4-12 Weeks to claim Etihad points on Velocity???

[haydensydney]

I often read gripes about the length of time it takes to claim points with codeshare partners, but i've read on the Velocity website that it can take 4-12 weeks (so up to 3 months!) to get points from VA's partner airlines.... what a joke!

My 2011 year has flicked over, so i'm back to RED status: the main benefit for me with having Silver/Gold is the priority checkin and free bag - so when I travel on VA over the next few weeks i'm going to have to join the masses! If it does take 3 months, that means that I could be without any status of a quarter of my membership year, which is just plain slack.

If VA are serious about having airline partners and selling the benefits (such as status/points earning) then they will have to shape up on these timeframes. Further, when booking/checking-in with Etihad, there was nowhere to enter a Velocity number - the drop down box had a list of airlines but VA wasn't one of them.... Grr

That concludes the end of my rant....

 

[777]

Hmm. I'm sympathetic on the first part -- seems a stupidly long time particularly if you are waiting for SC's. It might be worth calling them.

However, i booked with EY a month or two ago (haven't taken the flight yet) and had no trouble entering in a Velocity number. Indeed at that time there were TWO options "Virgin Blue" and "V Australia" that both allowed you to enter Velocity as your FF program.

 

[anat0l]

If your 2011 status has just flicked over, shouldn't you be keeping the same status as you did last year (assuming that you requalified for Gold)? You shouldn't be downgraded to Red unless you didn't meet the requalification requirements (and even then, that would imply a hard requalification target cf. soft drop)?

Why couldn't you add your Velocity number to your EY flights at the check-in desk at the airport? Or even in the lounge? Or a service desk in the airport? None of these (options) exist?

Certainly if you submit a claim for points, having to wait 4-12 weeks is begging it. I always thought such huge limits as stated by various companies were merely "guarantees", i.e. it'd be unlikely it'd take 12 weeks to process a claim, but we'd swear that it would never take that long. In saying that, I submitted a manual claim for MH points (not sure why the rest of my MH flights credited with no problem) and I'm up to week 11 with no peek of a response.

I should probably call and/or resubmit the claim. At least you have status. Just like Qantas Bronzes, Velocity Reds like me don't rate high on the 'quick love' scale.

 

[AaronBradford]

I'm flying Etihad later this year and am a bit concerned about this also, seems an incredibly long time. I'll qualify for Silver so I hope it doesn't take forever. :shock:

 

[haydensydney]

...at that time there were TWO options "Virgin Blue" and "V Australia" that both allowed you to enter Velocity as your FF program.

I booked through a travel agent who added the number, but as a EY number not a VA number... furthermore we generally checked in online (where there was a "Enter a FF # here" section, but no VA airline was listed).

If your 2011 status has just flicked over, shouldn't you be keeping the same status as you did last year (assuming that you requalified for Gold)? You shouldn't be downgraded to Red unless you didn't meet the requalification requirements (and even then, that would imply a hard requalification target cf. soft drop)?

I was silver last year, and Gold the year before - so no soft landing for me this year.

Why couldn't you add your Velocity number to your EY flights at the check-in desk at the airport? Or even in the lounge? Or a service desk in the airport? None of these (options) exist?

No - I checked in online, and even if I did - I've lost my Velocity card (another reason why I want to get back to Silver)

 

[wyvern]

I booked online LHR-SYD on EY and was able to enter a Velocity number. My status was recognised on BP when I flew. However - I flew 1 month ago and while the AUH-SYD leg which was on VA metal credited OK within 5 days, the LHR-AUH leg did not. Have made a retro claim but no news yet. Am used to flights crediting within 24 hours on Star Alliance an OW so it is a shame that it has taken so long. if I was coming to the end of my renewal year and I needed the points I would be concerned, but Velocity seem pretty good about treating customers as individuals and I am sure they would look sympathetically on this situation and would take the flight date and points into consideration when renewing status. Having said that, it's not ideal that points don't credit automatically when your number is in the booking and I hope this can be sorted.

