DJ FF program
 

Hi there

Just saw a teaser ad the for Virgin Blue FF progarm during the break in 60 Minutes on Ch9...Seems that a launch is imminent.

Interesting times ahead, More info should be forthcoming during the week.

Cheers
Vflyer

Woohoo, may we get discounts on route that had huge increase.

I've seen ad in the paper, and heard ads on the radio for the last few days about this coming. I just wish they would stop talking about it and actually release the details of the scheme.

Interesting that they crank up the ads the week before the red rats 85th.

Some information regarding DJ FF Program..
 

I've been advised of a number of features of the DJ Frequent Flyer program. This info. is dated Mid-2005 and may have changed since then. There hasn't been alot of new information on the program lately, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens this week [If it is actually released this week].

Some features [Note: some of these may be non-existent in actual program due for release very soon]

• Online enrollment will be free however like always it will cost to sign up via the phone (around AUD$20). The terms and conditions will also state that DJ may introduce an annual fee at any stage (similar to conditions of FC's RewardPass).
• Enrollment will be open to people over the age of 2.
• I've been told that at first the 2 ways of earning reward points will be by flying on Virgin Blue and renting cars [etc] with Europcar. More partners such as a Bank (Credit Card points), a Hotel etc would join through 2006 and I would expect there would be some association with Virgin Atlantic or a major carrier. REX and Virgin have a PAX interline agreement, so perhaps there could be some sort of tie-up? REX then becomes the regional partner airline earning option?
• People will earn reward points similar to that of Qantas and not earn in a way similar to REX (Fly 9 times get a free flight etc). However please not this may have changed recently and may infact use a system similar to that of the one Regional Express (REX) uses.
• Virgin Blue estimate that there will be 1.2 million members by December 2006 [AU/NZ].
• The program will be available to residents of only Australia and New Zealand at first, however may be extended worldwide. I'd imagine the Pacific would come after AU/NZ.

It will be interesting to see what the length of time is before the points will expire and on which fares you will earn points.. Wonder if there will be tiered system similar to that of Qantas?

As I have said this information is dated Mid-2005 and may have changed since then. The program will be introduced before the end of 2005, and I believe now would be the best time. Profit results are out Wednesday the 16th, so perhaps this will prove to be a perfect opportunity to introduce the new program, and as others have suggested that DJ could take some attention away from the A380 and Qantas' 85th Birthday celebrations.

Interesting week ahead :D ^

Virgin Blue woos frequent fliers
 

Virgin Blue woos frequent fliers
November 15, 2005 Daily Telegraph
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/st...001024,00.html
VIRGIN Blue is set to launch its long awaited frequent flier program.

However, rival Jetstar claims the launch of a loyalty program shows Virgin has had to readjust its vision.

Analysts believe the airline could spend as much as $60 million to grow its market share and increase passenger load by five percentage points over five years.

The program will be launched today in Sydney by Virgin Blue chief Brett Godfrey, following a recent ad campaign promising a "next-generation loyalty program".

But Jetstar claims the program is a sign that Virgin Blue is shedding its budget airline model in order to compete for business customers.

"They have had to readjust their model," Jetstar corporate relations manager Simon

Virgin, Emirates to take on Qantas
By Jamie Freed
November 15, 2005

Virgin Blue is poised to launch an attack on Qantas today by revealing a joint frequent-flyer scheme with Emirates and the launch of an associated credit card.

A Virgin Blue spokeswoman would only say yesterday that chief executive Brett Godfrey would make a "significant announcement" at Sydney Airport this morning, the day before its annual profit results are released.

But an Emirates representative confirmed to the Herald that the carriers had joined forces to take on Qantas. Other industry sources said Virgin was preparing to launch a new credit card - possibly in partnership with National Australia Bank - which would allow customers to accumulate frequent-flyer points. ...

