Complimentary lounge pass expiry

[elbarto]

So I was looking in my Velocity account and I noticed that my two complimentary lounge passes have expired. I was status matched back in August, but after a quick search it seems that the lounge passes for silver have a very short shelf life. Unlike the single pass you get with Qantas which will last for about 12 months at least. Now not having a lounge pass is a bit of an issue as I was looking at flying Virgin later this month for the specific reason of having a look at their lounges. But now I just might keep the whole trip with Qantas. But in the spirit or change, perhaps Virgin should consider lengthening the life of lounge passes, as silver frequent flyers tend to be infrequent, frequent flyers.

 

[mavrick9]

So the silver passes must be only 6 mths, crazy.

Q gave me a couple of free Qclub passes and they are 12 month expiry.
..... Still in the draw somewhere. In case of emergency.

 

[clarkkent]

Actually they only last 3 months. Seems unnecessarily stingy.

 

[Reg Reagan]

Yes 3 months isn't long enough imo. Also I noticed that the lounge staff used the pass which has 12 months expiry (from a credit card bonus) rather than the 3 months expiry which is annoying. According to the call centre staff the lounge should be able to use the passes in order of earliest expiry date so I'll be sure to ask next time.

 

[beejay1177]

Also I noticed that the lounge staff used the pass which has 12 months expiry (from a credit card bonus) rather than the 3 months expiry which is annoying. According to the call centre staff the lounge should be able to use the passes in order of earliest expiry date so I'll be sure to ask next time.

I had this happen to me where the pass with the longest expiry was used rather than the one that expired in a couple of weeks. The main Velocity call centre advised I had to contact the Lounge Customer Service team and they changed it on the phone for me.

 

[Major]

I suppose their reasoning is that if you havn't used the Lounge in 3 months then you do not intend to be a VA frequent flyer

 

[samh004]

I suppose their reasoning is that if you havn't used the Lounge in 3 months then you do not intend to be a VA frequent flyer

Or you’re choosing your use of the passes carefully… or mainly flying regional where there aren’t lounges. Either way, does seem a bit odd, if you can fly to make Silver, but can’t keep the passes for longer than 3 months into the year.

 

[Virgin Australia]

Actually they only last 3 months. Seems unnecessarily stingy.

Stingy? Or perhaps we would like you to fly with us sooner as Major has commented.

Lounge Staff should be using lounge passes that are next up to expire, should you have multiple passes on your account.

 

[elbarto]

Stingy? Or perhaps we would like you to fly with us sooner as Major has commented.

Lounge Staff should be using lounge passes that are next up to expire, should you have multiple passes on your account.

12 months would be better. Seems your attempt at getting people to fly sooner to use the lounge isn't going to work on this occasion

 

[clarkkent]

Stingy? Or perhaps we would like you to fly with us sooner as Major has commented.

For someone status matched that would be more reasonable, but if you've earned them by flying (as I have) why not allow them to last as long as the other silver benefits? I suppose the intention is that we get a taste for the lounge and then buy membership.

The thing is, with only two passes, and the fact that I typically travel without baggage and arrive at the airport <10 min before boarding, they're most useful to me when my flight is seriously delayed (fortunately this hasn't happened recently!) So I'd rather hold on to them for times when they're really valuable, rather than 'wasting' them on a quick drink and a snack. Maybe I'm atypical though.

That said, hopefully the passes for every 100 SCs will enable a more even spread of lounge visits across the year.

 

[samh004]

That said, hopefully the passes for every 100 SCs will enable a more even spread of lounge visits across the year.

Surely that would enable 4 lounge passes a year, as you’d get 2 for 200SC and another 2 when your membership year ticked over and renewed, still not overly helpful to the seldom flyer.

 

[samh004]

Chose Virgin over Jetstar for slightly more, MEL-OOL for my sister. She status matched. Used a pass to fly up here in November, flew down from OOL but no lounge. Flying back tonight advised her pass expired.

I badly want to speak my mind but I don't want to get banned. She's showing loyalty. But no, from now in her policy will be no Virgin.

The cynic in me says I should have checked her account but that's not right. She WAS showing loyalty and now she won't be. At least not to Virgin.

