Announcing our New Velocity Frequent Flyer Program

[Kangarucci]

Thanks for the replies. I will apply asap.

 

[adampenrith]

Emailed off our proof of claim today , so hopefully our Silver (which would have been Gold on GA, before they changed the rules the day of our qualifiying Gold flight) status will be matched.

Always flown DJ since they launched but don't do much domestic travel.

If VA want to throw in a few PE or Business Class seats on SYD DPS - be more than happy to stop flying GA and start flying VA.

Awesome marketing

 

[Bob]

Or Jetstar....which many QFF pax do.

It often comes back to "have to do", given QF withdrawing from some routes.

 

[Bob]

Anyway my point was more about the fact that some people will abuse a privilege and if they do that, said privilege may be revoked. So many airlines have revoked it that there must be some element of abuse going on. Otherwise they would have happily retained the benefit and used it as leverage against their competition.

I remember when Ansett not only had ATA to the GW lounge, but as a member you got free bus travel between airport and city. They withdrew that privilege because of the large number of members who lived near Tullamarine, parked at the airport, had breakfast, travelled to work and back on the free bus, had few free beers in the bar and then drove home...

 

[oz_mark]

I remember when Ansett not only had ATA to the GW lounge, but as a member you got free bus travel between airport and city. They withdrew that privilege because of the large number of members who lived near Tullamarine, parked at the airport, had breakfast, travelled to work and back on the free bus, had few free beers in the bar and then drove home...

Not unlike the number of companies in Sydney that had meetings in the Mascot Office.

 

[connieguy]

That's the million dollar question that I'm hoping will be answered in the positive

I was already saying last night at drinks in the lounge that as a result of the good will shown by Virgin this year that I vow to direct ALL of my domestic flying, where possible to Virgin from this point on. A platinum status match is just the icing on the cake.

Likewise, this sound exciting.

 

[Gremlin]

I think in the days of electronic scanning upon entry, the ATA concept is easier to weed out those that are rorting the privilege from those that are genuinely using it as anticipated. I would hope that if the benefit is being abused by a small minority to the point that it was economically not viable to continue in its existing form, that VA could tag the profile of those abusing the privilege rather than removing it altogether.

 

[Bob]

I think in the days of electronic scanning upon entry, the ATA concept is easier to weed out those that are rorting the privilege from those that are genuinely using it as anticipated. I would hope that if the benefit is being abused by a small minority to the point that it was economically not viable to continue in its existing form, that VA could tag the profile of those abusing the privilege rather than removing it altogether.

I agree - too often a punitive measure is brought in that affects everyone. That is the easy copout. The more respectful approach is to target the individual wrongdoer/s.

 

[anat0l]

Sorry I know it's been mentioned, but I'd like to throw in my big thanks to Velocity Frequent Flyer for something which has really irked me about their website:

There are now points tables: a consistent, "one stop" location where anyone can find out the price of their reward in a systematic manner (i.e. no longer do you have to locate it by sector, it's just GCM distance).


Some questions...although some may be answered in the T&Cs (had a quick look and I can't find them):

• Can you vary the balance of points and cash with a reward? I assume points and cash only applies to Any Seat Any Time rewards.
• Are the rules about cancelling and changing awards (which result in no refund and not allowed respectively) still in place for some airline partners? It'd be nice if these were clearly spelled out, as these are really critical for anyone wanting to book (once you book the reward, you're really locked in). Perhaps Platinums will get waivers to these rules by discretion, but it would still be good to know.
• How is the calculation of miles required done for non-simple routings or mixes of carriers? I'm assuming it's similar to Qantas's model, which is as long as an intermediate point is a transit and not a stopover, the miles required is still calculated as the difference between the origin and the final destination (e.g. SYD-AUH-LHR). However, if there is backtracking or clearly not a direct routing, then you will pay extra, even if the intermediate points are not > 24 hours. For example on Qantas, SYD-BKK-LHR-FRA can be paid on one calculation, but SYD-BKK-LHR-HEL-FRA will not (you pay SYD-BKK-LHR-HEL, I think, then HEL-FRA). Similarly on VFF, SYD-LAX-JFK is paid as SYD-JFK, but SYD-LAX-JFK-MIA is paid as SYD-JFK then JFK-MIA. If there is no VFF multi-city booking engine, then this question may be redundant...

 

[Bob]

In the PER lounge - but they don't have the instant status match stuff. I'll just have to wait patiently till it is done via email.

