Is International Virgin Reward availability now worse that QANTAS?

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

That's interesting.

I filled out the 'Website Feedback' contact form on 21 July describing the problem:
Their response showed that they didn't really understand the problem:

Or that they do understand it but couldn't be bothered dealing with it. Far easier to fob you off with the nearest form reply they could find in 5 seconds of looking!

 

[scwappy]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Does the 'problem' enhance the profitability of VFF in any way thereby appeasing the company that purchased a 30% interest?

 

[Lonely Flyer]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Does the 'problem' enhance the profitability of VFF in any way thereby appeasing the company that purchased a 30% interest?

Are not the points out in accounts a liability on their books so not attractive I would have thought.

 

[steel_au]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Just wanted to add my voice to the throng. Spent the majority of the day trying to find anything I could in Europe to travel Business class. And I was flexible. Basically any time in 2017, I was willing to fly to Madrid/London/Rome/Cairo/Athens/Berlin. I got sick of searching and gave up. The only thing I found was direct to Abu Dhabi and thats where it ended.

Came here and find everyone else has that issue too. So hopefully they sort it soon because although I am flexible, I dont want to leave my organisation too late.

 

[pauly7]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Are not the points out in accounts a liability on their books so not attractive I would have thought.

Not really a liability if no one can ever redeem them

 

[pauly7]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Just wanted to add my voice to the throng. Spent the majority of the day trying to find anything I could in Europe to travel Business class. And I was flexible. Basically any time in 2017, I was willing to fly to Madrid/London/Rome/Cairo/Athens/Berlin. I got sick of searching and gave up. The only thing I found was direct to Abu Dhabi and thats where it ended.

Came here and find everyone else has that issue too. So hopefully they sort it soon because although I am flexible, I dont want to leave my organisation too late.

Call them and make them do the work. If they find something then check yourself and if it isn't available online just say I can't see it, please book it and no assistance fee thanks very much. Reference my earlier post - you have to teach them a lesson!

 

[scwappy]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Call them and make them do the work. If they find something then check yourself and if it isn't available online just say I can't see it, please book it and no assistance fee thanks very much. Reference my earlier post - you have to teach them a lesson!

Are not the points out in accounts a liability on their books so not attractive I would have thought.

It's interesting. I would have thought VFF would have to purchase the seat from EY (for example), but can certainly see your point re liability.

 

[Zchanf7]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I was looking for 2 J class for travel Bne - lax in December and return January 2017

I started looking from January 2016 and every day for 4 months! Nothing! So gave up looking.

 

[mlob]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I have 2 J awards Bris Lax 2nd April that I will be cancelling and will therefore be back in the system. happy to co-ordinate their release if someone is keen on them.

 

[Lonely Flyer]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I have 2 J awards Bris Lax 2nd April that I will be cancelling and will therefore be back in the system. happy to co-ordinate their release if someone is keen on them.

My understanding is that they do not necessarily go back into award availability.

 

[mlob]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

My understanding is that they do not necessarily go back into award availability.

I just made the cancelation and immediately checked. they went straight back into the system. 2 J seats available. Its actually April 4not 2 as previously stated. (my bad)

 

[Lonely Flyer]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I just made the cancelation and immediately checked. they went straight back into the system. 2 J seats available. Its actually April 4not 2 as previously stated. (my bad)

Maybe I was thinking QF....

 

[serfty]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Maybe I was thinking QF....

No - they don't always go back with either QF or VA.

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, with the former more likely a long way out or if there deep discount fare buckets show plenty of availability.

 

[supa007]

It seems like Virgin Australia has changed their policy regarding release of award seats.

In forward planning a family trip for 2017, I've spent a lot of time sitting in front of computer clicking to check for Business Award availability on popular routes and have come up empty... East coast to LA, none. East coast to Singapore, none. East coast to Abu Dhabi, none!!! We're talking about looking 300 days in advance, not for next week!!! Not a single economy award seat too!

Called their member contact centre and the guy looked through June, July, and what he can see into Aug 2017 and failed to find me a business reward seat, and kept "encouraging" me to book a flexi economy with a "chance" of scoring an upgrade with points closer to departure...

This is not an IT issue where we can't see award seat availability, it's a new directive by their revenue team. Vastly limit award seat release, leave the seats empty for customers to upgrade into with points / money closer to date, and just before departure send them email to "tempt" last min upgrades with cash bids...

Guess where I'll be transferring my credit card points into.

 

[rtyuiop]

Did you call today? I'm wondering if the reward seat booking engine is just completely broken now, given there must have been changes pushed out just recently for the new fare categories.

Whereas for the last little while it's seemed like it's broken on the website but working for the call centre.

 

[supa007]

Yes, got off the phone and came here straight away to vent... Even pushed the guy to tell me when was the last time he successfully booked a business award seat for customers. He was very elusive, but doesn't seem like finding business award seats on an international long haul is a regular occurrence regardless of route...

With all the recent changes to the Velocity program, unless you're happy redeeming points for business upgrade within the golden triangle, I don't think you'll get much value out of your points now.

 

[rtyuiop]

Don't give up hope completely! By all accounts it's not what it used to be, but I think there was some availability a long way out recently, may just be that they've broken things (again).

I'm in the same boat hoping to book for next year and I'm worried. Got me thinking my VA points are near worthless, apart from being able to convert to SQ points!

 

[supa007]

Well, I was hoping that it's just a IT glitch. But after I got off the phone, I'm left with the impression that this is the new norm / direction for Velocity. This post was started last year, and recently there've been 2 more threads of people coughing about lack of business award availability. Surely, if it's IT glitch, they would have rectified it by now. But it went from several business award possibilities per flight to next to nothing of late across the board! And the guy just kept reminding me of the other avenue of flexi-Y purchase, then chance of points upgrade later just confirmed to me that I should forget about using VA points to travel international long haul for free.

 

[Denali]

Im finding nothing 11mths out and I search on the day when released.

Now thinking I will wait and then transfer to SQ and we go to Iceland (via LHR?) to scuba dive the tectonic plates.

 

[hummel]

Im finding nothing 11mths out and I search on the day when released.

Now thinking I will wait and then transfer to SQ and we go to Iceland (via LHR?) to scuba dive the tectonic plates.

Yeah nothing 11 months out.

Sometimes there is some within the next 6 days - i am talking LAX-BNE/SYD J.