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

[oz_mark]

Poorly drafted and slightly ambiguous T&Cs were the culprit (once again!).

Even so, they are just as bound by the T&C's (that they wrote), as we are.

 

[dandandan]

The terms still read as my interpretation from earlier posts. If this is not how it should be then they need to be changed. In cases like this an example below the terms could easily help avoid confusion if the terms are poorly worded.

Even so, they are just as bound by the T&C's (that they wrote), as we are.

 

[oz_mark]

The terms still read as my interpretation from earlier posts. If this is not how it should be then they need to be changed. In cases like this an example below the terms could easily help avoid confusion if the terms are poorly worded.

The issue is not so much about what happens when you get upgraded to Platinum - you need another 500SC from that point. The issue is when you renew your platinum. As written, it suggests that you only need 500SC from that point, not 800 + 500.

 

[simonsyd]

It would seem from earlier posts some members did get companion elite status over the weekend based on the "new" wrongly published criteria. Will be very interesting to see how velocity manage this one and how quickly they change the T&Cs.

 

[dandandan]

Do you somehow write their T&C's? lol

The issue is not so much about what happens when you get upgraded to Platinum - you need another 500SC from that point. The issue is when you renew your platinum. As written, it suggests that you only need 500SC from that point, not 800 + 500.

 

[oz_mark]

Will be very interesting to see how velocity manage this one and how quickly they change the T&Cs.

A detrimental change will require 30 days notice

Do you somehow write their T&C's? lol

Hehe. I wish

 

[Jama]

According to the rules as explained by Velocity in order to get partner gold or partner platinum you need to earn an *additional* 1500 SCs *after* you have turned platinum and not simply 1500 SCs in 12 months or 1500 SCs in what was my 12 month qualifying period

Haven’t got through the whole thread yet, but I see an issue with this bit as well. Why should you need to get an "additional" 1500 SC's for partner Gold when they only need to get 500 to earn it themselves ? If your new to platinum then the first 1000 covers you the next 500 covers your partner. If your requalifying the partner Gold is actually costing 700 SC's instead of 500 as an individual. And thats not good enough ! Give us a break ! Not to mention if its "additional" you need to do significantly more flying to acheive partner gold than what you need to do to get platinum to start with.

I have to agree losing the partner Gold because you requalify early, if I read that right is pathetic. You should be rewarded not punished. Obviously, by requalifying early your giving VA lots of loyal business.


edit: I just realized how old the message is I replied to

 

[Deleted member 29185]

A detrimental change will require 30 days notice

Like removal of ATA

 

[pshepvic]

How did I miss the latest posts in this thread?! I just received a message from Velocity indicating that I had qualified for Partner Platinum and should call them. Puzzled, because I didn't even think I had enough SCs for Partner Gold, I checked the website and noticed the changed terms, and then found this thread had been updated.

My SC balance since Plat qual date is 1780. For PG I think I would need 1300 (despite the poor wording in the terms) so I am way past that. For PP though I'd need 1800 - maybe they've decided that 1780 is enough and awarded it early. If not, and they are really only going to give me PG, a quick status run may be in order when I get back from the US in 2 weeks time.

I have already got my partner to Requal for Plat through pooling and at one stage my total SC balance for the previous 12 months was 2300 (so including what I had pooled I had earned over 3000 SCs) so I'm hoping they are just giving me Partner Plat with 20 SCs short.


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[Bolthead]

Sorry guys but I am still confused. This is my current status:

Maintain PlatinumFind out more

[TABLE="width: 513"]
[TR="class: alt, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: left"]Review Date[/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: right"]06 Oct 2012[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: transparent, align: left"]Status Credits earned since 06 Oct 2011[SUP]1[/SUP][/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 2, align: right"]920[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt, bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: left"]Additional Status Credits required to maintain Platinum by 06 Oct 2012[/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: right"]Achieved[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: transparent"]
[TH="bgcolor: transparent, align: left"]Additional sectors required to maintain Platinum by 06 Oct 2012[SUP]2[/SUP][/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

I am Platinum now. Does this mean I can now gift Gold (or Platinum) or not. I have gone over the thread and the T&C's and I am still confused. I am also currently family pooling to my wife at the moment.

For added info we are both going on a J return SYD - PER next week and then we are both off to Europe in early September in Y+ with VA. (not sure if that little bit of info helps)

My wife is currently Silver.

Thanks for your input

Looking at this, you have earned 920 SCs since becoming Platinum so you could nominate your wife for Companion Gold right now, give them a call. I did this for my wife yesterday and her account is showing Gold today. A few more SCs in your name, 80, and you can get your wife to Platinum as well. You should pool the SCs to yourself to get another 80 and nominate your wife for Companion Platinum. I suppose the question is, since you have already re-qualified for platinum and your wife will shortly too, (if you pool SCs back to you) what do you do with the SCs up until your new Platinum period begins on 6th October. Maybe you have a third family member you could pool to or maybe keep them going to you, if you think there maybe a lifetime SCs period in the future. Hope this helps.

Thanks danoleary55....

