Status Match rejected - any suggestions

[Jellybean50]

Well said OzEire... I have to mention that just because we get choice we don't "milk it" but temper that with a week away from wife kids every other month then some benefits should be seen as a win win - especially if they be used for family use as well.

 

[Intra]

At worst, build your status to Silver and then purchase Lounge membership: Once you thus reach Gold, get a pro-rata refund on the Lounge membership. Its not as bad, one way or another we've all been there before...

How many bookings do you have currently with VA/have you made in the past little while... Might have influenced things.

 

[liebs]

I know that VA and QF will do it if there is a reasonable number of you trying.

So, I suggest account manager (as has been suggested) of VA be contacted.

Usually then offer will be made to all eligible company staff and you'll have 2 weeks to accepted.

A relative worked for a company where contract went from VA to QF and QF jumped at status offer.

Good idea - fairly large company so maybe in numbers they will see the sense.

 

[BD1959]

Same as liebs, I too work for a fairly large (globally massive) Company; we too use CWT for our Travel Bookings, all done online and I wouldn't have a clue who outside of my immediate circle are travelling, so the "probability through numbers" approach is out of the question for me.

QF WP, I was disenfranchised by the QF changes over the last 18months or so and decided to "hedge my bets" by obtaining status with VA. I contacted the Velocity folks and asked them about status matching my QF WP status, for me they flatly refused too. In truth, if VA were as good as QF, VA would have me for life. From February this year I've travelled almost exclusively on VA - save some award flights I've taken on QF - and on my spend I will be VA SG by the end of the month. If I continued my spend pattern, I'd be VA WP just after Christmas. If VA treated it's Status passengers the same as QF treat theirs, VA would have me for life.

As I've "earnt" my status, I've come to recognize the short-comings of VA - especially their irrops (lack of) recovery ... and despite asking several times on this Board, it appears that there is no VA WP line, no ability for VA to get me home quicker on a Friday night when things go pear-shaped passed the default last flight of the night. Apart from VA priority boarding (which actually works!!), I see no benefit of gaining VA status - and therefore craving a status match - on VA. VA appear to have raised the bar as far as they'll go: I don't see them opening Lounges outside of those already operational; I don't see them mending the broken parts of the partnership folks here bemoan. Sadly, I see QF racing down to hit the same bar (but continue to charge higher fares).

So, at the end of this month I have to decide between the two. In all probability I'll go back to QF to continue my WP there... if only because they do such a better job of looking after their WPs when things go pear-shaped.

Sorry for the rant. Not really addressing the question of gaining status matching on VA, I'm more asking the question: why would you bother??

Flame-proof suit on ....


Regards,

BD

 

[Lowgoz]

lol, 30 flights a year and you wanted a status match.

 

[Dan_]

lol, 30 flights a year and you wanted a status match.

In fairness it is 30 trips, so at least 60 flights. But in line with your point those sorts of numbers aren't going to invoke fire in the hearts of VA.

 

[medhead]

lol, 30 flights a year and you wanted a status match.

In fairness it is 30 trips, so at least 60 flights. But in line with your point those sorts of numbers aren't going to invoke fire in the hearts of VA.

Also Qantas gold status and 30 trips/60 flights is more than enough to maintain VA gold.

 

[morgs]

Just FYI - I joined a fairly large multi-national earlier this year, and we use Amex Travel for our corporate travel. I've been a Qantas Platinum for years, and asked Amex if they could get me Platinum status match with Virgin - bang! Done! Now I have Platinum for both. It seems that contacting your corporate travel agent may help.....

 

[liebs]

Same as liebs, I too work for a fairly large (globally massive) Company; we too use CWT for our Travel Bookings, all done online and I wouldn't have a clue who outside of my immediate circle are travelling, so the "probability through numbers" approach is out of the question for me.

QF WP, I was disenfranchised by the QF changes over the last 18months or so and decided to "hedge my bets" by obtaining status with VA. I contacted the Velocity folks and asked them about status matching my QF WP status, for me they flatly refused too. In truth, if VA were as good as QF, VA would have me for life. From February this year I've travelled almost exclusively on VA - save some award flights I've taken on QF - and on my spend I will be VA SG by the end of the month. If I continued my spend pattern, I'd be VA WP just after Christmas. If VA treated it's Status passengers the same as QF treat theirs, VA would have me for life.

As I've "earnt" my status, I've come to recognize the short-comings of VA - especially their irrops (lack of) recovery ... and despite asking several times on this Board, it appears that there is no VA WP line, no ability for VA to get me home quicker on a Friday night when things go pear-shaped passed the default last flight of the night. Apart from VA priority boarding (which actually works!!), I see no benefit of gaining VA status - and therefore craving a status match - on VA. VA appear to have raised the bar as far as they'll go: I don't see them opening Lounges outside of those already operational; I don't see them mending the broken parts of the partnership folks here bemoan. Sadly, I see QF racing down to hit the same bar (but continue to charge higher fares).

So, at the end of this month I have to decide between the two. In all probability I'll go back to QF to continue my WP there... if only because they do such a better job of looking after their WPs when things go pear-shaped.

Sorry for the rant. Not really addressing the question of gaining status matching on VA, I'm more asking the question: why would you bother??

Flame-proof suit on ....


Regards,

BD

You make some good points !