It's buried in the "Elite bonuses and rewards" section.

While I agree this sucks, I think we need to put this in perspective before saying it's ludicrous. CO has been (and is) rather generous with respect to codeshares earning status miles and bonuses. Some carriers such as UA don't even provide status miles, let alone bonuses, on UA-coded flights on non-alliance member (e.g., AQ, Virgin Blue, etc.).

This VS change definitely is a negative, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it a mockery. Besides, the way some people talk about OP miles on this board, you would think that the value of the free drinks on VS more than offset the 10,000 mile RT elite bonus you no longer receive. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I know it's been discontinued for now, but do you think I will I ever be able to upgrade to Upper Class on a Virgin codeshare flight again?

Actually, this isn't quite true. From the "OnePass Member Advisory" on the website, it says that rules for earning mileage credit can be changed with 60 days notice to active members. The escape clause that might be used for this situation is the one that says CO is not responsible for unilateral actions by partners.

But, if the reason for this change is that the VS codeshare agreement switched from a hardblock to a "regular" codeshare agreement, this would appear to be something that is neither unilateral nor particularly sudden. Based on what limited information we have, it would seem to me that this change would be one that would require 60 days notice. The fact that this wasn't done in my opinion speaks towards the all-to-common sloppiness in informing members of program specifics, rather than any grand scheme to deny benefits to members.

Actually this is absolutely not true. The relevant quote from the OnePass terms and conditions is:

So, does this also mean that OnePass mileage upgrades are no longer allowed from coach to Upper Class, even when on a CO codeshare ticket?

Well, I dunno. The codeshare thing was supposed to be "seamless" service.
Now you can wind up with less than half your frequent flyer miles if you're not careful who's metal you're flying.

I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous. It shouldn't be a "codeshare."

So are you saying that lower class CO fares (in my case a T fare) on VS metal will not earn Full Elite Qualification miles?

Well, I hate to say "I told you so", but I told you so. Many FT members know about my recent struggle with CO about this very issue. Yes, you do get EQM, but no bonus miles. I had to fight with CO to finally get my bonus miles. Even then, the supervisor told me to "remember our conversation that I would receive no bonus miles in the future on CO flight numbers on VS metal". As far as codeshares and upgrades go, I think some higher fares may be uggradeable, but mine was economy and they would not let me. You still receive Elite Bonus Miles if you fly in Upper Class.

This is wrong. Virgin pays for the base miles but CO pays for the elite bonus miles.

So, the rationale that CO could make an "instant" change without 6 months notice under the "unilateral actions by partners" doesn't apply here intuitively.

As I said in the other thread, when you buy something from CO, a contract is formed. For CO to unilaterally change the deal after the contract is formed is breach of contract. They can't just sell you an apple and then say "oh, we're actually giving you an orange." That's what they're doing here with respect to tickets purchased prior to the change being posted, and anyone in this situation is well within their rights to assert a breach of contract.

I suggest this only because Continental has become flagrantly lawless with respect to breach of contract issues lately and they really ought to be made to answer for it. Its not the right way to treat people in an ethical sense.

They did away with upgrades from coach to upper class when flying Virgin metal with a CO ticket earlier this year. You can still, however, use miles to get an upper class ticket, but not as an upgrade.

I feel deceived, too. I bought my ticket with the understanding that I would earn the bonus miles. I even called to verify before I bought. Unlikely, but I contacted CO and asked them to cancel my ticket and refund all of my money.



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CO Silver

I am happy to provide date-stamped proof of the policy to anyone who needs it, I have the policy at 10/26/03 shown to include Virgin Atlantic and the policy at 11/3/03 shown to exclude Virgin Atlantic.

Happy to PDF. Just email me privately if needed.

am i the only one who has noticed re: Virgin
l. they treat CAL customers like homeless people (or maybe everybodymaybe it's a class thing, it certainly is at BA where coach passengers are watched so they don't steal the plastic silverware) CAL elites get NO special treatment at all
2. They SELL exit rows for $75
3. Coach class is not nearly as good on 747's as CALs 777 and 767's
4. They are selling discounted tickets all over the place WITHOUT ANY FF miles (so is at least one other airline, aer lingus)
5. We should dump our tie up with them

After all CO has done lately I'm really beginning to think we the customers should dump our tie-up with CO.