Program Update: Virgin Australia’s Fares For You

[Deleted member 29185]

I've noticed business saver is apparantly all sold out throughout October (all dates I've seached on my usual journey) whilst there is still plenty of business class availability (738). Looks to me like VA may have set the business saver bucket at just 1 or perhaps 2 seats.

I guess it will take a while to see if this also effects Upgrademe, comp upgrades, or ODUs.

Correction. The fare bucket has nothing to do with availability. I just searched November and there are business saver available for all the seats left, but it's back to the "book early" discount, so it seems business saver is a con. All it appears to be doing is applying the "book early" discount to a full business fare and reducing the benefits. Thanks for assuming we're all idiots VA. The "book early" discount does not benefit from any further discount, so you can apply an alternate discount and get full business cheaper than business saver .... a bunny is born every minute.

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

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

Hi deejo77,

I am pleased to confirm that we will honour the current Status Credit earn table for your booking given you booked prior to 7 September and therefore you will earn 10 Status Credits for this flight.

Many thanks,
Velocity Team

 

[grubbidok]

Just had a check on some SYD-BNE return I looked at last night.

Getaway fares are $5 MORE than the old savers and Elevate are a full $75 more. The QF fare is $60 LESS than the Elevate fare.

I'm hoping this is some kind of first day error, otherwise I just can't see any justified reason to be an elite with Virgin (given most of my elite benefits don't even apply to the new fares).

 

[Velocity Frequent Flyer]

Thanks for sharing, I would like clarity here too as my email has different wording. It's missing honouring the earn rate of current bookings:


Status Credits
For all travel from 30 January 2017, new Status Credit earn tables will apply. You will earn more Status Credits in most fare classes when travelling domestically with Virgin Australia.

Hi PDog,

It appears as though you don't have any forward Domestic bookings in M, S or T class for travel after 30 January 2017 and therefore you won't have received the message about existing bookings. However, I am pleased to confirm we will honour the current Status Credit earn rate for members who booked a Domestic fare in M, S or T class prior to 7 September for travel after 30 January 2017. The Status Credit earn rates will increase for all other Domestic fare classes from 30 January 2017 and therefore the new earn rates will apply.

Kind regards
Velocity Team

 

[PDog]

Hi PDog,

It appears as though you don't have any forward Domestic bookings in M, S or T class for travel after 30 January 2017 and therefore you won't have received the message about existing bookings. However, I am pleased to confirm we will honour the current Status Credit earn rate for members who booked a Domestic fare in M, S or T class prior to 7 September for travel after 30 January 2017. The Status Credit earn rates will increase for all other Domestic fare classes from 30 January 2017 and therefore the new earn rates will apply.

Kind regards
Velocity Team

Thanks for the response VFF, and that confirmation is reassuring.
I do have a booking for early Feb from the super sale- it's in 'my bookings' so definitely has my velocity number attached and I've checked and sadly it's S class.

 

[Milefest]

Getaway fares are $5 MORE than the old savers and Elevate are a full $75 more. The QF fare is $60 LESS than the Elevate fare.

That's sickening, there's absolutely no reason for them hike up the fare that much. Elevate brings nothing more than an SC adjustment where in some cases you earn less. Who is this fare aimed at? Most businesses will either go for BFOD or Flexi, infrequent travelers will go for the cheapest. And now even VA's restricted fare is on par or more expensive than QF's base economy fare and it comes with less SCs than QF.

 

[Muppet501st]

Just saw this, so say you have a Getaway fare, and you need to cancel it, you forfeit the full fare? no credit even ?

 

[Muppet501st]

Just booked next weeks work flights, and looks like i'll be in front SC's wise from next year.
Im just dirty that WPs are worse off with the new enhancements, then any other with a 33% reduction in baggage allowance, which I frequently need to utilise a third bag for work.
So the only difference between a WP and SG is guesting in 2 extra people, ( which I think ive used only once in the last 12months) and 4 upgrades a year ?
What did SG loose ?
I think im better off pooling to my partner to keep her SG then retaining WP.

I must be seeing things, but I could've sworn, there was going to be a reduction in the domestic WP baggage allowance, from 3 down to 2.

 

[kaskie]

I wonder if we'll still be offered 'unofficial' fly ahead? As in, at the discretion of the main check-in desk when checking in substantially earlier than booked flight, with or without luggage. To my memory this has been offered for years and years if you are there early enough and there's room on flights. Even to those without status!

