Travel Agent booking, eligible sectors count? & advice on a booking dilemma

[Gianni S]

Hi, just seeing if anyone can confirm when booking a Virgin flight which is codeshared with Singapore Airlines though a travel agent that you still earn points/SC as well as sectors.

I currently have 720 SC but have yet to fly any eligible sectors on Virgin metal.

Was looking to book the following itinerary below through Hello World travel as the Virgin website won't allow me to book it online.(is there a work around to this? if i call will they be able to book it?)

Because there is 2 of us and pooling this would get us 8 sectors, more than enough to tick us over to GOLD.

Assuming i have read all the information correctly, even though its singapore metal, because i have booked the Virgin flight with virgin flight numbers it will count towards the sectors i need??

I have tried to work every which way to find the best deal and have come up with the 2 scenarios

1. as above $1189pp all flights and earn the sectors easily
2. PAY just the SYD>PVG leg $679.00(get the 4 sectors between the 2 of us) then redeem the PVG>SIN>MEL legs with points, works out to be 55k + $73.00. so total $784.00pp+55k pp.

as usual, your help is greatly appreciated,

Gianni

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Hi, just seeing if anyone can confirm when booking a Virgin flight which is codeshared with Singapore Airlines though a travel agent that you still earn points/SC as well as sectors.

I currently have 720 SC but have yet to fly any eligible sectors on Virgin metal.

Was looking to book the following itinerary below through Hello World travel as the Virgin website won't allow me to book it online.(is there a work around to this? if i call will they be able to book it?)
View attachment 74472
Because there is 2 of us and pooling this would get us 8 sectors, more than enough to tick us over to GOLD.

Assuming i have read all the information correctly, even though its singapore metal, because i have booked the Virgin flight with virgin flight numbers it will count towards the sectors i need??

I have tried to work every which way to find the best deal and have come up with the 2 scenarios

1. as above $1189pp all flights and earn the sectors easily
2. PAY just the SYD>PVG leg $679.00(get the 4 sectors between the 2 of us) then redeem the PVG>SIN>MEL legs with points, works out to be 55k + $73.00. so total $784.00pp+55k pp.

as usual, your help is greatly appreciated,

Gianni

I think I need a bit more time to digest, but I will say initially that eligible sectors do not pool. So do not count on that part of your plan

 

[andye]

Hi, just seeing if anyone can confirm when booking a Virgin flight which is codeshared with Singapore Airlines though a travel agent that you still earn points/SC as well as sectors.

I currently have 720 SC but have yet to fly any eligible sectors on Virgin metal.

Was looking to book the following itinerary below through Hello World travel as the Virgin website won't allow me to book it online.(is there a work around to this? if i call will they be able to book it?)
View attachment 74472
Because there is 2 of us and pooling this would get us 8 sectors, more than enough to tick us over to GOLD.

Assuming i have read all the information correctly, even though its singapore metal, because i have booked the Virgin flight with virgin flight numbers it will count towards the sectors i need??

I have tried to work every which way to find the best deal and have come up with the 2 scenarios

1. as above $1189pp all flights and earn the sectors easily
2. PAY just the SYD>PVG leg $679.00(get the 4 sectors between the 2 of us) then redeem the PVG>SIN>MEL legs with points, works out to be 55k + $73.00. so total $784.00pp+55k pp.

as usual, your help is greatly appreciated,

Gianni

As long as you confirm that they are on a VA flight number, they will count as Eligible Sectors

Eligible Sectors do NOT pool; they have to be earned by the actual flier

 

[Gianni S]

Thanks for that guys, didn't know that the eligible sectors don't pool like the points and SC. looks like will be booking itinerary above to ensure I get 4 sectors out of the way.
Hello world and other sites all state VA flight numbers so can only assume that part will be ok. in saying that would prefer booking through virgin themselves to make sure 110% all is ok but like I mentioned can't do it online. If I call can they do it?

We are planning an anniversary Europe trip next year so may hold on to the points to use next year.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Thanks for that guys, didn't know that the eligible sectors don't pool like the points and SC. looks like will be booking itinerary above to ensure I get 4 sectors out of the way.
Hello world and other sites all state VA flight numbers so can only assume that part will be ok. in saying that would prefer booking through virgin themselves to make sure 110% all is ok but like I mentioned can't do it online. If I call can they do it?

We are planning an anniversary Europe trip next year so may hold on to the points to use next year.

Eligible sectors by definition is as follows :

Eligible Sector means a Flight Sector:

(a) that has been flown;
(b) that has not been booked as a Reward Seat;
(c) where Virgin Australia is the Marketing Carrier.



Marketing carrier by definition is as follows :

Marketing Carrier means the airline whose code the Flight Sector is operated under. For example, Virgin Australia is the Marketing Carrier for any flight number that starts with a VA prefix.


This info from Velocity site

​

 

[madmouse58]

OP, do you currently have any status with VA?

 

[liamsal]

in saying that would prefer booking through virgin themselves to make sure 110% all is ok but like I mentioned can't do it online. If I call can they do it?

I booked a multi city trip over the phone a few months ago. They said normally there is a $60 fee for booking over the phone but waived it for me as it couldn't be booked online. I used points though so not sure if the same would apply for a paid booking (I would assume so but who knows with Virgin).

 

[Gianni S]

I booked a multi city trip over the phone a few months ago. They said normally there is a $60 fee for booking over the phone but waived it for me as it couldn't be booked online. I used points though so not sure if the same would apply for a paid booking (I would assume so but who knows with Virgin).

Ah ok well hopefully if I choose to pay they will do the same thing then, will see what they say.

 

[Gianni S]

OP, do you currently have any status with VA?

