When did the use of Platinum upgrades on any fare offer expire?

[ozstamps]

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Been on the phone for over 30 minutes so faster to ask here I am sure.

Used my 4 and wife still has 4 and as I recall the flights needed to be taken by end March for these to work on ANY bookable fare? Or maybe they have extended it a bit seeing border entry is still a weekly lottery?

I am curious if flights are booked to PER or DRW or CNS etc latter March (assuming that is the end date of this deal), and upgrades all processed and confirmed, and a border closure hits, if they will honour them in say April or May when things hopefully settle, for those city pairs and any fare difference at that time is paid. Any thoughts on that?

Be a toss of the coin thing, but an impulse trip to CNS in economy for several hours is not so cool, plastic wine cups and pretzels or not!

Thanks in advance.

 

[henrus]

Used my 4 and wife still has 4 and as I recall the flights needed to be taken by end March for these to work on ANY bookable fare? Or maybe they have extended it a bit seeing border entry is still a weekly lottery?

No there was no mention of any extension on that deal so I wouldn't expect them to extend it.

Here are the original details with no mention of changes: Velocity Status Rewards

I am curious if flights are booked to PER or DRW or CNS etc latter March (assuming that is the end date of this deal), and upgrades all processed and confirmed, and a border closure hits, if they will honour them in say April or May when things hopefully settle, for those city pairs and any fare difference at that time is paid. Any thoughts on that?

Perhaps if you're lucky they might move it but I wouldn't count on it.

I used mine up last month and had two sets of the upgrades (the old ones from 2020) plus the new ones from 2021 but they insisted the new ones can only be used with this promotion. There seems to be some unpublished rules that make it all the more confusing, in fact, it's not clear if you need to use the benefit before the end of march for travel before the end of march or if travel can be a later date (perhaps you could ask when you get through?).

 

[ozstamps]

Many thanks.

Yes booking by end March on flights where inventory shows now, for travel in April, might work you are right.
,
58 mins on hold now ... I'll get my pension card before the phone answers to ask.

 

[ozstamps]

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Near an hour and a half on hold I get the message ''the Velocity Service Centre is now closed.''

That is AFTER adding a Platinum number in to keyboard when prompted.

If Ms Hrdlicka and her boffins even made the occasional inward phone call to 131875 as CUSTOMERS actually so, several 1000 times a day, getting absolutely nowhere, instead of issuing glowing press releases about how wonderful thing are going right now, it would be a large step forward for the ailing business.

ANY business, in any field, that cannot answer phone calls in under an hour is doomed.

I guess none of us will ever know now about the upgrades. Oh well.

 

[serfty]

March 28th is the date.

 

[Bagpuss]

.
Near an hour and a half on hold I get the message ''the Velocity Service Centre is now closed.''

That is AFTER adding a Platinum number in to keyboard when prompted.

If Ms Hrdlicka and her boffins even made the occasional inward phone call to 131875 as CUSTOMERS actually so, several 1000 times a day, getting absolutely nowhere, instead of issuing glowing press releases about how wonderful thing are going right now, it would be a large step forward for the ailing business.

ANY business, in any field, that cannot answer phone calls in under an hour is doomed.

I guess none of us will ever know now about the upgrades. Oh well.

From your comments, Qantas is also doomed as well. (Along with Centrelink and others)

This is mainly because of the situation in Victoria and I think many people thought borders may have started to open up or waited til as late as possible.

Pretty sure there was an article recently mentioning staffing issues with border closures and making it difficult to manage.

Though back on topic...

“If you’re a Gold member, taking 3 Virgin flights will also unlock unlimited Economy X upgrades until 28 March 2021. And if you’re a Platinum member, taking 3 Virgin flights will make it possible for you to use your complimentary Platinum member upgrades when travelling on any fare type. Normally Platinum member upgrades can only be used with the more expensive “Freedom” fares, but with this offer you’d be able to upgrade from Getaway or Elevate fares as well on flights taken until 28 March 2021.”

