New VA carrier charge on reward seats (from 1/1/19)

[stm1sydney]

So well below QF equivalent charges.

It is not unreasonable for a carrier to want to recover at least third party costs like passenger handling charges and taxes, which they still incur for FF redemptions. But, yes, it does reduce the attractiveness of the VA FF program (and VA generally) compared to QF. Still better, just not as good as before. On the other hand, the lounge situation just got better.

 

[freebo]

Lots of talk about low availability of J upgrades.

When I travelled to/from LAX in Feb I found availability for both legs with regular searching, in fact at different times almost every date in Feb had an award upgrade.

 

[ozjuice]

Lots of talk about low availability of J upgrades.

When I travelled to/from LAX in Feb I found availability for both legs with regular searching, in fact at different times almost every date in Feb had an award upgrade.

2 Things here....one is that Feb is very Low season and two is that you probably left that booking till the last couple of weeks before travelling? Try searching now for dates ahead of time.

 

[freebo]

2 Things here....one is that Feb is very Low season and two is that you probably left that booking till the last couple of weeks before travelling? Try searching now for dates ahead of time.

Actually, I'm mistaken, it was July, went to SA in Feb, dates did come up about 2 weeks out, from interest I'll have a look for now.

I have a load of points and wondering what to spend them on before the new charges come in, trip to SG looks good and heaps of availability.

 

[ozjuice]

Actually, I'm mistaken, it was July, went to SA in Feb, dates did come up about 2 weeks out, from interest I'll have a look for now.

I have a load of points and wondering what to spend them on before the new charges come in, trip to SG looks good and heaps of availability.

Well I am bored at work so just checked BNE - LAX from Dec 1 2018 to Sep 1 2019 and found..........wait for it......One J redemption. ONE!

EDIT - add all of Nov 2018 to that list.

 

[hossein_au]

...It is not unreasonable for a carrier to want to recover at least third party costs like passenger handling charges and taxes, which they still incur for FF redemptions...

They have always passed on all those 3rd party charges in the form of cash payment for reward seats. This new charge is "carrier imposed charges" (formerly known as fuel surcharges), which are above and beyond any and all 3rd party charges. They are just an arbitrary charge imposed by carriers, simply because they can.

 

[freebo]

Well I am bored at work so just checked BNE - LAX from Dec 1 2018 to Sep 1 2019 and found..........wait for it......One J redemption. ONE!

EDIT - add all of Nov 2018 to that list.

Yeah, I was seeing them coming up mostly at about T-20, the odd one was up to T-30.

 

[albatross710]

I was so annoyed when I got the virgin email this morning. I was in a bind as Westpac are about to devalue the Velocity transfers by early Nov so I did an overnight dump of all my Altitude point into Velocity. So annoyed.

Until I check this morning and had not clicked the final Altitude confirmation.

Well now I get to review what is best given the latest intel.

For me,this is the final for Altitude, Airlines miles. They have simply devalued themselves and shown that they cannot be trusted.(westpac)

Alby