Velocity FF - YOU'VE GOT TO BE JOKING!!!!!! [Resolved by VA]

[simongr]

Hmm - I admit this is a good resolution for the OP but I think that they were right to be annoyed in the first instance. Most people would not expect to find things moving around between whY and whY- (QF's recent change was quite well publicised and they do communicate about changes like this.

I expect the follow up comments from the OP after VA responded were posted before they read the post.

 

[haydensydney]

Awesome that Virgin Australia could come to the rescue on this one....

Snaps to VA!

 

[jujay]

So has this outcome changed your mind about avoiding VA and their parter airlines in future? I'd certainly hope so, that service/response from VA was top notch and downright impressive.

 

[Stuser]

I can understand your frustration in this situation, but IMHO your reaction is a little over the top. The issue has obviously been resolved now thanks to the good customer service at Virgin but I'd consider myself very lucky if I were you. Language like "FURIOUS WOULD BE BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT" and "I have just spent thousands of dollars on a valueless 44 hour Joyride*" is unlikely to win you many friends in customer service, especially when a simple email could have arguably achieved the same result.

You accuse Virgin of a lack of loyalty. I'd say your behaviour is a much clearer example of a lack of loyalty than Virgin's. This isn't personal, just another sign to me that there is an increasing trend of people shouting first, reasoning later (if ever).

*If this flight truly was 'valueless' it would seem to imply to me that you spent $1000s just to earn enough points to go to NZ (and lounge entry). If so I'd love you to share your unique insight with the AFF community.

Let's all remember here that as PAYING customers we owe companies NO loyalty whatsoever.... At the end of the day they sell us something we want, hopefully at the price we want to pay. Airlines run "loyalty" schemes as a way of tying customers to them, NO other reason, oh yeah except to make money off unrelated purchases etc....

I completely disagree with you that OP was over the top, except for the bit about completely valueless flights......, they pay for something, they expect to get what they paid for, only to be told twice, sorry no points or status credits for the flight you paid for. They are entitled to express their discontent here, I thought that was the point of this forum.... GREAT also that it was resolved positively. Personally, I hold doubts it would have had the same response if the OP had been "nice" about it..... just IMHO...

 

[Virgin Australia]

Personally, I hold doubts it would have had the same response if the OP had been "nice" about it..... just IMHO...

I'll politely disagree with you here. I think the relationships that have been built with the freq flying community (and I hope they would agree) suggest that being "nice" has its benefits too.

 

[MelUser]

Well done for VA/DJ in responding so quickly.

If only Red Roo would respond to/explain the loss of arrivals lounge for first and business class passengers into LHR and loss of lounge access for Qantas Club members travelling in economy on BA.

 

[james4321]

Good for you VA - excellent PR. Very impressed at the speed of your response and your acknowledgment and acceptance of (some) responsibility, and actioning it immediately. Well done.

 

[bossreggie]

I'll politely disagree with you here. I think the relationships that have been built with the freq flying community (and I hope they would agree) suggest that being "nice" has its benefits too.

I did "Like" your post.

That was ONLY because there was not a "Like x 100" button.

As someone who has status with your main opposition in Australia. It is fair to say that a LOT of my decision to "try" VA has been because of AFF and Virgin Australia's input to the forum.

I keep threatening to fly VA next time I go to PER and I am now committing to do so.

Well done VA.

To the OP. I am really pleased that you got what you were entitled to and I would also like to give credit that you modified your original post, AND added another post saying you may have been a little passionate in your initial post. (That says a lot about YOU!)

A good result all around.

 

[Stuser]

I'll politely disagree with you here. I think the relationships that have been built with the freq flying community (and I hope they would agree) suggest that being "nice" has its benefits too.

well, I am very pleased to hear it...

I note that the OP was originally "nice" about it, after all they did call the customer service line once they saw they received the notification of zero points etc, and were told NO, we can't help.... It was only then that they had a rant about it. I'll point out that not everybody knows that there is a Virgin rep here who pays close attention and I bet many would now be very (pleasantly even) surprised that this worked out so well for the OP given that the "official" methods failed.

I also just noticed that the OP has now edited their rave to exclude all the "interesting" content...

Anyway, good to see my decision to spend all my flying dollars these last six months with Virgin seems to be a good one.....

 

[kamchatsky]

Well done VA for resolving this issue so quickly. It confirms what I already knew all along: VA cares more about their customers than QF does.

 

[Liroquai]

Another impressed reader - and recently acquired DJ customer - here.

Yep, my SYD-MEL-SYD flights yesterday well and truly confirmed that I'll be flying exclusively with VA. The service and all round good feeling tipped me over... this is just yet another example of the airline putting the customer first. Additionally -- pretty purple lights in the cabin are cool.

 

[james1]

Also like to commend VA for the good response and outcome. As an aside, as a result of my status match last year I have now completed about half a dozen return VA flights in the past few months, my first foray in over 7 years. At every point I have been impressed with the experience. The fly ahead system gets a special tick from me. I was so impressed with my return Syd -Per J flight on the A330 last month that have just booked another for next week. I love that I now have choice!

