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[StevePER]

Has anybody else heard that the Velocity changes will include Gold and Silver tiers that are achieved based on yearly fare spend?

Haven't heard that, but it makes a lot of sense since the whole program is based on spend. I can't see them complicating it with status credits or something equivalent.

So how many points do the DJ regulars have? I have approx 5800. How will they differentiate between DJ and partner points?

I have about 28000 from the past year, but in that time I've been flying less than normal - just six PER-SYD returns. I don't think status with DJ would make much difference to me anyway - I'm already a Lounge member and always get Blue Zone and hence priority checkin. Unless I can use my points for upgrades to another airline. :mrgreen:

Steve

 

[pauly7]

I don't think so. I am almost certain Peter (Yada Yada) would be one of the first if there is something in the pipeline. He will not be at liberty to reveal any details though.

Well apparantly the story has been leaked anyway, according the the SMH (if you believe their source)....

In a couple of weeks DJ is going to announce a lowER cost sub brand which will be more like Jetstar and Tiger... apparently they will be squeezing even more seats into planes assigned to this sub brand!

Maybe this is the big news announcement (if so not so exciting to many of us on here, yet another LCC).... and if you have seen the Virgin billboards around at the moment 'Get what you want' maybe that has something to do with it.....

 

[NM]

Well apparantly the story has been leaked anyway, according the the SMH (if you believe their source)....

In a couple of weeks DJ is going to announce a lowER cost sub brand which will be more like Jetstar and Tiger... apparently they will be squeezing even more seats into planes assigned to this sub brand!

We await the announcement of Virgin Cyan or will it be Virgin Aqua?

Or perhaps just V-lite?

 

[Mal]

Nah it will be called V

(Think of all the unnecessary expense that will be saved by not printing any other letters in the name!)

 

[ksthommo]

Flew Virgin this morning, Cairns/Brisbane. The Aisle sign for the Priority
check in line has Velocity Gold and Velocity Silver also on the sign.

Will have to wait and see if I qualify, fly around 12 times a year with Virgin:?:

 

[stuartfaz]

Flew Virgin this morning, Cairns/Brisbane. The Aisle sign for the Priority
check in line has Velocity Gold and Velocity Silver also on the sign.

woohoo for tiers!

wonder when the official announcement from DJ will be. Perhaps coinciding with Virgin Aquamarine or whatever this proposed super-LCC will be called.

 

[moa999]

I'm tipping the LCC will share the 'V Australia' or just plain 'V' moniker.
(particularly since the recent changes to Velocity Rewards logo and emblem)

Indeed I wouldnt be surprised to see the 'Virgin' tag disappear totally eventually - I dont think Toll and Branson get on that well.

V will have the seat pitch reduced and New Age Frills dropped. Virgin Blue will get a Premium Econ/ Business section.

Press reports today that Branson is considering investing in AirAsia X would further hurt the relationship, given that AAX could potentially compete with 'V Australia' on the US route (without requiring Aus Govt approvals)

 

[ANstar]

I'm tipping the LCC will share the 'V Australia' or just plain 'V' moniker.
(particularly since the recent changes to Velocity Rewards logo and emblem)

Indeed I wouldnt be surprised to see the 'Virgin' tag disappear totally eventually - I dont think Toll and Branson get on that well.

V will have the seat pitch reduced and New Age Frills dropped. Virgin Blue will get a Premium Econ/ Business section.

Press reports today that Branson is considering investing in AirAsia X would further hurt the relationship, given that AAX could potentially compete with 'V Australia' on the US route (without requiring Aus Govt approvals)

Given V Australia is likely to be a full serv ice international airline, wouldn't it therefore make sense just to rebrand Virgin Blue as V Australia also?

The LCC can then be called Blue or whatever they like, but it makes sense to keep the full service intenrational and higher than LCC domestic operation similar?

 

[stuartfaz]

i dont see the neccesity in renaming Virgin Blue. It's an extremely strong brand name here, plus theyve already printed new Velocity cards .

V Australia should build up its own reputation before DJ even think about maybe considering using that name domestically.

As for the ULCC name, they could always same money by removing unneccessary vowels. You could fly Vrgn Bl.

 

[moa999]

Given V Australia is likely to be a full serv ice international airline, wouldn't it therefore make sense just to rebrand Virgin Blue as V Australia also?

Maybe.
But I also wonder whether they would want to go down the path of another 'New World' / mid-market airline, giving the ability to get pincered between QF/JQ and maybe SQ/AirAsia.
From what I have read 'V Australia' has only been referred to as a new longhaul carrier - no indication on which pricepoint/ services it will play, although they have said they won't create a price war

 

[Yada Yada]

The so-called "pincer" action by QF/JQ did not work. JQ had to improve their standards to match Virgin Blue's and Qantas is still trying to lower theirs without further destroying employee (and especially crew) morale. Meanwhile Virgin Blue is operating more profitably than ever before.

