Companion Gold and too nominate a person. Then my partner logged in to check in for a flight tomorrow and noticed all of a sudden, gone from Gold to Platinum in about 4 weeks!

 

[legalistic]

By the end of June I will hit 1000SC and make platinum.. the way I see it to be able to give anyone the companion gold I will need to hit 1500SC. The problem for me is as soon as I hit 1000SC my status balance will start rapidly falling as the flights earned 12 months ago will start to roll-off. With the rate my status credits drop off I will need to earn about 800SC in the next few months in order to actually hit 1500SC.

I plan to family pool to my partner as soon as I hit platinum, in which case I only need 500SC for him to get Gold, and there isn't a rush to get there before mine drop off. Due to the reward seats currently earning status this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get Platinum. I will comfortably maintain gold for years to come, but to earn 800 SC every year for me to retain is beyond reach. I'm happy to soft land back to Gold after enjoying a year as a Plat *(and if I'm lucky they might comp me a second year at that!)

Hi Samas,

I was just wondering what the outcome was when you hit 1,500 status credits in your balance after reaching plat for the first time. Did you have an option under benefits to grant companion gold or did you have to call up? I ask as I am about to hit 1,500 soon (first time plat) and wanted to grant partner Gold to someone as soon as this happens due to their upcoming travels.

Thanks!

 

[lobo76]

Hi Samas,

I was just wondering what the outcome was when you hit 1,500 status credits in your balance after reaching plat for the first time. Did you have an option under benefits to grant companion gold or did you have to call up? I ask as I am about to hit 1,500 soon (first time plat) and wanted to grant partner Gold to someone as soon as this happens due to their upcoming travels.

Thanks!

Well I'm on 1645 SCs and just called up to see if Companion Gold was available. No dice

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I am about to hit 1,500 soon (first time plat) and wanted to grant partner Gold to someone as soon as this happens due to their upcoming travels. Thanks!

The T&Cs do state (IIRC) that you need to requal as plat first, then earn 500 SCs for partner gold. Effectively if you are a new plat (recently), you'll need 800 and then a further 500 for partner gold......so 1300 SCs after your new(ish) platinum review date. If the 1500 you speak of is your rolling tally, you may still be short (even though there is evidence to suggest others have been granted partner status on this tally).

 

[dandandan]

Well I'm on 1645 SCs and just called up to see if Companion Gold was available. No dice

Is that 1645 SCs the balance in the top right hand corner...the rolling balance in the past year or is it in the middle section?

Have you just become Plat for the first time in that 1645 SCs?

Let us know and we can confirm if you are entitled.

The middle section is like this;

[h=3]Maintain PlatinumFind out more[/h]

Review Date	26 Feb 2014
Status Credits earned since 26 Feb 2013[SUP]1[/SUP]	1,290
Additional Status Credits required to maintain Platinum by 26 Feb 2014	Achieved
Additional sectors required to maintain Platinum by 26 Feb 2014[SUP]2[/SUP]	0

I have been 10 SCs short since 29 July in my partner renewal for Gold...they downgraded to Silver for the Companion membership. Forward booked flights will get the companion back to Gold in a few weeks, maybe Plat by Feb next year as well.

 

[lobo76]

Is that 1645 SCs the balance in the top right hand corner...the rolling balance in the past year or is it in the middle section?

Have you just become Plat for the first time in that 1645 SCs?

Let us know and we can confirm if you are entitled.

The middle section is like this;

I have been 10 SCs short since 29 July in my partner renewal for Gold...they downgraded to Silver for the Companion membership. Forward booked flights will get the companion back to Gold in a few weeks, maybe Plat by Feb next year as well.

Yea the 1645 is my rolling balance my maintain is:
[h=3]Maintain Platinum Find out more[/h]

Review Date	12 Jun 2014
Status Credits earned since 12 Jun 2013[SUP]1[/SUP]	665
Additional Status Credits required to maintain Platinum by 12 Jun 2014	135
Additional sectors required to maintain Platinum by 12 Jun 2014[SUP]2[/SUP]	1

I knew the T&Cs said retain Plat + 500 but anecdotal evidence from otehr suggested you might get it at +1500 rolling (if I read the posts right) so I had my fingers X'd... my other half will be... crestfallen :/

 

[dandandan]

