Velocity cuts points, lounge access & upgrades on some partner airlines

[Hvr]

Depends if they go for the Southwest model (free checked luggage for everyone), the UA/AA/DL model (free checked luggage for status holders only)

If they want corporate travel then the Southwest model will be the only way to go. If there are add ons to fares then it would be too easy for corporate, especially government, travellers to avoid them.

 

[p--and--t]

Oh dear It continues...

The removal of the ability to earn points on codeshares is a huge one...

I wonder if it’s temporary or long term?

You already know the answer to that deep down.

 

[Brissy1]

I can only presume that new management is knowingly devaluing (trashing) the Velocity freq flyer business in order to get higher value from the rest of the business. High risk. When their business class revenue decline consequently becomes much greater than projected, it will be unsustainable. They need to have a realistic vision of what this new airline is going to be, full service or LCC, not "same only less". CFOs are very smart people who should never be made CEOs. Accountants can't run service industries, they don't understand people.

 

[antycbr]

I can only presume that new management is knowingly devaluing (trashing) the Velocity freq flyer business in order to get higher value from the rest of the business. High risk. When their business class revenue decline consequently becomes much greater than projected, it will be unsustainable. They need to have a realistic vision of what this new airline is going to be, full service or LCC, not "same only less". CFOs are very smart people who should never be made CEOs. Accountants can't run service industries, they don't understand people.

Which really begs the question- why did Bain buy it in the first place if you’re going to trash the loyalty program and the Virgin “culture” - pretty much the only assets to speak of... you may as well have invested a $1bn into ZL and not taken on the debt and liabilities of VA.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

PS resigns from Nov this year, and Jayne H takes over.
Its the end mates, the end.

 

[AIRwin]

Its the end mates, the end.

Don't Bain know it's the end of the world? It ended when they said good buy...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

What say you/what do you say, or surmise, can we take odds:
That VFF will be now harder to earn points with...
That VGW might be gotten rid of...
Or 0.1 point per Aud$1 spent...
No points earn on Getaway, only Elevate...
Or no points earn on Getaway or Elevate...
Or 0.5 VFF points earn per mile flown on Elevate...
J cabin removed...
That VFF points and SC are now only to be earnable by flying...
No more Coles FB and VFF linkage...
As others say, I too will be keeping my FB points in FB from now on.
Edit:

Which really begs the question- why did Bain buy it in the first place if you’re going to trash the loyalty program and the Virgin “culture” - pretty much the only assets to speak of... you may as well have invested a $1bn into ZL and not taken on the debt and liabilities of VA.

Who ultimately know why Bain bought VA and in the end VFF.
We can only speculate.
They might see it as a cash cow for now, before the gutting begins, maybe we will hear more next year, when they decide VFF gets the "chop".
But if they do get rid of VFF, profitable as it may be, but if they do that, they might be able fly even cheaper.
As all seats on the 737 will be full revenue seats, (no redemptions).
No lounges also means they will save money, no outlay at all for non essential parts of travel

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Which really begs the question- why did Bain buy it in the first place if you’re going to trash the loyalty program and the Virgin “culture” - pretty much the only assets to speak of... you may as well have invested a $1bn into ZL and not taken on the debt and liabilities of VA.

Who ultimately know why Bain bought VA and in the end VFF.
We can only speculate.
They might see it as a cash cow for now, before the gutting begins, maybe we will hear more next year, when they decide VFF gets the "chop".
But if they do get rid of VFF, profitable as it may be, but if they do that, they might be able fly even cheaper.
As all seats on the 737 will be full revenue seats, (no redemptions).
No lounges also means they will save money, no outlay at all for non essential parts of travel

 

[ozstamps]

Gut Velocity and they have lost the Golden Goose right there.

Folks only accrue Velocity points to aspire for a lay flat Biz flight to Perth or Hong Kong or Fiji or LAX, or Tokyo etc. All gone.

WHY did Bain buy at all?

As 6 months back when they started sniffing about, no-one on the planet thought only a tiny % of usual flights would be occurring in November. Or Jan or March.

Worst possible timing.

Oceans of red ink out the door each week and nothing much coming in.

No assets to strip, unions now to fight tooth and nail, and the vast bulk of rusted on Elites see no reason whatever to fly them at all. No lounges, no Biz class to speak of - NADA.

$199 lowest fare to ADL on Tiger#2 -- you must be joking.

They have lost massively on every front.

A Newbie holding the reins, who got tossed out of an A2 Milk company, HQ staff all demoralised at the coup, and rank and file staff facing massive pay cuts which always in horrible for morals.

Bye Bye Bain .. you have lost already.

 

[petwatff]

Michael Murphy knows full well that Competition Judges judge what they see and score accordingly. I gave Bain the benefit of doubt with my Virgin loyalty but I see clearly Bains intentions and I don't like what I see, its very, very ordinary. I have seen enough already, I'm scoring accordingly . My money, time and FF efforts are going elsewhere.

 

[rapitts]

I'm still waiting for Virgin to credit my travelbank and visa but apparently if I just request a full travelbank credit they will issue it today ! Speaks volumes

The Virgin brand we all trusted before Covid doesnt exist now. I typical used Virgin and Partner airlines because of the reward/status points (platinum status) and service.

Obviously if Singapore Airlines was dropped as a partner airline of which may happen now then I'll jump ship.