 

[docjames]

If this flight eneabled you to retain Silver, I'd be calling Velocity and asking them how to resolve it - you want to be able to use your Silver benefits. They can always give you a manual extension on Silver for the "8-12 weeks" it takes for the flight to post.

The extra pt/$ you earn as silver will catch up presumably once it credits, but it's the benefits of silver whilst flying that are important with the retain of silver (the long term points etc will sort themselves out)

 

[Virgin Australia]

I often read gripes about the length of time it takes to claim points with codeshare partners, but i've read on the Velocity website that it can take 4-12 weeks (so up to 3 months!) to get points from VA's partner airlines.... what a joke!

This is only for retro claims - add your membership number when you book and the Points should be on within 4 weeks max - VA and DJ within 7 days.

My 2011 year has flicked over, so i'm back to RED status: the main benefit for me with having Silver/Gold is the priority checkin and free bag - so when I travel on VA over the next few weeks i'm going to have to join the masses! If it does take 3 months, that means that I could be without any status of a quarter of my membership year, which is just plain slack.

Add your membership number when you book and the Points should be on within 4 weeks max - VA and DJ within 7 days.

If VA are serious about having airline partners and selling the benefits (such as status/points earning) then they will have to shape up on these timeframes. Further, when booking/checking-in with Etihad, there was nowhere to enter a Velocity number - the drop down box had a list of airlines but VA wasn't one of them.... Grr

Not sure what you mean, as it definitely is part of the 'Loyalty Programme' selection drop down.

 

[haydensydney]

Not sure what you mean, as it definitely is part of the 'Loyalty Programme' selection drop down.

Well... it certainly wasn't on each of the four legs that I checked-in online for, I explored every part of that online check-in facility but nowhere could I enter a Velocity number.

I travelled at the end of April so perhaps the EY/VA marriage was still fresh and systems were still getting updated. However, it's good news for future guests that they can now enter a Velocity number which will speed up the claiming points process....

 

[anat0l]

To add another data point, Malaysia Airlines' website would not let me enter in my Velocity loyalty card number during the booking or web check-in processes. They have just revamped the site, so this might've changed. I ended up having to ask at the airport to have my Velocity number put in (and a couple of times of course having to reassure the staff that (a) yes, Velocity is the name of a real FFP in the world, and (b) yes, Malaysia Airlines is a Velocity partner).

In addition, Malaysia Airlines isn't exactly a bed-partner with Velocity, so I don't fully expect the process to be streamlined compared to the Etihad relationship.

 

[haydensydney]

The saga continues...

So I call the Velocity line and asked them how long I would need to wait for my status credits & points and after a LOT of hesitation from the consultant, she said she would investigate.

Anyway I just received a phone call from said consultant. She said that Etihad had advised that I had already claimed points through another loyalty program. What the? I've checked the Centurion booking again, and can see the velocity number (however next to the number there is EY - maybe the consultant stuffed up?)

So the Velocity consultant said that I would need to direct this to Etihad and refused, rudely, to assist me any further. Grr.

What would you do? I've tried to find a number to call online but can't find anything?

:evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[notzac]

Anyway I just received a phone call from said consultant. She said that Etihad had advised that I had already claimed points through another loyalty program. What the? I've checked the Centurion booking again, and can see the velocity number (however next to the number there is EY - maybe the consultant stuffed up?)

That last bit tells me what's happened .. with the EY code the points have been assigned to EY .. thus, the points have essentially gone in to a black hole. I would try calling EY directly to see if this can be fixed up, or perhaps one of the reps here have better contacts that might be able to help? Definitely try calling EY first.

 

[haydensydney]

I called the EY contact centre. What a disaster. After 20 minutes of trying to explain the situation I realised that she was just... not... getting it. Sigh.

She did however say that the velocity number was correctly added to the bookings? So.... does this mean that the Velocity woman didn't know what she was on about (EDIT: OR just trying to brush me off? OR perhaps the EY consultant didn't have a clue?)

