Mixed Class Status Credits

[noelos]

I recently bought my first ever mixed-class flight - well, my first long-haul business class ever - with VA/Etihad through Expedia. The amount of obfuscation of information is stunning (can't see fare basis, cancellation or change fees), so even though it's a VA-issued ticket and I'm a Velocity frequent flyer member, they can't tell me how many stats credits I will earn. I'm wondering if anyone has done this and has experience.

It's a VA ticket with business-class Etihad SYD-AUH then Etihad economy AUH-LHR and the same in reverse but with VA business for the final leg AUH-SYD. The nice person from Velocity called me to answer my query but told me I should look at their Internet site to check out status credits apply, I guess here: apparently I can't post a link, so let's say the first link when you Google "velocity status credits" on the page titled "Earning Status Credits | Velocity Frequent Flyer".

But I wanted to know:
1. Would they treat SYD-LON as a single leg for calculating distance or each leg separately (he couldn't tell me)
2. If they are treated separately, are the economy legs treated as Discount Economy or Full Fare economy (he couldn't tell me)

I'm sitting on 100 status credits now, so depending on how they treat these, I might just scrape gold status or might just miss it. Oh, and the flights are in late July/early August. One thing that did impress me is that they automatically assigned me extra legroom seats for the shorter economy legs.

So has anyone done this before and have any clue what status credits I might end up with?

Also, given it's mixed class, think I'll be able to get chauffeur transfers at both end included?

 

[moa999]

Only the domestic fares for which the single leg rule applies - "When you purchase a single domestic or international short haul fare with Virgin Australia and there is a via point which does not involve a stopover, the Status Credits are awarded on the mileage from origin to destination"

So you should earn SYD-AUH-LHR-AUH-SYD.

Exact SCs/points will depend on when you travel.

Before 1 June - you would do very nicely.
Points Earn with Airline Partners | Velocity Frequent Flyer
By my Calcs - 160+60+60+160 SCs

After 1 June
Etihad Points Earn Revised Structure| Velocity Frequent Flyer
May lose 60 SCs
After 1 June you need to know the fare basis of each leg for points calc and Discount (E, U, V, L, Q, M, K) vs Full Economy (H, B, Y)

No idea on chauffeur - can't imagine you would get it in LHR.

 

[noelos]

Exact points will depend on when you travel.
Before 1 June - you would do very nicely.
After 1 June you need to know the fare basis of each leg.

No idea on chauffeur - can't imagine you would get it in LHR.

Thanks for the super-fast reply! I had discovered the information about points earning before. It is a little disappointing and as I said, nobody (VA, Expedia or CheckMyTrip) can tell me the fare bases for each leg anyway! I'll assume the worst. That said, I was really interested in the treatment of status credits rather than points. Worst case, I'll probably take a return trip to Melbourne later this year and it may push me over the top. Cheers!

 

[airtraveladdict]

Are concerned whether you will have enough SC to qualify for gold?
If you have 100 SC currently, your mixed class trip will definately tip you over.
Business on EY will get you 160 SC from Sydney-Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi-Syd 160SC, total 360SC.
And the Economy class 60SC AUH-LHR each way, so total 120SC.
I'm only speaking from experience when I flew last year, on Premium Econ/Economy mixed fare to Paris, earnings 120SC for SYD-AUH and 60SC for AUH-CDG leg because it was recognised as "full economy" not discount economy.
So I assume that because you are flying Business/Economy mixed fare, the economy leg will be counted as full economy as well.

 

[noelos]

Are concerned whether you will have enough SC to qualify for gold?
If you have 100 SC currently, your mixed class trip will definately tip you over.
Business on EY will get you 160 SC from Sydney-Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi-Syd 160SC, total 360SC.
And the Economy class 60SC AUH-LHR each way, so total 120SC.
I'm only speaking from experience when I flew last year, on Premium Econ/Economy mixed fare to Paris, earnings 120SC for SYD-AUH and 60SC for AUH-CDG leg because it was recognised as "full economy" not discount economy.
So I assume that because you are flying Business/Economy mixed fare, the economy leg will be counted as full economy as well.

Yeah, that's exactly the question. 160 x 2 is 320, not 360, so then the question of whether the economy legs are treated as discount or full makes all the difference; I'd get to either 480 or 540 depending on this. I guess that's a a direct question I can ask VA. Given they're changing the rules for accumulating points on Etihad after June 1st, it's possible they'll change the recognition of status credits too; but let's hope not!

Thanks very much for the responses.

 

[airtraveladdict]

Yeah sorry, I was never a maths person at school and I don't double check when I count lol
The changes from June 01, only applies to the mileage points earn, SCs remain unchanged. Regardless of whether it is a "discount business" or "full business" ticket. Its just business class, which has the same SC earn as First. Assuming that, I think you will get "full economy" recognition for your mixed business class ticket, not "discount economy". And if you are on a full economy ticket, you can probably try your luck at asking for a cash upgrade at the check-in desk for the 6-7 hour journey.
As as far lounge access is concerned, I'm not sure if you can use the Etihad Pearl Lounge on your way to LHR because your onward journey is in economy class, but you can DEFINATELY use the Pearls Lounge on your return journey.
But you can go up to the desk and ask, perhaps Etihad allows arrivals passenger to use the lounge as an "arrivals lounge" since they don't have an arrivals lounge (I might be wrong) like Cathay and the other airlines which do have one.

 

[noelos]

Yeah sorry, I was never a maths person at school and I don't double check when I count lol
The changes from June 01, only applies to the mileage points earn, SCs remain unchanged. Regardless of whether it is a "discount business" or "full business" ticket. Its just business class, which has the same SC earn as First. Assuming that, I think you will get "full economy" recognition for your mixed business class ticket, not "discount economy". And if you are on a full economy ticket, you can probably try your luck at asking for a cash upgrade at the check-in desk for the 6-7 hour journey.
As as far lounge access is concerned, I'm not sure if you can use the Etihad Pearl Lounge on your way to LHR because your onward journey is in economy class, but you can DEFINATELY use the Pearls Lounge on your return journey.
But you can go up to the desk and ask, perhaps Etihad allows arrivals passenger to use the lounge as an "arrivals lounge" since they don't have an arrivals lounge (I might be wrong) like Cathay and the other airlines which do have one.

I will definitely be chancing my arm to see if I can get those chauffeur transfers, seats in the lounges and any upgrades! As for the status, if I fall short, I'll be doing a short domestic trip at some point, so I'll just make sure to do it VA.

I did look at Checkmytrip again and the flights are listed "Economy Restricted" - I have no idea is that is the same thing as "Discount Economy".

 

[airtraveladdict]

Is there a code for the economy class?

 

[noelos]

Is there a code for the economy class?

If only! That would be far too helpful!

Noel

 

[noelos]

Is there a code for the economy class?

VA finally replied, and said the economy legs are 'K' class, so no gold for me in July. However, this may play well, as it would only take one short domestic economy flight to push me over. And I have until next April 26th to do it. Thus I can get gold later and have it longer! Not so bad.

Thanks again for all the replies; really helped me understand this subject and maybe plan better next time.