Please bring back the Taster for Gold Members

[Jama]

Now that Platinum have free upgrades could we please have paid upgrades, as we saw with the Taster, reinstated as a Gold member benefit. I have no problem with the status matches that are being given out, VA is building the business which is good for all of us. However, I am sure there are now many many members who have platinum status matches and get to enjoy the upgrades that many who have earnt status through VA loyalty have no access to. Can we at least pay for it when it is available under the same arrangement as the Taster that was expired last month ? This is not a critisism of our new status matched members I welcome you all it just what I see as a logical benefit to Gold members over lower levels.

 

[MarkD]

Good idea


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[777]

Actually i too would like to see paid upgrades back but dont forget you can also upgrade on points if you so choose.

 

[LiamR]

If we see the paid upgrades come back, I highly doubt we'll see them for $30 - More like $100+ once J comes in.

 

[MarkD]

That would still be ok on a $100 saver ticket


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[leemin]

Actually i too would like to see paid upgrades back but dont forget you can also upgrade on points if you so choose.

However, this only guarantees you the seat.

You can only upgrade from a Flexi fare (not a Saver) and when you do, catering and the full benefits of the J/PE fare are not guaranteed or available.

I don't think is is fair when, by using points, you are 'paying' for the upgrade. I'm not really sure how QF does it, but I'd like to see DJ change this.

 

[Mal]

If we see the paid upgrades come back, I highly doubt we'll see them for $30 - More like $100+ once J comes in.

Flex ticket Plus 50 or 100 I guess. People need to keep in mind the plat upgrades are limited at 4 and rely on a flex ticket originally.

 

[QF WP]

I'd love to see the Taster come back, I wasn't able to use (only a member for a week before they closed the availability - on my birthday (what a poor choice)

It would certainly increase my VA flying now that I am trying them for the next 6 months

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'd like to see the taster upgrade back too. Especially if they provide the same benefits as previous

 

[Jama]

Flex ticket Plus 50 or 100 I guess. People need to keep in mind the plat upgrades are limited at 4 and rely on a flex ticket originally.

So have a limit of 4 paid upgrades for Gold members. Or better don't have a limit of 4 but have paid upgrades apply to both Platinum and Gold the difference being Platinum get the first 4 for free.

You can only upgrade from a Flexi fare (not a Saver) and when you do, catering and the full benefits of the J/PE fare are not guaranteed or available.

Gold's were able to upgrade a Saver under the Taster. I only got to try it once but I was certainly given the full PE treatment. Not much of a Taster if you don't actually get to taste what PE is all about.

Realistically I am personally unlikely to try the new class of service. I would be happy to do a taste test though and consider if it is worth using. PE was a bit underwhelming in my opinion. I am likely to stick with Flexi for work and Saver for personal.

 

[QF WP]

So have a limit of 4 paid upgrades for Gold members. Or better don't have a limit of 4 but have paid upgrades apply to both Platinum and Gold the difference being Platinum get the first 4 for free.

Sounds like a fair system, it's not like I'd expect an upgrade to PE on a saver fare, but might think I am a long shot from Flexi (along with all the other Golds and Plats ).

I am likely to stick with Flexi for work and Saver for personal.

My thoughts exactly. Prices have been under QF's in a couple of samples that I have done.

 

[Jama]

Sounds like a fair system, it's not like I'd expect an upgrade to PE on a saver fare, but might think I am a long shot from Flexi (along with all the other Golds and Plats ).

Ultimately, if the upgrade is available 3 hours before the flight, as with the taster guidlines, regardless of saver or flexi, you make one of your very frequent flyers very happy. If the upgrade isn't available because they have been pre purchased, it doesn't matter. The possibility was there and that can only be a positive thing.

Some may think that this will mean everyone will buy cheap fares with plans for a cheap upgrade. I don't agree, anyone taking this route is likely to miss out on the seat they want given the upgarde option is only based on availability, if the are sold they are sold. But if the few upgarding like what they experience they may be more likely to consider this next time they book to ensure they get the seat they want.

 

[firefox]

i'm not a fan of these as some may know... But everyone has to remember the taster's weren't getting used as a taster they were a new fare class to fly PE/Business at a very cheap option.
As i have mentioned before i only fly PE/J class with VA, and the problem with these represents a big issue.

If you upgrade people on flights, when i show up an hour earlier in the airport and want to move to an earlier flight i can't as they've allowed others to move to earlier flights, and then pay the upgrade option. The only way to get around this is to only allow say 2 fares on board to be upgrades. That way ensuring your full paying business/PE passengers can get the benefits.

One of the big benefits of the fare class for me, is moving to earlier flights. I've had problems in the past, where i've not been able to take an earlier flight, not because there wasn't availability, but because people had been on cheap upgrades, which in turn meant i lost the benefit of it. (whilst there were seats still in y and y+)... This has happened many many times to me.. VA have always tried to sort something out...

I think the program they've got in place now with the 4 comp's for Plat, and Paid (points) upgrades for everyone else is a best option fit. I noticed that there are 4 seats allocated to each aircraft load (in H class) which is the points/rewards redemption seating class for PE/J..

I know alot will take the perception that we want the upgrades, as a PE/J flyer all the time, you need to understand there is two sides to the story, and i'd like to be able to get on an earlier flight if possible. There are other positives and negatives out of this upgrades, which i don't think need to be discussed. But i do think VA has it right.. And has tried to find the middle ground on this..

