VA Status Match

[Moopere]

If you want to be gold with Velocity, book some flights. Simple as that.

Yes, perhaps ... but if you've got decent status with one airline and actually use and enjoy the small perks that come with that status, then its a tough ask to go to a competitor and begin again without any status/perks at all. This scenario is the real 'golden handcuffs' thing thats sometimes spoken of here.

Of course, it can be argued that the little 'perks' are really only for those who have demonstrated their loyalty, therefore they get to enjoy.

From a business perspective though, you're really quite possibly cutting yourself off (as the competing airline) from potential high value customers ... because those customers in general won't want to even try you out without some of the perks they've got used to.

So ... if the business thinks that they have a truly competitive product, and at least a reasonable chance of transitioning these customers to their own product they will certainly have to employ some sort of incentive and a decent start, thats unlikely to actually cost them much at all is the status match, packaged as a status 'challenge' as others have mentioned is probably not a bad choice - it gives the new customer a chance to prove (if you like) their spend capacity (loyalty) and should in theory keep most of the tyre kickers out of the way.

 

[robs12]

I asked for a status match late last year but 'no'.

I actually flew with VA first time in ages a couple of weeks ago (using up some Krisflyer points!). Booking was through SQ so was able to use the lounges in MEL & CNS (*A Gold). They were very accommodating and allowed wife and both the kids in on both legs (many thanks!), but clearly explained it was against policy both times. [This is a poor policy - if traveling with family, I'd hope to have partner and 2 kids to be allowed in like QF..?]
Lounges were nice (CNS surprisingly large) - spacey and somehow more peaceful than QC lounges (especially after comparison with Perth QC last Wednesday afternoon before the Adelaide flight left - carnage!!). I actually thought they felt more 'tranquil' than the QF 1st lounges (until some woman tried to steal my pancakes out of the pancake machine, but that is not VA's fault..). Used the priority lanes etc. Comfy seats and good service. Used and liked the onboard wi-fi - worked well. Very pleasant experience overall.

But I can't see myself booking a large number of VA flights and 'slumming it' (;-))for months with no lounges, no priority lanes etc etc whilst building up status when I can book QF, Jet* or any *A airline at comparable cost (or often less) and get the perks now. No financial benefit to change, somewhat limited range of international partners/benefits compared with *A or OW even when/if I got status, so why put up with the 'hardship' whilst getting there?
Given recent positive experience, I'd be flying more with them now if I could have lounge access and priority lanes now... !!

Edit - wrote this before Moopere posted - 'snap'! Golden handcuffs indeed!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

packaged as a status 'challenge' as others have mentioned is probably not a bad choice

I think that's the key that VA managed so poorly last time. Not only did they invite all and sundry with no plan to actually require the matched millions of mini-minions to at least partly convert but then alienated many of their pre-existing loyal flyers by offering only the proven disloyal more gifts of status and freebie SCs...................one could imagine learning institutions will use that debacle for years to come of an example of how NOT to lure new business successfully.

Further to that, VA marketing still has not learned. They've progressed from offering everyone status matches to offering no one status matches . As some posters here have suggested, they are willing to convert their business over if given a SM. Those would be ideal targeted candidates for a genuine SM with conditions to actually convert and prove it, similar to what many of the hotel chains do.................

 

[Jack_OC]

IMHO, airlines have little to lose by status matching. If we take the example of VA matching status for a QF SG or WP, it would result in one of two things: (1) the recipient continues to fly primarily with QF or (2) the recipient actually does switch a lot of travel to VA.

Scenario 1 just means someone gets another nice shiny card for their wallet - it won't cost VA anything or impact on VA customers, so who really cares if that happens? On the other hand, Scenario 2 means VA has won new business from a high value customer, who would most likely earn the required SCs for status soon enough anyway.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

(1) the recipient continues to fly primarily with QF..............

Scenario 1 just means someone gets another nice shiny card for their wallet - it won't ...impact on VA customers

Not exactly. That may be true if it were just a handful of people. When VA SMed a whole shed load of people, we as customers certainly were impacted as the lounges filled up regularly and the premium check-in lines often became longer than the pleb lines. Someone who only flys occasionally, normally is not permitted access to a lounge, or priority check-in, etc but when there are thousands (hundreds of thousands??) of SMed flyers only flying occasionally, they're getting perks like queuing in the J/status line and filling lounges which does most certainly impact on that airlines genuine frequent flyers and then when the SM runs out, they go back to QF or whoever. Some obviously stayed with VA so I guess it had some success, but you only have to go back and search the threads here on AFF and count up the number of posts similar to "I flew twice with VA but have been offered a further 12 months of plat" to realise for everyone that stayed there were truck loads who didn't bother.

Wholesale SMing without any strings attached, is a horses patoot of a way of attracting genuine flyers. Not recognising the failure of that method and extending the pain to genuine customers is an insult.