It will be interesting which airlines offer any Japan flights if that route will open up within the next 6 months given talk of the bubble.

Virgin have dropped a few routes I've used in the past (Hervey Bay for example).

CEO from ex-Jetstar doesnt float my boat, initially it will be a drive to obtain the maximum profit possible on each route of which will just destroy what people have expected from Virgin in the past.

Thats the issue here, if people notice the airline is just screwing the passengers for every cents and dont offer that happy welcome which typically comes with the virgin brand then you can kiss goodbye to Virgin V2.5 (obviously Virgin V2.0 under Paul Scurrah doesnt exist now).

 

[MooTime]

Michael Murphy knows full well that Competition Judges judge what they see and score accordingly. I gave Bain the benefit of doubt with my Virgin loyalty but I see clearly Bains intentions and I don't like what I see, its very, very ordinary. I have seen enough already, I'm scoring accordingly . My money, time and FF efforts are going elsewhere.

I too gave Bain benefit of doubt as seemed good at start, the 'hybrid' model seemed fine.
Did prefer Cirus, but who's to ever know.

Just barley a positive coming out about Virgin & Velocity.
I really can't believe the food & drink service in biz, cmon how much does it cost for few bottles of wine & few hot meals, really.

Disappointing so far. Let's see where it goes by years end & when borders open, gotta be brighter soon.

 

[G B]

The removal of the ability to earn points on codeshares is a huge one...

I wonder if it’s temporary or long term?

I earned some decent points on Delta but the plan was to spend them with Singapore going to UK. Now all that seems off the cards.
I see no point gathering points to spend on a Jetstar clone.

 

[HS-TQE]

I wonder if the new "Jetstar Plus" clone under the 'VA mk2' umbrella will allow interlines like the old Virgin Blue did.

As was posted by others recently (the pre V-Australia era), VB's early interline partners were Emirates, United and Malaysia Airlines to name a few in addition to their Pacific Blue service to NZ & Pacific Islands.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

...if Singapore Airlines was dropped as a partner airline of which may happen now then I'll jump ship.
It will be interesting which airlines offer any Japan flights if that route will open up within the next 6 months given talk of the bubble.

Maybe have both SQ KF and (Air)NZ Airpoint membership, (AirNZ Airpoint dollars), and just put your flight points/miles credit to each, depending on where you have/want to fly to.
This is what I have done, set up KF which I have about 10,000 miles with, having credited some (Air)NZ flights to, and the former MEL - WLG, one of these to the KF system, and have joined the (Air)NZ Airpoint dollars system, ADL - AKL (overnight), most days can be done direct, then AKL - Japan with (Air)NZ.
Or ADL - SIN and a few hours transit, then SIN - Japan.
PER - NRT is still possible, if you want to go that way, putting in "your" (Air)NZ Airpoints dollars FF #, or SQ KF FF#, flying ANA.
Or with QF, ADL - east coast Au - then MEL/SYD/BNE - Japan.
Depends on where in Aust you live, of course.
As others have mentioned, waiting to see what Bain does with VFF, am keeping FB points in FB, not transferring.
Also Bain does not seem to be doing much serious "damage control", they are keeping so quiet, and not fighting back against the speculations swirling around.

 

[G B]

I'm still waiting for Virgin to credit my travelbank and visa but apparently if I just request a full travelbank credit they will issue it today ! Speaks volumes

The Virgin brand we all trusted before Covid doesnt exist now. I typical used Virgin and Partner airlines because of the reward/status points (platinum status) and service.

Obviously if Singapore Airlines was dropped as a partner airline of which may happen now then I'll jump ship.

It will be interesting which airlines offer any Japan flights if that route will open up within the next 6 months given talk of the bubble.

Virgin have dropped a few routes I've used in the past (Hervey Bay for example).

CEO from ex-Jetstar doesnt float my boat, initially it will be a drive to obtain the maximum profit possible on each route of which will just destroy what people have expected from Virgin in the past.

Thats the issue here, if people notice the airline is just screwing the passengers for every cents and dont offer that happy welcome which typically comes with the virgin brand then you can kiss goodbye to Virgin V2.5 (obviously Virgin V2.0 under Paul Scurrah doesnt exist now).

I wonder if Branson has an out with the branding. If he doesn't like what it becomes & pulls the pin on name rights it will sink again.
If unions aren't happy & pay cuts are made, would we ever see happy smiling faces on boarding?

 

[AIRwin]

If unions aren't happy & pay cuts are made, would we ever see happy smiling faces on boarding?

It may be just like QF or JQ then...

 

[G B]

It may be just like QF or JQ then...

Exactly but I think if it come to that I'd rather be on QF

 

[HS-TQE]

I wonder if Branson has an out with the branding. If he doesn't like what it becomes & pulls the pin on name rights it will sink again.
If unions aren't happy & pay cuts are made, would we ever see happy smiling faces on boarding?

According to the media reports he's still in negotiations to grab a stake. If reports are to go by and Bain/Branson doesn't agree, I wouldn't be surprised if Bain drops the Virgin licensing agreement entirely.

 

[jakeseven7]

I wonder if Branson has an out with the branding. If he doesn't like what it becomes & pulls the pin on name rights it will sink again.
If unions aren't happy & pay cuts are made, would we ever see happy smiling faces on boarding?

Why would he care? He just wants the naming royalties.