From SMH website:

Virgin Blue unveils new loyalty program

November 15, 2005 - 10:19AM
AdvertisementAdvertisement

Budget airline Virgin Blue has unveiled Velocity, its new frequent flyer program.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/...951130953.html

Hard to find any further details, but I'm sure they'll appear before long. Am I too much of a cynic to be thinking that the timing of this launch of Velocity is designed to soften any bad press for when the results are posted tomorrow? ie. Yeah, we've made less of a profit, but we have this great new loyalty program which will attract higher yielding pax and more of them.

EK is the major flying partner to be announced.

Similar to QF. Points won't expire while you are an active member. No mention yet of what an active member entails, but probably safe to assume it means some points activity in a certain period (1, 2 or 3 years).

Details at velocityrewards.com.au.

See thread in other Australian FFPs

No activity in 3 years leads to automatic cancellation of account and loss of points.

Seems to be a hybrid of QF and NZ programs. Earn points, but the earning rate and burning rate on Virgin Blue/Pacific Blue/Polynesian Blue is based on fare. Can redeem for any seat. Earning on Emirates and Virgin Atlantic is more traditional multiple of miles (based on paid class with only full "Y" treated as full economy), with 500 point minimum applying before the multiple; and burning is x,000 points. Full table not supplied online :(

yes... But on Virmin Atlantic all normal fares qualify for 1 pt per mile flown ; its on EK that the non Y basis earns at 0.5 per mile flown

Dave

Interesting when you join they ask what level in the QF FFP you are

Moderators:
Time close this thread or move to the thread in Other Australian FFPs ??

When did the QF board start closing threads just because they are not to do with QFF. I would have thought there was enough interest in it here

Dave

Looks good so far...
 

... especially the availability of seats at different points levels, depending on available inventory. I wonder if EK will have DJ as a partner in Skyward: just checking their web site now, it doesn't appear so. Has anyone heard anything about that?

It will also be interesting to see if DJ will also impose the exhorbitant "fees and surcharges" that are such an unwelcome addition of award tix from So. Pac. programs...

This is interesting. From the VS earning chart you even get points on N fares - the cheapest discounted tickets which don't earn miles in VS Flying Club - (not on the SYD route anyway) so that's good. However, full fare Y is the same earning ratio, so that's not good.

I just sent the following email to Brett Godfrey:

I've only heard that EK would be a partner, never seen anything about DJ joining Skywards. All the published material seems to support this. Not unlike some of QF partners that are not in OneWorld

deleted

I agree, however this assumes that there is award availability of J-class seats. I'm not sure about J-class domestically, but international J-class award availability is next to non-existent.

Actually, as far as I have been able to ascertain, there are generally now more U class seats available for award redemption. This is in terms of getting them about six months out; previously they had to be snared right on the 330 day limit.

I believe the reason for this is that International upgrades no longer come out of these award buckets.

Well, if Velocity is the best that DJ could come up with, then I suspect that QF has nothing to worry about. I joined up, since it is possible I will fly with them, but I must say after the hype, it seems to be something of a let down.

I doubt that this will cause QF to 'enhance' QFF.

Got this reply from Brett yesterday afternoon:

Seems there will be an ad campaign giving it to QF's 85th birthday. Whilst QF have John Travolta, DJ have Richard Branson....

Personally I'm happier with the 25c dividend from DJ - makes my decision to hang on to some of the shares I bought actually slightly more rewarding than watching the share price plummet down and down...

I note Brett mentions AFF but not FT. hmmmm

I've made sure that Brett is now conversant with Flyertalk :D ^ - see the ozfest thread over on Community.

No, not too much of a cynic at all, as it turns out!

Well as following their results announcement today, their share price rose from $1.60 at Monday's close to $1.67 at Tuesday's close to finally finish at $1.82 today. So some people much have appreciated the news.

I'm sure some people did appreciate the dividend, but there seems to be a certain amount of bad press floating around anyway, this for example:-

Does anyone know a DATE this will start earning miles?

Looked on website and could not see it. Other than the NAB credit Card comes on stream Nov 30.

Pretty stingy awards. :td:

Even booking a Virgin 'Premium Economy' flight SYD-HKG-Saigon RT in December for ~$2000 and get the 1.5 points for that class I end up with a SYD-ADL one way on DJ.

Whoppeee!

