VA won't renew Platinum if you have the credits but not enough sectors

[dsotm]

I think your a little misguided there, QF also strictly enforce their segment rule, which of course has a much lower bar of four flights, but still catches folk of guard.

This year I mainly flew Virgin and Singapore, so I only got 80 QA credits for the whole year and not enough sectors, but got a letter last week from Qantas last week;

"Dear Mr, X, Your flight activity this year shows that you may not requalify for your Gold status. Whilst we normally require members to reach the retain levels to keep their status, we'd like to recognise all the flying you have done with Qantas, Jetstar and oneworld since joining the program. We're pleased to extend your Gold membership now for a further 12 months in recognition of your support."

 

[serfty]

If you want to be sure of Velocity Platinum then do the status run. If you want to gamble, then don't.

What Qantas have done is indicate they want to retain your business. It really has little to do with Virgin Oz.

You called VA and spoke to a rep who is not concerned about your business - having 900 credits but only five "Qualifying" flights indicates to me that if they were all earned of VA flights, each would have been of at least 5000+ miles in business class with at least two of them 8000+ miles.

Maybe you spoke to the "wrong" agent.

In any case it's all up to you.

 

[markis10]

This year I mainly flew Virgin and Singapore, so I only got 80 QA credits for the whole year and not enough sectors, but got a letter last week from Qantas last week;

"Dear Mr, X, Your flight activity this year shows that you may not requalify for your Gold status. Whilst we normally require members to reach the retain levels to keep their status, we'd like to recognise all the flying you have done with Qantas, Jetstar and oneworld since joining the program. We're pleased to extend your Gold membership now for a further 12 months in recognition of your support."

How many QF segments were in the 80 SC?

 

[dsotm]

How many QF segments were in the 80 SC?

Only managed three domestic sectors in the period.

 

[markis10]

Only managed three domestic sectors in the period.

Thats another data point to be added to the knowledge base, thanks.

 

[dsotm]

If you want to be sure of Velocity Platinum then do the status run. If you want to gamble, then don't.

What Qantas have done is indicate they want to retain your business. It really has little to do with Virgin Oz.

You called VA and spoke to a rep who is not concerned about your business - having 900 credits but only five "Qualifying" flights indicates to me that if they were all earned of VA flights, each would have been of at least 5000+ miles in business class with at least two of them 8000+ miles.

Maybe you spoke to the "wrong" agent.

In any case it's all up to you.

Yep, good detective work. Mostly MEL-LHR in biz and MEL-LAX. If I can find the pre-Christmas time, I'll just do the MEL-SYD instant return before my VA post-Christmas flight . That will get the remaining two sectors. If not, back to Gold.

 

[Jack_OC]

My situation was slightly different, but I had an extremely frustrating experience with Qantas when I first qualified for Gold, and flexibility is not a word I would use in association with anyone from Qantas that I dealt with concerning this issue.

I've been a QFF member for about 7 years, but never travelled enough to even make silver until a couple of years back. My review date is 30 November, and I did a fair bit of domestic travel in the couple of months before that date in 2010. Something like 10 segments, but only about 200 SC as it was basically all MEL to SYD or ADL. Anyway, I went back to zero SC on 1 December per the rules, frustrating but fair enough. Then I travelled RTW in business in the first week of Jan. Took me straight past 800 SC. However, even though I flew MEL-SYD-SFO on QF on the way out, and then LHR-SIN-MEL on QF on the way back, that only gave me 3 eligible segments, as the LHR-SIN-MEL flights were all on one flight number. And all of the other flights were with BA or AA. And per the (bizarre) rules, LHR-SIN-MEL in business doesn't count for any more (in terms of eligible segments) than discount economy from MEL-ADL.

So at this point, I had flown on at least 14 Qantas flights and amassed about 1000 SC in the space of about 4 months, and despite the bad luck of the timing of my review date, my current SC balance was over 800, yet I was still on Bronze!! I then had to travel to Brisbane in Feb, so I knew that would finally get me upgraded to Gold. I thought I'd phone up in advance to explain the circumstances in the hope that I could get into the Club before these flights, but I got told no go, I have to wait until I have been credited for that one extra sector. Tried again at the airport on the day, but same result. However, they said as soon as I land in Brisbane I will get the credit and be upgraded to Gold straight away, so I can use the Club on the way back. But that didn't happen, and again I was refused entry to the Club despite my attempts to explain the situation. They did call the QFF helpline and put me on, but whoever I spoke to basically just said tough. Even though they knew I had now flown the required number of eligible segments and far exceeded the SC threshold. I made a complaint after I got back, but all the guy said was basically sorry for the inconvenience, but rules are rules. Now, even though I have been QFF Gold for almost 2 years and have requalified through to next Nov, I don't exactly go out of my way to travel with Qantas.

 

[straitman]

Jack3193, thanks for posting this so as to help balance the discussion.

 

[Sprucegoose]

we dont normally deal with the segment issue on this forum, are we coming of age with such a broader community with different issues?