At the moment no. I am RED with 720SC but have not flown any eligible sectors to trigger silver or gold. This was always the plan as i wanted to achieve GOLD by around September/ October this year so when we go away same time next year we will have the GOLD benefits.
That's what still debating whether to pay for it all in full to get 4+ sectors , or pay one way to only get 2 sectors, and find a cheap domestic flight to get the other 2. Only problem with that is I will have to used 55kpoints for each of us economy so 110k less for next year ,which isn't peanuts .

 

[Gianni S]

So looks like work has come to the rescue on this one by booking a trip to sydney, this will get me 2 eligible sectors for silver.

Aside from this, wife and i were planning to go to sydney in September(aladdin), this is still the case but instead of getting the one way flight back from sydney back home we will be going on Shanghai Disney and on the way back Singapore F1!.

So question i have is.

Before i knew about the above trip , I had booked a flight from Sydney back home (which i won't be getting on any more) as we will be going direct to shanghai from sydney.
Do i call and cancel this? or just not show up?
Are there any fees if i just cancel it?

This flight had a departure of 1pm, and the China flight is 5pm departure. I'm just worried that when it comes time to check in for the China flight that they might say something about the other one which was due to fly out earlier.

For those that are still reading and have been following my other status enquiries the good news is Staus is on the way up thanks to this trip and work bonus booking us on VA instead of the usual Qantas.

Work trip = 2 sectors
trip to syd = 1 sector
Asia trip = 4 sectors( should trigger gold via singapore leg, so hoping to use the KrisFlyer lounges on the return leg)

this left me 1 sector short of Platinum! so after a bit of thinking and manipulating, i decided to use points for one way to Brisbane in October and pay for the return flight triggering that 8th sector and magical Platinum Status.


We are looking to book our 10 year anniversary Euro/USA trip in October/November for September 2017 so potentially could all fall into place and hopefully still Platinum status.
No doubt i will have many more questions and look for further advice closer to when flights are released for those dates.

Thanks again all for listening and hope i didn't bore too many people!

appreciate everyones help!

 

[davidsilver]

You will need to allow for a few days before your status will update to Gold, especially if flight is on a weekend. But hope it works out for you and you can get into the SQ lounge. FYI in SIN the lounge you will have access to is the Goldflyer lounge, these are comfy but there are no toilets in the lounge

 

[Gianni S]

Thanks for the tip, we are in Shanghai for 4 days then singapore for 4, so hopefully it will trigger it. Still unsure what i am going to do with the flight to sydney which is booked but wont be boarding

 

[BriarFlyer]

Do you mean the flight connecting with the Shanghai flight? If this is booked as one ticket then you can't just not board in MEL or you will be a no-show and the rest of your ticket will be cancelled. If that's the case, you will need to change the ticket to depart from SYD.

 

[Gianni S]

Do you mean the flight connecting with the Shanghai flight? If this is booked as one ticket then you can't just not board in MEL or you will be a no-show and the rest of your ticket will be cancelled. If that's the case, you will need to change the ticket to depart from SYD.

Hi Briar,
nah the flight is a previously booked Sydney to Melbourne not related to the Shanghai flight. Just happens to be for the same date

 

[mooingchicken]

I would still ring and cancel, It wont effect you at all, but they might give you a travel bank credit. and u can you this to pay for another flight

 

[Gianni S]

I would still ring and cancel, It wont effect you at all, but they might give you a travel bank credit. and u can you this to pay for another flight

Shows how smart i am... just automatically thought that I would be up for a cancellation fee and lose out hence why i was hesitating to call and cancel. Followed your advice and was charged $80 cancellation fee but credited with the $99 that i paid for the flight. the balance of $19 was then refunded to my travel bank account..

One less thing to worry about now.

Thanks again for your help, appreciate it!

 

[Gianni S]

ok so this trip has come up a lot quick than expected.

Booked through VA on SQ metal. so VA issued tickets

just trying to work out how many SC and points we would be getting after looking at the ticketing classes



Keeping in mind i only booked Economy, would i be correct in saying Sydney to Singapore, Singapore to Shanghai are classified as flexi based on LZRASQ in the fare type? and this would earn 1 point per mile as well as falling under the Full Fare Economy for SC, while the rest of the flights E which is just a saver fare and earling .5 per mile and Discount Economy SC

 

[Bolthead]

ok so this trip has come up a lot quick than expected.

Booked through VA on SQ metal. so VA issued tickets

just trying to work out how many SC and points we would be getting after looking at the ticketing classes

...snip...

Keeping in mind i only booked Economy, would i be correct in saying Sydney to Singapore, Singapore to Shanghai are classified as flexi based on LZRASQ in the fare type? and this would earn 1 point per mile as well as falling under the Full Fare Economy for SC, while the rest of the flights E which is just a saver fare and earling .5 per mile and Discount Economy SC


...snip...

Yes. you are correct. Use the calculator and you will get an idea of your final FFP's.

https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/Earn/Airlines/mileage-calculator/

 

[Gianni S]

Yes. you are correct. Use the calculator and you will get an idea of your final FFP's.

https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/Earn/Airlines/mileage-calculator/

Thanks bolthead, appreciate it. will have to do the sums. am Silver at the moment and will hit gold after the first flight to Singapore. Wonder how the bonus points are going to be allocated after that, silver or gold.

 

[Bolthead]

Thanks bolthead, appreciate it. will have to do the sums. am Silver at the moment and will hit gold after the first flight to Singapore. Wonder how the bonus points are going to be allocated after that, silver or gold.

It's your status at the time of the flight that will determine the bonus points you are allocated assuming you have been officially changed to the new level. If you don't get the correct points, send them an email and get them to correct it.