Further Status Extension to 28 Feb 2023

[mrbraun]

It's worth a go.

You do seem to fall outside of the current Status extensions (see link below)

Velocity Status Rewards

Find out how Virgin Australia is rewarding existing Status members with Status Rewards. Find out more about our Status Match extension with our Discover Gold Program update.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

But if they are handing out 8 months to everyone else who has not flown then why not you too!

Cheers

I'll call and check back in here for the info of others like @exceladdict

Thanks for this.

It does seem unfair that just because my date falls in May... that I wouldn't get the extension. That extra month doesn't really give me a lot of time to wrack up the points.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

They are now pushing us to book by the looks of the email I got.
Review month now Aug 22.
Prior to this, the wordings were straight extension.
Moving forward, it probably means now if you dont fly and/or earn via FB, its a hard drop to the next downwards status.

 

[OrangeRoughie]

Yep. Didn’t get time to call up today but will ask them about it tomorrow aswell

Have you had the chance to call them yet? If so, what was your outcome?

 

[mrbraun]

Have you had the chance to call them yet? If so, what was your outcome?

They're going to call me back after "escalating". Was waiting for the outcome before posting.

It was very much "computer says no" response.

They told me that I'd already received 3 extensions over Covid, and that I should have booked a flight during the extension offer from Sep 2020- Mar 2021.

I had to continuously explain how difficult it would be for anyone in Melb to maintain points, and the uncertainty around flights and the pandemic and work/income but it didn't really seem like the staff member understood. She just kept repeating what I should have done.

In hindsight, I could have booked a flight during the promo period and simply moved or cancelled it as needed...but I'd already lost work/income and wasn't in a position to spend beyond living expenses. I thought part of the idea behind extending status over that time was to accommodate people in that position to get us to a point where we can safely reinvest in maintaining status.

Anyhow, I'm waiting for the call back but not holding my breath.

edit: not for me ha. But I'll leave the post up for any interested

 

[jase05]

Have you had the chance to call them yet? If so, what was your outcome?

Yes called them yesterday. Approximately 3 minutes to get through. Staff member understood my concerns and noted that others may be affected too. Took down some notes and left me on hold for a couple of minutes so she could “escalate” the issue. Said she would personally call me back with outcome. Guess I’ll wait and see

 

[Brizz]

and noted that others may be affected too.

Who cares if other people are affected - that is their problem and definitely not yours....

"I cant fix your problem cos other people...." what rubbish!

Cheers

 

[ff-jr]

Received my Gold extension, next review date is 28 Feb 2023. Haven't flown since Oct 2019. New member card is in the mail.

 

[exceladdict]

Received my Gold extension, next review date is 28 Feb 2023. Haven't flown since Oct 2019. New member card is in the mail.

any bookings?

 

[Lord_Lenny]

Extension received last week (or week before maybe??) with a new review date of Feb23 - which I can hopefully push a little further when I activate my membership pause thanks to Baby Lenny.

That said we were lucky enough to be in a position to book a short trip within the Sep - Mar promo period which we then flew in May in between Sydney lockdowns

 

[MooTime]

Extension received last week (or week before maybe??) with a new review date of Feb23 - which I can hopefully push a little further when I activate my membership pause thanks to Baby Lenny.

That said we were lucky enough to be in a position to book a short trip within the Sep - Mar promo period which we then flew in May in between Sydney lockdowns

Congrats on the baby.

Then the beautiful Airlines gift of free domestic travels for babies under 2 & at same time the annoyance for other pax when babies unsettled, ha!

We took advantage of the free infant travel, nice experience.

 

[Lord_Lenny]

Congrats on the baby.

Then the beautiful Airlines gift of free domestic travels for babies under 2 & at same time the annoyance for other pax when babies unsettled, ha!

We took advantage of the free infant travel, nice experience.

Thanks, she's 18mths now and was 9mths when we took her to Tassie, Y down and J (points upgrade) back, apparently she preferred the wider seat in J

Hoping to maybe squeeze in a quick Brisbane trip before we have to start paying for her. Luckily for us she travelled pretty well, although they were short flights which we timed over one of her naps so we got her down for a short sleep on them both.

 

[Dee#]

Yes I've had the extension to Feb 2023 and partner til Jan 2023 his anniversary date. Mines June.
But not looking good for me and virgin. Perth - Darwin flights don't seem to have business. Back to the dark ages. Don't want to play sardines in economy at any price with covid.

 

[Bagpuss]

Well I wasn't expecting much flying for when my platinum status got reset at the end of Feb 2022 (to re qualify by Feb 2023) and feared dropping status next year as during each of these covid extensions I actually did a fair bit of flying.
That said, surprise surprise with the status credit bonus offer, a number of direct flights changing to indirects ..... Yep, yesterday I re qualified for platinum (kinda of within 2 months)

 

[antycbr]

Well I wasn't expecting much flying for when my platinum status got reset at the end of Feb 2022 (to re qualify by Feb 2023) and feared dropping status next year as during each of these covid extensions I actually did a fair bit of flying.
That said, surprise surprise with the status credit bonus offer, a number of direct flights changing to indirects ..... Yep, yesterday I re qualified for platinum (kinda of within 2 months)

Well done. My partner and I both requalified for platinum by the end of April. Paid business using credits and going indirect really pays off!

 

[andye]

Just received a WP card extending to Jun 23. Haven't flown VA (or a partner in revenue) in over 2 years. Guess the extension flight not needed

 

[ozstamps]

Am VERY surprised there are any auto extensions taking place mid 2022 to folks doing zero flying for years.

Makes zero sense.

Maybe dangling an enticement carrot might have some merit - less flights than usual and less SC etc before a certain date is business savvy, but zero of either makes zero sense.

 

[andye]

Am VERY surprised there are any auto extensions taking place mid 2022 to folks doing zero flying for years.

Makes zero sense.

Maybe dangling an enticement carrot might have some merit - less flights than usual and less SC etc before a certain date is business savvy, but zero of either makes zero sense.

Oops. Have to correct myself. I did fly SYD-MEL in J in May but that was an airline rebooking of a cancelled CX award flight onto VA/QR (did credit VA points though).

I wasn't expecting to be extended outside the rules at start of thread.
Whether it makes business sense? (a) a bit of plastic and a letter don't cost much (b) I am a bit more likely to fly VA over the next year (c) its likely to increase my investment in the VFF programme
But it us tough for those who've earned it flying especially if they have spent excess $ to reach a status level

 

[Robert K]

virgin flights have been ridiculously cheap

 

[Happy Dude]

virgin flights have been ridiculously cheap

Some may be but not in my experience. Last flight of the day 9pm MEL to CBR for a Sunday about a month away was $360 in J. All J seats available for purchase. Flights to Cairns last month were also weelllll above cheap at $650 rtn in Y bought a month in advance. Probably just CBR tax perhaps.

 

[ozstamps]

a bit of plastic and a letter don't cost much

There have been 2 years of that already. For good reason. However, the Free Ride was long over I'd have assumed.

LOTS of Elites will not bother to spend money and fly if status keeps getting extended for near zero effort. THAT costs Virgin money.

I've racked up about 1200 Status credits in the last month or two, costing a lot of money, on totally discretionary new travel, to easily lock in Platinum again. Seems like there was no need to bother?