Complimentary lounge pass expiry

[leemin]

It's also an issue for Gold's. For me, I don't fly that much (qualified for Gold with Int'l flights), so I have two passes from when I reached silver that expire next month that won't get used. As a lounge member before and now as Gold, I don't need them for me, but I do want them for that occasional extra guest. IMO, a longer expiry is warranted. Please VA!


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[777]

Frankly, i think the idea is to get you to fly more.

Virgin are now giving away (correct me if i'm wrong) two lounge passes for silver and one for every 100 SC's but they have an expiry time of 3 months? So the it's part reward and part incentive. It's not purely designed as a thank you - it's designed to get you coming back sooner rather than later and it's also designed (at a guess) to manage demand in the lounge. That might actually go some way to explaining why the introduction of the lounge passes per 100 SC's has been staggered (it seems some people have them and some dont) - to manage demand.

I don't really have a problem with any of the above but ..

I think they have done a poor job of communicating it. People have assumed their passes are valid for 12 months because they haven't seen anything obvious telling them otherwise. To improve it i think they should:

1. Fix it so the expiry dates appears on the main page of your velocity account (without having to click anything)
2. Email silver members and those comped their 100 SC pass both when they receive them and before they expire and remind them of the dates.
3. Maybe cut some people with recently expired passes a little slack at the lounge - i think we will be getting a spate of these complaints around now because the 3 months just came up on all the early status matches.

Oh, and those of us who are gold or plat should probably do our bit by keeping an eye out at lounge entry for those who are upset and guest them in

 

[leemin]

Oh, and those of us who are gold or plat should probably do our bit by keeping an eye out at lounge entry for those who are upset and guest them in

Good point. So those who are relying on passes should carry a sad face flag with them and in the unfortunate situation where they are denied entry, simply follow these steps:

1. Step back from the desk
2. Remove flag from bag
3. Turn to face lounge
4. Wave flag with a look of desperation
5. Hope that an AFF member is in there so you don't get sent off to a psychiatrist instead




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[Deleted member 29185]

one for every 100 SC's but they have an expiry time of 3 months?

Does the ? at the end signal this is an assumption or is it a given that the 100SC passes expire @ the 3 month juncture as well?

 

[Jurahn]

OH and I are in the same boat - we hit Silver in December after return flights to the US, so each of us were given 2 complimentary Lounge passes which is great BUT there's no way we will be able to use them prior to the expiry date around the end of March. Given our experiences with Virgin, we've been more than happy to switch all our flying over to them especially with international travel, but all our travel is self-funded, neither of us have the option of flying for business purposes, and much as I would love to take another trip (even domestically) in the next couple of months, there's no way my employer is coming to the party on that idea!! We will be travelling with VA later this year, but not until around July/August - so it's a "please VA?" request from me too for a longer expiry date on these passes

 

[mavrick9]

... those who are relying on passes should carry a sad face flag with them and in the unfortunate situation where they are denied entry, simply follow these steps:......3. Turn to face lounge
4. Wave flag with a look of desperation...

Classic AFF Tradecraft

 

[BAM1748]

OH and I are in the same boat - we hit Silver in December after return flights to the US, so each of us were given 2 complimentary Lounge passes which is great BUT there's no way we will be able to use them prior to the expiry date around the end of March. Given our experiences with Virgin, we've been more than happy to switch all our flying over to them especially with international travel, but all our travel is self-funded, neither of us have the option of flying for business purposes, and much as I would love to take another trip (even domestically) in the next couple of months, there's no way my employer is coming to the party on that idea!! We will be travelling with VA later this year, but not until around July/August - so it's a "please VA?" request from me too for a longer expiry date on these passes

I guess they want you in the air again as quickly as possible not saving them up for a rainy day or giving them away.

With that short a time frame many will go in the bin which would be an option Virgin wouldn't be too fussed about.

Matt

 

[darrend]

infrequent, frequent flyers.

Doesn't that equate to not a frequent flyer ?

But that aside I think a lounge pass should have same duration as status (at least).

 

[darrend]

I've got a ton of guest passes from Ansett - they didn't expire. Lounges are in the same locations. Happy to give you some - worth a try

Pity the airline is not around anymore.

 

[darrend]

Frankly, i think the idea is to get you to fly more.