Earning flights only flying DJ on $$$s spent will take an eternity for most folks. :rolleyes:

No idea if Virgin Atlantic DO fly to Saigon now I think on it? :confused:

http://www.bestflights.com.au/cgi-bi...indetails=4079

Anyone tried their "Premium Economy". UA's is pretty good.

Not VS', but have been on BA's lots. It's a different concept from UA's, if I understand UA's correctly (just extra pitch?). Both BA and VS have different, wider seats as well, with fewer seats abreast in a row. VS PE has more extras thrown in than BA WT+, but both do have a few service tweaks that you don't get in Y. One of the good things about the BA cabin is unadvertised and unadvertisable: the cabin usually feels much calmer and a little bit more sophisticated than Y. But it's such a "soft" element that it's difficult to describe.

Yep, agree completely Globaliser, its the 'mini-cabin' part of BA WT+ and all that goes with it that sets it apart. It actually has a partition curtain from both Y and J and so it really is a separate experience from Y, and the lack of seats/people in the space (and rarely any children) gives the cabin a whole diffferent feel. You also get a more personal service.

It also has loos just for the cabin, which is also a nice touch and saves you from the Y queues.

And if I remember right (have not flown it for a year and a half or so) it also has extending foot rests does it not, a feature you also don't get in regular Y of course.

And you are quite right again that this is VERY different experience from UA Y+ (i've flown it a few times recently) ! Extra leg room and that is it - same food, same seats, no partition curtain, etc, etc.

The advantage of UA Y+ however - and this really is a very good feature - is that you automatically get put in it (even on the cheapest Y ticket) as a *A S or G, so you get the extra leg room for nothing. BA WT+ is a vastly better experience, but you really do pay for it - e.g. Dec. 1 - 10 2005 (ba.com) WT LON-SYD = £650 (with restrictions); WT+ = £1768 (with restrictions) : Over £1,000 more and 3 times the price - while UA (even when flying on Ted) give you their lesser product for nothing.

duplicate - FT not working very well at the moment is it ?!?

No its not. Seems to have lost my post (again) :(

I started a premium economy thread (in Travel Buzz I think) which FTers have posted what to expect on various airlines - there's quite a wide range. If I can get the link without FT crashing again I will add it to this post.

Premium economy information thread

Of course, for those who don't mind doing things such as starting their journey in AMS, WT+ price does drop quite dramatically

Dave

Getting back on topic. To respond to ozstamps' question - DJ FF etc credits from now onwards so in theory that VS flight could well and truly be credited to DJ.. as you said it's not that attractive to do so though. Also I think the 1.5 points deal might only be to VS's own FF scheme??? not sure only paid scant attention to it.

Thanks for info on the wide seats folks. ^

They do not say ANYWHERE on their website when the scheme starts as far as I can see! So thanks Richard. ;)

They DO however say Premium Economy on VS credits 150% to DJ scheme:

http://www.velocityrewards.com.au/co...lightsInt.html

Still have no idea how VS metal gets me to Saigon tho. :)

SYD-HKG-SGN RT is then 16,500 DJ miles credit, and is not bad for some redemptions. I notice SYD-CCH runs only 9300 each way on sale fares, so it is near a free NZ RT.

Wow, thanks for that Dave. Just tried my dates in Jan and its £350 cheaper from AMS, despite there being the two extra (Y) legs (LON-AMS, AMS-LON) in the itinerary.

Any other tricks for us on this ?!?

Recently flew VS Prem Econ SYD-LHR and it is an excellent service IMO. Very similar to BA WTP but with the added bonus of flying the excellent A340-600.

Seats are comfortable enough for the long haul and the service is ok but could probably be improved slightly (which I am reliable told is being looked at by VS).All in all good value to LHR if J is above your budget. ^

BA Y seats also have footrests now, but I find them useless at best, and an irritating constriction at worst. But that's because I'm usually sleeping rather than sitting up.Indeed. I tried to sign up last night but couldn't. An Australian address on its own is not good enough. You have to declare that you're Australian resident for tax purposes, and I'm not about to do that. :mad: