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[wallacej]

Well something has changed... I am suddenly a silver member with only couple of points to go to gold... dont know what it means just yet... got some new reading to do.

Looks like I might just get that shiny new card....

 

[SeaWolf]

Ok, having a look at the status page, you'd need to spend $4000 to reach Silver, then another $5000 to reach Gold. Not bad at all really. Once you've reached Gold though, because of the extra status earning power you'd only need to spend $7143 in the next calendar year to renew it.

Velocity> Status and Benefits

However, Red members only earn 5 points per dollar spent, while before we were earning 6. Hopefully they've tweaked the number of point required for a reward down a bit as well, but I'd be surprised.

 

[Mal]

Well as I presumed I would be, I'm a lowly Red

Oh well. Only ~$3000 to spend on DJ flights to make Silver, and a lot more for Gold!

I like their new system from first glance. Will need to read more details about it to comment further.

 

[ksthommo]

However, Red members only earn 5 points per dollar spent, while before we were earning 6. Hopefully they've tweaked the number of point required for a reward down a bit as well, but I'd be surprised.

Fine Print on the website

Red Members earn 6 Velocity Points and 6 Status Credits per Australian dollar until 23 September 2007.

 

[pauly7]

Wow haven't read this thread for a while, love all the speculation about Star Alliance, business class, more Virgin Club lounges, making the Foxtel free etc!

Am I right in saying apart from a logo enhancement and some new advertising, the only thing new so far is the introduction of tiers? (which is great btw).

I guess that tiers takes them another step closer to Star Alliance though!(forever hoping lol)

 

[pauly7]

However, Red members only earn 5 points per dollar spent, while before we were earning 6. Hopefully they've tweaked the number of point required for a reward down a bit as well, but I'd be surprised.

LOL DJ taking a leaf from QF's book on 'How to enhance'!

 

[wallacej]

I think the airline definition of enhancement is different to that understood by the rest of the population.

I wonder if surgeons have a similar definition, and if when they perform "enhancements" they actually leave their patients with more or less.

 

[stuartfaz]

Did anyone manage to catch a glimpse of what the status benefits were before the site was taken down?

It might help with the Velocity abbreviations...(well we've got NR for a start)

 

[SeaWolf]

I remember increased luggage allowance (32kg for Gold), priority check in and Lounge membership for Gold, with Silver getting a complimentary pass.

 

[Mal]

This sounds like a game of memory!

Let's see how I go:

(Red - 5/Silver - 6 /Gold -7?) SC's/Velocity Points per $ spent on Virgin Blue group flights. (NO SC's on other airlines - this included Virgin Atlantic)

Everything SeaWolf mentioned - with Silver also getting priority check-in.

PS - Thanks to wallacej for discovering the changes!! Out of all the various Frequent Flying boards I've checked, I believe this was first posted here!

 

[DJ737]

Hi there

Red - No lounge access unless Lounge member
Silver 20K status credits - One complimentary visit & discounted membership
Gold - 50K status credits - Unlimited lounge access (but will this include one guest like the Lounge membership does?)

Cheers
DJ737

 

[wallacej]

This sounds like a game of memory!

Let's see how I go:

(Red - 5/Silver - 6 /Gold -7?) SC's/Velocity Points per $ spent on Virgin Blue group flights. (NO SC's on other airlines - this included Virgin Atlantic)

Everything SeaWolf mentioned - with Silver also getting priority check-in.

PS - Thanks to wallacej for discovering the changes!! Out of all the various Frequent Flying boards I've checked, I believe this was first posted here!

Thankyou... I knew I should have copied the page here though!! I am going through my cached pages to see if I can find it.. this is all I can retrieve so far.

Velocity Rewards has gone Gold! (Silver, and Red). Virgin Blue's award-winning Loyalty Program, Velocity, is now rewarding members with Gold, Silver and Red Status Membership. If you're not a member yet, join now - it's free and you can do it online. Start earning Velocity Points and Status Credits to be truly rewarded!

Red Members will earn 6 Velocity Points and 6 Status Credits per dollar until 23 September 2007. From then on, Red Members will earn 5 Velocity Points and 5 Status Credits per dollar


I will keep hunting

 

[wallacej]

I had nothing else to do while watching footy... I found the cached paged... cached at 9.54am 18 Aug 07...

