Ok, I was *REALLY* unhappy at Velocity (re: Partner Gold issues)

[777]

That's excellent to have clarified VFF. That is what i had started to assume/ piece together (see previous posts) from the various discussions that had been had. I think that's totally reasonable going forward - although a little harsh on some of us during the transition.

So effectively that's a TTMPC. Once you are platinum, if you earn > 1500 SCs in the next 12 months (i.e. from the day your status changes to platinum) your partner is Gold or platinum if > 2000. The count resets annually each year. Simple enough to understand but not necessarily well communicated at first.

 

[connieguy]

Thanks for your patience waiting for clarification on Companion membership information.

Thanks VFF for the positive feedback clearly showing the program delivers what we initially thought it did.

1) at 800 SCs earned - WP retain

2) at 1,500 SCs earned - PG

3) at 2,000 SCs earned - PP

And that the relevant SC earning period is the 12 months from the initial WP obtain date or it's annual anniversary to the then current Review Date.

 

[nlagalle]

Thanks VFF for the positive feedback clearly showing the program delivers what we initially thought it did.

1) at 800 SCs earned - WP retain

2) at 1,500 SCs earned - PG

3) at 2,000 SCs earned - PP

And that the relevant SC earning period is the 12 months from the initial WP obtain date or it's annual anniversary to the then current Review Date.

I read it as:
800 SC retain WP

Earn an additional 1500 SC to get PG (total 2300sc)
Earn an additional 500 on top of the 1500 to get PP (total 2800sc).

The Companion Gold and Companion Platinum benefits are available once you have upgraded to or maintained at Platinum membership level. You have 12 months from the day of your upgrade or maintain to Platinum (i.e. your member benefit period or your Total Benefit Period) to earn an additional 1,500 Status Credits at which point you will achieve Companion Gold. If you then go on to reach 2,000 Status Credits (i.e. an extra 500 Status Credits once Companion Gold has been achieved) you will automatically achieve Companion Platinum.

 

[connieguy]

Not according to this explanation by VFF.

Once your "Status Credits earned since" count reaches or exceeds 800 Status Credits, you can be assured you will maintain your existing level of membership on your Review Date. Please note, you will also need to satisfy the Eligible Sector requirement to maintain.

Your ‘Status Credits earned since' count will continue to accrue until your Review Date. As per above, you will achieve Companion Gold or Platinum memberships once this balance reaches 1,500 or 2,000 Status Credits respectively.

It is all about the 'Status Credits earned since' count / balance, which does not reset upon reaching 800 SCs.

 

[day-heg]

nlagalle, I think not, see later on in VFF's post...

Once your "Status Credits earned since" count reaches or exceeds 800 Status Credits, you can be assured you will maintain your existing level of membership on your Review Date.
Please note, you will also need to satisfy the Eligible Sector requirement to maintain.

Your ‘Status Credits earned since' count will continue to accrue until your Review Date. As per above, you will achieve Companion Gold or Platinum memberships once this balance reaches 1,500 or 2,000 Status Credits respectively.

I think this is fairly unambigous.... it would have read reaches 2,300 or 2,800 Status Credits if that was the interpretation.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

I read it as:
800 SC retain WP

Earn an additional 1500 SC to get PG (total 2300sc)
Earn an additional 500 on top of the 1500 to get PP (total 2800sc).

No, and its that part of the website that has been the problem child here!
We will be making amendments to that copy.
Both 777 and GoWatson, are correct.

1) at 800 SCs earned - Plat retain (ie you are already platinum)
2) at 1,500 SCs earned - PG
3) at 2,000 SCs earned - PP

 

[day-heg]

1) at 800 SCs earned - WPretain (ie you are already platinum)
2) at 1,500 SCs earned - PG
3) at 2,000 SCs earned - PP

Is it right that our very helpful and friendly rep is reffering to his Platinum members a) in the accepted QF designation, and b) as w**kers!!??!

 

[nlagalle]

No, and its that part of the website that has been the problem child here!
We will be making amendments to that copy.
Both 777 and GoWatson, are correct.

1) at 800 SCs earned - WP retain (ie you are already platinum)
2) at 1,500 SCs earned - PG
3) at 2,000 SCs earned - PP

Fair enough.. i was reading your wording, but glad that my interpretation is wrong!

So what does that mean if you earn Platinum status at 1000sc, do you only need to earn another 500 to get to partner gold (i.e. that's 1500)?

 

[connieguy]

Fair enough.. i was reading your wording, but glad that my interpretation is wrong!

So what does that mean if you earn Platinum status at 1000sc, do you only need to earn another 500 to get to partner gold (i.e. that's 1500)?

From my reading of the rules and what VFF has said, I would expect for me, as a status matched WP, that I would need to earn 1,500 SCs to get PG. Fair enough too.

For an existing VA Gold, who earns 1,000 SCs in their current year, I would expect their review year not to change (why should it) and thus for them to obtain both WP (for the first time) and PG if they earn 1,500 SCs in their current year.

 

[nlagalle]

From my reading of the rules and what VFF has said, I would expect for me, as a status matched WP, that I would need to earn 1,500 SCs to get PG. Fair enough too.

I get that too, I was wondering if you were a newbie WP who earnt it the bum on seat method. Would the counter keep ticking up or reset then they would in effect need to earn another 1500 to get WP retain and PG?

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Fair enough.. i was reading your wording, but glad that my interpretation is wrong!