 

[burmans]

So has this outcome changed your mind about avoiding VA and their parter airlines in future? I'd certainly hope so, that service/response from VA was top notch and downright impressive.

I think the response on this forum is excellent and having enjoyed it myself must agree. Unfortunately the service from the normal service helpline is not always so great. I've had very slow service and the runaround a number of time. As an example I have on more than one occassion had points/SC takes over a month to post and had to follow up repeatedly to achieve thsi. While I agree its great that if you are a member here you get treated well I don't think the standard service is that great. To be fair this seems fairly consistent across other airlines and indeed many other service centres too. Only SQ has provided me with what I would regard as outstanding service.

So did the OP overreact yes well possibly but I tend to get annoyed too when I get denied something that was promised when I pay for something too and overall I'm a pretty calm person. As for whether being nice or being pushy gets better results I'm a try to be nice person myself, unfortuantely my experience suggests this is all too frequently not going to give you the outcome you want, complaining works.

 

[Stuser]

I think the response on this forum is excellent and having enjoyed it myself must agree. Unfortunately the service from the normal service helpline is not always so great. I've had very slow service and the runaround a number of time. As an example I have on more than one occassion had points/SC takes over a month to post and had to follow up repeatedly to achieve thsi. While I agree its great that if you are a member here you get treated well I don't think the standard service is that great. To be fair this seems fairly consistent across other airlines and indeed many other service centres too. Only SQ has provided me with what I would regard as outstanding service.

So did the OP overreact yes well possibly but I tend to get annoyed too when I get denied something that was promised when I pay for something too and overall I'm a pretty calm person. As for whether being nice or being pushy gets better results I'm a try to be nice person myself, unfortuantely my experience suggests this is all too frequently not going to give you the outcome you want, complaining works.

Yes, this is what was on my mind as well..... totally agree.

 

[trooper]

Well... while I too have been impressed with VA... just booked another trip with them as a matter of fact... I think the OP had every right to be angry..

Yes, good result... eventually... but why was that sort of personal intervention necessary? What about folks who also missed out but aren't on these boards?

If JQ (!!!) can get it right (honouring original conditions when bookings occurred before change) then why couldn't VA?

Would it really have been that hard to credit "T" fares based on date of booking? (I wouldn't know... so a serious question)

 

[NM]

I'll politely disagree with you here. I think the relationships that have been built with the freq flying community (and I hope they would agree) suggest that being "nice" has its benefits too.

If I could "like" from my iPad I would be doing so. When I am back on my PC I will do so.

 

[juliusg]

Good response from VA for sure.

The just-ditched Malaysian Velocity reciprocity just cost me $120 and a l-o-n-g pursuit of a refund for a prebooked fare after VA and MAS severed the FF relationship soon. I booked a J fare to LHR for September specifically to snare the SC and FF points.

But things happen, and despite the hassles with the MAS call centre; 'Yes sir, we have cancelled the flight, now visit our office in Sydney to arrange the refund' and the reality - a bunny hunt to find the little office at level 3 Sydney International Airport, then the 'yes, OH, not cancelled, but OK, will refund you in 4 to 6 weeks.....' I still am very loyal to VA.

 

[The Rok]

Could someone please point RedRoo in the direction of this thread for training purposes?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Additionally -- pretty purple lights in the cabin are cool.

No, no, no!

White is pure, white is clean........purple is a warm colour......just ask Virgins "creative director", Hans Hulsbosch!

As for the OP......I believe he/she had every right to voice his/her dismay at the change of product, post purchase. I'm continually amazed at how many AFFers see absolutely nothing wrong with a company (in this case Virgin) advertising a product for sale, then selling that product but delivering a different product. This is totally against what we as Australians expect from Australian retailers. We wouldn't accept it from Harvey Norman, we wouldn't accept it from Pizza Hut, we wouldn't accept it from Telstra........why in hecks name should we accept it from Virgin? The same went for the business class fiasco.
DELIVER THE PRODUCT YOU SELL US VIRGIN.

Despite the excellent response from VA here on AFF, the OP (and how many others that haven't been so forthright) should NOT have to beg for the product they purchased. Virgin seems to be gaining history of failing to delivery and hoping the bulges in the rug aren't noticed.

(PS....The thread title says resolution by VR............has VicRail had a hand in this, or should that read resolution by VA?)

 

[n17]

Hi there,
Certainly not the most enjoyable post to read, so apologies that you felt the need to post it.
The reality is that all airlines review their earning structure regularly, including our partner airlines, and unfortunately we can receive little notice of it occurring.
If your message had been about a change that we, VA, had made about a VA metal flight, we would of course honour the earn according to the time you booked.
With that in mind, in this instance, we will honour the points earn for the T fare class EY flight.
If you PM your velocity number and PNR and I'll have the team action.
Thanks

Your such a cool bunch