Fly ahead - with a fee

[gnani]

Hi all,

A bit of a heads up.

I was just informed by a Sydney lounge staff member that VA will be charging the fare difference if you are booked in Saver Lite or Saver fares and want to fly ahead. She told me that VA is planning on introducing this in the next couple of months.

This was one of the "real" benefits of VFF's platinum and gold memberships.

 

[777]

That will massively devalue Virgin for me.

 

[Fruitcake]

Very disappointing but not entirely suprising. It sounds like someone in yield management has done some numbers on "difference between average fare on the 10:00pm flight that everyone books, versus the 7:00pm flight they actually take 70% of the time."

 

[lovestotravel]

Wonder if (when) QF will follow... I have had zero issues flying ahead on QF at no cost on every flight that I have wanted to...

 

[clarkkent]

Very disappointing but not entirely suprising. It sounds like someone in yield management has done some numbers on "difference between average fare on the 10:00pm flight that everyone books, versus the 7:00pm flight they actually take 70% of the time."

If "everyone" is booked on the later flight then that flight will no longer be cheap. It's naturally self-limiting. And I would think that a substantial portion of the savings they may be seeking will be offset by increased time spent in the lounges, and increased numbers of passengers needing to be put in hotels should something go wrong affecting the later flights - not to mention burning through the presumably-high customer satisfaction when one gets home unexpectedly early.

 

[drewbles]

Actually, if you read the T&C's, we've been getting a free ride. The fly ahead has always been if the same fare bucket is available.

It sucks they're actually enforcing it, but we've had it good I guess.

 

[Fruitcake]

And I would think that a substantial portion of the savings they may be seeking will be offset by increased time spent in the lounges, and increased numbers of passengers needing to be put in hotels should something go wrong affecting the later flights - not to mention burning through the presumably-high customer satisfaction when one gets home unexpectedly early.

They could give checkin/lounge agents liberal discretion to waive fees and leave free fly-aheads on savers an unpublished benefit. That may adjust expectations downward enough to make a few of the worst "offenders" book a flexi fare. Even if it's a cheap flexi for the 10:00pm flight when the pax knows they will travel much earlier, VA is probably still ahead a bit.

Or better yet, leave the damn things alone - most of my 'flying ahead' is done onto flights that would have cost me less to book in the first place.

 

[Kieran2274]

Actually, if you read the T&C's, we've been getting a free ride. The fly ahead has always been if the same fare bucket is available.

It sucks they're actually enforcing it, but we've had it good I guess.

You are right drewbles although I understand nothing has actually changed really - discretion remains. Best advice is not to rely on it, and certainly don't demand it, but not to be surprised if the gods do smile from time to time.

 

[drewbles]

They could give checkin/lounge agents liberal discretion to waive fees and leave free fly-aheads on savers an unpublished benefit. That may adjust expectations downward enough to make a few of the worst "offenders" book a flexi fare. Even if it's a cheap flexi for the 10:00pm flight when the pax knows they will travel much earlier, VA is probably still ahead a bit.

Or better yet, leave the damn things alone - most of my 'flying ahead' is done onto flights that would have cost me less to book in the first place.

I quote from Terms & Conditions | Velocity Frequent Flyer

20.15 Fly Ahead
20.15.1 In the event that a Gold or Platinum Member, who has a confirmed seat for a domestic Virgin Australia flight, arrives at the Virgin Australia lounge on the day of travel in time to be carried on an earlier domestic Virgin Australia flight the Member is entitled to make a request that they, and an accompanying guest, be carried on that earlier flight (Fly Ahead).
20.15.2 The request for Fly Ahead must be made to a Virgin Australia staff member at the Virgin Australia Lounge.
20.15.3 Fulfilment of a Member’s request is not guaranteed and is subject to the following conditions:
(a) the accompanying guest must hold a fully paid confirmed seat on the same domestic Virgin Australia flight to the same domestic destination as the Member;
(b) the Fly Ahead flight selection is made at least 30 minutes before departure while the flight is still open for check-in and the Member and guest only carry hand luggage and agree that catering is not guaranteed;

(c) there are available seats in the same fare class or a lower fare class, than the fare class originally purchased by the Member, on the eligible Fly Ahead flight;

(My bolding)

This won't affect you as you say, you're moving to lower fare buckets.

The fact they've been moving us to other flights when the same fare bucket has not been available, has been great but all good things must come to an end.