Status and Benefits

We're constantly looking for more ways to reward our Velocity Members, so we've introduced three Status Levels into the Program: Red, Silver and Gold.
To move from Red to Silver and upwards to Gold you need to collect Status Credits. Status Credits can be earned with Virgin Blue, Polynesian Blue or Pacific Blue.
Collect enough Status Credits within your 12 month Qualification Period and you'll immediately move up a Status Level. To keep your Velocity Silver or Gold Membership you just need to collect the appropriate number of Status Credits each year. It's really that simple.
Each Status Level gives you access to additional benefits when flying with Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue. So the more you fly the more benefits you receive!

• How do I earn Status Credits?
• How do I retain my Status?
• The Technical Stuff (with examples)

• Your Membership Card
• Benefits for Silver and Gold
• FAQs

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</IMG> How do I Earn Status Credits? Status Credits are earned by flying with Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue. Each time you fly, you collect Status Credits for each dollar spent on your fare.
Your Status Credits are separate to your Velocity Points - they add up to determine your Red, Silver or Gold Status with Velocity Rewards. The more Status Credits you earn in your Qualification Period, the more you will be rewarded.
For every dollar spent flying with Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue, Velocity Members earn:

StatusVelocity PointsStatus CreditsRed*55Silver66Gold77* Red Members earn 6 Velocity Points and 6 Status Credits per Australian dollar until 23 September 2007.​

You can also use our Points Calculator to give you an indication of the Status Credits you can earn on a particular flight.
You have a 12-month Qualification Period to earn the required number of Status Credits to move up to Silver or Gold Membership. Qualification levels are:

StatusStatus CreditsSilver20,000Gold50,000​

Each year, you have until the anniversary of the end of the month you joined Velocity to earn these. If you earn enough Status Credits before the Qualification Period is up, you are upgraded to your new Status level and start receiving your new benefits straight away.
Remember, your Velocity Points never expire while you have an active Account, although your Status Credits expire at the end of each 12-month Qualification Period.
How do I retain my Status? Once you have earned Silver or Gold Status, you remain at that Status Level for at least 12 months. To retain your Status each year just continue to earn with Velocity as follows:

Silver Members:Simply earn 20,000 Status Credits in your 12-month Qualification Period.



Your earning power of 6 Status Credits plus 6 Velocity Points per dollar spent on your Virgin Blue fare makes this easier than ever.Gold Members:Earn 50,000 or more Status Credits in your 12-month Qualification Period.



You can achieve this even faster with you increased earning power of 7 Status Credits and 7 Velocity Points per dollar spent on your Virgin Blue fare.​

Your Review Date for retaining your Status is the anniversary of the month in which you joined Velocity. For easy reference it is featured on your card.
Don't forget that although Status Credits are only valid for the year of review, your Velocity Points never expire while your Account is active, and you can use them to redeem any available seat with all our Airline Partners, including peak times like Christmas and school holidays.
Your Membership Card Your Membership Card is the key to your benefits. Whenever you travel with Virgin Blue make sure you show your Card to ensure you enjoy all the great benefits entitled to you.
Silver and Gold Membership Cards now include more information about your Membership to help you remember key information. These Cards shows three important dates:

• 'Member Since' which shows the month and year you joined Velocity Rewards.
• 'Review Date' which is the end of your 12-month Qualification Period for earning Status Credits.
• 'Benefits Expire' is the date your Card expires. To make your benefits last even longer we've given you an additional two months of benefits, so this date is simply two months after your Review Date.

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​

Benefits for Silver and Gold To reward you for your loyalty, Silver and Gold Members are entitled to a range of benefits when flying with Virgin Blue. We'll be introducing more Status benefits all the time, so make sure you watch this space!

Status LevelBenefitsSilverGoldThe LoungeComplimentary one visit pass.

Discounted annual Membership offer Complimentary MembershipEarning Power

per $ spent

(on Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue)6 Velocity Points

6 Status Credits7 Velocity Points

7 Status CreditsPriority Check-inYesYesPriority Phone ServiceYesYesIncreased Baggage AllowanceYesUp to 32 kgPersonalised Baggage TagsYesYes​

The technical stuff (with examples) Here's a brief explanation of those technical terms, with a bit more detail about how they work - to help you understand Status Credits, Velocity Status Levels and the processes involved.

