Hotel benefit reset on acheiving gold again

[Daver6]

Hi all,

My understanding from anecdotal feedback here is with Velocity, if you achieve gold and opt in for the hotel status benefit (HH gold), then drop back down and re-attain gold, you then get another bite at the hotel benefit.

I was gold a few years ago and gradually dropped back to red. Recently been status matched to gold again, but I haven't had my hotel benefit reset.

I just spent some time on the phone to Velocity. At first, they told me the reason it hadn't resent was that I have maintained gold all along! I assured the lady this was not the case and have the FF cards to prove it. I said I recently was matched to gold. Again, she went away to check and came back, this time telling me you only ever get one go at the hotel (and car rental) benefits.

Now this seems contradictory to the experience of others here. Can those who have been through this, shed some light on it for me? Is there a Virgin rep on this board who would like to clarify please?

If it is a once off, the material they send out in the gold pack is very misleading as is the website. There is no mention of it being a one-off benefit.

Thanks

David

 

[JohnK]

I believe you get 2 bites at the hotel status benefit but only if your status changes.

I opted in to Hilton Platinum when I was status matched to VA Platinum. Then I dropped to VA Gold and I opted in to Hilton Gold. Not sure I will get another opportunity when I requalify VA Gold in a couple of months.

 

[Daver6]

My status definitely dropped. Went Gold -> Silver -> Red -> Gold.

 

[serfty]

I have seen anecdotes that Velocity consider this a once only benefit.

Any benefit granted beyond that once only benefit should be considered a bonus, but not something to be expected.

 

[markis10]

If it is a once off, the material they send out in the gold pack is very misleading as is the website. There is no mention of it being a one-off benefit.

I would not consider the website misleading at all, it specifically says "this benefit is only available once"



There have been recent reports of it now being enforced which appears to be what has changed.

 

[bullerdude]

I would not consider the website misleading at all, it specifically says "this benefit is only available once"

View attachment 30565

There have been recent reports of it now being enforced which appears to be what has changed.

This was sometimes the case in the past and Velocity weren't very good understanding their own rules so some people received a second go at the hotel membership; the website was also unclear.

I wrote a very sternly worded complaint to Velocity earlier this year about the misleading website and about 2 weeks later the website was updated as shown in the above screenshot.

Seems like the Gold/Plat welcome pack needs the same update so they are not misleading.

 

[Daver6]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I read the available once to mean it could only be used once while activated.

As bullerdude said though, there is no mention of once or and conditions mentioned in the gold welcome pack.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I read the available once to mean it could only be used once while activated.

Given VFF have not tried to quantify or contextualise the word once, I think we have to read it in isolation. Once meaning once rather than once whilst activated or once per status level etc. As markis10 stated, the confusion came about previously with the wording (I can't remember the exact wording but it read to me to mean once per status level) and now they have clarified it fairly well, I believe. (perhaps not in the packs, I can't remember what they stated). The only real question in my mind it how well VFF will apply consistency from here on in. I think your case is the first I've read of them actually not offering it multiple times although there has been some issues with a number of members which seems to be related to the changes to their program to suit this issue which they appear to have resolved in favour of the Velocity member and they should now be diminishing somewhat.

 

[hummel]

Was WP two weeks ago, have been downgraded to SG and my hotel benefit is still showing opted-in. I am HH Diamond till next year anyway so maybe something will change.

 

[stux]

If you're SG and you use your HH Gold entitlement, and then you upgrade to WP, do you get another HH Diamond entitlement?

 

[JohnK]

If you're SG and you use your HH Gold entitlement, and then you upgrade to WP, do you get another HH Diamond entitlement?

This used to be the case in the past. Apparently this is no longer happening.

 

[Princess Fiona]

If you're SG and you use your HH Gold entitlement, and then you upgrade to WP, do you get another HH Diamond entitlement?

Happened to a few people I know in the latest round of WOAG status matching in the past few weeks.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Happened to a few people I know in the latest round of WOAG status matching in the past few weeks.

Ah yes, the renowned inconsistency I wondered about. Daver6 may feel a bit miffed at that news.

 

[Daver6]

Ah yes, the renowned inconsistency I wondered about. Daver6 may feel a bit miffed at that news.

I think thats a different situation though. They are going to WP for the first time. I achieved SG for a second time after dropping down. Unless I've misunderstood what the WPs are getting?

 

[Princess Fiona]

I think thats a different situation though. They are going to WP for the first time. I achieved SG for a second time after dropping down. Unless I've misunderstood what the WPs are getting?

The couple I know were WP in a prior status match, dropped to SG and now WP again after second status match.

 

[Jack_OC]

If you're SG and you use your HH Gold entitlement, and then you upgrade to WP, do you get another HH Diamond entitlement?

I'm currently Gold and will soon reach Platinum. I haven't activated the hotel or hire car benefits yet for fear that if I do, I won't get the higher level when I hit Platinum - based on what I've read on this forum.

TBH, I can understand why they don't give the benefit again when you drop a level and then go up again (eg Gold-Silver-Gold), as that would reward you for a brief drop in status (and therefore reward you for flying less). However, if you opt in while Gold, I don't see why you should not get the Platinum benefit after you go from Gold to Platinum, as that is the normal sequence of events, and reaching Platinum is supposed to gain you additional benefits over Gold.

 

[stux]

I'm currently Gold and will soon reach Platinum. I haven't activated the hotel or hire car benefits yet for fear that if I do, I won't get the higher level when I hit Platinum - based on what I've read on this forum.

TBH, I can understand why they don't give the benefit again when you drop a level and then go up again (eg Gold-Silver-Gold), as that would reward you for a brief drop in status (and therefore reward you for flying less). However, if you opt in while Gold, I don't see why you should not get the Platinum benefit after you go from Gold to Platinum, as that is the normal sequence of events, and reaching Platinum is supposed to gain you additional benefits over Gold.

Exactly the current situation I'm in. After my next big trip in a couple of months I'll be WP, I could benefit from the HH Gold on that trip... or save it for HH Diamond. Would prefer not having to save it.

I suspect SPG will just get the business.

 

[Daver6]

The couple I know were WP in a prior status match, dropped to SG and now WP again after second status match.

Well that's enough ammunition for me to go back to Virgin on this one.

TBH they kind of lose a lot of the goodwill of a status match when stuff like this then occurs.

 

[Daver6]

Well I had a few spare moments so decided to call up again and see if I could get an answer. My two areas of concern that I wanted answers to were:

1) The booklet that was sent out clearly puts no conditions on the benefit.
2) That some get it and others don't. Please explain under what situation it gets re-activated.

Eventually I'm told by the lady on the phone that she can't answer and the only was to get an answer is via email. I raised my concerns that emails are either ignored, fobbed off or receive generic responses that don't address the issue. I was ASSURED this would not be the case. Email sent.

Surprise surprise, I received a generic response that didn't actually answer my questions. Rather fed up with Virgin on this. I replied to the email requesting my questions are actually answered. Not holding my breath.

 

[JohnK]

Surprise surprise, I received a generic response that didn't actually answer my questions. Rather fed up with Virgin on this. I replied to the email requesting my questions are actually answered. Not holding my breath.

At least you received a response.

I still do not have a response to the email I sent on why I am unable to use my gift voucher with ~$40 value to pay for a flight.