Velocity and Elevate (Virgin America) reciprocity

[crazydave98]

We're announcing today reciprocity between Elevate and Velocity - been a while coming.

From the text of the Press Release: "Virgin Blue Airlines and its’ premium long-haul airline, V Australia announced today they have partnered with Virgin America to allow each airline’s loyalty program members to earn points when taking flights on the sister-branded airlines. The partnership means that guests flying Virgin Blue, V Australia and Virgin America will all be able to earn credit for their flights that will be redeemable under either of the carrier’s frequent flyer programs. Effective from today, guests will be able to earn points on all of the carriers – and by the end of 2010, guests will be able to redeem points on any carrier. Guests can choose to earn points in the program of their choice - Elevate points or Velocity points (but not both for the same flight) for their Virgin America, Virgin Blue and V Australia flights.

The reciprocal agreements enable Virgin Blue or V Australia’s Velocity members to earn Velocity points; and Virgin America’s Elevate members to earn Elevate points – wherever they are flying with one of the three airlines, V Australia, Virgin Blue or Virgin America."

Eventually this should extend to being able to consolidate points in the one program - whether Velocity, Elevate or Flying Club and being able to access the same earn/burn across all Virgin branded airlines, but we have a little way to go in aligning the basics of the programs first. In the very long term this could result in having a single loyalty program across all the Virgin branded airlines

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[docjames]

Congrats - a good thing.

 

[notzac]

Awesome news Dave

Page is here for anyone interested:
Velocity - Virgin America

I take it this means we earn points but not status - might this change in the future, per how it works with VS? Another question - will there be any move to allow access to lounges for Gold/The Lounge members when flying with VX?

 

[crazydave98]

Awesome news Dave

Page is here for anyone interested:
Velocity - Virgin America

I take it this means we earn points but not status - might this change in the future, per how it works with VS? Another question - will there be any move to allow access to lounges for Gold/The Lounge members when flying with VX?

Status will come - as I mentioned will be a while before all programs are brought into line - Elevate does not presently have status points in the same way as Velocity.

VX presently operates a pay-per-entry lounge like we used to have with Blue Room (and only at 3 airports so far: SFO, JFK, IAD which I think are just the Atlantic Clubhouses) Virgin America
Again, this will eventually be brought into line - I think the prerequisite step is for VX and VS to sort out lounge entry/reciprocity and then we will piggy back off that.

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[Tooner]

Great news Dave, and gives me some hope that my massed points and status on VS are not going to go to waste.

 

[notzac]

Again, this will eventually be brought into line - I think the prerequisite step is for VX and VS to sort out lounge entry/reciprocity and then we will piggy back off that.

cheers

CrazyDave98

Glad to hear it!!

 

[Reggie]

It's good to see. I think Virgin is really going to start to give Qantas a run for their money in the premium end of the market.

 

[Dee Thom]

Great news Dave, one other question though, a while back you mentioned RTW Virgin deals are comming, any news on this aspect ?
Be nice to do BNE/MEL/JNB/LHR/JFK/LAX/BNE flying all three ( VA/VS/VX ) Am planning to do this type of RTW in 2012.
Would there be a chance ?

Cheers Dee

 

[crazydave98]

Great news Dave, one other question though, a while back you mentioned RTW Virgin deals are comming, any news on this aspect ?
Be nice to do BNE/MEL/JNB/LHR/JFK/LAX/BNE flying all three ( VA/VS/VX ) Am planning to do this type of RTW in 2012.
Would there be a chance ?

Cheers Dee

RTW fares are already being sold SYD-LAX-LHR-HGK-SYD and opposite direction. See for example
Virgin Atlantic Airways - Popup Funnily enough I can't find similar on VA website - I think at present only guest contact centres and agents can book RTW. I would expect over time for more itineraries to become available such as the one you suggest - we're still taking baby steps on interline/codeshare and reciprocity of lounges and loyalty programs but our objective is clear. There is no reason why Virgin cannot aspire be the premier airline brand for the Anglophone countries (with apologies to Canadians - serves 'em right for speaking French). We will never match the size of QF, BA & AA, but we could potentially achieve higher level of integration and product consistency and be the preferred airline to travel on where possible. I'm sure this has been a topic of conversation between Richard Branson and John Borghetti in between laps of Albert Park.

