Question: Help Understanding Eligible Sectors

[kevinkhchan]

Hi All,

I just wanted to gain an understanding of Eligible Sectors. I think I have a clearer understanding now after being on hold for quite a while with the call centre.

Essentially we flew SYD-LAX-SFO earlier this year. SYD-LAX outbound and inbound was booked with VA and LAX-SFO was booked with VX on the same itinerary as the VA flights (as connecting flights). We had a 5 hour delay on the SYD-LAX outbound due to a technical issue in LA so we left SYD 5 hours late with our connecting flight to SFO rebooked by VA on DL.

On return our points and SCs were eventually added to our accounts but we noticed that we only received 3 eligible sectors. I thought it was the rebooked flight on DL but was informed today that our VX flight was not marketed by VA and hence would not receive the eligible sector. Whereas the DL flight which had been rebooked by VA would receive the eligible sectors. If we had not been delayed we would only have received 2 eligible sectors.

Is this correct?

I had incorrectly assumed that we had booked everything with VA (through a travel agent) that it would be technically receive relevant points, SCs and sectors.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[TomVexille]

What does your original ticket say? Only flights marketed by VA count as eligible sectors. So a VX flight # will not earn a sector.

 

[kevinkhchan]

On my booking it did say VX. I guess I had wrongly assumed that it had showed up in my booking on the Velocity site it was all done through VA.

If that were the case then we probably were fortunate to score an eligible sector when our flight was delayed and VA rebooked us on a DL flight.

 

[greenfish]

On my booking it did say VX. I guess I had wrongly assumed that it had showed up in my booking on the Velocity site it was all done through VA.

If that were the case then we probably were fortunate to score an eligible sector when our flight was delayed and VA rebooked us on a DL flight.

You were fortunate. The flight has to have a VA code and must also earn status credits (it is possible to book VA codeshare flights with NZ domestic as savers that don't earn SCs and so don't count as eligible sectors, as I discovered recently).

 

[kevinkhchan]

You were fortunate. The flight has to have a VA code and must also earn status credits (it is possible to book VA codeshare flights with NZ domestic as savers that don't earn SCs and so don't count as eligible sectors, as I discovered recently).

I guess that's where I got a little confused. I did get the status credits for all sectors of the journey. I'll have to keep that in mind when I book in the future as I plan a few more trips to SFO.

For a while I contemplated jumping to different FF program after dealing with the call centre.

 

[williamsf1]

Simple way to look at it if it is eligible sector

1- Was the flight valid for earn ?
2- Was the flight sold with a VA flight number ?

If yes to both it is counted as a eligible sector

 

[serfty]

..

For a while I contemplated jumping to different FF program after dealing with the call centre.

Glad you got resolution - it can be like pulling teeth.

Yep, as posted you need earning travel on VA flight numbers - it does not matter who the travel is booked through.

FWIW, I currently have well over 500 SC's fot the year but no 'eligible' sectors ... I have bookings in place to fix this over the next few months.