Are you in the Know?? Email

[wallacej]

Got this email from Velocity yesterday. Is anyone aware of changes coming??? BTW I found this email in my junk box????
...........

We value you as one of Virgin Blue's most frequent flyers and would like to take this opportunity to check that we have your correct postal address. Please take a moment to check your postal address below:

******* *******
*************
******** VIC ****

If these details have changed, please update your details now. Updating your details by 5pm on Friday 27 July 2007, will ensure that you'll receive some exciting news about the dynamic and ever evolving Velocity Rewards program - along with all our other valued Members. Of course, if your mailing address has not changed and is still the same as shown above, you don't need to do anything.

Your current Velocity Points balance is ******. If you have any other Virgin Blue flights you need to claim Velocity Points for, click here.

On behalf of all the crew at Velocity, thank you.

............................

 

[StevePER]

Maybe Velocity status levels are on their way and you're going to receive a shiny new card in the mail? It's been rumoured for quite a while now.

Who else got the email? I didn't.

 

[wallacej]

So long as that shiny new card lets me:

- use the priority line (no matter what ticket I bought)
- priority bag tags (with the follow up of delivering my bag out quickly - something QF can't get right).

Because the longest flight I take domestically is only 4 hours the cabin structure doesn't really worry me, however I don't like standing around so quick check in, and quick exit with my bags will please me more than having a bus or First class seat during the flight.

Because I always travel Y (domestic) I actually "prefer" DJ now. Main reasons:
-Lounge is not jam packed - get a seat, great internet, nice facilities in the lounge.
- Exiting from both ends of the plane gets me out quicker
- Nice, young, happy staff - yet to experience any "bad" service from the crew

(Now all they need is to have a lounge in PER)

If they plan on introducing some kind of tier structure with some nice benefits, all the better - depending on the offer I would change my "prefer" status to "exclusive".

I am sure someone in here can give an insight as to what they may be planning to offer.

 

[Yada Yada]

Maybe Velocity status levels are on their way and you're going to receive a shiny new card in the mail? It's been rumoured for quite a while now.

Who else got the email? I didn't.

I got the email.

I heard about some planned changes from a very reliable source, but I am not at liberty to divulge. :mrgreen:

I see that Saville Hotel Group has just become a partner too.

 

[wallacej]

Thats just not fair now.... how 'bout a taste??

 

[Shano]

All sounds quite interesting and suggests a genuine enhancement to the Velocity program.

If it is indeed an enhancement, will also be interesting what effect this might have on future QF enhancement.

OK I have used the word enhancement enough now I think

 

[Yada Yada]

Thats just not fair now.... how 'bout a taste??

Sorry, I shouldn't say any more. I'm sure all will be revealed soon.

Because I always travel Y (domestic) I actually "prefer" DJ now. Main reasons:
- Lounge is not jam packed - get a seat, great internet, nice facilities in the lounge.
- Exiting from both ends of the plane gets me out quicker
- Nice, young, happy staff - yet to experience any "bad" service from the crew

(Now all they need is to have a lounge in PER)

Exactly why I do most of my domestic flying on Virgin Blue. I find them to be much better. I used to post about this a lot but now I just keep quiet. Why spoil such a good thing? Every time I've walked into the MEL dom QP in the past three months it has been a zoo and I've struggled to find a place to park. When I walk into the Lounge at MEL it is serene, plenty of space, good food, good wine, great coffee, great staff, nice facilities... etc.

BTW, DJ are planning to move the Lounge in SYD (next year I think) to where the old AN Golden Wing was, which will be much more spacious.

 

[Mal]

Bring it on Virgin Blue

Any increased competition in the Australian loyalty market is a win for all members of Australian Airline loyalty schemes.

Now I wonder what is happening.. Don't think it's a Star Alliance tie-up, I would have thought that this would have been public by now.

My best guess is a tiered system involving bonus points for high levels of flying, lounge access at the 'top tier' and priority [front] seating for status members. (DJ are already doing the priority seating I believe, but it's unofficial). Perhaps throw in prority queueing at the airport and I think that would be the range of improvements for this round.

Come surprise me by making my predictions underestimations, Virgin Blue

 

[wallacej]

Just had a thought on the way back from getting pizza....

If I am to get a new shiny card, it would be really nice if that same shiny new card could be swiped to give me free live2air TV!!!

That would be the icing, well some good garnish anyway... a link to *alliance would top it off nicely.

