The Virgin Australia Newbie Questions Thread

[SCM]

Thanks serfty & Must...Fly! - I did not realise you actually have to call them? I thought it's just some button to press on the website.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Thanks serfty & Must...Fly! - I did not realise you actually have to call them? I thought it's just some button to press on the website.

Not if you're intending to use the Platinum credits.

 

[Bunnyman]

Couldn’t find any J seats from FCO-SYD for a specific date so thinking of breaking up the trip and trying for J say FCO-SIN, FCO-AUH or FCO-DOH then booking another flight for remaining journey. Will I have to still clear immigration in the airport or just go through transit?

 

[Ktan89]

A Velocity search won't find mixed-cabin itineraries but can you get the call centre to construct an award with long-haul J connecting to short-haul Y on (say) UA?

Hey, did you get an answer to this?
Would like to ask the same question

 

[bernardblack]

I didn't, but I had a look at the fine print on the website and I think the answer is no. Any change of class forces a separate award. The call centre might be able to put them into a single itinerary to protect connections though.

 

[RedSMS]

Hey all,

Am thinking of flying VA from MEL-OOL return later in the month. I haven't flown with them in a while, and I'm silver status velocity.
I can see in my account that I have 2 lounge passes.

I know this sounds dumb, but will I actually be able to use them if/when I fly with then at MEL & OOL?

The reason I ask is because their website says you need to be flying business, or have Plat/Gold status. Doesn't mention anything about silver.

Thanks in advance.

 

[luckypierre]

Hey all,

Am thinking of flying VA from MEL-OOL return later in the month. I haven't flown with them in a while, and I'm silver status velocity.
I can see in my account that I have 2 lounge passes.

I know this sounds dumb, but will I actually be able to use them if/when I fly with then at MEL & OOL?

The reason I ask is because their website says you need to be flying business, or have Plat/Gold status. Doesn't mention anything about silver.

Thanks in advance.

You are able to use the lounge passes at OOL and MEL when flying Y with VA

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

VFF PS have got 2 lounge access rights to a VA lounge.
VFF SG have no limitations in that one year they keep that status.
=================
Yeah, you can use them in both.
If you were VFF SG, you can scan your VFF SG card.
But as I am VFF PS too, as you enter the lounge at T3, after security, you must approach the desk, and they have to manually link the lounge passes to you, so they will ask for your VA BP, and press some buttons on their computer.
So it will take a few mins, of them typing.
Depending on your time of arrival, at MEL airport, as to the food, it can be meh, or can be good.
Have had 4 half hand sized wraps, so would be enough to fill the tim for the flight, even flying Y, where there is no included food on the flight, just water in a cup, the food in the lounge will be enough to keep you from going hungry.
Have not done the OOL VA lounge, so cant say about it.
But since MEL airport decided to join T3 and T4, the outside of the lounge area, is more like a Westfield food court.
T3 and T4 domestic security now is joined, so its a lot of people passing through.
The security screening, now is the more modern type, ie, the one where to have to face sideways, with your hands held akimbo, just like international security screening, and they seem to do more patdowns, as their impression (the screening staff) is that you have something hidden on your clothing, even if you have nothing.
Maybe they get more revenue per patdown.
Bag security also, I find more times my HLO gets pushed onto the secondary side, even tho I dont have anything iffy.
Then the bag comes out, and they dont open to inspect, just that the screening now takes 10 mins than 5 mins as before.
On the secure side, T3 and T4 are now combined, and VA also now uses gates at T4 as well as T3, so need to leave a bit more time when leaving the lounge for your flight, as you might have to walk over to T4 side.

 

[AIRwin]

The reason I ask is because their website says you need to be flying business, or have Plat/Gold status. Doesn't mention anything about silver.

The website also has a section on Silver:

Lounges

Make your next trip to the airport an enjoyable one by experiencing the Virgin Australia Lounge.

www.virginaustralia.com

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ah, they have never sent me out a VFF PS since VGW died.
Granted, I never contacted them to ask for a VFF PS card, maybe its my fault.
Didnt realize that it was preloaded.
So I guess if RedSMS has the VFF PS card, they can scan that.
Unless they have taken the reader off the pole.

