The Velocity Status Run Master thread

[BrentH]

(long time lurker, first time poster)

Looks like status runs just got harder. Connecting flights now charge a hefty premium over direct flights.

Hope you booked plenty of those $179 MEL-NTL flights last week!!

Noooo!...

Put it off to ask the wife if she wanted to come before booking, then the site went down for maintenance, and now they're gone.

I was banking on the MEL-BNE-NTL @ $179 + family pooling to supply the bulk of the 220 points I need to upgrade my Velocity colours.

It looks like most flights seem to give SCs @ ~$10 each, irrespective of fare class.

The best SC earns I've found have been $6.01 per SC (MEL-OOL Direct Flexi @ $180.31, 30 SC), $5.15 (OOL-PER via MEL Flexi @ $361.10, 70 SC). (Anyone got any better?)

Plus there are some great deals from OOL on Reward seats.

Anyone got any better suggestions on how to get these pesky 220 SC's ex Melbourne?


P.S. - I spent an hour on the phone confirming details of the changes to fare structures etc today.

Here were the answers I got:

- Do Business Reward fares earn SC's at full Business seat rates? Yes.
- Do Business Saver flights earn SC's at full Business rates? Yes.
- Do Economy Reward fares earn SC's at Flexi rates? No. They earn at Discount Economy rates, and do not include a meal.
- If a flight has a single flight number but one stop (e.g. VA 5022, operated by XR, MEL-KGI-PER), is it 1 sector or 2 under the new rules for SC's? Two sectors.

 

[QF WP]

I think my SC run to Plat was aptly timed.

Welcome BrentH. I agree with your assessment of good runs, anything ex-NTL or ex-OOL were exceptional value. I needed 105 SC's and just couldn't make ex-OOL work (with the 1.5 drive to/from northern suburbs BNE) and did I mention I LOVE family pooling

The only one I haven't checked is ex-MCY fares. Not that I need to now, but might work for you

 

[BrentH]

Wondering if I can convince the wife to go MEL-SYD Saver, SYD-MEL-OOL Reward Business, spend the day at the theme parks before coming back OOL-MEL Flexi.

Total Cost ~$630 + 27600 points = 260 SC.

Shame the booking system is down again -_-

 

[oz_mark]

- If a flight has a single flight number but one stop (e.g. VA 5022, operated by XR, MEL-KGI-PER), is it 1 sector or 2 under the new rules for SC's? Two sectors.

Not so sure this is correct, althought the description talks about segments...

Status Credits accrual is based on single flight segments that consist of individual flight numbers. An itinerary that involves a change in aircraft but retains the same flight number is considered a single flight segment, whereas an itinerary that consists of a change in flight numbers, even if the same aircraft is used for the entire itinerary, will be considered two flight segments.

 

[Fruitcake]

Terms & conditions have been updated:

19.4.4 For travel taken on or after 13 January 2013, Status Credits may be earned for eligible Any Seat bookings.

...

19.7 Eligible Sectors (for travel taken on or after 13 January 2013)
19.7.1 Where a Member travels on a Virgin Australia marketed flight (irrespective of whether the Journey consists of domestic, international short haul or international long haul Flight Sectors), each Flight Sector will be considered an Eligible Sector.

On the topic of single flight numbers :-

Eligible Sector means a flight journey, from an origin to a destination:
(a) that has been flown;
(b) that has been purchased using cash or an Accepted Payment Card;
(c)(i) (for a flight journey flown prior to 13 January 2013) that has not been purchased in whole or in part using Points; or
(ii) (for a flight journey flown on or after 13 January 2013) that has not been booked as a Reward Seat;

(d) where Virgin Australia is the marketing carrier (this means that the flight number starts with a DJ or VA prefix).



Flight Sector means a single direct flight between two consecutive locations.

So that's not completely clear. In colloquial English, direct == non-stop but as we know that's not the case in the airline world - QF1 (because it's an easier example) is a direct flight from SYD-LHR but it isn't non-stop. However, SYD-LHR are also not "two consecutive locations" so it's still open to interpretation.

 

[Jousams]

OOL-MEL-SYD
Business reward- 13,800 + 26.
With the rewards promo that's 100 SC!

 

[BrentH]

Frankly, I trust you guys a lot more than the young Filipina on the phone. She seemed a bit out of her depth.

Took the precaution of making a recording... Just in case I acted on bad advice.

