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

[simmomelb]

Hmmmm totally agree this is how it has been, but given the goal post changes, this will be very interesting to see how this actually transpires come Oct 1st.

 

[Mattg]

Hmmmm this will be very interesting to see how this actually transpires come Oct 1st.

I thought the information on the Velocity website is pretty clear that if your review date is on/after 1 October, the new requirements apply?

 

[simmomelb]

I thought the information on the Velocity website is pretty clear that if your review date is on/after 1 October, the new requirements apply?

Sorry, reviewing this further now.
It really doesn't sound right that if you've met the requirements before the changes come in effect that this would be acceptable...

 

[aamslfc]

Sorry, reviewing this further now.
It really doesn't sound right that if you've met the requirements before the changes come in effect that this would be acceptable...

Yes, this is the exact scenario that befell me, and has irritated me to the point of giving up the program.

Long story, but I forward-planned most of my pre-May travel in August and September last year - well before they dumped the announcement on us in October. Lots of international due to circumstance, with a smattering of domestic. Not ideal, but nothing at the time indicated clearly that the requalification requirements would change.

I found out the hard way that the earn rates changed in April when I booked a couple of trips, but I figured it would still be ok because surely the old requal requirements would still apply?

Between work and leisure, I'd easily requalify by October, let alone my review date. After all, that's what the app and the website showed.

Nope.

This week I login to see the Forever Gold bit they added, and notice they've also changed it to show a different requalification requirement to that which had been shown for months prior, and which was in place when I made most of my plans.

I thought I was already on the brink of requalifying. But no, the goalposts have moved.

They may have sneakily added it to the fine print of the T&Cs since last year's announcement, but it's utterly ridiculous that I'm being disdvantaged retrospectively despite forward-planning my travel and requalification, and despite ensuring that I spent that money on VA and its partners.

 

[anat0l]

Why would I pay more for less?

Because you hate the competition.

Whether rationally VA is better than QF on overall value or not, there are a lot of customers who will simply not touch QF or JQ, even in an emergency. This has swelled VA's ranks and they will be steady customers, unless somehow VA also do a PR masterstroke.

VA seems to suit better for SMEs, though they're not necessarily thinking of long term value as it'll take them ages to get to FG, but happy with the present value it gives them.

 

[Happy Dude]

@Mattg so according to the VA FAQs, anyone who has a review date after 1 Oct, will have their status determined under the new rules regardless of when or how the SCs were earned?

That really doesn't seem fair. It will capture many who think they've maintained their status because that's what the app says (unless that's changed soon). I hit 800 SCs a week before my review date and it changed to "maintained" straight away.

 

[bernardblack]

I always understood the way the rules were written to mean that the new rules would apply from your first renewal anniversary after the 01/10/25 start date. And that was why it was announced a full year in advance, so nobody could have actually purchased a ticket that was treated differently than they expected for status renewal purposes.

That said, I think if you actually receive a "maintained" message in the app or website now, but your renewal is after that cutover date, then you should take a screenshot now and lodge a request if your renewal is disallowed under the new rules. With evidence that the system told you you had requalified I feel like you have a strong case.

I have requalified for a review in early July, so I am not affected by this scenario.

 

[oz_mark]

I always understood the way the rules were written to mean that the new rules would apply from your first renewal anniversary after the 01/10/25 start date. And that was why it was announced a full year in advance, so nobody could have actually purchased a ticket that was treated differently than they expected for status renewal purposes.

That said, I think if you actually receive a "maintained" message in the app or website now, but your renewal is after that cutover date, then you should take a screenshot now and lodge a request if your renewal is disallowed under the new rules. With evidence that the system told you you had requalified I feel like you have a strong case.

I have requalified for a review in early July, so I am not affected by this scenario.

Have to agree, they've given plenty of notice.

Like many, I have a February review date, and I have been progressing on the basis that I will be assessed based on the new rules at my review data.

 

[serfty]

I have requalified under the current regime:



I will note that more than 400 SC have come from VA*VA flights.

 

[Happy Dude]

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.