 

[Jack_OC]

I guess my point is that if most of these people only flew once or twice with VA, it wouldn't have much impact on lounge usage etc. On the other hand, if lounges were suddenly packed with SM customers, it suggests the offer was successful in getting people to switch.

 

[Bofter]

They have a pilot gold arrangement already, maybe offering that instead of status matches would be the go. It gives access to benefits, not at the top level, and requires some action to keep it.

 

[Jack_OC]

They have a pilot gold arrangement already, maybe offering that instead of status matches would be the go. It gives access to benefits, not at the top level, and requires some action to keep it.

Sounds like a good idea, but if people are concerned about new pax with status clogging up lounges, the fact is that a scheme such as this will contribute to that.

In any case, I suspect SMs are not the major reason for VA lounges becoming much busier in recent times. The reality is that VA has significantly increased market share in recent years, in particular among business travellers. That means they have more people travelling, and they almost certainly now have a higher proportion of pax with status. They're probably also attracting more people who happen to have SQ or EY Gold (who get VA lounge access too). Additionally, they have introduced family pooling of SCs,which makes it easier to earn status BIS. I suspect all of this would have resulted in a massive increase in the number of people using VA lounges.

 

[markis10]

In any case, I suspect SMs are not the major reason for VA lounges becoming much busier in recent times. The reality is that VA has significantly increased market share in recent years, in particular among business travellers. That means they have more people travelling, and they almost certainly now have a higher proportion of pax with status. They're probably also attracting more people who happen to have SQ or EY Gold (who get VA lounge access too). Additionally, they have introduced family pooling of SCs,which makes it easier to earn status BIS. I suspect all of this would have resulted in a massive increase in the number of people using VA lounges.

Anyone who took the status match is now either a status holder in their own right or not getting into the lounges. I suspect the campaign did its job, other departments and airlines could have a look at it as an example of why adding be befits rather than cost cutting can boost the bottom line long term.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I guess my point is that if most of these people only flew once or twice with VA, it wouldn't have much impact on lounge usage etc. On the other hand, if lounges were suddenly packed with SM customers, it suggests the offer was successful in getting people to switch.

Couldn't we also assume there may be many QFF status pax who normally fly a few sectors with VA anyway? I doubt VA could claim that as a success. The other factor to consider is that those "few" sectors flown with VA may in fact be those "few" routes which VA do better than QF. This may have the effect of concentrating those unearned status holders into peak times on popular routes like the triangle and more to the point, the C2C routes, which then does not help VA long term, but does effect the genuine status holders.

Here's an actual example of mine........In May last year, I found myself in the unfortunate position of having to fly a back to back OOL-SYD-PER-BNE to accompany my recently widowed mother home. I knew it would be a difficult trip and the stop over in PER was for 2 hours (give or take). It was one time in my life that I would have really appreciated a J seat. I could not even buy a J fare on VA, let alone secure an upgrade. That was at the time when we still had many SMed QF flyers, it was on a route which VA kill QF on and IIRC, there was a promo for SCs on reward bookings so the J cabins were full.....even in the 738s and I tried out of BNE, SYD and MEL! I wonder how many Plat SMed QF flyers were in those seats redeeming their 4 freebie J upgrades? If they didn't have the SM, they wouldn't have had the free upgrades to use and who knows, perhaps those 4 free upgrade flights were the only ones taken before returning to QF. Lots of presumptions there and I don't for one minute suggest that definitely happened but one doesn't need to be a Rhodes scholar to guess there was a pretty good chance that did in fact happen, especially when you consider both my mum and I are QF NBs and were given compassionate J upgrades for the return flight (taken on QF as Mum already had her ticket so I booked into the same class on QF). Seems a lot of QF status were flying VA that day but that does not necessarily mean it was a success for VA. They need long term shifts, not short term opportunistic flights by those keen to reap the windfall then return to normal but without doubt, all those opportunistic flights, disadvantaged us VA genuine status pax whether it was via an inability to buy seats, crowded lounges or long priority queues etc.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Sounds like a good idea, but if people are concerned about new pax with status clogging up lounges, the fact is that a scheme such as this will contribute to that.

You are confusing issues. Most of us want VA to be a sustainable and competitive airline. Read back a few posts and I said VA (IMHO) are making a mistake by not SMing genuine people expressing an interest in converting their flying to VA. They just need to put some "requirements" around the SM. It's the wholesale SMing that occurred a few years ago that I disagree with.

Whether or not VA lounges are getting busier due to genuine status holders is another matter altogether.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Anyone who took the status match is now either a status holder in their own right or not getting into the lounges.

I haven't checked the time lines, but are you sure about that? Many originally SMed plats were given another year of plat even though they didn't fly anywhere near the requal requirements and then they would have had a soft landing to gold.......effectively 3 years worth of free lounge access, for some. I think the SM was Sept 2011 or thereabouts????? (I'm not sure but I don't think it was 2010) which mean some months left with lounge access yet.

