Velocity changes for new fare types
Sep 5, 2016, 7:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Perth, WA, Australia
Programs: QF Gold, VA Plat, IHG Plat Amb, LCAH Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,846
Velocity changes for new fare types
First there were the new fare types (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/virgi...g-sep2016.html), now comes the Velocity changes that go with it.
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...fares-for-you/
From 30 Jan 2017
New Status Credit chart that could see you earn as few as 5 Status Credits on domestic flights
No Status Bonus on Domestic Getaway
No Flyahead on Getaway
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...fares-for-you/
From 30 Jan 2017
New Status Credit chart that could see you earn as few as 5 Status Credits on domestic flights
No Status Bonus on Domestic Getaway
No Flyahead on Getaway
Sep 6, 2016, 9:14 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,330
Qantas just announces a booming profit and hands our bonusus to staff, and dividends to shareholders, and Virgin announces this nonsense.
Talk about DUMB timing.
Hardly an extra buck of revenue among all this and it will however p!ss off a LOT of regular fliers.
BRILLIANT stuff Mr Karl Schuster, CEO, Velocity Frequent Flyer
Free advice - NEVER just tinker with the system, to make no real gains, as it loses you more than you gain. It is all about perception in a tight market that we have.
Still is not clear if Plats can GUARANTEE Row #3 if upon booking, if it is empty.
Talk about DUMB timing.
Hardly an extra buck of revenue among all this and it will however p!ss off a LOT of regular fliers.
BRILLIANT stuff Mr Karl Schuster, CEO, Velocity Frequent Flyer
Free advice - NEVER just tinker with the system, to make no real gains, as it loses you more than you gain. It is all about perception in a tight market that we have.
Still is not clear if Plats can GUARANTEE Row #3 if upon booking, if it is empty.
Sep 6, 2016, 4:11 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,995
Confirmation from "Velocity Frequent FLyer" on AFF here:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer.c...ml#post1498913
Originally Posted by Velocity Frequent Flyer
We would like to reassure members that we are aware that there is a significant amount of speculation around the details of the new “Fares for you” fare structure being launched on 7th Sep.
We’d also like confirm that the feedback provided by members on this and other forums is monitored and considered as valuable input. Please be assured that Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer value the business and loyalty of our members.
We are pleased to confirm that Virgin Australia no longer plans to introduce an advance seat selection fee for Platinum and Gold Velocity members.
We will release full details prior to the launch of ‘Fares For You’ on 7 September 2016 and we are confident that the changes will be seen as fair, balanced and continue to protect the benefits of our most valuable members in a way that is commercially sustainable.
We’d also like confirm that the feedback provided by members on this and other forums is monitored and considered as valuable input. Please be assured that Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer value the business and loyalty of our members.
We are pleased to confirm that Virgin Australia no longer plans to introduce an advance seat selection fee for Platinum and Gold Velocity members.
We will release full details prior to the launch of ‘Fares For You’ on 7 September 2016 and we are confident that the changes will be seen as fair, balanced and continue to protect the benefits of our most valuable members in a way that is commercially sustainable.
Sep 6, 2016, 6:35 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Perth, WA, Australia
Programs: QF Gold, VA Plat, IHG Plat Amb, LCAH Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,846
From what I have heard these changes were pushed through from the Virgin side, not from the Velocity side.
Sep 7, 2016, 4:03 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Lifetime *G (MP), Lifetime PE (Bonvoy)
Posts: 1,465
What's the betting Qantas will offer a targeted status match? I received my email from Velocity today called "Updates to Velocity Member Benefits". It should have been called "Downgrades to Velocity Member Benefits". Qantas did something similar about earning and retaining status roughly 20 years ago - the point is largely to shake out all those Platinums who can easily requalify even at 10 SCs per trip on the cheapest ticket. They'll drop to Gold, their points earning rate will fall significantly, and on those tickets they'll lose their Fly Ahead flexibility. Ah well - provided you all remember that an airline loyalty programme is all about your loyalty to them; they have no loyalty to you
Sep 7, 2016, 4:27 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,330
Given how much higher Virgin tickets are than Jetstar or Tiger, why does someone flying weekly cause them any issues other than sheer delight?
