Virgin Australia Velocity - Lounge Membership question.....

Hey there folks, just sounding out options.

I received an email from a company with whom I have casual employment, inviting me to join their corporate Lounge scheme. The offer was $175 for membership, and a $180 joining fee for Red members, so $355 for me. The offer expired on 15 June.

I responded, advising that I was definitely interested, but to NOT charge my card until 15 June.

My card was charged on 15 June, but only for $330. The charge was from Virgin Australia, not the company who said they were going to take the charge and forward it to Virgin Australia. I then received an email from Virgin Australia, with my membership details, advising me that I am a Lounge member until 30 November, 2012, so only 5.5 months. No mention of it being any sort of pro rata membership year to bring it into line with a common expiry date, and a reasonable person would expect that the quoted "Cost for a Velocity Red member is $355 ($180 Lounge Joining Fee + $175 Lounge Membership Fee)" would cover a full calendar year.

I have emailled the co-ordinator of the section I normally have dealings with, and she has said that the person who deals with the sponsors - such as Virgin Australia - is on leave until the end of the month, but she has forwarded my email on to him, and she has said she will follow it up.

Any thoughts on this?

Dave

The amount paid seems pretty much pro-rated to the length of membership you got.

That said, I concur with your expectation that the membership would be for a year (obviously without having seen the offer made). What's the point of offering a pro-rated membership to people, especially as it sounds like it was something of a 'special' offer? You could just have purchased a full year's membership at normal prices.

I would be trying to resolve it one way or the other sooner rather than later, absence of co-ordinator notwithstanding, and preferably prior to using it (don't give 'em any ammo to fire at you). I'd be looking for either a year's membership for what you have paid, or a refund (or if you're happy to, let things lie, but it sounds like you are not, and I do not blame you).

Last resort a chargeback on the CC I guess (I have never done one of these, but hear it can be effective).

Good luck, and please let us know the outcome.

The amount paid seems pretty much pro-rated to the length of membership you got. For a corporate membership? $150 for 5.5 months seems like it has been pro-rated for a normal membership, not a corporate membvership.

That said, I concur with your expectation that the membership would be for a year (obviously without having seen the offer made). What's the point of offering a pro-rated membership to people, especially as it sounds like it was something of a 'special' offer? You could just have purchased a full year's membership at normal prices. I can understand pro-rating a corporate membership if it meant that renewal for every member of the scheme was renewing at the same time, but this amount seems excessive.

I would be trying to resolve it one way or the other sooner rather than later, absence of co-ordinator notwithstanding, and preferably prior to using it (don't give 'em any ammo to fire at you). I don't plan on using it until the first weekend in August, and the sponsorship co-ordinator will be back before then, so hopefully it can be sorted.

Last resort a chargeback on the CC I guess (I have never done one of these, but hear it can be effective). I don't believe in that, since I did actually authorise the charge, and the person at TA has the email with my card number on it authorising the charge.

Good luck, and please let us know the outcome. Will do, thanks for that.

Dave