Will you still earn/retain Velocity status beyond 2025?

[wandersen]

I have a question in relation to this.

The changes made by virgin are terrible for me and my partner. She flys a lot more than me (fortnightly ish economy return) on cheapest possible fares (ie light). A fly a lot less often but in J. For years I’ve directed my points / status credits to my partner so she has platinum and can enjoy the benefits on her frequent flights. I don’t need them as I’m either in J or traveling with her. So don’t get me started on the changes, they are not good for us.

Question is in relation to this year. Her review date is in November. She has already passed the requirement to retain platinum (ie 800 status credits) now. The program changes come into effect on 1 October. Will she retrain platinum or not? The majority of those service credits come from me. My guess is not as they will look at her review date and not the date she crossed over the retain threshold.

 

[oz_mark]

I have a question in relation to this.

The changes made by virgin are terrible for me and my partner. She flys a lot more than me (fortnightly ish economy return) on cheapest possible fares (ie light). A fly a lot less often but in J. For years I’ve directed my points / status credits to my partner so she has platinum and can enjoy the benefits on her frequent flights. I don’t need them as I’m either in J or traveling with her. So don’t get me started on the changes, they are not good for us.

Question is in relation to this year. Her review date is in November. She has already passed the requirement to retain platinum (ie 800 status credits) now. The program changes come into effect on 1 October. Will she retrain platinum or not? The majority of those service credits come from me. My guess is not as they will look at her review date and not the date she crossed over the retain threshold.

It's in the FAQ Velocity Program Changes FAQs. The rules that apply will be those on the review date,

 

[Happy Dude]

I have a question in relation to this.

The changes made by virgin are terrible for me and my partner. She flys a lot more than me (fortnightly ish economy return) on cheapest possible fares (ie light). A fly a lot less often but in J. For years I’ve directed my points / status credits to my partner so she has platinum and can enjoy the benefits on her frequent flights. I don’t need them as I’m either in J or traveling with her. So don’t get me started on the changes, they are not good for us.

Question is in relation to this year. Her review date is in November. She has already passed the requirement to retain platinum (ie 800 status credits) now. The program changes come into effect on 1 October. Will she retrain platinum or not? The majority of those service credits come from me. My guess is not as they will look at her review date and not the date she crossed over the retain threshold.

What's the app say re her status now?

 

[MarkD]

So the family pooling is totally F(&*ing useless now. Might as well just dump it as there is little point in pooling. They really have dropped the ball on this one. Little thought or understanding of loyalty

 

[andye]

So the family pooling is totally F(&*ing useless now. Might as well just dump it as there is little point in pooling. They really have dropped the ball on this one. Little thought or understanding of loyalty

I think they must have employed the same goose-slaughterer as BA

 

[oz_mark]

So the family pooling is totally F(&*ing useless now. Might as well just dump it as there is little point in pooling. They really have dropped the ball on this one. Little thought or understanding of loyalty

Certainly less useful than it was.

However, I think many people knew that they'd restrict the way they counted toward Forever/Lifetime Gold one way or another.

 

[eastwest101]

So the family pooling is totally F(&*ing useless now. Might as well just dump it as there is little point in pooling. They really have dropped the ball on this one. Little thought or understanding of loyalty

That is so stupid - family pooling and priority boarding were the two things that Virgin/Velocity had a natural competitive advantage, now with Qantas finally getting their s%^t together and implementing priority boarding, some genius has decided that family pooling and the behaviour of two people choosing to purchase and fly Virgin (to pool the status credits to one higher frequency flyer to give them the benefit of lounge access) somehow is bad for their business? Just shows how amateurish and/or out of touch the people who have made changes to the Velocity loyalty scheme are. Oh - and "because our lounges are too full, lets give everyone with an Amex card lounge access".

Where is the pacepalm emoji?

 

[MarkD]

True, agree was very easy to obtain. Probably too easy. But the reality is, outside major capitals there are jo lounges, the flights are no frills / low cost and its not worth chasing at their valuation. Similar valuation for qf status which is a million miles better, benefit wise and feature wise. Nobody chases status on a LCC. I love the virgin crew though, I miss them.
I mean what genius decided that someone travelling business class on their own metal international gets no lounge etc, but economy on partner airlines get treated properly with all benefits. Im sure they will adios that in good time as well.

 

[Balad2005]

True, agree was very easy to obtain. Probably too easy. But the reality is, outside major capitals there are jo lounges, the flights are no frills / low cost and its not worth chasing at their valuation. Similar valuation for qf status which is a million miles better, benefit wise and feature wise. Nobody chases status on a LCC. I love the virgin crew though, I miss them.
I mean what genius decided that someone travelling business class on their own metal international gets no lounge etc, but economy on partner airlines get treated properly with all benefits. Im sure they will adios that in good time as well.