Plats get near zero benefits of substance these days, so they'll take 80 domestic segments a year with a HUGE GRIN I'd suggest.
Sep 8, 2016, 8:47 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Velocity
Posts: 11
These changes stink. The basement Getaway Fares seem more expensive than current Saver fares with the Elevate option $100 MORE on a BNE-MEL ticket in January for example.
VA statement says that members will earn 'more Status Credits in most fare classes when travelling domestically with Virgin Australia' - but these are all on fares that only people using corporate travel agents that have no regard for value would book.
This will flush Gold and Platinum members down the drain into the Silver and Red pool quicker than you can say 'corporate cash grab'. On the plus side there might be fewer Fluros in the lounge and priority boarding will actually be a priority, not the norm.
VA statement says that members will earn 'more Status Credits in most fare classes when travelling domestically with Virgin Australia' - but these are all on fares that only people using corporate travel agents that have no regard for value would book.
This will flush Gold and Platinum members down the drain into the Silver and Red pool quicker than you can say 'corporate cash grab'. On the plus side there might be fewer Fluros in the lounge and priority boarding will actually be a priority, not the norm.
Sep 8, 2016, 9:11 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Lifetime *G (MP), Lifetime PE (Bonvoy)
Posts: 1,465
I've worked out that if I do my regular "beyond Singapore" trip once a year I'll have nearly half the SCs I need to maintain Gold (which is where I'm heading this membership year) and can make up the rest with one-sector domestic and Trans-Tasman trips (which let's face it are really domestic anyway) on the cheapest fare, but possibly with Air NZ rather than VA. It just means I miss out on the Fly Ahead perk and the accelerated earning rates but that's life (unfortunately)
Sep 8, 2016, 9:15 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Lifetime *G (MP), Lifetime PE (Bonvoy)
Posts: 1,465
They're a high cost, low value passenger, cluttering up the lounges and demanding Fly Ahead perks. I'm sure I'm not the only person who books the cheapest flight on the day (after my preferred departure time) and then turns up to see if there's a seat when I actually want to fly. I've only had one "miss" out of several hundred attempts ever since I qualified for Gold several years ago so it's been a bargain for me. Otherwise I just sit in the lounge and use up their free amenities
Sep 9, 2016, 4:25 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Velocity
Posts: 11
I've worked out that if I do my regular "beyond Singapore" trip once a year I'll have nearly half the SCs I need to maintain Gold (which is where I'm heading this membership year) and can make up the rest with one-sector domestic and Trans-Tasman trips (which let's face it are really domestic anyway) on the cheapest fare, but possibly with Air NZ rather than VA. It just means I miss out on the Fly Ahead perk and the accelerated earning rates but that's life (unfortunately)
Sep 9, 2016, 4:28 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Velocity
Posts: 11
They're a high cost, low value passenger, cluttering up the lounges and demanding Fly Ahead perks. I'm sure I'm not the only person who books the cheapest flight on the day (after my preferred departure time) and then turns up to see if there's a seat when I actually want to fly. I've only had one "miss" out of several hundred attempts ever since I qualified for Gold several years ago so it's been a bargain for me. Otherwise I just sit in the lounge and use up their free amenities
Sep 13, 2016, 7:22 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
They're a high cost, low value passenger, cluttering up the lounges and demanding Fly Ahead perks. I'm sure I'm not the only person who books the cheapest flight on the day (after my preferred departure time) and then turns up to see if there's a seat when I actually want to fly. I've only had one "miss" out of several hundred attempts ever since I qualified for Gold several years ago so it's been a bargain for me. Otherwise I just sit in the lounge and use up their free amenities
I'd rather VA cut back on the number of elites than downgrade the lounge products. That's why they're devaluing domestic accruals, because a big chunk of elites are discount economy domestic fliers.
Getting rid of the Fly Ahead perk, on the other hand IMO, is not a good move. There is no reasonable flat-fee option for same-day changes, like some airlines have.
Sep 15, 2016, 10:14 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Lifetime *G (MP), Lifetime PE (Bonvoy)
Posts: 1,465
I attempted a Fly Ahead yesterday and was told in a friendly but firm tone that the arrangement ends on 1 December for the class of fare in which I was booked. I did get a very good Fly Ahead though