Virgin flyers with Gold Velocity status will no longer receive lounge access in Los Angeles when flying on Virgin Australia. Gold Velocity members previously enjoyed access to the Star Alliance lounge in Los Angeles. Instead, Virgin flyers departing from Los Angeles to Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne will now receive a $40 voucher to spend in … Continued
Virgin Australia is reportedly considering bringing Premium Economy back on domestic flights. Under the plan, the first three rows of Economy class on Virgin’s Boeing 737 aircraft would be converted to Premium Economy seats with extra legroom. Virgin is also considering adding other Premium Economy benefits, such as dedicated overhead locker space and use of … Continued
Redeeming Virgin Velocity points for Business class flights to the United States used to be fairly simple. But in recent times, securing a reward seat has become a real challenge. All Velocity members can redeem points for Business reward seats. Velocity Gold and Platinum members can also request a points upgrade to Business class, provided … Continued
BP has announced plans to purchase Woolworths Petrol for $1.8 billion, spelling an end to Woolworths’ long-standing partnership with Caltex. It will likely also signal the end of BP’s extensive partnership with Velocity, the frequent flyer program of Virgin Australia. As part of the deal, BP will acquire more than 500 Woolworths-branded petrol stations. If regulatory … Continued
Virgin Australia passengers have lost access to Air New Zealand airport lounges, unless flying across the ditch. The changes come amidst reports that Virgin will also soon start charging domestic lounge guests for spirits. The lounges available to Gold & Platinum Velocity members, as well as Business passengers, on international flights will now depend on … Continued
If you’re unhappy with your current airline of choice, the grass may look greener on the other side. But is it really worth taking the leap of faith and switching your airline loyalty? That’s the dilemma currently faced by one Platinum Virgin Australia flyer. While they’re feeling underwhelmed with Virgin, they don’t want to lose … Continued
Some members have had their frequent flyer accounts suspended after the airline accused them of breaking the program rules. These members have lost access to their frequent flyer points, plus status benefits such as lounge access, until an audit of their accounts is completed. It has been reported that Velocity Frequent Flyer is sending letters to members suspected … Continued
Virgin Australia last week announced two new long-haul routes. Melbourne-Los Angeles is back, and a new Perth-Abu Dhabi flight will also be added. As a result, Virgin will withdraw its 3x weekly Sydney-Abu Dhabi flights. Virgin’s Brisbane-Los Angeles service will also be reduced from daily to 6x weekly, with some of the remaining flights seeing … Continued
A Virgin flyer has been forced to pay for a new ticket on the spot after the airline lost all records of their booking. The reservation mysteriously disappeared after the first flight on the ticket had already been flown without incident. This member was flying from Canberra to Hobart, with a short layover in Melbourne. … Continued
The number of Velocity status credits you’ll earn on Virgin Australia’s cheapest tickets will soon decrease by up to 50%. Status credits count towards qualifying for elite status with the airline. 500 status credits must be earned within 12 months to qualify for Virgin Gold status. Platinum membership requires 1,000 status credits. The changes come as Virgin … Continued
After a disappointing flight, one member recently contacted Virgin Australia to inquire about a lack of food or drinks on board. But the follow-up “customer service” was so abysmal, it left them feeling even more disappointed with the airline than they had been before complaining! Our member was initially disappointed not to receive a meal … Continued
Our members are outraged by Virgin’s plans to remove key frequent flyer benefits from next month. Gold & Platinum flyers will no longer receive perks including Fly Ahead, complimentary seat selection or bonus points when flying on Virgin’s cheapest Economy tickets. Even when flying on more expensive tickets, Virgin’s most loyal flyers may soon be forced … Continued
