Major changes to Velocity Frequent Flyer announced 17/10/24

[iamsuperandrew]

They need to move back to the old SC model

 

[MooTime]

They need to move back to the old SC model

I think they should made it a little harder to attain WP, especially since introducing FTG.

Just took it too far in my opinion.

Oh well.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

They need to move back to the old SC model

Or at least find a balance that doesn't make VA status harder to achieve than their largest competitor given the value of the status is worth less (fewer lounges, no global alliance or consistent treatment of status with partners, etc.). Why would I pay more for less?

I'd say it's hard to see a coherent strategy here, unless current leadership really don't think having a solid base of existing or aspiring status-holders is materially relevant. But then I remember this is a private equity-run company. They don't care -- it'll be someone else's mess to clean up. All they care about is getting across the IPO line and hoping their short-term cuts to boost the numbers on paper don't backfire before they do.

 

[Sprucegoose]

They need to move back to the old SC model

I believe VA presently carries more domestic pax than QF, and they must see some strategic benefit in retrimming their loyalty model. Their lounge offering is not nearly as good as QF's, so hopefully, if they have chosen this path of extracting greater value from passengers, they will, in turn, lift their game at the pointy end from their current market positioning in the 'mid-market value' space.

You would have every right to be cautious with an owner embedded in a strong PE model

 

[Bagpuss]

Velocity is making a slight change to the VA flight requirement that comes into effect on 1 October 2025.

From this date, you need to earn at least 50% of your status credits from VA flights that you've personally flown in order to attain or retain status. Previously, Virgin said that only VA marketed and operated flights will count. However, they now say that VA marketed or operated flights will count. In practice, this now means Virgin Australia flights booked through partner airlines will count towards the 50% requirement.

I wonder if this is to do with the Qatar tie up and ensuring you get the VA recognition if you're flying to Doha on a QR codeshare of a technical VA flight.

 

[SYD]

I believe VA presently carries more domestic pax than QF, and they must see some strategic benefit in retrimming their loyalty model.

There was a blip back in Dec, but QF carry more PAX than VA. QF Group including JQ carry 67%.

https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/accc-domestic-airline-competition-australia-may-2025.pdf

 

[justinbrett]

There was a blip back in Dec, but QF carry more PAX than VA. QF Group including JQ carry 67%.

https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/accc-domestic-airline-competition-australia-may-2025.pdf

And even then the QFg as a whole maintained its share - it’s just that some of QF’s share went to JQ, not VA.

VA seems to have picked up the Rex share, but not much change between the two major groups.

 

[SeaWolf]

I believe VA presently carries more domestic pax than QF, and they must see some strategic benefit in retrimming their loyalty model.

It does depend a bit on how you define QF. If you consider flights outsourced to the various Qantaslink airlines (about 60% of QF coded domestic flights) to be separate airlines then yes, VA mainline operates a lot more flights domestically than QF mainline.

If you consider QF mainline and Qantaslink to be a single carrier, then the combined unit does operate more than VA mainline and VARA combined, though you'd also have to consider services operated by Link under the wet lease arrangement, as these are basically the same arrangement as Qantaslink services, just without the paint job.

 

[justinbrett]

It does depend a bit on how you define QF. If you consider flights outsourced to the various Qantaslink airlines (about 60% of QF coded domestic flights) to be separate airlines then yes, VA mainline operates a lot more flights domestically than QF mainline.

If you consider QF mainline and Qantaslink to be a single carrier, then the combined unit does operate more than VA mainline and VARA combined, though you'd also have to consider services operated by Link under the wet lease arrangement, as these are basically the same arrangement as Qantaslink services, just without the paint job.

Link is included in VA’s numbers at the above link.

I don’t know why you would exclude regional subsidiaries, especially in the case of jets when there’s almost no difference to the passenger vs a 737. Once apon a time it was jets for mainline and props for regionals but that’s not the case today.

Also it’s not really “outsourcing” to QantasLink when all but Alliance are fully controlled subsidiaries.

 

[Stuser]

So I have a question about maintaining status BEFORE 1 October 2025.

"From this date, you need to earn at least 50% of your status credits from VA flights that you've personally flown in order to attain or retain status"

I notice that in my velocity account, it is already telling me that I need the above 50% etc even though it is still only June, FOUR months out from the program change date.

My status review date is 9 January 2026. I am currently sitting on 527 status credits, earned since Jan, so need 273 to maintain my status. Velocity is asserting that I need 238 of these "from your VA marketed and/or operated flights".

But is that correct as its not October yet?

Im fairly sure I can get 273 SCs before the end of Sep, but not necessarily that 238.

Has anyone experience with this?

 

[oz_mark]

So I have a question about maintaining status BEFORE 1 October 2025.

"From this date, you need to earn at least 50% of your status credits from VA flights that you've personally flown in order to attain or retain status"

I notice that in my velocity account, it is already telling me that I need the above 50% etc even though it is still only June, FOUR months out from the program change date.

My status review date is 9 January 2026. I am currently sitting on 527 status credits, earned since Jan, so need 273 to maintain my status. Velocity is asserting that I need 238 of these "from your VA marketed and/or operated flights".

But is that correct as its not October yet?

Im fairly sure I can get 273 SCs before the end of Sep, but not necessarily that 238.

Has anyone experience with this?

I would think that you will be assessed under the new rules at your review date. They don't really have a concept of renewing status prior to your review date,

 

[odysseus]

So I have a question about maintaining status BEFORE 1 October 2025.

"From this date, you need to earn at least 50% of your status credits from VA flights that you've personally flown in order to attain or retain status"

I notice that in my velocity account, it is already telling me that I need the above 50% etc even though it is still only June, FOUR months out from the program change date.