Virgin are now giving away (correct me if i'm wrong) two lounge passes for silver and one for every 100 SC's

Not for 100SC as yet I don't believe - just had a look on Virgin site and still shows as feature coming soon.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Doesn't that equate to not a frequent flyer ?

Not at all. Siver is a recognised frequent flyer status. The airline decides that and also how you can reach that status, we the flyers don't and it's a fact that infrequent flyers can achieve frequent flyer 'silver status" (in fact infrequent flyers can also achieve gold and platinum as well). Frequent flyer as applied to status, is a loose term that in no way describes the amount of flying one does.

 

[darrend]

Not at all. Siver is a recognised frequent flyer status. The airline decides that and also how you can reach that status, we the flyers don't and it's a fact that infrequent flyers can achieve frequent flyer 'silver status" (in fact infrequent flyers can also achieve gold and platinum as well). Frequent flyer as applied to status, is a loose term that in no way describes the amount of flying one does.

I realize that - I was just trying to be funny - like a double negative but different. It is good that you took the trouble to explain - next time I'll put a smiley face.

 

[MarkD]

Not at all. Siver is a recognised frequent flyer status. The airline decides that and also how you can reach that status, we the flyers don't and it's a fact that infrequent flyers can achieve frequent flyer 'silver status" (in fact infrequent flyers can also achieve gold and platinum as well). Frequent flyer as applied to status, is a loose term that in no way describes the amount of flying one does.

Indeed, a mate of mine will have enough SC after on family (2A2K)deep discount y trip to Dublin on etihad, pooling SC to his account. He has never set foot on a virgin plane before. As the 4 flight sectors are not in yet, then he will be gold after one sector on VA aircraft, even that was on EY flight number

 

[darrend]

Indeed, a mate of mine will have enough SC after on family (2A2K)deep discount y trip to Dublin on etihad, pooling SC to his account. He has never set foot on a virgin plane before. As the 4 flight sectors are not in yet, then he will be gold after one sector on VA aircraft, even that was on EY flight number

Agreed and good while it lasts - once eligible sectors requirement comes into the equation and the double status offers evaporate it may be a little harder to get status on so few flights. The pooling is awesome!!!

 

[1022]

I'm probably a fairly typical infrequent frequent flyer who just manages to retain silver from year to year (on QF - matched recently @ velocity). A handful of work domestic trips, a few weekends away and maybe an int'l flight or two in the mix = silver but not someone who flies every week, no? In my case the work trips tend to be all bunched together a couple of times a year, so it's quite viable to go 3 months without setting foot on a plane.

I've got a SYD-MEL-SYD trip coming up shortly. Decided to book the flight back to SYD on DJ to take advantage of the lounge pass seeing as I might have a bit of time to kill at MEL due to unpredictable end time for my meeting in town. I was much dismayed to stumble on a thread similar to this last week and realise that lounge entry is no longer an option. I'm now regretting missing out on SCs over at QF where most of my flying is still going to happen....and all SCs count for keeping PS.

I'm yet to be sold on the new DJ after 3 or 4 segments since the rebranding and this 3 month lounge pass expiry caper hasn't done much to convince me otherwise....

 

[xtoss]

Out of interest I grabbed my girlfriends silver membership booklet that she received with her card and tag.

> Enjoy two complimentary Virgin Australia Lounge passes per year[SUP]2[/SUP]

The 2. on the back page says Membership and entry is subject to terms and conditions at virginaustralia.com/lounge

I can't find anything there about 3 months expiry (happy if someone finds it as I had a brief look but could be missing it)

If you go to Silver Membership | Velocity Frequent Flyer it is there in brackets.

So I know they mention it but I guess my point is, the fancy booklet telling you how awesome silver is... doesn't mention it, when it would be helpful if it did.

 

[1022]

Did your girlfriend earn silver in her own right or was she a status match last year? As a successful applicant for their status matching promotion, I didn't get a fancy booklet and package, just a one page letter with my silver card stuck to it which mentioned comp lounge passes. I obviously didn't pay enough attention to the letter where it (apparently) said lounge passes were only good for 3 months before I tossed it in the recycling...

 

[xtoss]

In her own right

 

[777]

In her own right

And have her passes expired? What did it say in her velocity account?

 

[xtoss]

And have her passes expired? What did it say in her velocity account?

Passes expired after 3 months

She checked her account after getting the monthly email in December and they were there, didn't look into too much detail and then when flying first week January they were gone