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[uzza]

I just added my velocity # to my flights on VX in a few weeks, very straightforward I must say!

Looking forward to sampling the VX first class for the 1st time

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Great news Dave,
Almost there...just missing *Alliance.

 

[straitman]

Dave,

Good to see the ducks are starting to lining up.

 

[sampson]

Great news Crazydave.

In February I bought my VA flights to LA for a trip in 2011. I used cash and points. Can I call VA (or Velocity) to replace my existing ticket to get a 'single ticket' to go all the way to SFO?

PS: VA was fabulously efficient getting a lot bag back.

PSS: with the flight changes from Melbourne, VA sent out, several times, multiple copies of the same tickets - but forgot to send my wife's ticket. Anyway, in LA, they reactivated an already-used ticket, which was somehow still 'open' on the the system, to get her home. Is there a computer glitch or can I fly free for a decade on all these mystery open tickets?

 

[crazydave98]

In February I bought my VA flights to LA for a trip in 2011. I used cash and points. Can I call VA (or Velocity) to replace my existing ticket to get a 'single ticket' to go all the way to SFO?

My guess is you would have to do a cancel and rebook which would incur fees. Best to call the contact centre.

 

[sampson]

as a 'red' status person only spending about $10k p.a on VA for the 2 family trips a year, the cancel/rebook fees will be a deal killer. I don't mind flying Southwest with their free bags, timetable and Rapid Rewards.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

This is to Dave,
With the new planes on order with Boeing now, will they all be configured in whY+ and whY?

I am just trying to see where Virgin Blue is going...

It seems to me that Virgin Blue is competing with Qantas on the main routes plus Jetstar on the el-cheapo routes (eg, SYD-OOL/HTI), kind of like fighting a war on 2 fronts.

Would Virgin ever think of keeping Virgin Blue as a cheap airline to compete against Jetstar and configure the new planes with J and whY, just call it Virgin and compete straight out against QF?

 

[crazydave98]

This is to Dave,
With the new planes on order with Boeing now, will they all be configured in whY+ and whY?

I am just trying to see where Virgin Blue is going...

It seems to me that Virgin Blue is competing with Qantas on the main routes plus Jetstar on the el-cheapo routes (eg, SYD-OOL/HTI), kind of like fighting a war on 2 fronts.

Would Virgin ever think of keeping Virgin Blue as a cheap airline to compete against Jetstar and configure the new planes with J and whY, just call it Virgin and compete straight out against QF?

In fact it is a worse situation than "competing with Qantas on the main routes plus Jetstar on the el-cheapo routes (eg, SYD-OOL/HTI)" because we have Jetstar and Tiger also operating on primo business routes MEL-SYD.

We have indeed looked at the specific option you suggested (amongst quite a few others). I would expect to see some statement of future direction from John Borghetti fairly soon after he joins us next month. So I wouldn't rule anything in or out at this stage.

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the reply.

Seems like it's interesting times ahead for Virgin Blue.

 

[NM]

Would Virgin ever think of keeping Virgin Blue as a cheap airline to compete against Jetstar and configure the new planes with J and whY, just call it Virgin and compete straight out against QF?

If wanting to differentiate as you have suggested, then perhaps operating with a name like V Australia (domestic) would be an option?

 

[docjames]

If wanting to differentiate as you have suggested, then perhaps operating with a name like V Australia (domestic) would be an option?

I would think Y only as suggested Virgin Blue as a true LCC vs Tiger and JQ, V Australia trunk carrier with J/Y (essentially cityflyer routes plus transcontinentals eg. CNS-PER, MEL-DRW)