This change also applies to the Forever Gold requirement to earn at least 9,000 of the 12,000 required status credits from VA flights - can now be Virgin Australia marketed and/or operated.

Virgin is changing the status credits earned when flying on SQ operated flights between Australia and Singapore, as well as United operated flights between Australia and USA.

Changes to Status

www.velocityfrequentflyer.com

Just seeking a sanity check on this if I may please. I'm looking at options for a family holiday to Vietnam from CBR.

For it to be "VA marketed", must I book through the VA website? And if I book direct with SQ and credit to VA, SCs earned will count only towards the non-VA 400 of the 800 for WP requal, and towards the FG total but not the 9000 FG tally. I'm also thinking to book the CBR-SYD/MEL/BNE vv legs separately to get DSC, despite the cons/risk of doing so. TIA

 

[Mattg]

Just seeking a sanity check on this if I may please. I'm looking at options for a family holiday to Vietnam from CBR.

For it to be "VA marketed", must I book through the VA website? And if I book direct with SQ and credit to VA, SCs earned will count only towards the non-VA 400 of the 800 for WP requal, and towards the FG total but not the 9000 FG tally.

Correct. (Or at least, the SQ legs need to be booked on VA flight numbers - only possible through the VA website or a travel agent who knows what they're doing.)

 

[tropicaltycoon]

As a retired person whom only travels for personal reasons (read "at own expense"), I no longer have an interest in chasing status with Velocity/VA. I've burned through my points in J redemptions. No longer interested in earning SCs from Coles/Liquorland/Bunnings/My Car or VA. No longer flying SQ as MH also depart ADL to MNL (and I like their J cabin, food and service). Now I book QF to MEL and BNE, even JQ to OOL to visit family, ouch.

 

[bernardblack]

Does anyone with a review from October onwards, have a screenshot they're willing to redact as necessary and share, of what the progress to renew (say) Gold looks like? I'm especially interested in how it shows the difference between personal bum-in-seat VA credits and others from family pooling, Flybuys, partner-coded flights, etc.

The reason being (apart from for interest's sake) I am hoping it will clarify an ambiguity in the wording.

 

[serfty]

Does anyone with a review from October onwards, have a screenshot they're willing to redact as necessary and share, of what the progress to renew (say) Gold looks like? I'm especially interested in how it shows the difference between personal bum-in-seat VA credits and others from family pooling, Flybuys, partner-coded flights, etc.

The reason being (apart from for interest's sake) I am hoping it will clarify an ambiguity in the wording.

Can't help with SG requalification; I have already requalified WP. What I do see for WP+ qualification is (X, Y and Z substituted to obfuscate):

 

[oz_mark]

I'll get a screengrab later, but SG is much the same. An overall total and a total of your VA operated and or marketed.

 

[bernardblack]

Thanks both.

 

[ozstamps]

As a retired person whom only travels for personal reasons (read "at own expense"), I no longer have an interest in chasing status with Velocity/VA. I've burned through my points in J redemptions. No longer interested in earning SCs from Coles/Liquorland/Bunnings/My Car or VA. No longer flying SQ as MH also depart ADL to MNL (and I like their J cabin, food and service). Now I book QF to MEL and BNE, even JQ to OOL to visit family, ouch.

And you will not be alone sadly.

Talk about shoot themselves in both feet. Fellow American Mr Trump must be advising Virgin owners.

Not only do Virgin lose that business, and the $$$s from all members pooling to or from you, but a raft of connected partners do too, as you highlight. Brilliant 'management'.

 

[lobo76]

Hmmmm totally agree this is how it has been, but given the goal post changes, this will be very interesting to see how this actually transpires come Oct 1st.

I'm set to requal for Platinum in July - from then I'll just be burning my 500k points. Might look at switching to Qantas if there's a status match...

 

[fkcn]

I'm set to requal for Platinum in July - from then I'll just be burning my 500k points. Might look at switching to Qantas if there's a status match...

Any OW status matches out there currently? Wouid also be keen to match an imminent Velocity Plat.