 

[Bolthead]

Correction. The fare bucket has nothing to do with availability. I just searched November and there are business saver available for all the seats left, but it's back to the "book early" discount, so it seems business saver is a con. All it appears to be doing is applying the "book early" discount to a full business fare and reducing the benefits. Thanks for assuming we're all idiots VA. The "book early" discount does not benefit from any further discount, so you can apply an alternate discount and get full business cheaper than business saver .... a bunny is born every minute.

View attachment 79026

Swanning_it, I am a little confused with what you are saying however that is more to do we me I am sure. I just checked my most common route being SYD-OOL. The flight I am looking at booking is on a E190 and according to the seating plan all J seats are currently available. (Oct. 5th) (6 seats with only 3 available at the normal fare being $545) As you can see below Business saver has been sold out, however how can that be if all 6 seats are still available?



The second graphic I have applied the discount code and it is $492.37. Are you surmising that the discount code can't be used against a Business Saver fare but only the Business fare?

 

[adame]

I think he is saying that the 'Business Saver' fares are only available if you book well in advance (i.e. try some dates in November 2016).

 

[Milefest]

Here's a quick summary of the fare changes from an AusBT comment:

 

[Bolthead]

I think he is saying that the 'Business Saver' fares are only available if you book well in advance (i.e. try some dates in November 2016).

Ok I will have a look...

 

[Leuke]

10% off code not working for getaway fares is interesting... In this case I'd pay the extra $9 for 10SC

 

[anat0l]

Don't forget that even if Getaway SCs are going down, the requirements to attain status with VA are still pretty low, particularly compared to QF. And, they still have pooling.

The "inertia" aspects that I believe will keep people with VA despite these changes are:

• Corporate policy (sad, that means absolutely no control)
• Family Pooling
• No YQ on awards
• Free hotel status

Also, I think it was mentioned somewhere else that someone was comparing Getaway with the next fare level up, and in some cases the differences in cash cost was small. That still implies that people will have to pay more than before for the same or slightly better deal, and that is not positive for the BFODs.

I wonder if we'll still be offered 'unofficial' fly ahead? As in, at the discretion of the main check-in desk when checking in substantially earlier than booked flight, with or without luggage. To my memory this has been offered for years and years if you are there early enough and there's room on flights. Even to those without status!

That's what I've been saying a lot here. The "official" benefit is now restricted, but unofficially it could still be a possibility, especially to those with status in known flow forwarding periods.

I must be seeing things, but I could've sworn, there was going to be a reduction in the domestic WP baggage allowance, from 3 down to 2.

...

Was it possibly the weight of each piece? i.e. 32 kg rather than 23 kg? Or, has it always been "light bags"?

Are any of us really surprised by this? This simply means less domestic flying with VA for me. I will aim to just fly enough for the required flight segments to maintain WP and the rest of my SC earn will be with their partners.

You must have been flying a hell of a lot to be able to say that you'll only fly the bare minimum to keep Platinum and the rest will go to partners. Which partners will you invest in - SQ, EY?

 

[Bolthead]

I think he is saying that the 'Business Saver' fares are only available if you book well in advance (i.e. try some dates in November 2016).

Ok I will have a look...

Yes, you are correct and so is Swanning_it...never doubted him...

 

[Muppet501st]

Was it possibly the weight of each piece? i.e. 32 kg rather than 23 kg? Or, has it always been "light bags"?



?

its been 3 @ 23kg for a while, I think once apon a time it was 32kg

 

[JohnK]

When I read the OP I thought "Wow".

I have now read this thread and some linked articles and it looks much worse.

VA are now selling SCs and points and reduced a number of benefits on the cheaper airfares. Oh dear.

 

[Milefest]

VA are now selling SCs and points and reduced a number of benefits on the cheaper airfares. Oh dear.

The "cheap" fares look to be similar to the cost of Savers now. Except have half the SCs, no bonus points, no FlyAhead etc..

 

[pauly7]

That's sickening, there's absolutely no reason for them hike up the fare that much. Elevate brings nothing more than an SC adjustment where in some cases you earn less. Who is this fare aimed at? Most businesses will either go for BFOD or Flexi, infrequent travelers will go for the cheapest. And now even VA's restricted fare is on par or more expensive than QF's base economy fare and it comes with less SCs than QF.

Honestly I don't think creating Elevate and targeting it was the focus of these changes.

The focus seems to be stripping away benefits of the cheapest fares (to save money) and a huge % of VA Pax would be on these fares, from BFOD businesses to leisure travellers.

Really just feels like a money grab, unsurprisingly given their results.