I think it's evident that Virgin Blue's product offerings suit the market a lot better than many give them credit for. Viewing or critiquing the way they choose to operate through the prism of how legacy airlines such as QF operate is flawed. What Virgin Blue has achieved in 7 years is remarkable and has forced QF and JQ to play catch-up in many respects.

I doubt that VB's plans for V-Australia and anything else they are currently considering will be rushed out without careful planning.

 

[oz_mark]

The so-called "pincer" action by QF/JQ did not work. JQ had to improve their standards to match Virgin Blue's and Qantas is still trying to lower theirs without further destroying employee (and especially crew) morale. Meanwhile Virgin Blue is operating more profitably than ever before.

Alternatively, you could argue that JQ had to improve its standards as Australians were not ready to accept the substandard service that LCC's pride themselves on. Let us also not forget that DJ has also improved its standards and service offerings over the last few years.

As an example, I have read that when JQ started offering FF points on selected fares, they increased their revenues to a greater extent than the cost of giving the points. DJ has also added a loyalty program as part of product offering, and this would not have been done without some expectation of increasingrevenues.

I think it's evident that Virgin Blue's product offerings suit the market a lot better than many give them credit for. Viewing or critiquing the way they choose to operate through the prism of how legacy airlines such as QF operate is flawed. What Virgin Blue has achieved in 7 years is remarkable and has forced QF and JQ to play catch-up in many respects.

I think you ignore the fact that DJ has been improving service standards over the last couple of years, and certainly has a much better product offering than they did a few years ago. In comparing it with QF, and I have said it elsewhere, is that it is always easier to improve a product offering than downgrade that offering.

You mention above that Qantas is trying to decrease its standards without affecting employee morale. They are also trying to do it without destroying the market perception of a superior product. They cannot do this forever, as eventually the average punter will notice the product difference between Qantas and Virgin Blue is much narrower than it used to be

I doubt that VB's plans for V-Australia and anything else they are currently considering will be rushed out without careful planning.

As all airlines do. I don't think QF or JQ, or TT for that matter, are any different.

What we do have is a more interesting competitve market than we have had for a few years, and I am sure there is much more up the sleeves of both Qantas and Virgin Blue and Tiger and Jetstar, and I hope they all stay around.

 

[futaris]

Hopefully the inflight system ends up being like what's in the states:

Virgin America Inaugural
Boing Boing: Getting high with Richard Branson: Virgin America's virgin flight

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

For those that haven't yet visited it, the Velocity Rewards website is down for maintenance and will be available again later tonight/early Sunday. They are no doubt upgrading the website to include information on the new status levels and upgrading the information shown in members' accounts. Here's a screenshot of the current message being displayed on the website:

With AFF members talking about premium check-in lines already available at certain airports, a relaunch of the program will surely have to occur early next week (MON 13th).

Also I like the revised logo they've been using for some time now! Looks good ("Virgin" text is like VS', Virgin Money etc).

Rgds

 

[stuartfaz]

For those that haven't yet visited it, the Velocity Rewards website is down for maintenance and will be available again later tonight/early Sunday. They are no doubt upgrading the website to include information on the new status levels and upgrading the information shown in members' accounts. Here's a screenshot of the current message being displayed on the website:

With AFF members talking about premium check-in lines already available at certain airports, a relaunch of the program will surely have to occur early next week (MON 13th).

Also I like the revised logo they've been using for some time now! Looks good ("Virgin" text is like VS', Virgin Money etc).

Rgds

Ooo exciting

I'm looking forward to the tiers, makes me wonder who on here is going to be the first to do a DJ status run

 

[Mal]

Ooo exciting

I'm looking forward to the tiers, makes me wonder who on here is going to be the first to do a DJ status run

Or even worse, stays up checking the VelocityRewards site every 2 minutes until it comes back up to report to us what's new

 

[stuartfaz]

Or even worse, stays up checking the VelocityRewards site every 2 minutes until it comes back up to report to us what's new

someone has to take one for the team...

 

[stuartfaz]

the site's back up and, for now, nothing's changed.

 

[Mal]

the site's back up and, for now, nothing's changed.

Actually there is a very small change... Under my Activity Statement:

11 August 2007 "Status review - see Account Details"

Account details shows nothing new for me.

 

[wallacej]

Actually there is a very small change... Under my Activity Statement:

11 August 2007 "Status review - see Account Details"

Account details shows nothing new for me.

Shows the same for me too. It will be interesting to see what happens and how they put together the tiers.

I have completed 24 flights since January this year (with still one more to credit from yesterday) but most of my flights were on the cheap fares.

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