Is International Virgin Reward availability now worse that QANTAS?

[Denali]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

How do you plan a trip 9-10 months in advance???

Easy, because I enjoy the planning. Its the actual taking the trip Im not a fan of. I have a spreadsheet, dates, days, flight routes, what we're doing, where we're staying, maps, what gates we should be arriving/departing, how to get to gates, transfers, alternatives for delays or cancellations, activities, securing wifi, inflight menu choices ect. Im Ok with changing schedule and accepting delays ect but I need a plan!

Im already working on a 2018 and 2019 trip.

 

[sausagefingers]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Trying to decide if its worth the $800 to upgrade from elevate to Freedom BNE-LAX-BNE and go on the wait list for an upgrade.
I have already paid $300 for EcoX so I guess I would get that reimbursed should I be successful. or I end up paying $800 for 80SC.

 

[theblank]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

I have a spreadsheet, dates, days, flight routes, what we're doing, where we're staying, maps, what gates we should be arriving/departing, how to get to gates, transfers, alternatives for delays or cancellations, activities, securing wifi, inflight menu choices ect.

good to know I am not the only one. I cant buy a bus ticket without weeks of research and planning.

 

[Jack_OC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Does anyone have any recent experience of booking reward tickets via Velocity for EY-operated flights?

I think it used to be the case that the Velocity website never showed any Business Reward availability, but if there were rewards seats showing as available via Etihad Guest, then they would also be available from Velocity if you phone up. Is that still true? The reason I ask is, I'm planning for a trip to Europe, and when I look about 11 months out (as far out as the Velocity & EY websites go), there is plenty of availability of J rewards via EY, but nothing via Velocity.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Does anyone have any recent experience of booking reward tickets via Velocity for EY-operated flights?

I think it used to be the case that the Velocity website never showed any Business Reward availability, but if there were rewards seats showing as available via Etihad Guest, then they would also be available from Velocity if you phone up. Is that still true?

Not really true for business. that was definitely the case for first class seats. Find on EY and call up.

I have booked J seats via velocity on 4 or 5 occasions.

Where in Europe are you trying for ?

 

[theblank]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Does anyone have any recent experience of booking reward tickets via Velocity for EY-operated flights?

last year I booked BKK>DUB, then DUB>CGK
Neither was available as a single redemption on Velocity online, but they were available as seperate redemptions, ie BKK>AUH, then AUH>DUB

I just rang up Velocity and said I wanted to book them as a single redemption, and at first the lady said no, but I insisted that it was logical because BNE>DUB was bookable so why not. Eventually she just said she will enter the booking and see if the computer would link it up and voila it did!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Eventually she just said she will enter the booking and see if the computer would link it up and voila it did!

It's this kind of thing that makes VFF look so ordinary. Surely the staff do this every single day, so why argue about it? Rather than arguing, a simple tap, tap on the keyboard would have shown it as available (probably in less time than it took to argue about it) and with a helpful "all done for you Sir/Ma'am, is there anything else I may be able to assist you with", the posts on line and the accolades would be all about how wonderfully efficient the VFF crew are, instead of are far down the hill they've gone!

 

[Jack_OC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Not really true for business. that was definitely the case for first class seats. Find on EY and call up.

I have booked J seats via velocity on 4 or 5 occasions.

Where in Europe are you trying for ?

I can't find any threads now, but I'm sure the info I read related to J. If I recall correctly, the issue was that Velocity allowed the search, but showed no availability, even though there were actually reward seats available via EY and on the phone to Velocity. I don't think you have ever been able to search for F via Velocity, so I'm pretty sure this related to J. My understanding was that - at least a couple of years ago - availability through the EY Guest website was representative of Velocity availability, even if the Velocity website said otherwise. That was not the case with other partners though, notably DL. That said, it's quite possible that this has changed since.