One thing for sure is that any "enhancements" will truly be enhancements because they are working from a fairly clean slate....

Also, I have attempted to refrain from talking about how good the lounge is compared to the QP, for the same reasons as above.... cram packed heavier than grab a granny night out in the burbs....

 

[JohnK]

That would be the icing, well some good garnish anyway... a link to *alliance would top it off nicely.

A link to *alliance may well be enough to clinch the deal for many people especially if QF continues to go down the path of moving the not so important routes to JQi. It wouldn't take a genius to choose TG over JQi when TG, full service carrier, is cheaper than JQi, low cost carrier extraordinaire....

 

[littl_flier]

A link to *alliance may well be enough to clinch the deal for many people especially if QF continues to go down the path of moving the not so important routes to JQi. It wouldn't take a genius to choose TG over JQi when TG, full service carrier, is cheaper than JQi, low cost carrier extraordinaire....

*Alliance will most probably clinch the deal for me to make a move but I think they should have a fare than includes snacks. For work travel we always travel on full whY so if DJ offered a snack with drinks for their Corporate Plus fare and prices were still cheaper than QF, then I would seriously consider. Just some food for thought.

 

[wallacej]

*Alliance will most probably clinch the deal for me to make a move but I think they should have a fare than includes snacks. For work travel we always travel on full whY so if DJ offered a snack with drinks for their Corporate Plus fare and prices were still cheaper than QF, then I would seriously consider. Just some food for thought.

Agreed. Speculating about what they may offer, maybe with the shiny new card we get food and tv (with any fare purchase) by showing our shiny new card.
I would imagine onboard it maybe difficult to know who paid what fare, but anyone with a certain tier of card could be entitled to onboard snacks up to a $x value and free tv.

I guess this is turning more into a thread about what DJ can do to its velocity program that is reasonably easy to introuce and cheap. Virgin seems to have a philosophy on keeping things simple.. so here is my simple list - different tiers maybe entitled to different items on the list:

- Priority checkin
-Priority baggage
-Free TV on board
-Free snacks on board
-Preferential seating
-Free lounge access (higher tier)

The only items with a real cost would be the snacks on board, and the tags that would need printing for the priority tags. All the others are sunk costs that would provide good value add at no additional cost to the airline.

 

[Flashback]

*Alliance will most probably clinch the deal for me to make a move but I think they should have a fare than includes snacks. For work travel we always travel on full whY so if DJ offered a snack with drinks for their Corporate Plus fare and prices were still cheaper than QF, then I would seriously consider. Just some food for thought.

No pun intended?

 

[littl_flier]

No pun intended?

Nice pickup Flashware. Enjoy Contiki!

 

[Flashback]

10 days till I leave PER, 12 till it starts

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

I wouldn't be surprised if we see status given based on spend . IIRC, I think that is what Singapore Air has done with PPS or whatever it's known as?

Guess the top tier will include perks similar to what QF offers - Lounge access perhaps, bonus points, priority phone line, separate check-in queues etc.

:-|

Rgds

 

[StevePER]

So how much DJ travel does one have to do to get the email?

 

[wallacej]

So how much DJ travel does one have to do to get the email?

I got the email (obviously ) and I have travelled the big red flying bus 20 times since 1 Jan 07.

 

[pauly7]

I got the email, having only flown DJ twice this year (we are on BFOD and as DJ has been gettin more expensive my travel patterns have swung back to QF).

I really hope DJ are doing something really big, not just adding some hotel chain. I really don't mind DJ but feel they have been treading water this year, I don't think the TV's are a master play and the US flights are still a fair way off. Velocity really is pretty average so I'm hoping for GREAT things!!

I echo what other people have been posting, but would love to see Star Alliance (wishful thinking I suspect), premium economy/J class (ditto lol), food bundled in with certain fares, free lounge access for status tickets/passengers, tv bundled in with certain fares. Wouldn't mind DJ lowering some of their leisure fares as well... pretty certain they will have to when Tiger starts...

On one of my flights I visited the DJ lounge, was eerily empty - could have shot a 737 through it! - I would almost prefer it to be busy because then you know that it is popular, being used and marked for enhancement...

I have to disagree with people's comments about QF lounges though, I fly at peak times and have never not been able to get a seat. Bit of exaggerating I think... I will admit they are busier, but I don't mind that. I bump into so many people I know its kind of funny

FINGERS CROSSED for the big announcement!!

 

[zig]

Haven't received the email, checked my junk folder and spam folders, but not there