Velocity Announces Additional Status Extensions & Rewards

Velocity Frequent Flyer has announced that some existing Gold & Platinum members will be eligible for another 12-month status extension.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

I believe this means the upgrades are available on flights until 28h March. IE. You can’t call on 27th March and utilise for 2nd April ... Well you can with the normal rules.

 

[ozstamps]

I do not spend any money with Centrelink.

No-one does, except the Federal Treasurer.

Maybe you pay them money, but trust me it was a scam email.

If you feel 90 minute wait times with a RETAIL supplier, especially after coding in a Premium membership number is perfectly acceptable, you are entitled to your view.

 

[Bagpuss]

I do not spend any money with Centrelink.

No-one does, except the Federal Treasurer.

Maybe you pay them money, but trust me it was a scam email.

If you feel 90 minute wait times with a RETAIL supplier, especially after coding in a Premium membership number is perfectly acceptable, you are entitled to your view.

Maybe don't fly during a pandemic and your problem is solved.
Or do your own research first as the answer was on AFF

 

[ozstamps]

.
Well after being on Flyer Bulletin boards for 25 years I learned a very long time ago asking the AIRLINE, is where the answer lies, and is what actually counts, and not what some faceless member ''thinks'' might still be the case, especially in fluid situations like we have this year.

Whether fights booked and paid before end March, but flown in April count for this perk, as speculated above, only Virgin can actually answer that - you can't for sure, no-one here can for SURE.

A VIRGIN agent might well say "yes that is fine" on a light booked fight - that is what I was trying to ascertain from them, if they ever answered their phone.

But by all means, waste 90 mins of your time on the phone today asking. Might be your lucky day.

 

[ozstamps]

A data point for others that it appears phoning Velocity Virgin in the evening is a total waste of time right now.

The Platinum email line said this simple thing couldn't be done on phone even after telling them a 90 minute wait had occurred before they closed down. It is all like a bad Monty Python script.

Despite my better judgement made a call the following evening at 6.45pm.

Was only hold until 8pm, so an hour and a quarter is an improvement over 90 minutes for wasted customer time I guess, and got the cheery message right on 8pm ''WE ARE NOW CLOSED - HAVE A REALLY A GREAT DAY - WE ARE HERE TO OFFER YOU THE FINEST SERVICE.'' etc.

So got smart and phoned next morning at 8.30AM to save being timed out. "OUR phone lines do not open until 9 am.''

Doesn't the clearly ever clueless Hrdickr Brass, have the first inkling, that due to all the border disruptions, extra phone staff and/or operating hours are bare-bones ESSENTIALS, if they want to stay in business? Clearly not.

Anyway call at 11am, and for the first time in 3 calls got the prompts " if you are a Velocity red member press 1, if you are a Silver member press 2 etc.'' Those prompts were absent in both evening calls. Spoke to a human after only 20 mins, which for Virgin seems world record time in 2021.

Asked her to book me the tickets for late March, and add the Platinum upgrades please. (Had checked in advance what flights were doable with good Business inventory.)

She tells me I need to book Freedom fares of course to use the upgrades. I reminded her that was right now NOT the case, and the upgrades work on any buyable fare buckets til least end March. She was very sweet, and I got the impression this was total news to her, and after some checking, she agreed that was in fact the rule, booked lowest cost tickets showing, and upgraded them all on the spot and did seating.

Asked her what will happen to upgrades if these March flight are cancelled out due to new border issues and new April flights are booked, and any fare difference paid on base fares, and she said ...... "by all mean CALL us back and ask, if that occurs, and we will see what might be done.''

So no real answer, and a KAFKAESQUE movie script really.

I really do feel if you got the RIGHT agent (assuming the phones ever answered!) they'd simply move the upgrades to the April flights, if Business inventory existed, as a Platinum goodwill operational gesture, and assuming border issues really were in play. Sadly in such cases it always is a lottery, based on an agent being in a helpful mood unless clear guidelines have been published.

For all of us, lets hope snap border closures are a thing of the past going forward. Needed to take a COVID test a few weeks back in ADL and self-isolate, until tests came through many hours later (sent at midnight that I did not see until 9am) despite no new cases anywhere in NSW for the past 3 weeks, so it really has been pretty knee jerk lately.

