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I think Muppet is right, regarding the symbols, as well as VA advising that. The thing that concerned me is the pricing says that magic word "From", saying not all seats may have that price. I can easily see why you have the impression you do, but equally see room for wiggle room by VA, hence...

But do any of their international counterparts offer as budget experience as VA? No international lounges, limited route network, restrictions on partner airline benefits. It's not at the same standard and offering as those/most programs, so why should pricing be comparable to them?

They won't have been done due to QR. Any change like this needs top approvals, and they're not going to approve on what may, or they want to happen (if they even want to make these changes for QR), given it's only an application at this point and may not get approved, or may need modification...

They were already going back to Europe anyway, so there was no change in plan for their leaving Australia there. But the reason they didn't return was commercial.

Yes, the code share earning aspect neglects to mention that VA will discontinue most code shares with Singapore (except to Asia only from Australia), plus none with Etihad nor Virgin Atlantic, as part of its Qatar proposal. The FF benefits have been shrunk since covid. Many accepted that...

Not at all. They sailed back up the West coast of Africa, and could have sailed back down to meet future bookings the same way, and also as other cruise lines are doing to meet their bookings for this coming season. Nothing prevented them from doing that. It was purely a commercial decision...

lol. No chance in the foreseeable future. They cut and ran.

I'm not going to get rid of my balance just for the sake of it. But the value has dropped away; earnings reduced and redemption cost increased, in conjunction with limited availability and extra charges means that I'll no longer prioritise earning as I used to, including with partners. It'll be...

Not sure whether it sounds 'right' but it is the way they structured it. They give you benefits from your first matched cruise, but no credit for cruises is given, so you start from 0. This is stated on their match page: "until you unlock Deep Blue Extras on your fifth voyage"...

That's just an excuse. They could equally be required to have a representative shopfront e.g. Aust Post often fulfils the role for other activities, and there wouldn't be anything wrong with that. There's no requirement they _can't_ have a physical presence. Same applies in regional areas.

If you make your bookings prior to 2 April 25 for the coming year (to April 26) they will earn at the current SC rate. Thus, if you're able to book the flights sufficient to earn 800 SC before then, and at least half are on VA flight numbers, when your April 26 renewal comes around, you will be...

Not that I'm predicting a big backtrack, but keep in mind those are 'full service airlines' with large international networks and corporate clients so there will not be a mass migration. VA is not in the same league as those and is self declared 'value'. Essentially there is not so much to rely...

Except they were currently getting a return on their investment. And the Velocity business unit was at the more profitable end.

Whatever you do with the points, whether spending on long-haul, shorthaul, gift cards or even toasters, you're affected on the earn side. You don't just have to be redeeming for long haul. And there are those who do earn lots of points through flying. So they will obviously be impacted - and...

20% earning reduction, plus 5-15% redemption increase isn't bad? <blinks>

There is more to the world than the US. And US lounges - which are also not open to US FF program members on domestic flights, which is the main comparison here - are a completely different model to what is here.

Under the current model, their loyalty program had worked as a loyalty program was meant to - it encouraged me to shift discretionary spending to Virgin. From a purely financial transaction model, I made decisions that were not always optimal as e.g. sometimes QF were cheaper (across the day...

Fixes are easy - and cheap. Well, to get the 'low hanging fruit' anyway. Either or better, both: - block redemptions within the next say 2-3 days, or at a minimum on Qatar in that time and that looks to take away most of the viability. A more friendly way would be to permit these bookings only...

I'm happy to let them stay for now as the earnings will go through, rather than being lost by terminating early.

They want everyone off by ~9 a.m. Bar exceptional circumstances, people should be able to start getting off around 7 a.m. and if you self-debark (i.e. take your own luggage off) should be able to get off around then if you want. Without immigration/customs, and without luggage to collect, and...