I'd even hoped to call the lounge and use my passes on her, but unfortunately that's not allowed. She won't be flying Virgin again.




 

[777]

Chose Virgin over Jetstar for slightly more, MEL-OOL for my sister. She status matched. Used a pass to fly up here in November, flew down from OOL but no lounge. Flying back tonight advised her pass expired.

I badly want to speak my mind but I don't want to get banned. She's showing loyalty. But no, from now in her policy will be no Virgin.

What's your definition of Loyalty? Are you saying she was status matched, flew the airline once in (3?) months and didn't get a chance to use a freebie and is now complaining she will never use them again?

 

[samh004]

What's your definition of Loyalty? Are you saying she was status matched, flew the airline once in (3?) months and didn't get a chance to use a freebie and is now complaining she will never use them again?

She's at uni and rarely flies, but managed to keep QF Silver. Matched to Virgin and was willing to do the hard yards. Flown them now 3 times and will instead be choosing BNE over OOL. Pretty lame to have a 3 month expiry on a pass for a Silver member who can requal but hardly flies.

They don't want her loyalty. She's now eating maccas at MEL instead of a toasted sandwich. She's perhaps better off. But a 3-month expiry speaks of not caring about customers who don't fly regularly, yet can retain status. It's not very fair. She has a year if Silver but only 3 months to enjoy the lounge? What about the other 9 months of flights?

I can tell you it's not going to make her want to fly them more.

I have a spare QF pass and she could have used that, even on JQ, and been fine.




 

[777]

She's at uni and rarely flies, but managed to keep QF Silver. Matched to Virgin and was willing to do the hard yards. Flown them now 3 times and will instead be choosing BNE over OOL. Pretty lame to have a 3 month expiry on a pass for a Silver member who can requal but hardly flies.

Seriously, get a dictionary and look up the meaning of "loyal". It's a past tense thing - it's not something you plan to do.

Disappointed? Sure. Upset? Ok. P!$$ed off? Yep. But she is not being betrayed for her loyalty.

 

[notzac]

Yep. But she is not being betrayed for her loyalty.

Beautifully put. samh004, much as this would have been embarrassing and annoying for your sister - would she not have been eating at the T1 food court at MEL if she'd been flying QF/JQ? I don't understand how this changes the outcome at all. If she were QF Gold or a QF Club member, I could more easily understand being upset about it..

For future reference, the expiry of any lounge pass is clearly shown in the Velocity account once you click on 'More details' next to "Virgin Australia lounge pass". I think perhaps a lot of people (myself included) have been guilty of assuming that things would work a certain way, because of how QF does that thing..

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'll wade in here too. I can really see the points that have been raised with regard to infrequent, frequent flyers. A 3 month use by date on a couple of lounge passes won't make people pay a few hundred dollars for a return airline ticket if they don't have the need/desire/time/cash to fly. That few hundred bucks would buy a pretty sensational meal at an upmarket restaurant!

Wouldn't an expiry at the same time Silver expires be the answer? At least that way, latitude and understanding is shown to infrequent, frequent flyers, which I'm sure would be more appreciated than not!

Slightly OT, when does the complementary lounge pass per 100SCs start and will they have an expiry date?

 

[xtoss]

I'm glad this is a main thread, as I mentioned elsewhere, my girlfriend had 2 passes when she checked velocity when she received her monthly velocity email.

No warning mail to say your passes are up for expiry or anything

She earned it the normal way flying to Brisbane often.

A month later, travelling with a friend, went to the lounge (as I hit gold she never had to use her passes when travelling with me)

She was pretty embarrassed to be told there were no passes after talking it up to her friend.

6 months I could understand as if they aren't flying then, then obviously they aren't the targeted frequent flyers. But it is very easy to do lots of travelling domestically, one big trip, qualify and then think maybe I need a few months of non travel, or as mentioned, travelling with me she never needed to use the pass.

 

[notzac]

No warning mail to say your passes are up for expiry or anything

That would actually be a really good idea.

 

[elbarto]

Making it longer would be better. As a silver frequent flyer, gaps of three months are quite likely.


Sent from my iPhone