New options to upgrade with Virgin Australia & Velocity Frequent Flyer

[Fruitcake]

I have spent hours looking for these "Virgin Australia flights to Abu Dhabi" - can anyone help out a newbie? ;-) As far as can see, there are only codeshares on Etihad. Does this offer apply to VA codeshares as well? Flying in a month so it's interesting news, if it's true.

Welcome to AFF, lcc76. VA29 operates SYD-AUH on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and returns as VA30 AUH-SYD on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. upgrademe doesn't work on anything other than VA29 or VA30.

 

[lcc76]

Thanks Fruitcake. I just searched again, looking out for VA29 and Sydney - Abu Dhabi - the weeks including Tue, November 5 & 12 , 2013 have no VA29, so just my bad timing. Perhaps the aircraft is in maintenance.

 

[dmw144]

they should add a notional amount on for your level to the bid to make it fairer in my opinion - even if it was only $25/ tier level - They should be encouraging people to strive for higher membership levels rather than just purchase a cut price business class seat...

 

[muppet]

they should add a notional amount on for your level to the bid to make it fairer in my opinion - even if it was only $25/ tier level - They should be encouraging people to strive for higher membership levels rather than just purchase a cut price business class seat...

Hi dmw144

Interesting point.
In my view membership tier benefits are clearly documented and do not (currently) include discount business class seats.

I suspect accepted prices under this product will be directed based on fare class as well as offer price.

I also don't think buying heaps of saver lite fares entitles someone to cheap business class.

m

 

[anat0l]

Interesting point.
In my view membership tier benefits are clearly documented and do not (currently) include discount business class seats.

dmw144's suggestion is interesting as it mirrors my mention of NZ OneUp earlier, where elites who submit a bid are given an uplift in their bid.

I also don't think buying heaps of saver lite fares entitles someone to cheap business class.

You're exactly right They are entitled to none, because the minimum fare type required for UpgradeMe Premium Bid is Saver, not Saver Lite.

 

[a330j]

Re: UpgradeMe? (Rebranding, bidding)

Is it also true that AirNZ got rid of points upgrades, so the only way to upgrade is cash? A worry if that is the endgame.

 

[docjames]

Re: UpgradeMe? (Rebranding, bidding)

Good initiative provided it doesn't "enhance" availability of points upgrade seats.


Question: is the SC/points earn based on original fare/class or the new fare / J class?

 

[serfty]

Re: UpgradeMe? (Rebranding, bidding)

Is it also true that AirNZ got rid of points upgrades, so the only way to upgrade is cash? A worry if that is the endgame.

No, (Air)points upgrades still exist - they just compete with oneup unless you are *E. They are now limited to one class of upgrade.

 

[anat0l]

Re: UpgradeMe? (Rebranding, bidding)

Is it also true that AirNZ got rid of points upgrades, so the only way to upgrade is cash? A worry if that is the endgame.

No. You can't upgrade with cash - you upgrade with their FF currency, Airpoints Dollars (Airpoints Dollars are almost like New Zealand Dollars...)

 

[serfty]

Re: UpgradeMe? (Rebranding, bidding)

No. You can't upgrade with cash - you upgrade with their FF currency, Airpoints Dollars (Airpoints Dollars are almost like New Zealand Dollars...)

Yes you can put a bid in with "Cash".

 

[anat0l]

Re: UpgradeMe? (Rebranding, bidding)

Yes you can put a bid in with "Cash".

Well I'll be! My mistake, then.

I wonder if VA adapted the system from NZ (except that in VA you can't bid in points / FF currency).

 

[Bofter]

Re: UpgradeMe? (Rebranding, bidding)

The copying from AirNZ seemed to miss out of one feature of OneUp that some people here were interested in:

If you are a Gold Elite, Gold or Silver member we will recognise your status by upweighting your OneUp offer by the following amount:

• Gold Elite - 50%
• Gold - 30%
• Silver - 10%

 

[eastwest101]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

Virgin Australia launches cash auctions for business class upgrades - Australian Business Traveller

Originally Posted by AusBT
Scholz says that there are no plans to extend the UpgradeMe Premium Bid system to travel agent bookings."Part of the reason is that an upgrade changes the booking and we believe it's important for the customers of our travel partners to have their booking remain with that agency" he says, "so at this stage we have not included external bookings."

This is such a bizzarre statement to make when you follow the logic. VA are rolling out an additional form of upgrades to obtain potential revenue (i.e. cash for potentially empty J class seats). Then they are saying that because some customers are booked through an through external travel agent that VA don't want the potential extra revenue that the actual customer flying could provide to VA??? Isn't the airline business about obtaining revenue? FFS - revenue is revenue - regardless of where it comes from....

 

[serfty]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

This is such a bizzarre statement to make when you follow the logic. VA are rolling out an additional form of upgrades to obtain potential revenue (i.e. cash for potentially empty J class seats). Then they are saying that because some customers are booked through an through external travel agent that VA don't want the potential extra revenue that the actual customer flying could provide to VA??? Isn't the airline business about obtaining revenue? FFS - revenue is revenue - regardless of where it comes from....

Maybe the entity providing the "UpgradeMe Premium Bid" facility is acting as an agency to which VA are assigning your booking.

If so, then that would explain the reason for this as in normal circumstances, airlines generally cannot takeover/reassign an Agency booking until at least the first flight in a booking is flown.

 

[markis10]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

This is such a bizzarre statement to make when you follow the logic. VA are rolling out an additional form of upgrades to obtain potential revenue (i.e. cash for potentially empty J class seats). Then they are saying that because some customers are booked through an through external travel agent that VA don't want the potential extra revenue that the actual customer flying could provide to VA??? Isn't the airline business about obtaining revenue? FFS - revenue is revenue - regardless of where it comes from....

If the booking was upgraded, what would be the commission implications for TA bookings? I would imagine they would prefer 8 seats at $200 from non TA bookings compared to having some where additional commission might be payable.

 

[eastwest101]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

Virgin Australia launches cash auctions for business class upgrades - Australian Business Traveller

Maybe the entity providing the "UpgradeMe Premium Bid" facility is acting as an agency to which VA are assigning your booking.

If so, then that would explain the reason for this as in normal circumstances, airlines generally cannot takeover/reassign an Agency booking until at least the first flight in a booking is flown.

Ah yes - that seems very likely indeed. But even if we can summarize the reason as "computer says no" - it really is a case of "computer says no to additional revenue" - having a computer reservation system should not preclude the business from obtaining additional revenue should it?

 

[docjames]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

That answer would almost certainly be spin. Even if the booking changed to a VA booking, most customers would accept this for the upgrade opportunity.

The more realistic reason would be it's to encourage you to book directly with VA.

 

[paultiffen]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

This is such a bizzarre statement to make when you follow the logic. VA are rolling out an additional form of upgrades to obtain potential revenue (i.e. cash for potentially empty J class seats). Then they are saying that because some customers are booked through an through external travel agent that VA don't want the potential extra revenue that the actual customer flying could provide to VA??? Isn't the airline business about obtaining revenue? FFS - revenue is revenue - regardless of where it comes from....

If they have to pay out a commission to travel agents then this might make sense - it gives people another incentive to book direct with Virgin. It's pretty common to not be able to modify bookings made on external sites in any way ie to change a Qantas booking make through expedia.com.br you unfortunately need to contact expedia.com.br

 

[Danger]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

Personally, I think the idea is tacky.

 

[jmphoto]

Re: Bidding for upgrades

Am I missing something?

Flexi ticket to ADL in 7 days - receive the error:

Your booking is ineligible for an upgrade. We encourage you to try again for future bookings.​