VA to Extend status for Some until 30th September 2022

[mad_atta]

Give them a call and ask for your extension that you got as gold last march to be applied. I did not get the impression that it was a one off but may have been. My partner is no good at these things and she was lucky when she called back that day and got the same person so she went from April 4th expiry a few days ago to 11th feb next year.

Hopefully something will change over the year but without a double status credit offer and no international flights it will make it hard for most.

Can please someone remind me what the terms were of the status extension being offered last March (ie March 2020)?

I can find this article about it but it's not clear from that who was eligible. I don't recall receiving anything from Velocity about a status extension. Maybe with a December 2020 review date I was ineligible?

 

[hydrabyss]

Can please someone remind me what the terms were of the status extension being offered last March (ie March 2020)?

I can find this article about it but it's not clear from that who was eligible. I don't recall receiving anything from Velocity about a status extension. Maybe with a December 2020 review date I was ineligible?

So you didn't get a 12 month extension last march and due to upgrading within the last 12 months you are not eligible for the last one. I will see if I have the email and if it states the terms for last years. Have you called them at all as I expect emails maybe just easier for them to say no.

 

[hydrabyss]

Can please someone remind me what the terms were of the status extension being offered last March (ie March 2020)?

I can find this article about it but it's not clear from that who was eligible. I don't recall receiving anything from Velocity about a status extension. Maybe with a December 2020 review date I was ineligible?

This is an extract from the Paul Scurrah on the 25th March last year.

Our Velocity Silver, Gold and Platinum members will receive a 12 month extension to their current membership year, along with a Status Credit gift. We’ll send you a note with all the information early next week.

 

[mad_atta]

Thanks hydrabyss. I haven't called them yet but I'm planning to - I agree it's much easier to fob me off via email. Just wanted to have my facts straight before I called.

But it does seem weird that as a result of actually qualifying for Plat I get no status extension at all (at least not in terms of ability to qualify - I guess technically I'm getting a few months of extra Plat benefits but no change to qualifying period.

 

[oz_mark]

The basics of the original offer are still outlined here: Status Gift and Extension

 

[mad_atta]

The basics of the original offer are still outlined here: Status Gift and Extension

That is super helpful, thank you! My original review date (as Gold) was 24 December 2020 so that begs the question why I never got a notification that my status was extended to 24 December 2021 (which according to that article, it seems it should have been... unless there's some criteria which meant I wasn't eligible). I knew I was about to hit Platinum so I didn't question it at the time.

Oh well, I'll call them sometime this week and give it a shot!

 

[Bagpuss]

I had feedback from Velocity (and had also escalated and the escalated response was the same). As my original extension was to early September 2022 and now moved in line with the current offering which is an extension until end September 2022.
The short of the long is that due to changing dynamics they’ve mainly moved everyone to the current extension offering so essentially most with status and have fulfilled the extension offering will expire 31st September 2022.
They have stated that there will be offers coming out prior to September to assist to retain status for the year beyond. So this maybe double or triple status credits or some alternative triggers such as x number of business class flights etc.

 

[serfty]

They have stated that there will be offers coming out prior to September to assist to retain status for the year beyond. So this maybe double or triple status credits or some alternative triggers such as x number of business class flights etc.

Seems good.

What I would like to know is the requalifying period.


1st April 2022 to 30 Sep 2022?
1st Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2022?
1st April 2021 to 30 Sep 2022?

 

[Bagpuss]

Seems good.

What I would like to know is the requalifying period.


1st April 2022 to 30 Sep 2022?
1st Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2022?
1st April 2021 to 30 Sep 2022?

30 September 2021 - 31 September 2022. Was confirmed in the emails to me in regards to status credits are valid for 12 months and that’s not changed. My commentary to Velocity and Virgin was around that members would be unaware that booking flights aren’t aware they aren’t counting to status retention, until post 30 September 2021.

 

[Jurahn]

My status (Silver) review date was 31 March and I was fully expecting to drop down to Red - I'd pooled any SCs over the last couple of years to Mr J to try to keep at least one of us at Gold, and he then qualified for the status extension to Sep 2022.

I just received the following email:

We’re excited that Australians are travelling again. To celebrate this, we are planning to lock in the Status membership of eligible members until 30 September 2021*. This will give those members more time to enjoy Virgin Australia’s award-winning service and reach their Status membership goals.

There’s no need to do anything. If you are eligible, we will extend your Silver membership* and let you know via email in the next 2 weeks.

I have no idea whether I'm eligible or not, so will have to wait and see - I was Gold up until about 18 months ago, and had been so for a while, so maybe they'll take that into account, and I do have a couple of flights booked in May (albeit short hops CBR-MEL-HBA) but at least it's something. Also means that if Mr J travels between now and the end of September this year, pooling the SCs to me would at least achieve something, otherwise they'd be going to waste for him during that period.