Post automatically merged: Thursday at 7:10 PM

Agree , there is no point chasing value with them.Just travelled economy inter capital city for work on a flexible ticket .I would have gotten more status points on the weekly shop at Coles than flying. And their website is either very slow or freezing when trying to book.

 

[Notyourbag]

New changes stink. Going from 55 status credits for SYD-MEL (booked before the devaluation ) to 12 for BNE-SYD (all in J) which would have previously been 55.

 

[clarkkent]

12 SCs, so a ~$144 business fare?

 

[Notyourbag]

12 SCs, so a ~$144 business fare?

$489 for AYQ-BNE-SYD in J.

 

[AFF Editor]

Our new writer Stephanie has written an opinion piece about why she won't bother maintaining Velocity status next year, after the program changes. You can read it here:

Opinion: Why I Won’t Maintain My Velocity Status Next Year

Our new writer Stephanie has been a Velocity Gold or Platinum frequent flyer with Virgin Australia since 2017. But she no longer feels it's worth maintaining her status. This is why.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Happy Dude]

$489 for AYQ-BNE-SYD in J.

so you got 41 SCs when you would have got 135 in the past!!? Ouch. Probably the best example of the deval yet.

Although, according to some, you're just not using the program properly.

 

[MarkD]

Our new writer Stephanie has written an opinion piece about why she won't bother maintaining Velocity status next year, after the program changes. You can read it here:

Opinion: Why I Won’t Maintain My Velocity Status Next Year

Our new writer Stephanie has been a Velocity Gold or Platinum frequent flyer with Virgin Australia since 2017. But she no longer feels it's worth maintaining her status. This is why.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Sums it up pretty well. Bit more eloquent than my comments but along the same lines. Not worth it

 

[ozstamps]

Steph must be flying from other than Sydney -

''I’ve genuinely enjoyed the priority security screening''

Oops .. Retraction - the Virgin Lounge kerb access is open for an hour or so each day, and on Full Moons, for the past years, as they are simply too stingy to staff it otherwise.

It has not been open for my last 20 flights. A joke.

Paying Sydney airport a fortune in rent for that prime area to almost never use it - cunning Bain nickel and dime logic. The ONE selling point they have over Qantas and they do not bother to maximise it.

A unique and super handy selling point to busy businesses folks, who have a choice - ''AVOID THE SECURITY ZOOOO in Sydney AND LONG WAITS .. walk into the lounge, right from your cab, after a fast and private security screening.'

 

[nutwood]

Steph must be flying from other than Sydney -

''I’ve genuinely enjoyed the priority security screening''

Oops .. Retraction - the Virgin Lounge kerb access is open for an hour or so each day, and on Full Moons, for the past years, as they are simply too stingy to staff it otherwise.

It has not been open for my last 20 flights. A joke.

Paying Sydney airport a fortune in rent for that prime area to almost never use it - cunning Bain nickel and dime logic. The ONE selling point they have over Qantas and they do not bother to maximise it.

A unique and super handy selling point to busy businesses folks, who have a choice - ''AVOID THE SECURITY ZOOOO in Sydney AND LONG WAITS .. walk into the lounge, right from your cab, after a fast and private security screening.'

I feel the whole Virgin thinking at the moment is LCC. It wouldn't surprise me if I heard they'd costed up ripping out those pesky front seats so they could cram a few more economy seats in.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I feel the whole Virgin thinking at the moment is LCC. It wouldn't surprise me if I heard they'd costed up ripping out those pesky front seats so they could cram a few more economy seats in.

Even some of the US ultra LCCs are introducing ‘first’ class, or at least have an offering of bigger seats. It’s part of the model.

I think there’s a big incremental income from those seats, for very little outlay (a $5 meal and a glass of sparkling).

But agree the mentality is LCC, especially in the main cabin. Virtually nothing on offer except for water,mans tea or coffee if the flight time is long enough.

Their only advertising campaign is baggage handlers dancing. Nothing about the inflight experience.

 

[HS-TQE]

I feel the whole Virgin thinking at the moment is LCC. It wouldn't surprise me if I heard they'd costed up ripping out those pesky front seats so they could cram a few more economy seats in.

Virgin Australia are basically a 'glorified' LCC (with a 8-seater Recliner J cabin attached).

Despite (Bain) having been on record/mentioned that they (Virgin) were a "Hybrid Value Carrier" (not a full-service or not a low-cost carrier) going forward after administration.

I was actually surprised that Bain weren't looking at converting Virgin's 8-seater Recliner J cabin to an upgraded version of Spirit Airlines' "BIG FRONT SEAT" cabin with no divider, the only difference being that seat selection, baggage and meals included in the baseline fare.

 

[the8guy]

Currently a platinum status but have got a status hold for parental leave for 6 months until dec. wonder if they still honor another 12 months of same status or will they downgrade my tier since they now implemented this changes?