 

[smit0847]

I think everyone should just calm down and wait until the dust settles. We're getting worked up about something that has been in place for all of about 10 hours and for all we know, may not even be correct, or finalised.

Just like QFF there will always be great finds, and others that are terrible value.

 

[QF WP]

At least now I can sign into my VFF account - nice change of advert on the front screen to say "we have transitioned" to the new (Sabre) booking system. Very quiet next door in the Sabre Project team HQ. Looks like some have departed already...

 

[robd]

Looks like some have departed already...

How tall is the building? Have you checked the footpath.......?

 

[AdMEL]

Terms & conditions have been updated:



On the topic of single flight numbers :-

Eligible Sector means a flight journey, from an origin to a destination:
(a) that has been flown;
(b) that has been purchased using cash or an Accepted Payment Card;
(c)(i) (for a flight journey flown prior to 13 January 2013) that has not been purchased in whole or in part using Points; or
(ii) (for a flight journey flown on or after 13 January 2013) that has not been booked as a Reward Seat;

(d) where Virgin Australia is the marketing carrier (this means that the flight number starts with a DJ or VA prefix).



Flight Sector means a single direct flight between two consecutive locations.

So that's not completely clear. In colloquial English, direct == non-stop but as we know that's not the case in the airline world - QF1 (because it's an easier example) is a direct flight from SYD-LHR but it isn't non-stop. However, SYD-LHR are also not "two consecutive locations" so it's still open to interpretation.

Interesting that c(ii) excludes a Reward Seat as an eligible sector!

 

[QF WP]

How tall is the building? Have you checked the footpath.......?

Only one storey and the majority of them work on the ground floor. None of those kind of departures yet

 

[markis10]

Probably having meetings with lots of "I told you so":

"Those AFFers were onto the site as soon as we let it loose"
"I told you so"
"Those AFFers have noticed the increase in connection flight costs"
"I told you so"
Looks like everything has not gone to plan
"I told you so"

 

[Blinky]

I hope someone can help me here, as I just rang the Virgin hotline, and they were not even aware that SCs were now available for Reward Seats (I had to quote the website to them).
My year expires on 31 March, and I will have 410 SCs by mid February to maintain SG. My wife (who shares SCs with me) and I will be flying Etihad Business Class to LHR via AUH purchased with points in early March (return in May). Now by my reading it looks like we will earn 160SCs each for the MEL-AUH sector and 120SCs each from AUH-LHR, adding up to 560, which added to my balance comes to 970. Meaning all I will need is a MEL-OOL status run (or similar) to get to Platinum.
Does this sound correct? It seems a bit too good to be true.

 

[MandM]

Probably having meetings with lots of "I told you so":

"Those AFFers were onto the site as soon as we let it loose"
"I told you so"
"Those AFFers have noticed the increase in connection flight costs"
"I told you so"
Looks like everything has not gone to plan
"I told you so"

I have a feeling they may be using AFF-F'ers!

 

[Fruitcake]

I will be flying Etihad Business Class.... It seems a bit too good to be true.

Far too good to be true, unfortunately:

Earn While You Burn: Velocity Frequent Flyer Unveils Australian First

*To be eligible for this offer, members must book and travel on a Virgin Australia (VA) marketed and operated flight in a Reward Seat Fare Class (X, P or Z) between 13 January and 30 June 2013.

(emphasis mine)

 

[Blinky]

Far too good to be true, unfortunately:

Earn While You Burn: Velocity Frequent Flyer Unveils Australian First


(emphasis mine)

When the hotline operator read the website she said it sounded like we would be eligible, but as I said, they didn't seem to know too much. I might email them just to be sure. Thanks for the information.

 

[Jousams]

When the hotline operator read the website she said it sounded like we would be eligible, but as I said, they didn't seem to know too much. I might email them just to be sure. Thanks for the information.

I think they will have to follow each case up individually.
We may have to lodge a request or something.

 

[bullerdude]

When the hotline operator read the website she said it sounded like we would be eligible, but as I said, they didn't seem to know too much. I might email them just to be sure. Thanks for the information.

The operator is incorrect - there are no status credits for reward flights booked before Jan 12.

This is clearly detailed in the press release for this promotion.

 

[Fruitcake]

The operator is incorrect - there are no status credits for reward flights booked before Jan 12.

For Blinky's flights the booking date won't even come into it. His bookings are for travel on flights operated by Etihad, which aren't included in the promotion.