5% Mobile Credit for Virgin Blue booking - No More?

[SIA1A]

Until recently Virgin Blue offered a Virgin Mobile phone credit of 5% of the cost of a Virgin Blue flight for flight costs (excluding taxes and the fuel surcharge).

It seems that this scheme has been withdrawn - the Virgin Mobile website has a link that leads to a blank screen, while I cannot find any reference to it on the Virgin Blue website.

Can anyone confirm that the phone credit is no more - or is the relevant part of the website simply temporarily down?

In the early days of the Virgin brand's introduction to Australia there were real incentives to use Virgin 'family' products (Virgin Blue, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Credit Card) but nowadays there seems to be little cross-promotion that involves discounts. Uncool. Perhaps this is the price of Virgin Blue now having an FF scheme.

 

[stuartfaz]

Until recently Virgin Blue offered a Virgin Mobile phone credit of 5% of the cost of a Virgin Blue flight for flight costs (excluding taxes and the fuel surcharge).

It seems that this scheme has been withdrawn - the Virgin Mobile website has a link that leads to a blank screen, while I cannot find any reference to it on the Virgin Blue website.

Can anyone confirm that the phone credit is no more - or is the relevant part of the website simply temporarily down?

In the early days of the Virgin brand's introduction to Australia there were real incentives to use Virgin 'family' products (Virgin Blue, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Credit Card) but nowadays there seems to be little cross-promotion that involves discounts. Uncool. Perhaps this is the price of Virgin Blue now having an FF scheme.

Looks like it's still there.

Mobile phones, great rates, free voicemail in Oz: that's Virgin Mobile Australia!

I'm actually surprised that it's still around, given that neither company is controlled by the Virgin Group anymore (DJ of course has a TOLL majority holding, and Virgin Mobile is 100% owned by Optus) but while it's there, it's better than nothing.

 

[SIA1A]

Looks like it's still there.

Mobile phones, great rates, free voicemail in Oz: that's Virgin Mobile Australia!

I'm actually surprised that it's still around, given that neither company is controlled by the Virgin Group anymore (DJ of course has a TOLL majority holding, and Virgin Mobile is 100% owned by Optus) but while it's there, it's better than nothing.

The introductory page is there but if you try to click through to the special Virgin Blue reservation system page, where you claim the credit, you never reach it. This blank screen comes up: https://www.virginmobile.com.au/selfcare/MyAccount/perks/virginblue.jsp (you need a Virgin Mobile login password to reach this).

Re company ownership: These two companies are indeed largely (VB) or wholly (VM) owned by entities that are outside Branson's Virgin Group Limited (VGL). This is common with companies that Branson has spun off. However, Branson retains 100% ownertship of one key asset - the Virgin brand, which is used under licence by the spin-offs. The licence is long-term and commits the licensee to a bunch of marketing obligations, including cross-branding promotions etc. I'm not sure whether that extends to discounts.

It's a bit similar to Foxtel, where Murdoch owns just 25% of the company but has management control. Foxtel appoints the management while PBL and Telstra (the owners of 75% of the company) have board representation only. Murdoch, for example, has forced Foxtel to buy the expensive Fox Sports channel package. Telstra does not have an interest in Fox Sports but is forced to pay its share of the Fox Sports licence fee and watch value bleed off to its media rivals. So in the early days, Foxtel was losing money while Fox Sports was making a motza for Murdoch and PBL.

 

[stuartfaz]

The introductory page is there but if you try to click through to the special Virgin Blue reservation system page, where you claim the credit, you never reach it. This blank screen comes up: https://www.virginmobile.com.au/selfcare/MyAccount/perks/virginblue.jsp (you need a Virgin Mobile login password to reach this).

I was under the impression all you had to do was to enter your Virgin Mobile number in the contact details of the normal booking page.

Try giving DJ or Virgin Mobile a call and check the current status of the offer.

 

[SIA1A]

I was under the impression all you had to do was to enter your Virgin Mobile number in the contact details of the normal booking page.

No, there was a special tailored booking screen on the VB site for Virgin Mobile customers.

I tried calling both VB and VM a couple of days ago about this but in both cases the operators had never heard of the discount! Neither seemed familiar with their own websites.

 

[d15.in.oz]

...Murdoch, for example, has forced Foxtel to buy the expensive Fox Sports channel package. Telstra does not have an interest in Fox Sports...

As a selectv.com.au viewer, may I add to your "SingSentric" perspective, that Telstra ain't run by dummies...to be frank, without Dow Jones, Murdoch Senior's days are declining into a scum of pre-inclined (anyway) consumers, however Telstra seems to have as much a long term view, as a medium!

On AFF, and with the "franchise" of delivery vs content, being a seemingly relevant topic... I back Telstra over the ageing, empire building, Murdoch!

Oh, and I back SingInc, over anyone else!