How Many SC's Poll? & Is there a new status level coming?

[firefox]

Hi Everyone,
I'm not related to VA in anyway, but i am real curious about this averaging of SC's.. (just letting everyone know so they don't ask!)
I'd like to see Virgin introduce another level (which has been discussed). Whats the bar they should set this at? What benefits should it have..
This would be on level with the so called Qantas Platinum One coming, which i am betting VA is doing a similar thing..

Feel free to post any thoughts on another level?

I've heard rumors from other frequent flyer's that this might be the case? Curious on what other's have heard and whether it's worthwhile for VA to do..
Trying to work out the level they would probably use?

 

[LiamR]

I highly doubt it to be honest.

 

[777]

Yeah, I'm with Liam: unlikely. They may introduce some extra perks for additional SCs right now there's additional perks up to 2000 (partner platinum) - wouldn't rule out something extra kicking in 2500, 3000 but probably not a new level.

 

[Mal]

Give them time to digest the current tiers, and devise some long term plans. Then they might think about any "uber" status categories that are appropriate.

 

[oz_mark]

While I think they will recognise the big SC earners, particularly those that fly business class a lot, I am more inclined to think that they will do some unpublished things for the uber level.

 

[firefox]

ive heard rumors around VA about a possible Uber level.. If they are going to attract regular business class flyers (what they are trying to do), wouldn't VA seriously consider this.
This would also fall into things like having additional lounges (i.e in sydney) where it looks like a so called F/J lounge might be coming?

 

[MarkD]

ive heard rumors around VA about a possible Uber level.. If they are going to attract regular business class flyers (what they are trying to do), wouldn't VA seriously consider this.
This would also fall into things like having additional lounges (i.e in sydney) where it looks like a so called F/J lounge might be coming?

Where did you that????
If it is fact, VA have totally lost their way, six lounges Australia Wide, yet they build a W*** lounge in a port that already has a lounge. Think $$$$ better spent adding a network of lounges, No need for a separate J lounge, its an EGO thing, and with limited resources, a shattered share price, and QF being very competitive, the building of a J Lounge would be, in a word, Stupid..

Also amuses me that Platinum is a fortnight old, and ppl are already talking of another HIGHER LEVEL again, geeezzzz Just because QF have these things VA dont have to have them. (Although lately they do seem to have morphed into a QF clone)

 

[777]

Where did you that????

I assume it's the rumours (largely self perpetuating) around here that the upper level of the SYD lounge (currently unused except for filming the odd TV ad) may be converted into a J lounge. It's not a totally stupid idea - assuming they are planning on opening the space to increase the capacity of the SYD lounge at some point - the marginal cost of it being a J only lounge would be relatively low. But i agree there are bigger priorities.

I'd really like to see them improve their international lounge offerings first. Surely at some point SYD, MEL, BNE international (in that order) warrant their own lounges for VA, VS, EY, and DL (and the odd NZ and SQ punter who drifts across).

 

[firefox]

we've all heard rumors the thread was trying to work out whats really probably going to happen.

MarkD i take your quote "(Although lately they do seem to have morphed into a QF clone)"

This is so true. If Virgin want to play on par with Qantas and want the business people to move they have to offer a comparable service. This would mean following very similar trends to that of what Qantas offers. There's another thread on here at the moment, about the PER-SYD flight, with 1 paying Business PAX...???

The concept of a J Lounge is drawn directly from the syd lounge, as we know it had filming above it.. And the colour scheme was that of the new lounge format. I have no idea whether it's a J lounge, but was interesting to open a discussion on thoughts whether we saw this coming.

Another point is if VA is going to play on par with Q, then they have two levels above Platinum.! One being Platinum One, soon to be introduced, and the other being the Chairmans Lounge (invite only). If VA is going after that business (which they are), then how are the going to compete without having these features or something similar???