So what does that mean if you earn Platinum status at 1000sc, do you only need to earn another 500 to get to partner gold (i.e. that's 1500)?

No. Because when you reach 1000SC and achieve Platinum, you are now at the beginning of the Total Benefit Period which means the 12 month period from the date a member upgrades, downgrades, or maintains their membership level.

From this date you should then be looking to achieve the 800SC to maintain, and then keep going to 1500SC for a companion Gold membership.

 

[777]

Going back to my original post that sparked this off...

The key issues were really 1. that i was not already platinum and 2. I was using the rolling 12 month figure to assume my eligibility and 3. That the call centre made the same mistake i did (it was effectively day 1 or 2 of the program so we can cut them some slack on that). In absence of clear information we all assumed or speculated that the barrier was a lot higher. Now this is clear I am reasonably confident that i can maintain PG next year and that most who thought that had a shot at that benefit will get it in the next 12 months. Personally VFF have also been generous enough to honour the call centre's mistake.

I still think there are likely many people out there (not of whom will be aficionados of this forum) who are actively pushing their rolling 12 months SCs up towards 1500 in the expectation of PG so it's probably quite important to get the web site text as clear as VFF's post here.

 

[connieguy]

I get that too, I was wondering if you were a newbie WP who earnt it the bum on seat method. Would the counter keep ticking up or reset then they would in effect need to earn another 1500 to get WP retain and PG?

I think your first VFF status obtain date and the annual anniversaries should stay the same day and month. Why should it change just because you earned a higher tier status?

I suggest that if you were VA Gold and earned 1,000 SCs say 9 months into your year, you should get the status upgrade upon earning the SCs and when your Review Date comes around in 3 months, another 12 months to retain your WP status by earning at least 800 SCs in that new review year.

 

[nlagalle]

I think your first VFF status obtain date and the annual anniversaries should stay the same day and month. Why should it change just because you earned a higher tier status?

I suggest that if you were VA Gold and earned 1,000 SCs say 9 months into your year, you should get the status upgrade upon earning the SCs and when your Review Date comes around in 3 months, another 12 months to retain your WP status by earning at least 800 SCs in that new review year.

but according to VFF that is exactly what happens, your date changes when you achieve the new status.

No. Because when you reach 1000SC and achieve Platinum, you are now at the beginning of the Total Benefit Period which means the 12 month period from the date a member upgrades, downgrades, or maintains their membership level.

From this date you should then be looking to achieve the 800SC to maintain, and then keep going to 1500SC for a companion Gold membership.

 

[markis10]

I think your first VFF status obtain date and the annual anniversaries should stay the same day and month. Why should it change just because you earned a higher tier status?

Because its a floating review date, not a fixed one like QF!

 

[connieguy]

Because its a floating review date, not a fixed one like QF!

That means a VA NB who in 12 months:

1) hits 200 SCs, gains Silver will have their date reset and lose those 200 SCs.

2) Then needs to earn another 500 SCs to gain Gold, have their date reset and lose those 500 SCs.

3) Then needs to earn another 1,000 SCs to gain Platinum, have their date reset and lose those 1,000 SCs.

4) Then needs to earn another 1,500 SCs to gain partner Gold or 2,000 SCs to gain partner Platinum.

So for that VA FFer starting from scratch they will need to earn 1,700 SC to obtain Platinum and 3,200 SCs to obtain partner Gold if done in a 12 month period. Not a lot of encouragement for a real FFer to put in a lot of miles with VA.

 

[markis10]

So for that VA FFer starting from scratch they will need to earn 1,700 SC to obtain Platinum and 3,200 SCs to obtain partner Gold if done in a 12 month period. Not a lot of encouragement for a real FFer to put in a lot of miles with VA.

Given that a real FFer would have status matched, cannot see to many in that position at present who do any mileage! Current status members would not mind the high barrier of entry either.

 

[oz_mark]

Doesn't work like that. As you go up through the status levels, it is the number in the rolling 12 month period that counts. It doesn't reset.

To get to Platinum, you need (from zero) to get to the 1000 Status Credits in 12 months. You will have gone through silver and gold on the way there, and your review date would have moved each time.

 

[nlagalle]

That means a VA NB who in 12 months:

1) hits 200 SCs, gains Silver will have their date reset and lose those 200 SCs.

2) Then needs to earn another 500 SCs to gain Gold, have their date reset and lose those 500 SCs.

3) Then needs to earn another 1,000 SCs to gain Platinum, have their date reset and lose those 1,000 SCs.

4) Then needs to earn another 1,500 SCs to gain partner Gold or 2,000 SCs to gain partner Platinum.

So for that VA FFer starting from scratch they will need to earn 1,700 SC to obtain Platinum and 3,200 SCs to obtain partner Gold if done in a 12 month period. Not a lot of encouragement for a real FFer to put in a lot of miles with VA.

Not in a 12 month block like QF, rather is rolls on, i.e. the 12 months starts again. I am assuming though that they don't lose their SC's in the process.

 

[connieguy]

Given that a real FFer would have status matched, cannot see to many in that position at present who do any mileage! Current status members would not mind the high barrier of entry either.

I don't need the VA PG nor expect it for 500 SCs. SWMBO is well looked after. However for a NB to all this, the method with the date resetting at every status upgrade and losing all the SC earned to that date could be seen a big disincentive to other FFers climbing the status ladder.

I'm just pointing it out to VFF so maybe they will do a rethink.