Anyway, I'm fairly open about the specific destination in Europe. Planning to spend most of the holiday in Ireland, but easy to get a cheapo flight from pretty much any major Western European city to DUB, if we can't get into DUB directly. The past couple of times we have done this, we've used KrisFlyer miles, and we might well do so again. However, I have quite a few Velocity points, so I just wanted to check options there too. I will try phoning up once we get to the stage when seats should be available for the dates we want, but as that's still a couple of months away yet, there's no real point in doing so yet.

last year I booked BKK>DUB, then DUB>CGK
Neither was available as a single redemption on Velocity online, but they were available as seperate redemptions, ie BKK>AUH, then AUH>DUB

I just rang up Velocity and said I wanted to book them as a single redemption, and at first the lady said no, but I insisted that it was logical because BNE>DUB was bookable so why not. Eventually she just said she will enter the booking and see if the computer would link it up and voila it did!

Interesting. I've just checked and there is some Velocity reward availability in J from both MEL-AUH and AUH-DUB about 11 months from now. Makes me wonder if this is just another flaw with the Velocity website, i.e. it's incapable of searching for connecting flights with EY? Alternatively, of course, this kind of thing can be a deliberate decision by the airline.

 

[theblank]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Interesting. I've just checked and there is some Velocity reward availability in J from both MEL-AUH and AUH-DUB about 11 months from now.

at the time I was planning my trip to DUB, there was plenty of reward seats, but then 4 months or so out, most just disappeared. When tinkering about, it was the AU>AUH legs that the availibility disappeared from VFF (I think EY website also did not show availability). Every other EY flight, every day, to/from anywhere except australia, reward seats were available online through VFF.

Thats when I had the idea to grab a reward seat on SQ into asia, then onto AUH>DUB on EY. I had the benefit of a stopover in SE Asia so much more fun than Abu Dhabi, and overall it did not cost me much extra in points at all as the redemption prices from Asia to DUB was dirt cheap.

 

[Denali]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Does anyone have any recent experience of booking reward tickets via Velocity for EY-operated flights?

I think it used to be the case that the Velocity website never showed any Business Reward availability, but if there were rewards seats showing as available via Etihad Guest, then they would also be available from Velocity if you phone up. Is that still true? The reason I ask is, I'm planning for a trip to Europe, and when I look about 11 months out (as far out as the Velocity & EY websites go), there is plenty of availability of J rewards via EY, but nothing via Velocity.

Very easily picked up 2 SYD to Edinburgh J seats for next year, still some available when I repeat the booking. You can then get another flight or train to elsewhere.

 

[henleybeach]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Just booked 4 x J class Melb to Barcelona for march next year (SIA)
In the past with EY if I haven't seen availability online , I've rang up and they searched, found and booked seats for me.

 

[Jack_OC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Thats when I had the idea to grab a reward seat on SQ into asia, then onto AUH>DUB on EY. I had the benefit of a stopover in SE Asia so much more fun than Abu Dhabi, and overall it did not cost me much extra in points at all as the redemption prices from Asia to DUB was dirt cheap.

This sounds intriguing. Just to clarify though, did you have to do 3 separate reward bookings, i.e. MEL-SIN, SIN-AUH and AUH-DUB? The Velocity website won't allow me to search from SIN-DUB.

Very easily picked up 2 SYD to Edinburgh J seats for next year, still some available when I repeat the booking. You can then get another flight or train to elsewhere.

Good to know, thanks.

Just booked 4 x J class Melb to Barcelona for march next year (SIA)
In the past with EY if I haven't seen availability online , I've rang up and they searched, found and booked seats for me.

Also good to know, thanks. Yes, being able to get 4 x J rewards on the same flights to Europe with SQ is one of the best things about KrisFlyer.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Just booked 4 x J class Melb to Barcelona for march next year (SIA)
In the past with EY if I haven't seen availability online , I've rang up and they searched, found and booked seats for me.

To clarify, in the context of this thread title.. Did you redeem 4 seats on SQ via VA points and VA website or did you transfer Velocity points to KF and then redeem on SQ ?

 

[henleybeach]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

To clarify, in the context of this thread title.. Did you redeem 4 seats on SQ via VA points and VA website or did you transfer Velocity points to KF and then redeem on SQ ?

Sorry to clarify it was booked through velocity website online . 139k points and $83 taxes each .

