Status matching by Virgin Australia

[JohnK]

I showed Maserati my VW but they declined to give me a new Maserati... terrible service really.

Not quite the same is it?

 

[Foreigner]

I showed Maserati my VW but they declined to give me a new Maserati... terrible service really.

Hmmm, a new Maserati for your (old) VW. Wishful thinking.

 

[Major]

As VA are increasing prices and seem to have better yields than previously, I don't see any reason why they should be considering another round of status matching

 

[jmillard]

I thought the status matching was a good marketing concept - there was no way I would have moved any flights to Virgin without the privileges. Circumstances have changed for me this year on travel, so I will only just retain QF Plat, so I did not have the opportunity to try Virgin. Unfortunately, come August, my matching will disappear.
Such is life

 

[SeatBackForward]

I thought the status matching was a good marketing concept - there was no way I would have moved any flights to Virgin without the privileges. Circumstances have changed for me this year on travel, so I will only just retain QF Plat, so I did not have the opportunity to try Virgin. Unfortunately, come August, my matching will disappear.
Such is life

Ditto, was statused matched to Silver, have not done a single Sector on VA or any of their partners, will lapse end of September...We have a QF first policy though so it was unlikely to have used much anyhow.

 

[777]

I thought the status matching was a good marketing concept - there was no way I would have moved any flights to Virgin without the privileges. Circumstances have changed for me this year on travel, so I will only just retain QF Plat, so I did not have the opportunity to try Virgin. Unfortunately, come August, my matching will disappear.
Such is life

Actually if you were matched to DJ plat you may well get a soft landing to DJ gold - may still be useful.

Now might be a timely reminder to the plat status matched: If you haven't used your free J class upgrades you're running out of time

 

[klavdy]

My status matched DJ plat expires at the end of October.
Just got a lovely Email from DJ.
If I book and pay for two return business class tickets in the next month, they'll comp me platinum for another year.
Nice!

 

[drewbles]

It's going to be interesting over the coming months to see how much more empty the DJ lounges are. I actually did re-qualify and will continue to do so but i'd love to know how many people have.

 

[Fifa]

I won't re-qualify for Platinum this year as we were not able to fly enough with VA (a lot of other flights already booked) and I pooled my SC and points to my husband.
But I have enough flights booked for next year to make Gold into 2014. I've really been feeling the love from Virgin (and Hilton).

 

[Neverlate]

I to took up the offer of virgins staus match, my travel has drastically changed this year. It was impossible to remain gold with both QF and DJ. I tried DJ and liked what I experienced,great customer service in the air and on the ground. Super and inavative incentives ie business upgrades at half the standard points, family pooling.


Well done Virgin I am a converted customer.

 

[tuapekastar]

Matched to VA Plat, had plans in place to requal Plat on both QF and VA, but a QF 2-for-1 J sale put paid to that.

Very tempted to switch (be nice to be able to maintain both, but not sustainable for me) but takes time, considering points accrued with current fave, along with bookings already made. Good to see VA sustaining the effort to lure people, eminently sensible on their part.

 

[serfty]

I have heard many people have been asking about a status match and they have declined them all.

Maybe they will look at it again when they are relauching a product or maybe they are going to look how many real plats they have versing plats that just got it for the hell of it to get another card in the wallet.

At a dinner late last month, a representative from Velocity indicated status matches were still been conswidered on a case by case basis - as suggested by JohnK an email would be the way to go.

 

[therudies86]

My status matched DJ plat expires at the end of October.
Just got a lovely Email from DJ.
If I book and pay for two return business class tickets in the next month, they'll comp me platinum for another year.
Nice!

I had the same offer at the Gold level - I assume following a single DJ sector on some recent flights. This approach makes more sense to me than simply doing a status match.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I had the same offer at the Gold level - I assume following a single DJ sector on some recent flights. This approach makes more sense to me than simply doing a status match.

And as much as I'm very happy for you lot recieving this offer, it really s*#ts me off. I'm soon to take my last rtn DJ flights for the sake of status partly because they are ignoring their frequents to lure the newbies. That offer to me would be taken up and would most likely keep me (as others have said, the extra plat bennies are worth money, but not enough to entice me to spend the amount to gain them). I wonder how many others are just like me? I'm sick of hearing about double status offers and status matching etc etc with none of it directed in my general direction.

Now I'm off to sulk .

(PS.....To VA. I was always taught it's far easier to keep your existing customers happy than to win new ones)

 

[ms1]

And as much as I'm very happy for you lot recieving this offer, it really s*#ts me off. I'm soon to take my last rtn DJ flights for the sake of status partly because they are ignoring their frequents to lure the newbies. That offer to me would be taken up and would most likely keep me (as others have said, the extra plat bennies are worth money, but not enough to entice me to spend the amount to gain them). I wonder how many others are just like me? I'm sick of hearing about double status offers and status matching etc etc with none of it directed in my general direction.

Now I'm off to sulk .

(PS.....To VA. I was always taught it's far easier to keep your existing customers happy than to win new ones)

Agreed. I've sat my cough on Virgin flights earning meazly 10 or 20 sc's at a time to get to gold and not once have I received a single offer that acknowledges my loyalty.

I don't even know why I bother.

 

[medhead]

(PS.....To VA. I was always taught it's far easier to keep your existing customers happy than to win new ones)

Umm, yeah, exactly! look at how much they are investing in matches and bonus SC to attract those new customers.

