Idea's for further Virgin and or Velocity benefits

[dandandan]

Let me start this thread by stating that it really irks me, that by deciding to pay Virgin close to another 3 times the price of our (partner and I) original booked seats, by upgrading* (See below before you make flexi or fare rule comment!) from a saver fare to a business class fare that they want to charge me $60 per person.

This means I have to pay $60 more per seat for a business class far than anyone else!!!, I mean talk about discouraging people not to upgrade their flights to business seats and increase revenue. I reluctantly paid the change fee today, only because of the double status and points promo, however this will be for the last time, as if I have booked a saver fare and a fee continues to apply to upgrade to business, I will not upgrade.

I think this could be a good and simple marketing strategy to encourage people to upgrade to business. I mean we have done a fair few recent flights from SYD-OOL return, in economy and premium (I had premium with old and new seat product) and there has been plenty of empty seats in the premium/business section. By simply allowing an upgrade of your flight from saver to business, with no change fee, I am sure this will encourage some paid upgrades. It's not like people are going to use this as a loophole to get around paying no fee if they want to cancel a saver fare e.g. upgrade from saver to business then cancel for a full refund, you just put a condition on the change that a change fee will apply on saver fare upgrade to business and subsequent cancellation. Or maybe this could be a feature for higher tiered velocity members, that there is no change fee from any ticket class to business.

So what does everyone think about that?

*Yes I know the fare rules and that I should book a flexi...blah blah blah, but the title of the thread is idea's for further benefits.

Okay, I had a fantastic result with this tonight. Upgraded 2 saver fares to business and did not get charged a change fee. Great work Virgin. Sam who served me in the Premium contact centre was really good to deal with, she was very helpful and pleasant. I was transferred to her from the overseas call centre after the first girl I spoke to realised I was a Gold member, apparently it was not coming up in the booking centre that I was Gold so maybe this was why I was unable to get the change fee waived last time, like many other Gold and Platinum members mentioned they had been able to in this thread. I was also able to get a credit for the extra infant saver seat we had booked on the same flight, we can carry our son on our lap for this flight with the extra room, one of the last time's before he turns 2. Hopefully we do not get a surprise PE aircraft like we did on Sunday's flight home when booked in Business.