This is not a program de-valuation or a QF style 'enhancement', it's simply enforcing the terms.

 

[lang_13]

this is one of the best things about gold for me. If I get to airport a bit early due to lack of traffic or having caught a lift with someone - it was great being able to walk onto the next flight. I would sooner get to my destination/home earlier than hang around the lounge. seriously devalues the program for me

 

[smit0847]

Bummer - I use Fly Ahead all the time.

Maybe it could be free for WP and charge difference for SG? They need to differentiate WP more.

 

[AdMEL]

I quote from Terms & Conditions | Velocity Frequent Flyer



(My bolding)

This won't affect you as you say, you're moving to lower fare buckets.

The fact they've been moving us to other flights when the same fare bucket has not been available, has been great but all good things must come to an end.

This is not a program de-valuation or a QF style 'enhancement', it's simply enforcing the terms.

I would argue it is program devaluation, as Virgin have set the precedent and then taken it away, which they seem to be doing a lot. Very annoying. I feel that they should notify the change/enforcement in the same way they notify actual changes in the terms and conditions, rather than just sneakily starting to enforce things.

 

[lovestotravel]

I quote from Terms & Conditions | Velocity Frequent Flyer



(My bolding)

This won't affect you as you say, you're moving to lower fare buckets.

The fact they've been moving us to other flights when the same fare bucket has not been available, has been great but all good things must come to an end.

This is not a program de-valuation or a QF style 'enhancement', it's simply enforcing the terms.

Nope it's a devaluation of something that used to be a benefit, regardless of what the T&C's said before.

It was free
Now it's not

 

[stusxr5]

So is it the fare difference on the day you made the booking or at the time you request the fly-ahead? I guess we will find out soon enough...

 

[grubbidok]

Bummer. I use fly ahead occasionally as it is often difficult to predict how long a meeting will take, but I wouldn't say I abuse it, as most times my hunch on when to fly out is right. I won't be booking any more flexible fares because of it, but I may be setting up a mobile office in VA lounges and drinking and eating my weight on VA's tabs if I can't go earlier. I can't see it being a cost-effective decision in cases like mine.

Paying for fly ahead quite frankly makes it no different to what other airlines already do for the masses, so it would be hard pressed to call it a benefit anymore. They shouldn't be advertising it as such if these changes occur.

Was truly a real differentiation between VA and the red roo, and a reason I used to spruik readily to QFFers to jump ship. What a shame.

 

[lukenet]

This could just be gossip as someone new has just read the policy book.

QF have been offering fly ahead at no charge as long as I can remember so it must work for the Airlines as they clear the customers on cheaper flights and free up peek hour flights for higher paying customers who book last minute.

If VA ask me for money to change to an earlier flight as a Platinum, I would just start booking with QF again where I have never had a single issue with it. I am not going to make a fuss with VA, I am just going to take my business elsewhere.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

This could just be gossip as someone new has just read the policy book.

QF have been offering fly ahead at no charge as long as I can remember so it must work for the Airlines as they clear the customers on cheaper flights and free up peek hour flights for higher paying customers who book last minute.

If VA ask me for money to change to an earlier flight as a Platinum, I would just start booking with QF again where I have never had a single issue with it. I am not going to make a fuss with VA, I am just going to take my business elsewhere.

I've been denied an earlier flight on QF many times as a Plat and Plat1 over the years. I think it's if the staff like you or not and not so much about status.

I agree keeping it free for Plats is a worthwhile benefit to wanting to keep that higher status. I hope Velocity keep it for Plats!

 

[Princess Fiona]

I've been denied an earlier flight on QF many times as a Plat and Plat1 over the years. I think it's if the staff like you or not and not so much about status.

I agree keeping it free for Plats is a worthwhile benefit to wanting to keep that higher status. I hope Velocity keep it for Plats!

The staff must like me :mrgreen:

Seriously though I do agree that the opportunity exists for VA to re-jig this as a published Plat benefit.

(I've never been refused on QF or VA where seats existed)

 

[tinkybelle]

Big deval for me, though i don't use it much.
I am doing a huge mileage run at present to keep my plat. wont be doing that next year if this does come into play.
there isn't really anything I use now I come to think about it. I get virgin club for free as amex plat and i don't use the family holiday thingy as it doesn't include business class which is stupid.
hell . why AM I DOING this mileage run?

 

[lang_13]

was this always on their site or a new thing?