My status review date is 9 January 2026. I am currently sitting on 527 status credits, earned since Jan, so need 273 to maintain my status. Velocity is asserting that I need 238 of these "from your VA marketed and/or operated flights".

But is that correct as its not October yet?

Im fairly sure I can get 273 SCs before the end of Sep, but not necessarily that 238.

Has anyone experience with this?

Your status review date is Jan, so you don't need to worry about the 238 VA credits by Oct. That's just when the change will apply for calculations from that point on. But they don't review you in Oct unless/until you need to be reviewed (e.g. upgrade/renewal).

 

[Stuser]

Your status review date is Jan, so you don't need to worry about the 238 VA credits by Oct. That's just when the change will apply for calculations from that point on. But they don't review you in Oct unless/until you need to be reviewed (e.g. upgrade/renewal).

Okay I misspoke. I know I don't need the SCs by the end of September.

But, under the CURRENT rules if I get the 273 SCs by any combination of VA flown by me, international partners and family pooling, I will have maintained status.

Under the NEW rules, I have to get 238 of those SCs with VA flown by me, and the remaining 35 any combo.

So if indeed get say 273 status credits by the end of September, but only say 180 are flown on VA, and the other 93 on "others", will I have met my status obligations for the year?

Or IS VA being sneaky with their system, and their new regime really applies to me from January 10 2025, my review date?

That adds to the stink, if so.

 

[simmomelb]

Okay I misspoke. I know I don't need the SCs by the end of September.

But, under the CURRENT rules if I get the 273 SCs by any combination of VA flown by me, international partners and family pooling, I will have maintained status.

Under the NEW rules, I have to get 238 of those SCs with VA flown by me, and the remaining 35 any combo.

So if indeed get say 273 status credits by the end of September, but only say 180 are flown on VA, and the other 93 on "others", will I have met my status obligations for the year?

Or IS VA being sneaky with their system, and their new regime really applies to me from January 10 2025, my review date?

That adds to the stink, if so.

If you meet your obligations early, by the end of September, you'll be fine under the current requirements (status from any pooling + sectors met), as they are still the requirements until 1st of October 2025.

 

[Stuser]

If you meet your obligations early, before the end of September, you'll be fine under the current requirements (status from any pooling + sectors met), as they are still the requirements until 1st of October 2025.

Okay I hope so... don't want to "waste" any SCs credited from Singapore if they don't count....

And yes I've done the 8 sectors.... even though I can no longer see them in my velocity account!

 

[simmomelb]

Okay I hope so... don't want to "waste" any SCs credited from Singapore if they don't count....

And yes I've done the 8 sectors.... even though I can no longer see them in my velocity account!

The only reason the sector's are not shown in your account is due to your review date being after September. Anyone that has a review date before 1st Oct, the sector's still show, which makes sense.
If that makes sense?
It's the most logical way for them indicate the requirements during the change, rather than, this or that (better to show the "worst case scenario").

 

[Happy Dude]

Okay I misspoke. I know I don't need the SCs by the end of September.

But, under the CURRENT rules if I get the 273 SCs by any combination of VA flown by me, international partners and family pooling, I will have maintained status.

Under the NEW rules, I have to get 238 of those SCs with VA flown by me, and the remaining 35 any combo.

So if indeed get say 273 status credits by the end of September, but only say 180 are flown on VA, and the other 93 on "others", will I have met my status obligations for the year?

Or IS VA being sneaky with their system, and their new regime really applies to me from January 10 2025, my review date?

That adds to the stink, if so.

I would say yes.

You should get a congratulatory email on the day you've requalified and the status would show in the app.

 

[Mattg]

If you meet your obligations early, by the end of September, you'll be fine under the current requirements (status from any pooling + sectors met), as they are still the requirements until 1st of October 2025.

If you upgrade to a higher status before 1 October 2025, the old requirements would apply as this resets the review date. But if renewing an existing status, my understanding is that the requirements that are in place on the actual review date would apply.

 

[simmomelb]

Oh that's not my understanding. The new criteria doesn't kick in until 1st Oct, that would be quite unethical behaviour if, given once you usually hit the requirements within that period and criteria, that it changes, before the new criteria kicks in.
Happy to be corrected but I'd be surprised if this would pass the pub test/ACCC?
The backlash would be phenomenal.
I totally get where you are coming from, as that is usually the case, but given the changes, I believe it's not (cannot be) the case this time, as if you've met your obligations before the changes commence, they must abide by their obligations also.

 

[Mattg]

Oh that's not my understanding. The new criteria doesn't kick in until 1st Oct, that would be quite unethical behaviour if, given once you usually hit the requirements within that period and criteria, that it changes, before the new criteria kicks in.
Happy to be corrected but I'd be surprised if this would pass the pub test/ACCC?
The backlash would be phenomenal.
I totally get where you are coming from, as that is usually the case, but given the changes, I believe it's not (cannot be) the case this time, as if you've met your obligations before the changes commence, they must abide by their obligations also.

This is what the FAQ on the Velocity website says:

A: For your first Review Date on or after 1 October 2025, your Status will be assessed under the new Status assessment rules where you earn Status with your Status Credits balance only and there is a minimum number of Status Credits required to be earned on eligible Virgin Australia marketed and or operated flights flown by you. If you have not met the new Status maintain requirements, then you will downgrade when you reach your Review Date.

Status Credits transferred to a beneficiary through Family Pooling are not earned by the contributor and therefore will not form part of the contributor's Status Credits balance.

If you're maintaining an existing tier, my understanding is that your review date is always 12 months after you upgraded into that tier or last renewed it. I could be wrong on this though.