Fun with status matches

[theevilmuppet]

Hi all,

I recently decided that I would go about investigating what options a Virgin Australia loyalist has with other airlines (as the details for Velocity members getting status matches/challenges seem to be a bit spotty) and can report the following results:

Qantas

Efforts started on Monday, 6/March/2017.

An e-mail inquiry went unanswered, I followed up via social media and received a phone call within an hour (!!) advising me what to send and where to send it along with a request to send the confirmation number back to the social media team so they could follow up.

No results as yet.

American Airlines:

E-mail sent to AAdvantage team with no response. Follow up via social media with no response.

Alaska:

Asked via social media. Was told immediately to bugger off.

United:
Status Challenge granted for Premier Gold, with a requirement of 12,500 PQMs or 15 PQSs. Process from submission to approval was less than 24 hours.

Delta:

Status Challenge granted with criteria at https://www.delta.com/content/www/e...kymiles-medallion-status-match-challenge.html .

Virgin America:

No response as yet.

 

[RooFlyer]

Friend of mine, VA plat, got matched to LATAM Plat recently, for a year. He had recently flown to Europe on OneWorld and had a LATAM itinerary coming up, and he submitted those, so that may have worked to his benefit.

 

[deva22]

I'm surprised DL offered a challenge as a partner of VA!?

I am planning to try VA SG to AB status match before my xmas trip with CX & QF.
They appear to be quite generous with the matches (albeit only for a 6 month period according to my reading of the Ts&Cs)

 

[newmarket]

I didnt think AB matched partners like VA. I am definitely interested to find out. Please let us know how you go.

 

[deva22]

I didnt think AB matched partners like VA. I am definitely interested to find out. Please let us know how you go.

https://www.airberlin.com/statusmatch

Ts & Cs state the following restrictions (applicable to me at least)

• A Status Match with another oneworld[SUP]®[/SUP] airline is not possible.
• This offer is only available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and USA
• This Status Match offer is valid only for select frequent flyer programme of other airlines (no other details here, so I guess this means they could reject it on this basis)

 

[Strategic Aviation]

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....r-programs/air-berlin-status-match-66678.html

It appears in most instances AB would not match VA or would only match to Silver, although at least two members got Gold.

Also see Free Airberlin Topbonus Gold, Oneworld Sapphire status match and Airberlin offering top bonus Gold status to Australians here.

 

[Jet L]

AB do match to VA as I have had it done

 

[williamsf1]

AB are cracking down on status matches unless you can prove a EU or USA address

 

[Strategic Aviation]

AB do match to VA as I have had it done

It's good that you and others were able to get it (if talking about Gold) but as per previous discussions there appear to be more rejections than successes. It can't be stated as a rule or generalisation that AB will match VA.

 

[deva22]

AB are cracking down on status matches unless you can prove a EU or USA address

Any idea what kind of "proof" of residence they are requiring?

 

[Strategic Aviation]

A Jan 2016 comment in the Point Hacks article previously linked stated:-

you will also need to provide proof of your address. You can’t just put in a friend’s address into your profile. They actually asked me to provide a scan of a utility bill, or a identity card with the address on it.

There was also a later comment in relation to US address:-

Customers with residence in the US must prove a booking confirmation incl. booking number of an airberlin long haul flight between US and Europe (return ticket).

 

[samh004]

AB are cracking down on status matches unless you can prove a EU or USA address

I can vouch for that!

 

[Lemon_Party]

I got top bonus gold a year ago - I did need a danish address though (or Germany and a few other options).

My wife's sister was living there, used her address, card never received. Month later changed address online to AU and requested new card via email - received in AU within 2 weeks.

Pretty certain they wouldn't accept VA at the time, think I matched VA plat to Alitalia Plat, and then that to AB gold.

Alitalia plat let's you nominate someone to be Alitalia Gold, so my brother now has skyteam and Etihad status as well...

 

[williamsf1]

Any idea what kind of "proof" of residence they are requiring?

A genuine address in one of the valid countries is normally enough - you need to get the card somehow.

I live in Berlin so no issue for me

 

[samh004]

Alitalia plat let's you nominate someone to be Alitalia Gold, so my brother now has skyteam and Etihad status as well...

I will remember that for next month when I hit Platinum again!

 

[deva22]

A genuine address in one of the valid countries is normally enough - you need to get the card somehow.

I live in Berlin so no issue for me

Yeah easy, my brother lives in Berlin.

 

[Lendav Orav]

Any *A likely to do a match to QF WP art the moment? My Avianca Brasil is expiring!!

 

[Danger]

Any *A likely to do a match to QF WP art the moment? My Avianca Brasil is expiring!!

Are you currently Diamond from their status match?

 

[Lendav Orav]

Are you currently Diamond from their status match?

No sadly just gold- I think I might have only been QF SG at the time - I had one year recently when I dropped back

 

[williamsf1]

Yeah easy, my brother lives in Berlin.

Update- they need actual proof that you live there. In Germany you need to registerat the local office and are given a official registration paper. Just having arandom address is not enough unless you can prove registration actually livingthere