Thought from reading this forum, it still sounds like getting a free upgrade into PE/J at the airport is still very possible, which rumor's where that had stopped.

 

[leemin]

i'm not a fan of these as some may know... But everyone has to remember the taster's weren't getting used as a taster they were a new fare class to fly PE/Business at a very cheap option.
As i have mentioned before i only fly PE/J class with VA, and the problem with these represents a big issue.

If you upgrade people on flights, when i show up an hour earlier in the airport and want to move to an earlier flight i can't as they've allowed others to move to earlier flights, and then pay the upgrade option. The only way to get around this is to only allow say 2 fares on board to be upgrades. That way ensuring your full paying business/PE passengers can get the benefits.

One of the big benefits of the fare class for me, is moving to earlier flights. I've had problems in the past, where i've not been able to take an earlier flight, not because there wasn't availability, but because people had been on cheap upgrades, which in turn meant i lost the benefit of it. (whilst there were seats still in y and y+)... This has happened many many times to me.. VA have always tried to sort something out...

I think the program they've got in place now with the 4 comp's for Plat, and Paid (points) upgrades for everyone else is a best option fit. I noticed that there are 4 seats allocated to each aircraft load (in H class) which is the points/rewards redemption seating class for PE/J..

I know alot will take the perception that we want the upgrades, as a PE/J flyer all the time, you need to understand there is two sides to the story, and i'd like to be able to get on an earlier flight if possible. There are other positives and negatives out of this upgrades, which i don't think need to be discussed. But i do think VA has it right.. And has tried to find the middle ground on this..

Thought from reading this forum, it still sounds like getting a free upgrade into PE/J at the airport is still very possible, which rumor's where that had stopped.

I certainly hadn't considered the issue from that perspective before. Perhaps upgrades at the gate as opposed to online, check-in or the lounge would be the answer?

However, I'm still of the opinion that if you do upgrade - paid, points or otherwise - this should come with the guaranteed full benefits of PE/J. As it currently stands, if you upgrade with points, this is not the case. Surely it can't be that hard to make sure flights have the appropriate catering onboard..

 

[Mogul]

i'm not a fan of these as some may know... But everyone has to remember the taster's weren't getting used as a taster they were a new fare class to fly PE/Business at a very cheap option.
As i have mentioned before i only fly PE/J class with VA, and the problem with these represents a big issue.

If you upgrade people on flights, when i show up an hour earlier in the airport and want to move to an earlier flight i can't as they've allowed others to move to earlier flights, and then pay the upgrade option. The only way to get around this is to only allow say 2 fares on board to be upgrades. That way ensuring your full paying business/PE passengers can get the benefits.

One of the big benefits of the fare class for me, is moving to earlier flights. I've had problems in the past, where i've not been able to take an earlier flight, not because there wasn't availability, but because people had been on cheap upgrades, which in turn meant i lost the benefit of it. (whilst there were seats still in y and y+)... This has happened many many times to me.. VA have always tried to sort something out...

I think the program they've got in place now with the 4 comp's for Plat, and Paid (points) upgrades for everyone else is a best option fit. I noticed that there are 4 seats allocated to each aircraft load (in H class) which is the points/rewards redemption seating class for PE/J..

I know alot will take the perception that we want the upgrades, as a PE/J flyer all the time, you need to understand there is two sides to the story, and i'd like to be able to get on an earlier flight if possible. There are other positives and negatives out of this upgrades, which i don't think need to be discussed. But i do think VA has it right.. And has tried to find the middle ground on this..

Thought from reading this forum, it still sounds like getting a free upgrade into PE/J at the airport is still very possible, which rumor's where that had stopped.

From a business perspective this would be a bad idea to hold seats on the possibility that a pax from another flight may change their plans. Any airline will always try and fill EVERY seat on every flight.

What about flexi fares, how many seats does an airline hold open for the what in case scenario.

Yes I can see your point of view but it's not the airlines fault that YOU have changed YOUR plans.

Realistically it cost's next to nothing for an airline to upgrade pax and if they can get some extra $$$$$ for it then why not.

 

[Ascent]

From a business perspective this would be a bad idea to hold seats on the possibility that a pax from another flight may change their plans. Any airline will always try and fill EVERY seat on every flight.

What about flexi fares, how many seats does an airline hold open for the what in case scenario.

Yes I can see your point of view but it's not the airlines fault that YOU have changed YOUR plans.

Realistically it cost's next to nothing for an airline to upgrade pax and if they can get some extra $$$$$ for it then why not.

But why should the passenger who has paid $800 be disadvantaged after purchasing a fare that is designed for flexibility so that a passenger who has paid a $200+30 can sit up front. I don't think you will see paid upgrades come back.... What incentive is there for passengers to pay J fares if they are offering paid upgrades...... They knew no-one was going to buy PE as it wasn't an attractive product so there was no loss for DJ there.... J should be a different story, especially with the number of corp contracts that have recently been signed.

 

[Jama]

What incentive is there for passengers to pay J fares if they are offering paid upgrades.......

Because if you don't, the chances are you wont get a J fare at all. I would expect upgrades to be few and you would be lucky to get one. Rely on it and you miss out. If you don't care then the possibility of a paid upgrade is a bonus that would be accepted as a nice priviledge for Gold/Platinum in the instances they are available.