Covid-19 - status pause

[muppet]

I don't disagree with the problem in the numbers.

I just find saying "only 15%" is laughable. There is nothing ONLY about 15%

I did a very very quick search and a UK institution’s paper from a few years ago rates the annual likelihood of death for someone (british no doubt) between 75-85 is 1 in 15 so like 7%. So 15% is double but its not a massive Increase in risk for this cohort.

this age group is already very likely to die at a given point compared to the broader population.

Not saying that makes it nothing to worry about, just we don’t live forever and once you’re 80 it’s gonna be something. or 7% chance it will be something.

 

[p--and--t]

I did a very very quick search and a UK institution’s paper from a few years ago rates the annual likelihood of death for someone (british no doubt) between 75-85 is 1 in 15 so like 7%. So 15% is double but its not a massive Increase in risk for this cohort.

this age group is already very likely to die at a given point compared to the broader population.

Not saying that makes it nothing to worry about, just we don’t live forever and once you’re 80 it’s gonna be something. or 7% chance it will be something.

Actually that's not quite correct.

Once you are a few minutes old, you have a 100% chance you will die.

Best be prepared for the inevitable.

 

[VPS]

Just got an email this morning from Hilton, saying they are extending current status level for 12 months.

This was unsolicited, so I assume they are doing this widely.

I got one saying I was being downgraded to Gold but from my Macquarie card I thought it was supposed to be until April 2021 so guess I'll have to follow that up

 

[woodborer]

Just got an email this morning from Hilton, saying they are extending current status level for 12 months.

This was unsolicited, so I assume they are doing this widely.

I think it is just their normal March processing.

I haven't heard one way or the other from them.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

I did a very very quick search and a UK institution’s paper from a few years ago rates the annual likelihood of death for someone (british no doubt) between 75-85 is 1 in 15 so like 7%. So 15% is double but its not a massive Increase in risk for this cohort.

this age group is already very likely to die at a given point compared to the broader population.

Not saying that makes it nothing to worry about, just we don’t live forever and once you’re 80 it’s gonna be something. or 7% chance it will be something.

You're comparing a risk from Covid19 if infected with an annual risk. The 7% figure seems high to me - I'm looking at a table right now which has 4% at age 80. Don't forget Covid19 risk is on top of normal risk, so if infected perhaps 5 times more likely to die than normal at age 80. There is a wide uncertainty range on this though.

 

[Vic]

I did a very very quick search and a UK institution’s paper from a few years ago rates the annual likelihood of death for someone (british no doubt) between 75-85 is 1 in 15 so like 7%. So 15% is double but its not a massive Increase in risk for this cohort.

this age group is already very likely to die at a given point compared to the broader population.

Not saying that makes it nothing to worry about, just we don’t live forever and once you’re 80 it’s gonna be something. or 7% chance it will be something.

Well the 15% is for those who get the virus, complicating the maths a bit further. But someone who gets coronavirus in that age groupd will now have 22% change of death, the original 7% plus another 15%.

Someone has already mentioned that being born is by far the most dangerous thing to do

 

[Nee24]

Hotel Loyalty is night and day difference to airline loyalty

Specific, select, long-term elite status holders that have proved their travel will affect their ability to retain in their final months.

I stayed at Hilton in Luxembourg in February for 1 night because I got stuck due to weather. I have gold status (second time thanks to second time having gold status with velocity). Only due to my status they upgraded me for free and gave me free checkout until 6pm the following day. I was flustered because the airline was not helping me at all even though in their emails and texts re the cancelled flights they said if you need accommodation and transport to and from hotel to call them (called and they told me I had to pay then get reimbursed). They cancelled my flight 3 times, last time notifying me via facebook messenger (WTF). It's the first time in my life that I've truly been happy to have hotel status.

Totally unexpectedly, about a week later I received an email from Hilton telling me that they were extending my gold status for another year. I only had 1 night stay in the entire gold year of my membership. This was before the coronavirus got bad.

To answer the OPs question, my Gold status with Velocity is due to expire this month. I emailed them and mentioned that my company had asked us to cancel all non essential travel so there is no way for me to satisfy the 4 segments I need to retain (I have way more than enough SC), and whether they would consider extending my status. I fly to Europe twice a year on Singapore/Etihad and to Hawaii 3-4 times a year on Hawaiian which is why I have so many SCs. Just haven't done any domestic travel the last year. I didn't even expect a reply tbh, but they replied telling me they had reviewed my account and extended my Gold status for another year. If I plan any trips where I can use virgin this year, I will definitely be using them.

Back about 11 years ago I used to fly to Melbourne with Qantas every second weekend for just over a year due to a long distance relationship. Did not move from the lowest tier status (I believe I didn't have enough status credits somehow even though I ended up having over 200k points), which is what made me move to Virgin in the first place. I'm sure things have changed since then, but it's something I won't forget.