 

[RedSMS]

Ah, they have never sent me out a VFF PS since VGW died.
Granted, I never contacted them to ask for a VFF PS card, maybe its my fault.
Didnt realize that it was preloaded.
So I guess if RedSMS has the VFF PS card, they can scan that.
Unless they have taken the reader off the pole.

I don't have the physical card. I saw the 2 passes online when logged into VFF acc.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Yeap, do OLCI.
Print out BP from home in MEL, take it along with you to the the Lounge entry desk, they will tap, they might ask for id.
For OOL, am not sure, maybe do OLCI on your VA/VFF app, if you have a smart phone, or do at the airport, with id, and then go to lounge, with paper printed BP for them to do the linking.

 

[marcojim]

Just received a flurry of emails from VA with some minor timing changes for a number of my upcoming flights.

In the past I’ve been able to call up and make changes to any of the impacted flights (or flights on the same booking) without fees. Just wanted to check if this is still the case? Almost all of my upcoming flights have been impacted…

 

[MooTime]

Just received a flurry of emails from VA with some minor timing changes for a number of my upcoming flights.

In the past I’ve been able to call up and make changes to any of the impacted flights (or flights on the same booking) without fees. Just wanted to check if this is still the case? Almost all of my upcoming flights have been impacted…

Absolutely fee free changes on airline timing changes.
Can be handy as can change even the day as I have in past if. Also to a more expensive time that suits better.

 

[luckypierre]

Just received a flurry of emails from VA with some minor timing changes for a number of my upcoming flights.

In the past I’ve been able to call up and make changes to any of the impacted flights (or flights on the same booking) without fees. Just wanted to check if this is still the case? Almost all of my upcoming flights have been impacted…

Just done that myself. VA cancelled our original route for a flight in October , we preferred our original route/times, so rang up to change to the previous day, no charge, efficient service sorted in 5 minutes and luckily keeping our row 3 seats.

 

[bernardblack]

I don't suppose there is a way to change a booking to reverse the itinerary, while keeping the PNR? I no longer need a MEL-SYD but will need a SYD-MEL in a few weeks, and would love to keep the 3x status credits. I haven't been targeted for the newer promo.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't suppose there is a way to change a booking to reverse the itinerary, while keeping the PNR? I no longer need a MEL-SYD but will need a SYD-MEL in a few weeks, and would love to keep the 3x status credits. I haven't been targeted for the newer promo.

You can certainly short-segment the ticket, dropping the outbound and keep the return.

I didn’t know if you can then add and other return on to what you have left!

 

[bernardblack]

You can certainly short-segment the ticket, dropping the outbound and keep the return.

I didn’t know if you can then add and other return on to what you have left!

I got through to an agent this morning who happily did this: change my existing itinerary MEL-SYD to the reverse SYD-MEL on a different date. Because it was in J there was no fee, just a fare increase. And it was successfully reticketed on the same PNR.

So I was hopeful of getting my triple SCs! But just now I checked the dates on that May promo and the flight has to be taken by 31/07, whereas I'm booked for 04/08. So I don't like my chances.

I might see how stuff is looking closer to the time and if need be do a last-minute cancellation for a full refund, then just buy a new ticket in Y Choice. I really don't need a $520 J seat at breakfast time for a one-hour flight, if there are no bonus SCs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I got through to an agent this morning who happily did this: change my existing itinerary MEL-SYD to the reverse SYD-MEL on a different date. Because it was in J there was no fee, just a fare increase. And it was successfully reticketed on the same PNR.

So I was hopeful of getting my triple SCs! But just now I checked the dates on that May promo and the flight has to be taken by 31/07, whereas I'm booked for 04/08. So I don't like my chances.

I might see how stuff is looking closer to the time and if need be do a last-minute cancellation for a full refund, then just buy a new ticket in Y Choice. I really don't need a $520 J seat at breakfast time for a one-hour flight, if there are no bonus SCs.

Or if you don’t need the SCs… Rex for $379 in business, or $109 in main cabin

 

[SYD]

Are Waitlisted Points upgrade requests cleared before $$$ Bids?

Apologies - I’m sure this has been asked before but I couldn’t find the definitive answer elsewhere.