 

[notzac]

Highly likely they didn't have a clue. I've had .. challenges with the EY call centre folk myself. Maybe send a PM to Velocity Rewards to see if they have any other ideas?

 

[wyvern]

I have had a similar disaster trying to claim points and am actually regretting the EY/VA booking given that the outward points have not fully credited and the return SC may be less than I was told they would be when I had booked the fare.

The EY call centre is PANTS and they do not have a clue. I had an unrelated issue trying to change my return flight soon after the outward was flown and they were useless. The moral of the story is: take a screenshot of the booking rules when you book, not all airlines copy them to you in the e-ticket receipt. CrazyDave98 managed to sort it out for me but he has now left. I wish I had asked him to sort out my points credit as well as this has been well and truly lost in a system somewhere!

I would advise you to pm VirginAustralia, as I have done as my emails to the Velocity gold contact centre are now unanswered.

There is no point Virgin Australia having all these wonderful alliances if the points do not credit automatically and we have to make 100s of phone calls and emails to try and get the points in the first place. If it is going to be like this then easiest to stick with OneWorld and Star Alliance, which have tried and tested points crediting systems.

In my case it is 7 weeks, a lot of emails and phone calls and beyond a joke. Should have booked the flight on BA or SQ instead!

And yes, EY's support is PANTS. It was like running up against a brick wall (which is pretty rare in international airline customer service). The best thing was the call centre saying I had to email in and then a week later I got a reply to my email saying call the call centre. I do not know why anyone would book with this airline.

 

[anat0l]

I do not know why anyone would book with this airline.

Well, I think it comes down to "when it works, it's excellent; when it doesn't, it's PANTS".

 

[wyvern]

Indeed!

So the 'excellent' bit of the aforementioned flight was getting on a VA plane after not the best EY flight (too hot, and white wine ran out after the aperitifs and before dinner) and being upgraded from Y to an almost-empty PE cabin and really well looked after by a superb crew.

The 'PANTS' bit is still not having 2/3 of the status credits and points for the flight, and having to hassle for them, and getting no answer... but especially trying to change an EY web-booked changeable ticket with EY who insisted a penalty had to be paid that was more than stated by the fare rules when I booked (should have kept that screenshot!). Thankfully the penalty issue was resolved after VA spoke to EY.

And, since I am now at least over half way to the 12 weeks from the flight date by which time the outbound points should have credited, look forward to seeing the credit, if it ever appears...

 

[haydensydney]

I will give the VA call centre one more chance to sort this out.

Failing that, I will stage the worlds most epic hissy fit - of which I am more than capable

 

[The Rok]

I had a VA/EY flight back in April. The EY sectors credited in 3 days, one of the VS sectors credited in 24 hours, the second one is still outstanding.

I have sent 3 emails to velocity, done numerous retro claims and the flight has still not credited. Online during the retro claim it states " OUR RECORDS INDICATE YOU DID NOT BOARD THIS FLIGHT AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO CLSIM POINTS"

Well guess what, I have even emailed the boarding passes to Virgin, still nothing.

The real piss off is that this will put my partner well into silver and me over 1,000 SC's, important for when Platinum is announced.

 

[haydensydney]

I had a VA/EY flight back in April. The EY sectors credited in 3 days, one of the VS sectors credited in 24 hours, the second one is still outstanding.

I have sent 3 emails to velocity, done numerous retro claims and the flight has still not credited. Online during the retro claim it states " OUR RECORDS INDICATE YOU DID NOT BOARD THIS FLIGHT AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO CLSIM POINTS"

Well guess what, I have even emailed the boarding passes to Virgin, still nothing.

The real piss off is that this will put my partner well into silver and me over 1,000 SC's, important for when Platinum is announced.

God - looks like I could be in for quite the long haul on this one.... everyone, prepare the popcorn: I will provide updates as they come to hand