 

[DC3]

I got one saying I was being downgraded to Gold but from my Macquarie card I thought it was supposed to be until April 2021 so guess I'll have to follow that up

Yes, it is (you keep the existing status up to 31st March 2021)

 

[DC3]

I've never read such a monkey-coughd pile of bollocks in my life.

Edit: sorry, went on to read some of your other posts.

The wine seems to be the culprit in those posts.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I stayed at Hilton in Luxembourg in February......<snip>....

Totally unexpectedly, about a week later I received an email from Hilton telling me that they were extending my gold status for another year. I only had 1 night stay in the entire gold year of my membership. This was before the coronavirus got bad.

To answer the OPs question, my Gold status with Velocity is due to expire this month. I emailed them and mentioned that my company had asked us to cancel all non essential travel so there is no way for me to satisfy the 4 segments I need to retain (I have way more than enough SC), and whether they would consider extending my status. <snip>

Both Virgin and Qantas have said they're looking at status and how to best approach it.

Airline and Hotel Loyalty are *VERY VERY VERY* different economics behind the scenes, so Hilton is able to extend your status without hesitation, while, for Virgin - there is a very real and immediate cost implication.

I realise most folks don't care about the economics, and instead simply want to see some reciprocity in loyalty from their airline/hotel.
Thing is, and I know it's difficult to see it now , that Hilton did you no favours to you or themselves by extending your status. The only scenario where Hilton will come out ahead in that scenario is if the travel restrictions linger on for another 6 months. Hotel chains have status programs as a way to make you book direct with the hotel chain, which in turn drives booking fees for the management company, justifies brand fees, and forces hotel owners to buy points while also providing elite benefits to hotel guests and keeping associated cost burdens with the hotel owners. So for hotel chains - to a degree, the more people with status - the better. The chains don't care about room nights in the same way an airline cares about selling seats.

Apples and oranges.

That is why Hotels will gift out status like candy , and airlines will not.

 

[avlawyer82]

I see that Finnair (fellow OW alliance partner) is extending the status of its members by 6 months rather than a pause - perhaps this might persuade QF to do the same??? Finnair posted on LinkedIn

Might be cause to contact QF and draw attention to the fact that as customers of a OW alliance partner will have their benefits extended - shouldn't this apply across the entire alliance network?

 

[amaroo]

QF they have a large DOM network for people to maintain status.

The weekly DOM Flyer is now the King.

 

[offshore171]

TripIt just extended everyone’s pro subscription by 6 months. Small but nice gesture.

 

[rollin7]

I am gold, I had enough flights booked and paid to push up to platnium this year.

All canceled , now i'll be lucky to end the year silver.

Lost about 60k USD in income so far.

 

[Pushka]

I am gold, I had enough flights booked and paid to push up to platnium this year.

All canceled , now i'll be lucky to end the year silver.

Lost about 60k USD in income so far.

I've stopped counting lost work now. We await the email each day.

 

[justinbrett]

The QF status extension proposition is interesting - I don't want my status to be extended because I've already requalified WP. I have a RTW trip booked on DSC in 6 months that will then requalify me for the next year. Whilst I'm slightly concerned about that trip, most experts are saying we'll be over the worst of it by around July. I have lot of domestic work and personal trips cancelled but my RTW is big (it was going to finish me off for LTG - not sure I'll quite get there now but definitely enough to requalify WP).

If the status extensions do happen hopefully there is some flexibility in the way they're implemented. But gut tells me QF isn't very generous about these things and it will be thinking solely of its own financial recovery. I don't think blanket extensions will be on the cards - only where it needs to act to retain business.

 

[pauly7]

Well I’ve picked up some of the very sharp domestic fares in the QF sale - I’m in an ultra low risk category so doing some mini breaks in next few weeks.

 

[L1925]

I actively look for flights and often pay far more just to book with an airline or partner to maintain my status.

If I lose status due to the Covid-19 then all my business and private travel will be up for grabs. It would be far easier for them to keep me than to risk loosing my business down the track.

The last calendar year I had 36 flights including 8 international flights.

same here. I part own the company that I “work” for. 50+ flights last year mostly with qantas for me personally. Have 8 flights booked for myself and cancelling them all due to travel restrictions. Will loose gold status with qantas and platinum with virgin by doing this.

we also cancelled all staff travel which would be 100+ flights

all my personal and company flights will be up for grabs

 

[Tropic]

Once its safe to travel again, I suspect VA and QF will be booked solid with everyone trying to reestablish status, and esp on QFi with people trying to redeem their DSC. Doubt QF will need to worry about retaining business. But with that number of flights annually you should be able to regain status relatively quickly.

 

[albatross710]

This past few days have seen a rush of hotel loyalty programs emailing that they too are allowing people to make and cancel no-refund rates. I assume no one would be booking non-refundable hotels under the circumstance.

What is your prediction on Qantas loyalty qualification targets. All of my qualifying travel is overseas and as of Friday is all cancelled or postponed until after my anniversary date.

I'm hopeful for some leniency as to date or targets. ie extra 6 months to make the targets once things start moving again.