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.
On a slight positive note. Out of interest, I found some Etihad award seats BNE-JFK during Easter school holiday 2017 (not hard at all) on their website, but didn't show on Virgin as being available. Called the call centre and they confirmed availability. Except with all the charges and the cost of 278000 points for return in business, it works out we are getting slightly over 1c worth per point due to the Etihad sale on now ($5300 return for that route)... Not great value preposition.
What do we think the chances are of the VFF rep commenting on this worsening 'unavailability' is?
What do we think the chances are of the VFF rep commenting on this worsening 'unavailability' is?
About as likely as getting a fully functional VA website...
Must say though, VA award availability previously was probably way above industry norm and too good to last. Now that private equity has their fingers in the Velocity pie, not surprised it's now died up to a very weak trickle, if that at all...
I've begun to plan my trip for next year but won't book anything till I get conformation from work regarding annual leave. Flying to South Africa (Johannesburg) and the Virgin site doesn't appear to ever show reward seats with points no matter which dummy dates I put in. I did sign up to Singapore airlines and have checked rough availability for dates that I'm planning on flying and they're doing business class one way for 72000 points (97,875 Velocity points converted). The price for the same flight otherwise is a little over $4000 Aussie. It doesn't say waitlist so I presume that it would be good to book as is on points alone? I don't have any status at all with Krisflyer obviously so if I converted my points next year and then booked a flight it it as simple as that? Seems to be way more availability with Singapore than with Virgin oddly enough. Not too fazed about the points expiring after 3 years as I would obviously fly within a year of having converted them over.
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Thanks for the reply. So if I click the actual flight it gives me an option of 61,625 points plus $504.45 AUD in taxes. Seems pretty good value to me considering you can almost get that with some credit cards as a sign up bonus and then not even use the card after reaching the minimum spend. Seems like I'll be converting my points to Krisflyer once I know for sure when I will be travelling. Pretty good that they allow this without any status. Wouldn't be able to gain any with them anyway as majority of my flights are domestic.What you see is what you get with SQ. If you have the Krisflyer points in your Krisflyer account - you can book it.
Created an account one Monday, transferred the VFF points that afternoon and redeemed them a day or two later for Suitesaver fares. No status, no history just enough points for the deal.
Don't forget you will have SQ's version of 'fees and charges' - do not take up their offer (I think it was SQ who did this as well) of using additional points to pay out the cash amount. The rate you get is way too low for wasting the points.
I've begun to plan my trip for next year but won't book anything till I get conformation from work regarding annual leave. Flying to South Africa (Johannesburg) and the Virgin site doesn't appear to ever show reward seats with points no matter which dummy dates I put in. I did sign up to Singapore airlines and have checked rough availability for dates that I'm planning on flying and they're doing business class one way for 72000 points (97,875 Velocity points converted). ....................
If you don't mind me asking, how many points did they take for that? May need to give em a call when I have solid dates.I recently got J reward seats for MEL - PER (VA) and PER - JNB (SAA) for travel over Xmas / NY all booked with VFF points so there is availability out there. And FWIW I don't have any status with VA. You may just need to call VA.
If you don't mind me asking, how many points did they take for that? May need to give em a call when I have solid dates.
Hmm, that seems pretty reasonable. Singapore require less points for a reward business ticket but their fees and taxes seem quite high! Thanks for the info though. I'm sure I'd be happy with business regardless of whether it is with Singapore or SA airlines.126,500 one way pp + a cash payment of $65.50 pp. I think the MEL - PER sector was 38,300 pp one way.