 

[Bagpuss]

I sent an email to Velocity on Thursday about something. They called me on Friday and resolved the issue and then proceed to resolve a few issues with upcoming flight changes which I was going to wait closer to the time.
Great service from them. Zero waiting around. I guess its all about good communications.

 

[AIRwin]

As reported in another thread, the Status Rewards Terms and Conditions have been updated:

Velocity Status Rewards

Find out how Virgin Australia is rewarding existing Status members with Status Rewards. Find out more about our Status Match extension with our Discover Gold Program update.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

Gold and Platinum Velocity members who take 3 or more Eligible Flights between 12:01AM AEST 7 December 2020 and 11:59PM AEST 30 May 2021 are eligible to receive the following benefit based on their Status level:

• Gold members: Will receive unlimited access to Economy X seating, where space is available, for travel until 30 May 2021. Up to 9 people included in the eligible Gold member’s booking will be able to enjoy Economy X seating.
• Platinum members: Can use their current Complimentary Business Class Upgrade benefits (4 issued per membership year) on any eligible Virgin Australia Economy class ticket (normally Complimentary upgrades are only applicable on Economy Freedom fare tickets). This benefit will be available for Platinum members for travel until 30 May 2021 and is subject to clause 9.2 of the Velocity Membership Terms and Conditions.

 

[shuuy]

Would I want to use a platinum any fare upgrade when on board service is a snack box?

 

[AIRwin]

Would I want to use a platinum any fare upgrade when on board service is a snack box?

You can always wait until the rollout of the new business class offering...

 

[AIRwin]

Would I want to use a platinum any fare upgrade when on board service is a snack box?

Not anymore...

 

[mad_atta]

I have already clocked up two paid segments within this promo period. I see the ability to use plat complimentary upgrades on any fare kicks in after 3 flights, so if I booked flights for a weekend away within this period (outbound Friday, return Sunday evening), I'd theoretically be eligible to use my upgrades on the Sunday flight.

Do you think my Friday flight would need to already have credited to my Velocity account before I could utilise this benefit? Or has anyone had success with Velocity applying the upgrade for the a flight where the third qualifying flight is booked but not yet flown?

If they do need to have credited first, how long are people finding it's taking for their flights to credit to Velocity these days?

Also, can these upgrades be waitlisted like regular Velocity points upgrades? Or do they need there to be availability at the time of request?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

 

[hydrabyss]

I have already clocked up two paid segments within this promo period. I see the ability to use plat complimentary upgrades on any fare kicks in after 3 flights, so if I booked flights for a weekend away within this period (outbound Friday, return Sunday evening), I'd theoretically be eligible to use my upgrades on the Sunday flight.

Do you think my Friday flight would need to already have credited to my Velocity account before I could utilise this benefit? Or has anyone had success with Velocity applying the upgrade for the a flight where the third qualifying flight is booked but not yet flown?

If they do need to have credited first, how long are people finding it's taking for their flights to credit to Velocity these days?

Also, can these upgrades be waitlisted like regular Velocity points upgrades? Or do they need there to be availability at the time of request?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

I am sure my last flight was credited on the day of the flight.

 

[mad_atta]

It was a MEL-SYD flight and I discovered to my surprise that code CRM59 also dropped the cost of the business saver fare, so I ended up just buying that. Cost difference vs an Elevate fare was $67.

I may not have another chance to use my upgrades before they expire but would rather have a sure thing. Curious to try the new biz class catering, plus it's at dinner time so convenient to be able to eat on board.

Interesting to see quite a few flights where the biz saver was the cheapest option (cheaper even than economy, as the code doesn't seem to drop the cost of a Freedom fare type).

 

[jase05]

Until 31 October 2021 you can now use your complimentary Upgrades when travelling on eligible routes on an Elevate fare, in addition to our Freedom Fares~!

 

[hydrabyss]

Until 31 October 2021 you can now use your complimentary Upgrades when travelling on eligible routes on an Elevate fare, in addition to our Freedom Fares~!

Most likely something I will not be able to use being located near Sydney unless they change the year in the offer.