Virgin Australia Platinum Plus Status Discussion

[Luke B]

Errr… to check instant upgrade availability is easy… you just search on line and see if business reward seats are available.

If they are, it’s an instant upgrade via phone call.

It’s possible the seats identified on your first call were taken in the meantime.

The best way to do it is to book in real time - have the booking page open, see the business class award seat available, book and pay for economy, and instantly call the call centre to upgrade.

The call centre agent is incorrect that you can only request an upgrade seven days before departure. You can request a complimentary confirmed upgrade at any time you see a business class award seat become available.

Platinum Plus have been able to book non Business Reward seats in the past.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Platinum Plus have been able to book non Business Reward seats in the past.

I think folk were saying that was also a benefit for platinum?

in any event, that was never a published benefit, so I don’t see that as being taken away here.

The guaranteed complimentary upgrade was always against an award seat… if it was there the upgrade was yours.

 

[aus_flyer]

Just to be clear - up until a week or so, the Australian call centre could use complimentary upgrades even when there wasn't an award seat available. They could also open up award seats. They were VERY flexible - there just needed to be a few commercial seats left. It was a great perk.

Now, it's back how it is for Platinums - that there needs to be an award seat to process an upgrade.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just to be clear - up until a week or so, the Australian call centre could use complimentary upgrades even when there wasn't an award seat available. They could also open up award seats. They were VERY flexible - there just needed to be a few commercial seats left. It was a great perk.

Now, it's back how it is for Platinums - that there needs to be an award seat to process an upgrade.

maybe that explains the ‘7 days’ rule mentioned above? That the special release can only occur in that new timeframe?

 

[aus_flyer]

maybe that explains the ‘7 days’ rule mentioned above? That the special release can only occur in that new timeframe?

Unfortunately yes, that seems to be the new rule.

 

[Luke B]

I was lucky enough to use all four last year
But this year can't get a crack at anything anywhere
Too hard
I am interested to see the reply to Luke B

What a joke.

"Dear Luke,

Thank you for reaching out and for sharing your feedback regarding our Platinum Plus Benefits.

We truly value your loyalty as a Platinum Plus member, and we sincerely apologise for the disappointment and frustration you’ve experienced regarding your membership benefits.

We understand how important the advertised benefits are, particularly the expectation of access to an Australian-based VIP phone service. We regret that your recent experience did not align with what you anticipated, and we recognise how this change may have impacted your confidence in the program.

Please be assured that your concerns have been taken seriously. We will be forwarding your feedback to the relevant team for their review, so they can assess the current experience and consider improvements moving forward. Member feedback such as yours plays an important role in helping us enhance our services and ensure we are meeting expectations.

Once again, we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment caused. We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention and for your continued support.

Kind regards,"

 

[trisreed]

What a joke.

Last time I complained to Virgin I told them not to bother replying if they were just going to send me something AI generated, after previously getting something as wishy washy as this. They never replied. Nothing's changed, its seems.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What a joke.

"Dear Luke,

Thank you for reaching out and for sharing your feedback regarding our Platinum Plus Benefits.

We truly value your loyalty as a Platinum Plus member, and we sincerely apologise for the disappointment and frustration you’ve experienced regarding your membership benefits.

We understand how important the advertised benefits are, particularly the expectation of access to an Australian-based VIP phone service. We regret that your recent experience did not align with what you anticipated, and we recognise how this change may have impacted your confidence in the program.

Please be assured that your concerns have been taken seriously. We will be forwarding your feedback to the relevant team for their review, so they can assess the current experience and consider improvements moving forward. Member feedback such as yours plays an important role in helping us enhance our services and ensure we are meeting expectations.

Once again, we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment caused. We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention and for your continued support.

Kind regards,"

The main problem with this reply??

The line ‘we regret your recent experience did not align with what you anticipated’.

Which is designed to make it sound like your expectations were unreasonable.

What the line should say is ‘we regret your recent experience did not align with our advertised benefits’

 

[AirAdl]

What a joke.

"Dear Luke,

Thank you for reaching out and for sharing your feedback regarding our Platinum Plus Benefits.

We truly value your loyalty as a Platinum Plus member, and we sincerely apologise for the disappointment and frustration you’ve experienced regarding your membership benefits.

We understand how important the advertised benefits are, particularly the expectation of access to an Australian-based VIP phone service. We regret that your recent experience did not align with what you anticipated, and we recognise how this change may have impacted your confidence in the program.

Please be assured that your concerns have been taken seriously. We will be forwarding your feedback to the relevant team for their review, so they can assess the current experience and consider improvements moving forward. Member feedback such as yours plays an important role in helping us enhance our services and ensure we are meeting expectations.

Once again, we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment caused. We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention and for your continued support.

Kind regards,"

So if I advertise a benefit and don't deliver it I get smashed and end up on ACA
These guys do as they please without care

 

[Luke B]

I wonder if this is linked? Virgin Australia cuts corporate staff as costs spiral for airlines

 

[ols]

What on earth. So, the feedback so far mostly seems to be that the benefits of Platinum Plus aren't worth the asking price.

In response, VA has made it harder to use the complimentary upgrades and closed the Australia-based call centre it specifically advertised as a Platinum Plus benefit.

Am I missing something??

No

But VA is

 

[Scarlett]

I’ll likely end my year around 250SCs short of WP+.

Based on this thread I will not be spending any time or money seeking to close that gap. There is no value in it.