 

[markis10]

I haven't checked the time lines, but are you sure about that? Many originally SMed plats were given another year of plat even though they didn't fly anywhere near the requal requirements and then they would have had a soft landing to gold.......effectively 3 years worth of free lounge access, for some. I think the SM was Sept 2011 or thereabouts????? (I'm not sure but I don't think it was 2010) which mean some months left with lounge access yet.

Having been matched to WP and now Silver I am very sure of timelines, while there was some additional comping or easy hurdles to keep status that first year, quite a significant number didn't get it based on anecdotal evidence here, so like me they no longer have access to lounges via their VA status.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Having been matched to WP and now Silver I am very sure of timelines, while there was some additional comping or easy hurdles to keep status that first year, quite a significant number didn't get it based on anecdotal evidence here, so like me they no longer have access to lounges via their VA status.

Ah yes, but those who did get the additional comps or easy hurdles are still able to access lounges, so your statement

Anyone who took the status match is now either a status holder in their own right or not getting into the lounges.

is not quite 100% correct .

 

[markis10]

Ah yes, but those who did get the additional comps or easy hurdles are still able to access lounges, so your statement is not quite 100% correct .

Quite true, although the numbers in that category would be small I suspect as it would have only been WPs who would be clinging on.

 

[Jack_OC]

You are confusing issues. Most of us want VA to be a sustainable and competitive airline. Read back a few posts and I said VA (IMHO) are making a mistake by not SMing genuine people expressing an interest in converting their flying to VA. They just need to put some "requirements" around the SM. It's the wholesale SMing that occurred a few years ago that I disagree with.

Whether or not VA lounges are getting busier due to genuine status holders is another matter altogether.

I was just responding to your comment:

When VA SMed a whole shed load of people, we as customers certainly were impacted as the lounges filled up regularly and the premium check-in lines often became longer than the pleb lines.

My point is that I doubt the lounges were continuously packed with people who hardly ever fly with VA. They certainly did get much busier over that period, but as I said above, probably for a variety of reasons other than occasional VA travellers suddenly having access. IMHO, the fact that VA lounges have only got busier since the SM offer ended supports my view, especially as Markis10 says, there would not be many people now who have VA status by virtue of SM.

 

[JohnK]

I haven't checked the time lines, but are you sure about that? Many originally SMed plats were given another year of plat even though they didn't fly anywhere near the requal requirements and then they would have had a soft landing to gold.......effectively 3 years worth of free lounge access, for some. I think the SM was Sept 2011 or thereabouts????? (I'm not sure but I don't think it was 2010) which mean some months left with lounge access yet.

Not all were given an extra year of Platinum. Was anyone? I dropped to Gold and have maintained Gold for a year and I am about to maintain Gold for another year so perhaps status matching me was a good idea as VA gets some extra business.

You worried about overcrowded lounges and your hard earned status not meaning anything? Campaign so that both QF and VA stopped gifting status via endless double SCs offers.

 

[Major]

From VA's point of view it was an outstanding marketing success. After that initial 12 months or so most of those still there retained their status by BIS. Some have retained Plat and some have slipped to Gold. Either way it is revenue VA would not have had but for the SM. Well done VA

From my point of view, initially I was not happy because my status was all self funded BIS. I was also a bit jealous because I did not have status with QF.

Yes the lounges became more crowded and VA have responded by expanding SYD and MEL (which are the 2 problem areas) and opening OOL, MKY and CNS. I am usually able to travel off peak so crowding is not such a problem for me.

Now that this situation has bedded down for me I no longer have an issue with it.

 

[MarkD]

I think part of the issue was, back then we had any time access. I know quite a few people on here bragged about going into the virgin lounge, which was superior at the time to QP, when flying with other carriers. It did happen a lot. People, myself included would also come in for a coffee when picking up/dropping off friends, so I happily contributed to the overcrowding issue.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Now that this situation has bedded down for me I no longer have an issue with it.

I don't have an issue with it now either, because it's been and gone (mostly) but I don't agree with wholesale SMing.......not then, not now! I also don't necessarily agree it was an outstanding marketing success. AFF in my view, does offer a small snap shot of the big picture and there are a multitude of stories here of SMed QF elite trying then going back. The extra VA elites now could be for a multitude of reasons including the biggie, family pooling which like it or hate it, indeed means there are plenty of VA status flyers now who without family pooling would not even reach silver. Other reasons (as John has already pointed out) is the rolling promos that include SC doozies (SCs on reward flights, double SC offers and SCs with credit cards to name but three). I think the wholesale SM promo was possibly an embarrassing flop. None of us know the actual numbers of successful convertees and I doubt VA are about to tell us!