• Status Credits: these are earned (along with Velocity Points) when you take part in an Eligible Activity with selected Program Partners. They add up to help you qualify for Silver or Gold Membership.
• Eligible Activity: this could be a flight with Virgin Blue, Polynesian Blue or Pacific Blue, or an Eligible Activity with one of our selected Program Partners.
• Qualification Period: each 12-month period from the anniversary of you joining Velocity Rewards. At the end of each 12 month Qualification Period, on your Review Date, we assess your ability to maintain your current Status, and then reset your Status Credit balance to zero - for the start of your next Qualification Period.
• Benefit Period: runs from the time that you achieve Status until your anniversary of joining Velocity Rewards, plus another 12 months, and then another 2 months (to allow us to get your new card to you). How good is that?

For example: if you joined the program on 14th February 2007 then the 'Member Since' date on your Membership Card will be '02/07' and your Review Date will be February each year - that's easy to remember. You now have a Qualification Period of 12 months to earn enough Status Credits to qualify for Silver or Gold Membership.
If you then earned 20,000 Status Credits by July 2007, you'd become a Velocity Silver Member immediately and your Benefit Period would run from July 07 to the end of your Qualification Period (February 08) and then for another 12 months until February 09. We'd also add on a Grace Period of 2 months to give us time to get your new Membership Card to you, so your Benefits won't expire until April 09 - you just keep on receiving with Velocity!
In February 08, after your Review Date, you start another Qualification Period, so we reset your Status Credits to zero. To maintain Silver Membership you would have to earn at least 20,000 Status Credits between February 08 and February 09, otherwise you would go back down to Red Membership when your Benefits expire in April 09.
If you earn enough Status Credits to keep your Silver Membership it'll run from April 09 until February 2010 - and we will still give you another 2 months grace, so it would continue until April 2010. And so on!

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[wallacej]

I think that was the quickest I had ever gained, then lost a status... :shock:

 

[stuartfaz]

All the status stuff is back up now.

Whether it stays there is a different matter entirely...

 

[stuartfaz]

NAME OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE

Matilda Blue 15.00
V Australia Airlines 17.50
Australia Blue 1.75
Virgin Pacific 2.50
Amelia Blue 1500.00
Didgeree Blue 150.00
Liberty Blue 125.00
Virgin Australia 75.00

VELOCITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Nothing 3.00
Star Alliance (immediate) 25.00
Star Alliance (eventual) 5.00
Skyteam (imediate) 45.00
Skyteam (eventual) 25.00
Domestic J class 15.00
Velocity tiers 4.50
Points on new airline 1.50
New non-airline partner 7.50
New airline partner 8.50
Combination of the above 0.50

Just for those of you who were interested, the final payouts were:

NAME OF NEW INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE

None of the above: No Odds.

TECHNICALLY...the announced name of the new airline was V Australia, different to the competition name, V Australia Airlines... ie. I'm not paying out 17.50, even if it is imaginary...

It it were VAA (which its not btw ) it would have been - V Australia Airlines: 17.50/1

I love technicalities.

VELOCITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Combination of the above: 0.50/1 comprising of:

• New non-airline partner (whatever that 'get in the know' thing was): 7.50/1
• aaand of course, Velocity tiers: 4.50/1

 

[wallacej]

I sitll think that priority bag tag for silver/gold would be something that is easy to implement.
Does anyone here know what goes on "behind doors" that could explain why DJ couldn't offer a priority bag tag process? It would just be nicer to get the bag first of the carousel, and it might slow down the number of morons that try and bring EVERYTHING onto plane with them..

 

[StevePER]

I sitll think that priority bag tag for silver/gold would be something that is easy to implement.

Maybe this can be added later on - priority baggage would be a real benefit. As it stands, the introduction of status levels does nothing for me apart from making the lounge busier and the priority checkin queue longer.

 

[Mal]

All the status stuff is back up now.

Whether it stays there is a different matter entirely...

And gone again!

I think there may be an issue at Virgin Blue where the web content is kept on several webservers, but they aren't all in sync with each other. So it works for a while, then not for a while etc.

Don't know for sure. But very weird!

 

[wallacej]

Maybe this can be added later on - priority baggage would be a real benefit. As it stands, the introduction of status levels does nothing for me apart from making the lounge busier and the priority checkin queue longer.

Agreed I have enjoyed the secret space of the lounge for some time....shhhhh