Program Update: Virgin Australia’s Fares For You

[Marty_]

Wow... That is complex... Is the average punter going to have a clue what they're doing? I think not.

 

[medhead]

Fly Ahead - QF do it now even when I have a cheap ticket and middle level status ! They just don't say they do it. To say Virgin is the only airline is just wrong.

What does Virgin consider a "small" increase infees, very vague.

QF refuse to move me, with platinum status on the cheap ticket. You're just getting lucky. Va are the only airline that offer this as a consistent, advertised benefit rather than just luck of the draw.

 

[dzzr]

So the Getaway fares will retain the current SC earn until the changes next year?

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

VFF - I have flights to the US in next March/April in J, and the itinerary includes domestic sectors between PER-SYD return - probably a silly question, but does the increased SC earn apply to fares which are already booked? I assume it does, but just wanted to check! Thanks

Hi Jurahn,
Not a silly question at all. Yes you will earn at the new Status Credit earn rate for your upcoming trip in March/April next year. The new status credit earn rate applies for any travel on or after 30 January 2017. Enjoy your travels

 

[Jurahn]

Hi Jurahn,
Not a silly question at all. Yes you will earn at the new Status Credit earn rate for your upcoming trip in March/April next year. The new status credit earn rate applies for any travel on or after 30 January 2017. Enjoy your travels

That's terrific, thanks VFF - I will be pooling half the SCs from this trip to my husband, so the extra SC earn on the domestic sectors will assist in getting both of us just that little bit closer to requalifying

 

[aaronm]

So I'm seeing these new Getaway fares as being not unlike SQ's "Super Saver" category - half the SCs and only 10% of the points compared to their Flexi Saver fares.

As long as the cheap fares still count as eligible sectors I'm happy, as the majority of my SC and point earn is on partner airlines anyway.

 

[UP4014]

QF refuse to move me, with platinum status on the cheap ticket. You're just getting lucky. Va are the only airline that offer this as a consistent, advertised benefit rather than just luck of the draw.

I even get asked without prompting if there is enough time, although I often decline and say I'll sit back with a wine in the lounge and rather not rush.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

The second email just came to me with this link to the fares. Sounds complicated. Can't wait to see how the website offers the fares!

https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/...view&bId=1154935571&acId=6403780&clid=PDM2511

A signifcant point is that Elevate fares will only be available for Domestic and International Long Haul flights.
They will not be available for Trans-Tasman or International Short Haul flights.
So the only discount economy option for these sectors will be Getaway.
By implication Getaway is replacing Saver for these sectors and will be priced accordingly.
I hope this isn't the case for domestic fares!

Interestingly the international status credit table looks almost identical.
The only change I can see is that the L fare bucket is split because on International Long Haul sectors L will be classed as discount economy.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I travel primarily on the short MEL/SYD/CBR routes, which are seeing a hit with status credits.
I don't particularly have any opposition to these changes, provided that the Getaway fares are actually cheaper than current Savers... If VA think that they can get away with charging the current standard $260 MEL-SYD with only 5 status credits and no seat selection etc... Well then Bye-Bye.

I can't see Getaway fares being less than current Saver, for many reasons including:

1) Cutting a benefit (status credits) which have minor attributable cost would need to be offset against increased earnings from each fare. e.g., if the new Getaway fare is $10 less than current Saver, then the attributed cost towards five status credits (the difference in earning between the two fares) would need to be less than $10. For this strategy to be effective, we'd need to see the Elevate fares drop in price too.

2) VA isn't going to pull back on price to fill more seats. Yield increased from FY14-15 despite a slight increase in overall fares. Creating cheaper seats into existence wouldn't support a growth strategy.

3) Tiger cannibalisation. Lowering of fares begins to compete with Tiger and Jetstar and is the exact position JB has been moving VA away from since 2011.

My money is on a BA Basic/DL Economy Basic ripoff thought process. The idea being to drive Silver/Gold/Plat members to buy higher class fares, so they're able to unlock value the FFP brings to them. Also, puts more demand on ancillary revenue to fill the gap in otherwise lost revenue through ticket sales.

So, assuming Getaway fares are not significantly less cost - this puts VA status flyers in a position where QF status is easier and cheaper to obtain. Especially for business flyers who are forced to fly BFOD who will now receive half the status earning value from flying VA.

And this doesn't even begin to look at the improvements which could have been made to the fare structure which would bring new revenue WITHOUT creating a new low to frequent flyer programs in Australia. To me, this says the latest round of changes were driven by inflexible revenue management/yield analysts and not initiated by Velocity.

dfcatch published a great article around not delivering loyalty benefits and the risk this brings to the FFP. Paging dfcatch!

 

[PDog]

Great! But how can I see my fare class for flights we've booked for next year? I've a couple of savers I hope don't get converted to Getaways.

pity trans Tasman flight don't get a boost in status earn too!