More seriously, I guess they need to fill more seats. Are those existing customers going to do that? BTW I got the offer but it is pretty much no use to me as I've planned to re-qual earning those measly 10 and 20 SC at a time.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Umm, yeah, exactly! look at how much they are investing in matches and bonus SC to attract those new customers.

More seriously, I guess they need to fill more seats. Are those existing customers going to do that? BTW I got the offer but it is pretty much no use to me as I've planned to re-qual earning those measly 10 and 20 SC at a time.

Fill more seats? How? Most flights I've taken are bloody close to chockers. Gone are the days of half full planes flying (which was fairly common a few years ago). Now the seats are full, it seems they want to start emptying them of the cheapskates. All of us are different. We fly for different reasons, we have different budgets, we have different needs. You got the offer and don't require it (and if I recall that's not the first time?) but to me , for example, an offer of 200SCs would see me within cooee of plat and the extra benefits that would deliver. It'd benefit VA because I'd then be placed in a position to buy more expensive fares (that I don't need) to reach 1000 and as my SC level normally hovers between 500 and 600, it would at least entice me to continue to buy flexi fares instead of savers, justified by the added value, to reach the 800 requal. As I said before, I wonder how many are very similar to me? Instead, I'm currently actively planning to move my travel away from VA and if I'm not alone in that thought process, then the cost to VA in matches and bonus SCs is considerably higher than a few shiny new cards and trick presentation boxes!

 

[medhead]

Fill more seats? How? Most flights I've taken are bloody close to chockers. Gone are the days of half full planes flying (which was fairly common a few years ago). Now the seats are full,

My contention is that the seats are full of those people who are being enticed with offers. Also the thing is VA are expanding their fleet and the number of seats they need to fill. So they need to make those people stick to fill the extra seats they are putting out.

it seems they want to start emptying them of the cheapskates. All of us are different. We fly for different reasons, we have different budgets, we have different needs.

Indeed we all have different budgets. I pay for all of my flying from my own pocket. So BFOD is definitely my thing. The small exception is that I can get about 1 flight a month as a tax deduction and on those flights I'm happy to stump unto double the cheapest fare. This means flexi with more SC and most likely a points upgrade on VA. Anyway, I guess I'm just saying that I'm equally price sensitive as you, and I am also leaning back towards QF - but the jury is still out on that idea.

You got the offer and don't require it (and if I recall that's not the first time?)

Yep, I spend my cash to make sure I wouldn't need it. Also heaps that I have enough flights to be able to do that. I'm not sure what other times you're referring to, as I have a poor memory for exact details. I do know that I've had offers that I haven't been able to use and haven't really needed to use in the past.

but to me , for example, an offer of 200SCs would see me within cooee of plat and the extra benefits that would deliver. It'd benefit VA because I'd then be placed in a position to buy more expensive fares (that I don't need) to reach 1000 and as my SC level normally hovers between 500 and 600, it would at least entice me to continue to buy flexi fares instead of savers, justified by the added value, to reach the 800 requal. As I said before, I wonder how many are very similar to me? Instead, I'm currently actively planning to move my travel away from VA and if I'm not alone in that thought process, then the cost to VA in matches and bonus SCs is considerably higher than a few shiny new cards and trick presentation boxes!

Agreed, it looks pretty bad for you. I'm also considering my options - if I could get some thinking time between work and the other cough I do, (do I mention the 50+ emails this week about entertainment for a conference dinner this week? - ARGH!) I might have an answer about what I'm doing. ATM VA have got my business when leaving ADL, they are getting my SYD-ADL flights because they've added a flight at a better time, QF are getting October flights from me because of a competition, QF got my holiday trip. I'm thinking that pricing means QF will get November and December and maybe January. But I really don't want to book until late August which means the BFOD equation may very well change.

So whats my point. I understand your view. Hell when QF ditch ATA I then started checking my options for every flight instead of mainly booking with QF. But I'm in the middle ground with my loyalty being to BFOD not a particular domestic airline.

 

[serfty]

I do understand the issues of those BIS DJ elites and their disdruntledness.

Would they consider myself as a BIS NZ Elite getting reciprocal benefits the same way as as I would beinga matched elite.

I have used the word 'perspective' in an earlier post - this is important.

My offer as a matched WP is for two Business/First class return trips credited to velocity. The cheapest I could do this for is over $1700 - and I have only 4 weeks to do it. Will I spend that $1700? I can ensure said travel would be Tax deductible in which case the NETT cost reduces significantly.

Of course as a matched WP, I would earn not a few Velocity points ...

..,. however, I won't I'd be taking the offer up as there's effectively no real benefit for me. I'll soft land to SG in October - I may miss the 4 comp upgrades, but I won't miss having to book Flexi to use them.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I do understand the issues of those BIS DJ elites and their disdruntledness.

Would they consider myself as a BIS NZ Elite getting reciprocal benefits the same way as as I would beinga matched elite.

My disgruntledness is not with the matched flyers. I actually think its great they're getting these offers. My disgruntledness is with VA not showing a similar attitude toward their customers who do the hard yards and in doing so stay loyal to VA.

As I suggested above, we're all somewhat different and I've no doubt there will be many not taking up the offer. That's an individual choice, but at least you recieved the offer to reject! I and plenty of other loyal VA flyers (it seems) are just being taken for granted by VA. I do hope the VA rep is reading and noting these comments and this time, I will be emailing VA with a few home truths about exactly how I feel (had a good sleep last night and awoken now to find I'm still angry).

I dislike being taken for granted by my customers but I naturally wear that, I dislike being taken for granted by my suppliers but if that becomes endemic, then I change suppliers.