I thought as much including the fact that I only need another 80 points for Platinum gift. The questions now is how do I manage this. My elder daughter (young adult) is already Platinum so she is off the list. My other 2 children (young adults) are miles off being any status. I think this is how I will do it. Gift to one of the younger children. I need to get the extra 80 status points to reach 1000. (which I will get from the trip to PER next week - I will also stop the family pooling for this trip) Reinstate family pooling for the European trip and then my wife will reach at least gold status (if not Platinum) after this trip. As for the lifetime status.... who knows??

Thanks for your help again.

If I don't hear from them by Thursday this week I will be on the phone chasing Companion Gold. Need to get in before the T&C's changes.

 

[dandandan]

We still do not know this, as following re-qualification is not in the terms, only following upgrade or following review date. Maybe the person was confused around re-qualification because you would have needed to have re-qualified as Platinum at the review date to be in the position to earn the additional 500 or 1,000 needed.

True - I've resolved my conversation with them. What they meant their T&Cs to say is "after earning 500 additional status credits beyond the 800 status credits required for requalification", but that wasn't what they wrote in their T&Cs. It did seem too good to be true (and I agree it would devalue the elite benefits) - and it was. Poorly drafted and slightly ambiguous T&Cs were the culprit (once again!).

777 is correct - the change seems to be the reduction of the PG qualification from 1500 to 1300, and the PP qualification from 2000 to 1800.

 

[dandandan]

I suppose it is worthwhile knowing what your current SC position was at the time you rang for this? maybe you were not eligible based on your current position, but considering you rang I think you might have had the numbers.

I am currently on hold with the Velocity Platinum contact centre while they talk amongst themselves - they are insisting that the qualification for nominating a Companion Gold membership is requalification PLUS 500 additional status credits (so 1300 status credits from qualification as a Platinum member, not 500). Notwithstanding the provisions of 13.20 which refer to earning "500 status credits following their upgrade or Review Date".

 

[simonsyd]

Well after a conversation last weekend where velocity insisted that the new partner platinum was requalification plus 1000 SC I received a call from velocity yesterday. They were calling to congratulate me on the gaining the required number of SC for partner platinum. I am currently on 1600, go figure!

 

[Fruitcake]

I received a call a week ago whilst in the US congratulating me on reaching partner gold as my SC balance passed 1500. Which I thought was a bit odd. Now I have to think of someone to give it to... my wife and I always travel together so the only benefit in giving it to her would be taking four guests into the lounge with us.

 

[pshepvic]

I received a call a week ago whilst in the US congratulating me on reaching partner gold as my SC balance passed 1500. Which I thought was a bit odd. Now I have to think of someone to give it to... my wife and I always travel together so the only benefit in giving it to her would be taking four guests into the lounge with us.

She would also get a higher points earn.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2

 

[Fruitcake]

The rules seem to have been revised again - to something less advantageous but arguably more logical. My status credit balance is 1400 since qualifying so under these terms the person I appointed platinum last week should only get Gold. Hopefully his status was processed quickly!


From the terms and conditions:

Companion Gold Membership and Companion Platinum Membership13.20 When a Platinum Member earns 500 Status Credits over and above the required number of Status Credits to maintain Platinum within their membership period the Member is entitled to nominate a family member or friend who is a Velocity Frequent Flyer Member to a Gold level of Membership (Companion Gold Membership).
13.21 When a Platinum Member earns 1,000 Status Credits over and above the required number of Status Credits to maintain Platinum within their membership period, their nominated Companion Gold Member will automatically be upgraded to Platinum Membership (Companion Platinum Membership). If they haven’t nominated a Companion Gold Member, then they are entitled to nominate a Companion Platinum Member.

From the Platinum member benefits page:

Companion Gold membership and Platinum membership

• Platinum members who earn an additional 500 Status Credits over and above the required number of Status Credits to maintain Platinum within their member benefit period can gift Gold membership to a companion of their choice
• Once you are eligible to gift Gold membership, please contact us on 13 18 75 to nominate your companion
• If Platinum members earn an additional 1,000 Status Credits over and above the required number of Status Credits to maintain Platinum within their member benefit period, their companion will automatically be upgraded to Platinum membership

 

[777]

The rules seem to have been revised again - to something less advantageous but arguably more logical. My status credit balance is 1400 since qualifying so under these terms the person I appointed platinum last week should only get Gold. Hopefully his status was processed quickly!


From the terms and conditions:


From the Platinum member benefits page:

The AMAZING thing bat at version of the wording is that it is really simple to understand. You have to wonder what took them so long.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The AMAZING thing bat at version of the wording is that it is really simple to understand. You have to wonder what took them so long.

"really simple to understand" has not really been one of VAs recent fortes!

 

[Fruitcake]

I have confirmed with my "companion platinum" nominee that his status was confirmed last week.

 

[pshepvic]

I managed to get comp Plat but I'm at 1780 SCs - only 20 away with additional flights already booked that will get me over the line. So the T&Cs now say what I have been saying all along was VA's intent. Don't want to sing the "told you so" song, but....


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