Interestingly, this is something I've suggested in recent Velocity surveys I've been sent, that some sort of extension consideration be given to members who have dropped back to Silver because of being unable to travel due to COVID, especially if they had been at higher status for some time prior to that. May be completely coincidental, who knows.

 

[dk4]

30 September 2021 - 31 September 2022. Was confirmed in the emails to me in regards to status credits are valid for 12 months and that’s not changed. My commentary to Velocity and Virgin was around that members would be unaware that booking flights aren’t aware they aren’t counting to status retention, until post 30 September 2021.

I haven't got a clue what is going on with my account.

March 2020 I was on the way to re-qualifying for Platinum, with one sector remaining to reach 8 VA paid flights by my review date mid-June 2020. Obviously I didn't make that flight as everything shut down, but I did get the 70sc gift in May, and in June they mailed me out a new Platinum card with review date mid-June 2021.

I just checked now, I am still platinum, but my review date online has changed to the end of March 2022, and my most recent flight shows as sector 1 of 8 for re-qualification. (No new card yet, though my current one is valid until mid-June 2021.)

 

[Bell21]

30 September 2021 - 31 September 2022. Was confirmed in the emails to me in regards to status credits are valid for 12 months and that’s not changed. My commentary to Velocity and Virgin was around that members would be unaware that booking flights aren’t aware they aren’t counting to status retention, until post 30 September 2021.

I agree - I emailed VFF a query re whether status credits earnt between now and Sept 2021 will count towards renewing status in Sept 2022, and their response wasn't very clear, but I assume, as per your helpful message, that status credits earnt up to Sept 2021 won't count for status renewal post Sept 2022 - it seems a bit counter-intuitive of VA though, as it reduces my incentive to book on VA until Sept 21 (despite appreciating the extra 6 months status extension)

 

[mad_atta]

I haven't got a clue what is going on with my account.

March 2020 I was on the way to re-qualifying for Platinum, with one sector remaining to reach 8 VA paid flights by my review date mid-June 2020. Obviously I didn't make that flight as everything shut down, but I did get the 70sc gift in May, and in June they mailed me out a new Platinum card with review date mid-June 2021.

I just checked now, I am still platinum, but my review date online has changed to the end of March 2022, and my most recent flight shows as sector 1 of 8 for re-qualification. (No new card yet, though my current one is valid until mid-June 2021.)

That's interesting... your situation is very similar to mine, in that the status credit gifts pushed you up to Platinum (in my case, my review date is early May). According to VA's own published rules, that means you and I are not eligible for any of the status extensions, except for not taking away your Plat privileges until Sept 30th (while leaving review date unchanged). And yet you got an extension to March and I didn't.

Congrats, btw! Let's hope it sticks. I really need to call Velocity, I just haven't had time during the working week...

 

[lobo76]

The whole thing is getting confusing. I've sent them an email. It's one thing to keep extending, but if you book flights in advance that means they aren't going to assist maintaining status as status credits and number of flights are only good for 1 year.

Though I have scored an extra few days of platinum with the extra 6 month extension.

Did you get a reply?
Does this mean we're better off waiting to October to book in SC earning flights?

 

[serfty]

Does this mean we're better off waiting to October to book in SC earning flights?

I believe that is the case.

 

[openseat]

I believe that is the case.

Good to know, though I've got a 31st March 2022 renewal date, so I'm not sure where this will place out..

I did benefit on a upgrade at the gate to business and received full business status credits on a very jammed SYD OOL flight (the Rex flight just before us looked very empty if the luggage belt was anything to go by).

 

[MooTime]

Good to know, though I've got a 31st March 2022 renewal date, so I'm not sure where this will place out..

I did benefit on a upgrade at the gate to business and received full business status credits on a very jammed SYD OOL flight (the Rex flight just before us looked very empty if the luggage belt was anything to go by).

Don't usually get upgrade status credits from an upgrade, T&C's state original booking SC & points will be allocated.

After 30th September 2021 they'll extend all expiry dates to 30th September 2022.
Gotta love Airlines IT limitations.

From I've been informed.

 

[oz_mark]

Don't usually get upgrade status credits from an upgrade, T&C's state original booking SC & points will be allocated.

After 30th September 2021 they'll extend all expiry dates to 30th September 2022.
Gotta love Airlines IT limitations.

From I've been informed.

I've occasionally had J status credits from an upgrade. It happens.

As for the extension, the architecture of status revolves around the 12-month timeframes. It is hardly surprising that they built the system that way.

 

[serfty]

Good to know, though I've got a 31st March 2022 renewal date, so I'm not sure where this will place out..

What was your review date last year?

 

[openseat]

What was your review date last year?

Good question, I think it was early in April.

Edit to add from my Velocity account activity screen:

17-Apr-2020

17-Apr-2020

Status review - see Account Details

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