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Sorry to clarify it was booked through velocity website online . 139k points and $83 taxes each .

That's a great deal..Well done

 

[theblank]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

This sounds intriguing. Just to clarify though, did you have to do 3 separate reward bookings, i.e. MEL-SIN, SIN-AUH and AUH-DUB? The Velocity website won't allow me to search from SIN-DUB.

2 seperate reward bookings because 2 different airlines. so for my trip from BNE to DUB, was first BNE>(SIN)-BKK one booking on SQ. Then BKK>(AUH)>DUB one booking on EY.

So you probably had the same issue as I did, you cant see SIN>DUB on the Velocity site. so just instead check for SIN>AUH, then AUH>DUB. if both are available on rewards ring the call centre and ask them to connect them or whatever the terminology is.

 

[Jack_OC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Sorry to clarify it was booked through velocity website online . 139k points and $83 taxes each .

That's a great deal..Well done

Agree, although it's worth bearing in mind that it's not radically different to the cost if you transferred to KF first. I believe this flight would cost 105k miles and the same cash component via KF. 139K Velocity points = 103k KF miles. Obviously the Velocity deal is slightly better, but my point is that if you can't find availability via Velocity (and/or if you have existing KF miles and/or CC points that you can transfer directly to KF), the transfer to KF is always a good option. Unfortunately the same doesn't apply to EY - if you can't book EY flights via Velocity then you're stuffed, unless of course you happen to have EY Guest miles too!

BTW - when you booked the SQ award via Velocity, were you able to select seats? And same question for anyone who has booked EY awards via Velocity.

 

[theblank]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

quick question. on VA metal if booked a Y reward seat (Int short haul). I know there isnt any option to upgrade to J later, so obviously then we need to just redeem the J seat and then cancel the first booking and pay the $60.
Will it work any different if asking for an upgrade at Checkin or the lounge?

reason I am asking is there is no Business reward seats available on my flight I want, but plenty of Economy. Like anyone I would rather not have to fork out the $60

 

[Jack_OC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

2 seperate reward bookings because 2 different airlines. so for my trip from BNE to DUB, was first BNE>(SIN)-BKK one booking on SQ. Then BKK>(AUH)>DUB one booking on EY.

So you probably had the same issue as I did, you cant see SIN>DUB on the Velocity site. so just instead check for SIN>AUH, then AUH>DUB. if both are available on rewards ring the call centre and ask them to connect them or whatever the terminology is.

Just to be clear, did you have to phone them to get the BKK-AUH-DUB flights, or were you able to search/book those flights on the Velocity website?

I knew it would have to be at least 2 separate bookings, as you say because it's two separate airlines. However, I was asking if it had to be 3separate bookings. EY flies SIN-AUH-DUB, but that route is not searchable via the Velocity website. When you enter SIN as the departure airport, the only destination options you can select in Europe are those that SQ flies to.

I could live with two separate bookings - MEL-SIN and SIN-AUH-DUB - but not three, as I always try to have a stopover in between 2 different bookings to minimise risk of getting left high and dry somewhere en route!

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Re: Velocity internat J redemptions now totally scarce!

Agree, although it's worth bearing in mind that it's not radically different to the cost if you transferred to KF first. I believe this flight would cost 105k miles and the same cash component via KF. 139K Velocity points = 103k KF miles. Obviously the Velocity deal is slightly better, but my point is that if you can't find availability via Velocity (and/or if you have existing KF miles and/or CC points that you can transfer directly to KF), the transfer to KF is always a good option. Unfortunately the same doesn't apply to EY - if you can't book EY flights via Velocity then you're stuffed, unless of course you happen to have EY Guest miles too!

BTW - when you booked the SQ award via Velocity, were you able to select seats? And same question for anyone who has booked EY awards via Velocity.

Seats... enter the EY PNR in the manage booking section of EY website and select your seats.. or call them

Velocity will give you the VA PNR and the EY PNR

EDIT : Agree about transfer and taxes are nearly the same.. Before the recent SQ change the decision was use more points or pay more $$ in taxes. The recent change to the KF program negates this issue