It's a thought provoking thread. The poll was designed to understand if VA brought in a new level at what level would they attract people? At what level is it accepted.. They're building a lounge in Mackay purely to attract a certain group of people. Why would they not consider following Qantas on these other levels??

 

[Deleted member 29185]

My thoughts are documented on various AFF threads previous, but in a nutshell are:

1. No higher status levels yet (sometime down the track perhaps, depending upon the success of the J push- remember DJ are only targeting 20% of the AU business market at the moment)
2. A real addition to lure and keep high yield FFers that QF still have over DJ is Life Time Status. Once a member gets plat and partner plat, then what?? LT status (silver,gold,plat) would give the incentive to continue to accrue as many points as possible.
3. A J lounge is a very distinct possibility in SYD, as has been pointed out a number of times. We know work is almost complete upstairs in SYD so my guess is the Lounge will move up there to enable downstairs to cop a revamp (à la, MEL/BNE) and once complete, the upstairs could undergo a small reno to J once the regular Lounge moved back down again.
4. The Lounge network is expanding with OOL and MKY announced already with one or two to go (sorry can't remember whether it was 3 or 4 new lounges announced, can someone help out there?) but if a J does go into SYD, that might be the third.
5. What's the point of one J lounge in SYD? The point, I believe, would be the high yield money flyers to the resource rich WA. DJ has brought on the Coast to Coast service first of all (SYD-PER) so a natural extension of that would be a J Lounge also at PER, which is also mooted as on the cards to be an important DJ partner network hub........which may be the forth lounge (if in fact, four were announced).

 

[777]

It's interesting all this discussion about them being a "QF clone" - i honestly don't see it. They are trying to be premium airline though and to some extent that inevitably involves doing a lot of the same things that QF (and several dozen other airlines around the world) do.

I think they're actually trying to differentiate themselves from QF by doing key things differently. I don't see them as throwing money at trying to replicate everything Qantas does - particularly where it will drive up their costs. Instead i see them as finding ways to offer things that QF can't/ doesn't that are of little or no significant cost to them (eg. priority boarding, family friendly structure in the FF program, generous upgrades - none of which should cost them much really) but may be hard for Qantas to emulate given its cost base and its more rigid structures. I don't think the question driving VA at the moment is "how can we copy qantas" it's "what can we do that qantas doesn't or can't."

Remember, the stated intention here is to capture 20% of the business market (up from 10% where they started) and i think they're on track to do that (as of the end of last FY they're share had jumped from 10% to 13% and that was BEFORE the FF relaunch, the business class product was widely available, etc). Perhaps it's a question worthy of it's own thread but what else can they do that wouldn't cost them much but would dramatically improve customer experience/ loyalty/ spend?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

what else can they do that wouldn't cost them much but would dramatically improve customer experience/ loyalty/ spend?

It seems the biggest gripe we still hear, here on AFF, is consistancy.

They have addressed that to an extent, by placing written guidelines around some of the unofficial, but obviously sanctioned, benefits seen over the past few years and we're also seeing a higher level of consistancy with FA attitudes (very pleasant attitude I might say), Lounge angels, lounge offerings and gold desk. The ordinary call centre is still a festering sore in the way of both politness and consistancy and while it remains O/S, that's unlikely to change.

 

[MarkD]

so a natural extension of that would be a J Lounge also at PER, which is also mooted as on the cards to be an important DJ partner network hub........which may be the forth lounge (if in fact, four were announced).

Well I hope they spend some$$$$$$ upgrading the standard PER Lounge before putting in a second J Lounge there! :shock:

 

[777]

Well I hope they spend some$$$$$$ upgrading the standard PER Lounge before putting in a second J Lounge there! :shock:

An extension to the capacity of the current Perth lounge is planned. I don't imagine they will do a major upgrade until they move to their new terminal in a few years. At that point i'd expect something pretty impressive.

Link: http://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-australia-to-expand-perth-airport-lounge

Both Perth and Canberra have whole new VA terminals coming online in the next few years.