Is International Virgin Reward availability now worse that QANTAS?

[theblank]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Just to be clear, did you have to phone them to get the BKK-AUH-DUB flights, or were you able to search/book those flights on the Velocity website?

Phone!

FYI, economy redemption
BKK>DUB was 41000pts
DUB>CGK was 47000pts

When you enter SIN as the departure airport, the only destination options you can select in Europe are those that SQ flies to.

enter AUH as destiination. (or try BKK to AUH, its no extra points to fly from australia to BKK, KUL or CGK on SQ, )
i just checked and that works.

but Virgins relationship has changed signnificantly about 1 year ago, that might make a difference to the overall options. certainly the taxes and charges are exhorbitant.

 

[PDog]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Seats... enter the EY PNR in the manage booking section of EY website and select your seats.. or call them

Velocity will give you the VA PNR and the EY PNR

EDIT : Agree about transfer and taxes are nearly the same.. Before the recent SQ change the decision was use more points or pay more $$ in taxes. The recent change to the KF program negates this issue

Even with the EY PNR from velocity I wasn't able to select my seats online. I had to call (and their first repsonse was to direct me to the website) Not sure if it's now compatable, my ticket was booked last Sept, but I only did my seat selection for this leg last week. I was able to book the chauffer car online though strangely?

The additional reward fee for EY through velocity makes SQ so, so much more appealing!

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Even with the EY PNR from velocity I wasn't able to select my seats online. I had to call (and their first repsonse was to direct me to the website) Not sure if it's now compatable, my ticket was booked last Sept, but I only did my seat selection for this leg last week. I was able to book the chauffer car online though strangely?

The additional reward fee for EY through velocity makes SQ so, so much more appealing!

Oh ok... My last seat selection ( booking via VA ) worked fine on EY website ( was a few months ago ).. may have changed

 

[henleybeach]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I've had to call up in the past with EY to select my seats but with Singapore airlines I just put the SQ reference number in on the SQ app and it allows me to select seats and book the cook.

With EY , if you can't see availability online , i defiantly recommend ringing velocity and getting them to check. I've made 8 business class rewards with EY through velocity, 4 online and 4 over the phone. Lastest one , was MEL - MCT , showed nil availability online , ( even from Perth , Brisbane and Sydney) rang up and there was 2 seats available from every city !

 

[RTH]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

last year I booked BKK>DUB, then DUB>CGK
Neither was available as a single redemption on Velocity online, but they were available as seperate redemptions, ie BKK>AUH, then AUH>DUB

I just rang up Velocity and said I wanted to book them as a single redemption, and at first the lady said no, but I insisted that it was logical because BNE>DUB was bookable so why not. Eventually she just said she will enter the booking and see if the computer would link it up and voila it did!

I've had several examples at first trying bookings via website and then over the phone it can be done both EY and with DL.
Recently looking at Sydney to San Diego. Velocity website said no availability any day (Curiouslity checked whole range dates) let alone days I want to fly (there was availability as any seat). If you put in separately SYD-LAX and then LAX-SAN plenty of availability (SAN alone had 4-5 flights available for reward on most days).
Rang them at first said do yourself via website told them I ringing them because I couldn't, the first inquiry person didn't believe me and had to try for himself via website first, anyway on their system they could see availability (charging same points SYD-SAN as SYD-LAX).

A week later when I actually wanted to make booking once again website nothing available, called them up, they said again do it yourself told them I was calling them because I couldn't women said ok I'll check and do it (I also told her that via the website the only way to do it was as two bookings SYD-LAX & LAX-SAN). She could see availability as SYD-SAN with a mix of options, booked it and they waived the booking fee.

 

[PlutekPlutek]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I'm trying to look for MEL-HKG in May/June next year. Nothing at all in J, unless you want to pay stupid any seat prices.
I changed dates to earlier, but I literally cannot see any availability in J to HKG at all, this year, or next year. Either direct, or with SQ - always circa ~500,000 points.
What's going on ?

 

[Roflco]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I've been looking for BNE/SYD/MEL LAX for April/May/June next year.

I can see some in May, but i was really preferring to travel in April.

I called Velocity and they advised the April ones hadn't been released yet, but if that was the case, why would some be released in May?

What do you think the chances are any will be released in April? Or was the VA rep wrong, and April has already been released + booked?

 

[PhilandJosh]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

For Hong Kong availability....check expert flyer as reward seats on velocity aren't showing. Then ring to confirm availability as there was one day expert flyer showed 2 but velocity call center said none... ended up booking 2seats return for Jan next year as an upgrade from y (only 25000 pts per person each way was pretty fair I thought)

 

[cjd600]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I've been looking for BNE/SYD/MEL LAX for April/May/June next year.

I can see some in May, but i was really preferring to travel in April.

I called Velocity and they advised the April ones hadn't been released yet, but if that was the case, why would some be released in May?

What do you think the chances are any will be released in April? Or was the VA rep wrong, and April has already been released + booked?

I've booked 2 x J BNE-LAX 17 April (booked 3 June) and LAX-BNE 25 April (booked 13 June).
The April ones have been released.....I was monitoring each day

 

[henleybeach]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Just booked my parents about 20 min ago online , MEL-IST - 121k points plus $86 each. ( early may next year )

 

[Roflco]

Do you think it's possible to redeem J class on Air Nz Bne -> Akl -> Lax as an alternative to bne -> lax direct on VA?

 

[rtyuiop]

Theoretically possible, but I don't think anyone has ever seen any J class reward availability on Air NZ (not even on their own programme from what I have heard).

 

[serfty]

Ha!

Good luck finding Business class rewards transpacific on AirNZ 777's!

They are so rare ad to be almost mythical.

 

[AnotherWorld]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

So, to be clear, we are required to book a year in advance in order to secure reward J tickets with Virgin?

 

[liamsal]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

So, to be clear, we are required to book a year in advance in order to secure reward J tickets with Virgin?

Nope. I booked J BNE - LAX flights in January for travel in March/April this year. Just need to be flexible with dates (and obviously much easier when it's only 1 pax travelling)

 

[Denali]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

So, to be clear, we are required to book a year in advance in order to secure reward J tickets with Virgin?

I think its a matter of how much of a planner you are vs how flexible you are prepared to be.

I already have April 2018 booked and planned and already thinking about 2019 but others might log on and are search for whats available next month and find something.

Plus sometimes they release seats closer to the date so you might be lucky to stumble onto something for next week so snap it up if you see it.

I have a friend who is single so she basically goes wherever is available and just sees what happens when she gets there - I cant live like that.

 

[Bagpuss]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I have a friend who is single so she basically goes wherever is available and just sees what happens when she gets there - I cant live like that.

As a wise person once said, dont judge those which will die happy and rich (aka being single) ;-)

But to keep my comment on topic, if you get a J reward seat from SYD - LAX, what do you do about the return? (As one way international fares are expensive.)

 

[jbman]

Flew in April and got a one way LAX to SYD on VA in Y for $650 AUD booked directly with VA. Buy during a sale and you can get a good deal

 

[gwilli1]

Anyone for last minute Biz awards seats in July ???

ex SYD VA1 - 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 30th
ex SYD DL40 - 10th , 11th
ex MEL VA23 - 10th , 11th, 20th, 31st
ex BNE VA7 - 11th , 12th , 13th , 18th , 19th , 20th , 28th

 

[supa007]

Flew back LAX-BNE in J only last week. Half the cabin was empty! Thought this is suppose to be peak season. VA should have released some of those seats for award bookings last minute.