 

[pshepvic]

Interesting pack arrived in the mail yesterday - a new gold card, tags and brochure. And packaged more like something from Apple - certainly much nicer than what my QF NGCI pack arrived in:



The strange thing is I've already requalified for Gold until Nov next year, yet the pack still only has my renewal for this year, so another pack would have need to have be sent in about two months. As I'll hit Platinum on Monday, another pack will need to be sent then, and that resets my renewal date anyway. I was surprised to get a pack though seeing my card hasn't run out.

The other thing is the card and tags and packaging still says "Velocity Rewards" not "Velocity Frequent Flyer". I guess they want to use up all the old cards with the "old" logo and name (although the "old" logo is still new!) so maybe that's why extra packs are being sent out...

 

[Noob]

Interesting pack arrived in the mail yesterday - a new gold card, tags and brochure. And packaged more like something from Apple - certainly much nicer than what my QF NGCI pack arrived in:

View attachment 3596

The strange thing is I've already requalified for Gold until Nov next year, yet the pack still only has my renewal for this year, so another pack would have need to have be sent in about two months. As I'll hit Platinum on Monday, another pack will need to be sent then, and that resets my renewal date anyway. I was surprised to get a pack though seeing my card hasn't run out.

The other thing is the card and tags and packaging still says "Velocity Rewards" not "Velocity Frequent Flyer". I guess they want to use up all the old cards with the "old" logo and name (although the "old" logo is still new!) so maybe that's why extra packs are being sent out...

Same, mine just got replaced last week and it has the Rewards still on it - feel like saying "hey, I'll wait a month and get the new"er" one!"

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Sorry I know it's been mentioned, but I'd like to throw in my big thanks to Velocity Frequent Flyer for something which has really irked me about their website:

There are now points tables: a consistent, "one stop" location where anyone can find out the price of their reward in a systematic manner (i.e. no longer do you have to locate it by sector, it's just GCM distance).

I suggested to CrazyDave some time ago that Aegean Airlines had a 'very easy to read' earning table and that DJ should take a look at it; "transparent, simple and understandable". Easy as a pie in the sky.....

 

[DownUnderPundit]

'What has your FF programme done for you lately'- NADA, nothing, zilch.
Virgin you ripper you. Finally competition lets the sunlight through.

 

[Gold Member]

I have two questions, perhaps Keith can answer these come Monday unless anyone else knows in the meantime...

1. Does the 6 month Hilton Diamond benefit activate only when you make the request via the VFF website? That is, does it remain dormant and available for use until requested, or does the 6 month window automatically start ticking away when Platinum status is achieved? Will the benefit be offered and able to activated at any time during the Platinum 12 month window? How long will it take to reflect in my HH account or is it pretty much instantenous for existing members?
2. How is the maternal/paternal 6 month benefit activated? Is it a simple request over the phone or is more informatoin required?

 

[oz_mark]

I have two questions, perhaps Keith can answer these come Monday unless anyone else knows in the meantime...

2. How is the maternal/paternal 6 month benefit activated? Is it a simple request over the phone or is more informatoin required?

I don't think they have detailed how this will work yet. It is listed as 'coming soon'.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I have two questions, perhaps Keith can answer these come Monday unless anyone else knows in the meantime...

1. Does the 6 month Hilton Diamond benefit activate only when you make the request via the VFF website?

And further to Gold Members' ponderings, is the Elite accomodation and hire car status matches on a limited "first come, first served" basis as well? I know it has been stated that this is a "once off" benefit, but is it also time/volume limited like the DJ Platinum status match offer?

 

[codash1099]

Just to be a little nitpicking, the life of the VFF plat would appear, potentially at least, shorter than QFF WP status.

VFF runs from the date of qualification or re-qualification. QFF starts from when you qualify and runs through to 12 months from your next anniversary date. As I read it, that means WP could last for almost 2 years, versus only 12 months for VP.

That said, good on Virgin for not only meeting but exceeding QFF, and by a long way. All I need now are details of a tie-up with a European airline so that there are points/SC earning possibilities within Europe.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

VFF runs from the date of qualification or re-qualification. QFF starts from when you qualify and runs through to 12 months from your next anniversary date. As I read it, that means WP could last for almost 2 years, versus only 12 months for VP.

There used to be an extended grace period of 3 months (I think), but I'm unsure if that applies all the way up through the tiers or just for the poor sods dropping off silver back to red.

 

[LiamR]

There used to be an extended grace period of 3 months (I think), but I'm unsure if that applies all the way up through the tiers or just for the poor sods dropping off silver back to red.

My old boomerang style Velocity card listed a grace period of two months before benefits expire.

On my newish Velocity card states I have a grace period of one month before benefits expire.