I would think nothing about jumping on a plane to clock up the required sectors. Our issue normally is the SC's.

 

[bullerdude]

Jack3193, thanks for posting this so as to help balance the discussion.

Also reminds us that Virgin - in my view - already have fairer rules in place as status credits only expire 1 year after they were earned as opposed to Qantas which expire them all on the same date.

 

[cssaus]

I'm in a situation where all my travel is paid international in business class with no interstate travel.

I easily rack-up the SC's on VA & partner airlines for the flights that I take but there's the issue of eligible sectors.

I've found that one way to overcome this issue is to book my tickets through VA rather than the website of the partner airline that I will flying and ensure that I book flights that have a VA code-share flight number.

This way I get my points, any eligible bonus points, status credits and eligible sectors. The only downside is that unlike automatic crediting from the airline partner, I found that I have to put in missing points claims for these VA code share flights.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

What about booking your international segments out of BNE/MEL to help with additional sectors.

 

[Jack_OC]

Also reminds us that Virgin - in my view - already have fairer rules in place as status credits only expire 1 year after they were earned as opposed to Qantas which expire them all on the same date.

You hit the nail on the head there. I don’t understand the logic of the QFF system, whereby SCs can disappear literally a day after earning them. Every other FF program I’m familiar with operates a system similar to Velocity, where it’s SCs earned over a rolling 12 month period.

At least my Gold status was just delayed, but I’m sure there are many others who rack up sufficient SCs and segments for a higher status over a 12 month period, but never get the recognition because their review date happens to fall in between. In my case, if QF counted all SCs earned in the previous 12 months, I would have been not far off Platinum, and that would have motivated me to fly more with QF to try and get there. So I can’t even see from the airline’s point of view why their current system might be seen as a good thing, and it’s clearly a very bad thing for the customer.

Anyway, I’m probably veering a bit OT here, apologies about that!

 

[straitman]

Anyway, I’m probably veering a bit OT here, apologies about that!

You are but maybe a good topic for another thread.

 

[Intra]

You hit the nail on the head there. I don’t understand the logic of the QFF system, whereby SCs can disappear literally a day after earning them. Every other FF program I’m familiar with operates a system similar to Velocity, where it’s SCs earned over a rolling 12 month period.

Why then getting Platinum NOW then such a concern... I can see why, but really, since its rolling over anyway (Unless the bookings were stacked up afew days together), its not like your going to lose all the credits and segments in one hit like Qantas. Was just thinking along these lines as I was reading over the topic again..

 

[markis10]

Why then getting Platinum NOW then such a concern... I can see why, but really, since its rolling over anyway (Unless the bookings were stacked up afew days together), its not like your going to lose all the credits and segments in one hit like Qantas. Was just thinking along these lines as I was reading over the topic again..

Some might say its better to drop re the hotel and car membership upgrades....

 

[cssaus]

What about booking your international segments out of BNE/MEL to help with additional sectors.

I had thought about doing that. I need to book a return SYD-LAS for next May which if I flew direct would leave me 2 sectors short so I might just end up doing something like SYD-BNE-LAX-LAS-LAX-BNE-SYD to get the two additional sectors.

 

[Jama]

as I said previously, they did show flexibility and got howled down by all and sundry for being too generous. I sympathise with your situation but .....

I think there is a bit of a difference to being flexible with BIS status members with a history and handing out status willy nilly to everyone who wants one because they are loyal to someone else and MAY switch sides. As I recall this is what they were howled down about whilst at the same time offering existing status members what appeared to be a lower standard of treatment, from countless examples. Not to say this or any other specific situation should go one way or another.

 

[dsotm]

I think there is a bit of a difference to being flexible with BIS status members with a history and handing out status willy nilly to everyone who wants one because they are loyal to someone else and MAY switch sides. As I recall this is what they were howled down about whilst at the same time offering existing status members what appeared to be a lower standard of treatment, from countless examples. Not to say this or any other specific situation should go one way or another.

I've actually decided to forgo a status run. It's just too crazy-busy pre Christmas and the last I need to be doing is wasting a day getting in and out of airplanes. If they drop me back to Gold so be it. It's often hard but you have to put these things into perspective. And there's always the other airline...

 

[AviatorPJ]

I've actually decided to forgo a status run. It's just too crazy-busy pre Christmas and the last I need to be doing is wasting a day getting in and out of airplanes. If they drop me back to Gold so be it. It's often hard but you have to put these things into perspective. And there's always the other airline...

powervideo,
DJ website today 20/12 still shows saver RTN available MEL-MQL (Mildura) - 21 Dec ....about $350 R/T investment to get your 2 missing sectors to retain Plat.

DJ16156 MEL- MQL(Mildura) 10:25 11:30
DJ 1616 MQL- MEL 12:00 12:55
check in on line, print boarding passes for RTN also, no checked bags,
You could be back in MEL by 13:00
-so only 1/2 day "wasted"?
cheers PJ