What to do with VA points when exiting Velocity FF program?

[EastCoaster]

Due to inappropriate treatment on a recent flight resulting in an unnecessary risk to my personal safety, I have decided to cease flying with VA.

I still have a few points left, probably around 15,000, and I'd prefer not to just leave them there.

Any suggestions as to the best bang-for-the-buck I can get out of them, for anything other than flights? I am QFF as well as Velocity, if that matters.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Due to inappropriate treatment on a recent flight resulting in an unnecessary risk to my personal safety, I have decided to cease flying with VA.

I still have a few points left, probably around 15,000, and I'd prefer not to just leave them there.

Any suggestions as to the best bang-for-the-buck I can get out of them, for anything other than flights? I am QFF as well as Velocity, if that matters.

Flights on partner airlines?

Also, I'll bite.. what was the risk to which you were subjected?

 

[EastCoaster]

I was thinking about partner flights but rarely travel outside Oz these days and don't really want to wait until I'm ready to book my Christmas holiday to use up the points.

The risk is something which when disclosed results in victim-blaming as often as not (in fact, the first reply to it when I detailed it on another board was cautious victim-blaming), so let's leave the drama out of this thread. ;-)

 

[bwhouse]

Not the best use, but it you want to drain the account, you could just go the gift card route via the velocity store. ~15,000 will get you $75-100 of gift cards.

 

[EastCoaster]

That's my default option if nothing better presents itself, bwhouse!

 

[Tiki]

They can be transferred to SQ at 1.35 VA = 1 SQ if you don't come up with anything else. You need to link the two accounts.

 

[bean]

I was thinking about partner flights but rarely travel outside Oz these days and don't really want to wait until I'm ready to book my Christmas holiday to use up the points.

The risk is something which when disclosed results in victim-blaming as often as not (in fact, the first reply to it when I detailed it on another board was cautious victim-blaming), so let's leave the drama out of this thread. ;-)

If you aren't going to give any validity to your reason on not flying with Virgin then why raise it int the first place? Why not just say where can i best use my points....hmmmm

 

[RooFlyer]

If you aren't going to give any validity to your reason on not flying with Virgin then why raise it int the first place? Why not just say where can i best use my points....hmmmm

You can read the rant elsewhere on the forum.

 

[Denali]

Donate/Buy a sleeping bag for someone doing it rough,

Points for Purpose - Use your loyalty points to make a direct difference to the homeless.

 

[clipped_wings]

Donate/Buy a sleeping bag for someone doing it rough,

Points for Purpose - Use your loyalty points to make a direct difference to the homeless.

I'm with Denali, what a brilliant idea. I read your rather elongated OP and it sounds like you really need to turn your negative experience into something positive.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

If you had exactly 15,003 points you could get $90 of value at BP by paying with points - you have to set up a PIN on your Velocity FF account online before this works, then when you swipe your Velocity card at BP, the terminal will prompt you to use your points. Most you can spend in one transaction is 10,000 points for $60, so drag the online slider to the value you normally spend per transaction and use them up over a couple of fuel or shop purchases.

I'm with Denali, what a brilliant idea. I read your rather elongated OP and it sounds like you really need to turn your negative experience into something positive.

Although it sounds like a good idea, I'd actually be hesitant to donate to these guys because they're not a registered Australian 'deductable gift recipient' (a designator normally applied to non-profit charities and organisations) - they're a proprietary limited company, companies generally being for-profit enterprises. Realise you're giving points rather than tax which wouldn't necessarily be considered a tax deductable donation, but just something to consider.

 

[Denali]

..... Realise you're giving points rather than tax which wouldn't necessarily be considered a tax deductable donation, but just something to consider.

Although Im all for a good tax deduction, as my points earn/points redeemed are not taxable Im ok with not getting a tax deduction for donating them.

I recently redeemed points for 2 x J flights to Europe, giving away 15k points for a sleeping bag for someone sleeping on the ground at night in winter is a fair trade for me.

cheers,

 

[clipped_wings]

Although Im all for a good tax deduction, as my points earn/points redeemed are not taxable Im ok with not getting a tax deduction for donating them.

I recently redeemed points for 2 x J flights to Europe, giving away 15k points for a sleeping bag for someone sleeping on the ground at night in winter is a fair trade for me.

cheers,

Again, have to side with Denali. I believe her suggestion wasn't about how to capitalize from the gifting of points. I went to the website and thought "if these guys have to turn a profit in order to stay solvent for the good cause they are championing, then so be it".
It was more about paying the points forward, in the hope that the OP could somehow reconcile their negative Virgin Australia experience into something that would always bring them a sense of closure and satisfaction that something good came out of the whole scenario.

I do applaud trepidation though, especially when linking one's self to a charitable endeavour and I think you raise a fair point for the OP to consider in private.....