Yea the 1645 is my rolling balance my maintain is:
Maintain Platinum Find out more

Review Date	12 Jun 2014
Status Credits earned since 12 Jun 2013[SUP]1[/SUP]	665
Additional Status Credits required to maintain Platinum by 12 Jun 2014	135
Additional sectors required to maintain Platinum by 12 Jun 2014[SUP]2[/SUP]	1

I knew the T&Cs said retain Plat + 500 but anecdotal evidence from otehr suggested you might get it at +1500 rolling (if I read the posts right) so I had my fingers X'd... my other half will be... crestfallen :/

Yes initially people were getting it this way well some people however they re-did the T&Cs to fix the confusion. I think some people have possibly still got it when first becoming Plat and getting over 1,300 or 1,800 SCs without re-qualifying.

 

[lobo76]

Yes initially people were getting it this way well some people however they re-did the T&Cs to fix the confusion. I think some people have possibly still got it when first becoming Plat and getting over 1,300 or 1,800 SCs without re-qualifying.

As usual, I just missed the boat, eh?

Oh well, hopefully I'll get another 635 before June

 

[Aus ATC]

A couple of days ago I nominated Mrs Aus ATC for Companion Gold. I have 1545 Status Credits earned since my anniversary, which by my calculation gave me 745 over my requalification - of which 500 were needed for the companion gold. Imagine my surprise today when Mrs Aus ATC receives an email: "Congratulations on being nominated by an eligible Platinum member to receive Velocity Platinum membership for the next 12 months. "

Thanks VFF!!

 

[lobo76]

A couple of days ago I nominated Mrs Aus ATC for Companion Gold. I have 1545 Status Credits earned since my anniversary, which by my calculation gave me 745 over my requalification - of which 500 were needed for the companion gold. Imagine my surprise today when Mrs Aus ATC receives an email: "Congratulations on being nominated by an eligible Platinum member to receive Velocity Platinum membership for the next 12 months. "

Thanks VFF!!

Nice one!
Can you nominate before you qualify and then hope for the best or do you just keep calling every once in a while?

 

[dandandan]

A couple of days ago I nominated Mrs Aus ATC for Companion Gold. I have 1545 Status Credits earned since my anniversary, which by my calculation gave me 745 over my requalification - of which 500 were needed for the companion gold. Imagine my surprise today when Mrs Aus ATC receives an email: "Congratulations on being nominated by an eligible Platinum member to receive Velocity Platinum membership for the next 12 months. "

Thanks VFF!!

Good for you guys...no consistency still in the whole process! I was only 10 SCs at the renewal date for my wife's companion Gold and they downgraded her to Silver....don't think she should have even got silver though based on how it is supposed to work. Lobo I would request again and see if you get it!

 

[lobo76]

Good for you guys...no consistency still in the whole process! I was only 10 SCs at the renewal date for my wife's companion Gold and they downgraded her to Silver....don't think she should have even got silver though based on how it is supposed to work. Lobo I would request again and see if you get it!

I'll wait til after I've requalified I think to ask again... should do that fairly soon, although I've no immediate travel plans as yet...

 

[Clobu5]

Re opening an old thread but can someone enlighten me as to comping status what happens to existing SC? Im PS but can get comp WP from my oldman. I assume it will act as a normal status review and effectively put me back at 0 to maintain the status rather then pooling on for the next level..

I have enough required travel booked to come close to maintining plat with a sneaky DSC run if i choose to take the free WP.

 

[Fruitcake]

Re opening an old thread but can someone enlighten me as to comping status what happens to existing SC?

I expect you'll become WP with a review date of, for example, 7 March 2015. On that date they will look at your rolling SC balance and if it's over 800 you'll retain WP, if it's less than that you'll downgrade to gold (either because you've earned it or because you've soft-landed).

Any SCs in your account right now will remain there but they will have rolled off by the time your review date comes around, so you'll effectively be starting at zero from the day you're given companion WP.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Im PS but can get comp WP from my oldman. I assume it will act as a normal status review and effectively put me back at 0 to maintain the status rather then pooling on for the next level..

I have enough required travel booked to come close to maintining plat with a sneaky DSC run if i choose to take the free WP.

I'm not sure of the answer, but perhaps if you are close to plat qual by yourself, you may be better to choose plat by yourself (even with some family pooling) rather than use your "oldmans" companion status.