NZ and SQ Flights as VA Platinum Plus - Usual Problems

[Maccaj73]

Have travelled a lot lately as a Platinum Plus on both SQ and NZ.

Have flown on 4 NZ sectors, not one could I chose a decent seat and the lounge staff don’t even know your status with VA. Nothing on the boarding pass for your entire journey which is annoying even to get priority boarding.

This is somewhat similar with SQ….. even after all these years it says ‘VA VP’ no decent seat selection. I got to the SilverKris lounge the other day in SIN and BP wouldn’t let me in. Had to find my VA membership card on the app to try ‘prove’ my eligibility… same as on AirNZ….

As it’s been for the last 10+ years Virgin have never been able to ‘get it’ and ensure recognition and integration with other airlines …It is mediocre and just amateur hour. At least there is a global standard with Oneworld or Star Alliance. Makes me very hesitant to book anything with VA outside of Australia, they are only ok on their own metal.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Yeah, I hear you. I have a flight with AC this week and can see that they still haven't done the bare minimum partner set up to allow for priority check-in or boarding. The only benefit is lounge access, for which you have to show the card , because it of course won't be on the boarding pass. (Then again, Qantas' Westjet partnership leaves a lot to be desired, too. )

 

[madrooster]

(Then again, Qantas' Westjet partnership leaves a lot to be desired, too. )

Qantas do not advertise any real partnership with WestJet, which is very different to what VA and AC advertise. QF and WS are merely codeshare partners and there's no elite benefits whatsoever.

 

[trisreed]

I have not had issues with SQ or NZ as a VA Plat at their 'home' ports (SIN/AKL) but once you go anywhere else (or like you say, online) any chance disappears... thinking it may be easier all round to just plonk most of my spending on the HSBC Star Alliance card, get KFEG and call it a day - should still get most of the perks at VA (will be interesting to see how the 'inverse' goes in terms of VA recognising SQ).

 

[clifford]

Have travelled a lot lately as a Platinum Plus on both SQ and NZ.

As a Platinum Plus, I imagine you (or some entity) are paying a lot of cash for the privilege

So why are you sticking with such a sub-par operation?

 

[dajop]

(will be interesting to see how the 'inverse' goes in terms of VA recognising SQ).

VA usually good at recognising SQ status. We are SQ Solitaire PPS, and prints "Platinum" on our VA Boarding Passes.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Have travelled a lot lately as a Platinum Plus on both SQ and NZ.

Have flown on 4 NZ sectors, not one could I chose a decent seat and the lounge staff don’t even know your status with VA. Nothing on the boarding pass for your entire journey which is annoying even to get priority boarding.

This is somewhat similar with SQ….. even after all these years it says ‘VA VP’ no decent seat selection. I got to the SilverKris lounge the other day in SIN and BP wouldn’t let me in. Had to find my VA membership card on the app to try ‘prove’ my eligibility… same as on AirNZ….

As it’s been for the last 10+ years Virgin have never been able to ‘get it’ and ensure recognition and integration with other airlines …It is mediocre and just amateur hour. At least there is a global standard with Oneworld or Star Alliance. Makes me very hesitant to book anything with VA outside of Australia, they are only ok on their own metal.

Probably better to put all points and flights and PPS (if lucky), to SQ KF, and transfer points to VFF, as we all know, VFF points do not expire. so long as there is activity.
Yes, you do loose the % of the points in the transfer from SQ KF to VA VFF, but if you fly the *A alliance a lot, you might as well put all the flights into SQ KF and transfer the points to VA VFF.
At least with SQ KF PS, you might get something, and the number of airlines in *A, is much wider than the VA bespoke system of earn between airline partners.