 

[UP4014]

QF refuse to move me, with platinum status on the cheap ticket. You're just getting lucky. Va are the only airline that offer this as a consistent, advertised benefit rather than just luck of the draw.

Or perhaps you just getting unlucky......

 

[Pleb Status]

The rumoured change fee reductions for Elevate fares have come true.

Free changes more than 30 days from departure and $50 closer than 30 days.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

So the Getaway fares will retain the current SC earn until the changes next year?

Hi dazza_,

You are correct, if you book and travel on a Getaway fare prior to 30 January 2017 you will earn in accordance with the current Status Credit earn table.

Kind regards,
Velocity Team

 

[kevrosmith]

Great! But how can I see my fare class for flights we've booked for next year? I've a couple of savers I hope don't get converted to Getaways.

pity trans Tasman flight don't get a boost in status earn too!

Look for the "Fare Basis" code in the Electronic ticket receipt pdf attachment received when you made the booking. I book Flex fares, and it shows LLFLEX which is L class.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

So I'm seeing these new Getaway fares as being not unlike SQ's "Super Saver" category - half the SCs and only 10% of the points compared to their Flexi Saver fares.

As long as the cheap fares still count as eligible sectors I'm happy, as the majority of my SC and point earn is on partner airlines anyway.

Hi aaronm,

There will be no changes to what constitutes an eligible sector. The number of Status Credits and Points earned with partner airlines will not change. Hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Velocity Team

 

[anat0l]

The rumoured change fee reductions for Elevate fares have come true.

Free changes more than 30 days from departure and $50 closer than 30 days.

The "free changes outside of 30 days from departure" is an interesting change.

Silly question maybe, but does this mean you can keep changing your Elevate ("Flexi") ticket free of charge so long as you always do it at least 30 days outside of the (ever changing) travel date? Or is there something I'm missing here? For example, buy a ticket to travel on 1 Apr 2017. Change it on 18 Feb 2017 to travel on 2 May 2017 - free. Change your mind again on 31 Mar 2017 and change it to travel 5 Jun 2017 - free. Change your mind again on 17 Apr 2017 and change it to travel 6 Jul 2017 - free. And so on... (notwithstanding fare difference charges)?


If there is an email coming to all members, it must be just hitting all of the distribution points today, because I don't have one yet. On top of that, the website hasn't said anything about the upcoming changes (checked as of 6/9/2016 1741h AEST), unless I'm blind.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

The "free changes outside of 30 days from departure" is an interesting change.

Silly question maybe, but does this mean you can keep changing your Elevate ("Flexi") ticket free of charge so long as you always do it at least 30 days outside of the (ever changing) travel date? Or is there something I'm missing here? For example, buy a ticket to travel on 1 Apr 2017. Change it on 18 Feb 2017 to travel on 2 May 2017 - free. Change your mind again on 31 Mar 2017 and change it to travel 5 Jun 2017 - free. Change your mind again on 17 Apr 2017 and change it to travel 6 Jul 2017 - free. And so on... (notwithstanding fare difference charges)?


If there is an email coming to all members, it must be just hitting all of the distribution points today, because I don't have one yet. On top of that, the website hasn't said anything about the upcoming changes (checked as of 6/9/2016 1741h AEST), unless I'm blind.

Hi anat0l,

You can make multiple changes to your elevate ticket however changes are only permitted within the ticket validity (12 months).

An email has been sent to all Velocity members this morning however distribution takes time. This should be within your inbox by tomorrow afternoon, There is a Program Update on the Velocity website (please see the link in our initial post) and all other changes will be reflected tomorrow when the new fares and benefits launch.

I hope this helps.

Many thanks,
Velocity

 

[Pleb Status]

Question for VFF.

If travelling in class L using the VA codeshare on SQ metal PER-SIN (class L is currently the lowest flexi fare class), will this earn Discount Economy SC or Full Economy SC in the new system?

SQ class W (lowest flexi saver) is already cheaper than VA class L. If you have to go up to VA class K to get full SC, that cost gap will only get larger.

 

[PDog]

Look for the "Fare Basis" code in the Electronic ticket receipt pdf attachment received when you made the booking. I book Flex fares, and it shows LLFLEX which is L class.

Thanks kevrosmith! I can't drag up those emails on my iPad, and was hoping it would appear in the 'your bookings' section. Will check tomorrow

 

[deejo77]

Hi VFF,

i have booked last month for travel in February 2017, my booking class is 'S' under the current conditions that I booked this would earn me 10 status credits from tomorrow under the changes this will only earn 5. Can you confirm I will still be eligible for the higher rate as per the below copy of my email received tonight.


Status Credits
From 30 January 2017, new Status Credit earn tables will come into effect. For your existing bookings, the higher Status Credit earn rate will be honoured. For new bookings, you will earn more Status Credits in most fare classes when travelling domestically with Virgin Australia.

Thank you