Velocity introduces Forever Gold lifetime status tier

[justinbrett]

Yep, that’s my point!

I wonder if there’s a difference in the funding model for VA elites.

Oneworld is very much focused on the operating airline paying for perks, so in the above example QF hasn’t lost anything as the airlines that pax has been flying has been paying the costs.

But I thought I read something about VA having to pay other airlines for their pax to access lounges even when flying other airlines.

 

[shuuy]

My records have me at 12,000 SC, but

• 9,000 on non-VA (~110 SQ flights where I earned PPS value for service + VA status credits/miles for distance)
• 3,000 on VA (60 flights, 70% transcon J, 30% golden triangle Y).

3,800 SC or so I can't match to QF or VA - kind of a big deal if 9,000 is the minimum to play!

I guess I'll have to wait a year to find out (!remindme)

 

[MH_fan]

I'm curious to know how far along I am for the FG status. Been WP for 10 years and most of my SC earn with VA has been on their metal. I rarely fly international and credit to VFF. I do have family pooling but that contributes very little to my retention of WP. I reckon I could be around 2/3 of the way there?

 

[ozstamps]

I actually think it is much higher than Verrrrrry Low. Family Pooling is a big factor here. All you need is family of 4 doing a few trips here and there and you get VA Platinum.

HUH?

Virgin specifically state Family pooling does NOT form part of the 13,000 SC needed - along with all sort of other loopy exemptions. YOUR Virgin marketed flights are all they count.

I repeat, it will be verrrryy few will auto qualify IMHO, and they’ll mainly be in the new Platinum Plus class anyway.

 

[MH_fan]

I think it's actually fair and reasonable that your earning of lifetime gold should be you flying only. Sure, family pooling helps you to retain status each year, but earning lifetime status should be you only. What's not really fair is limiting your contribution to lifetime status through international partners when you hardly fly internationally yourself.

 

[jase05]

Will definitely be interesting to see what the outcome is. I’ve had Plat many years now and some years have had double or triple even the amount of SC’s required and I’d estimate that 70-80% has been on VA metal especially when you throw in the overseas trips like HKG and DPS that we have done numerous times over the years

 

[ozstamps]

I think it's actually fair and reasonable that your earning of lifetime gold should be you flying only. Sure, family pooling helps you to retain status each year, but earning lifetime status should be you only. What's not really fair is limiting your contribution to lifetime status through international partners when you hardly fly internationally yourself.

United gave me a Million Miler card for flying ... a million real miles.

Gold Star Alliance card for life. Near 2 million now.

Major USA plans have never had family pooling.

A number of miles seems a logical goal. But if they prefer to count SC they need to be consistent about partner credits to that sum.

 

[kamchatsky]

HUH?

Virgin specifically state Family pooling does NOT form part of the 13,000 SC needed - along with all sort of other loopy exemptions. YOUR Virgin marketed flights are all they count.

I repeat, it will be verrrryy few will auto qualify IMHO, and they’ll mainly be in the new Platinum Plus class anyway.

I was explaining to people who expects SCs from family pooling to count to Lifetime status. If they are counted, then there will be a loooooooot more people than Verrrrrry few who will get Forever Gold next year.

 

[ozstamps]

Well anyone who read a single word of the very clear Virgin announcement knew Family pooling SCs will NOT count, and only the 13,000 SC (the ones they care to count under their convoluted wording) that YOU earned yourself will count.

Which bits of that did 'people' miss?

Half this board would be Forever Gold IF they counted.

 

[SYD]

I wonder if there’s a difference in the funding model for VA elites.

I’m assuming VA have realised that they need to focus on the fact that they’re basically a Domestic airline and that their few domestic lounges are chokers. Easier to restrict numbers than build more / elite lounges.

Toss hand grenade and run…

 

[ozstamps]

The Virgin Sydney lounge has an upper level they almost never seem to open.

MEL is huge.

 

[SYD]

The Virgin Sydney lounge has an upper level they almost never seem to open.

Peak hours. It was always my go to.

MEL is huge.

But still not big enough. The QF J lounge in MEL is bigger than the VA lounge and QF still has the QP (ditto SYD, BNE and PER).

 

[jase05]

MEL is huge.

And still nowhere near large enough IMO

 

[kamchatsky]

Well anyone who read a single word of the very clear Virgin announcement knew Family pooling SCs will NOT count, and only the 13,000 SC (the ones they care to count under their convoluted wording) that YOU earned yourself will count.

Which bits of that did 'people' miss?

Half this board would be Forever Gold IF they counted.

What you will find is a lot of "people" saying something like this:

I have been VA Platinum for X number of years, why should I not get LTG?
I have accumulated all these SCs over the years, more than the 15000 required like QF, why should I not get VA LTG?

So when VA decided to introduce something that they wanted but doesn't fit their ideal model in their mind.

People generally "conveniently forget" how they get their SCs when VA pointed it out to them.

Remember VA didn't have to count any SCs accumulated since 2013, which is more than 10 years ago.

 

[PDog]

Well anyone who read a single word of the very clear Virgin announcement knew Family pooling SCs will NOT count, and only the 13,000 SC (the ones they care to count under their convoluted wording) that YOU earned yourself will count.

Which bits of that did 'people' miss?

Half this board would be Forever Gold IF they counted.

Did I read a different announcement?

You need 12,000 SC for FG, not 13,000

And Family pooling / Flybuys / credit cards / partner airlines can contribute 3000 of that.

Am I missing your sarcasm?

 

[33kft]

Here's a solution, count every previous Status Credit from a certain date (say today) as a VA credit no matter how it was earned to keep current customers happy.

I did benefit considerably from this exact approach when United and Continental merged and brought in a lifetime calculation including UA partner status miles.

That said, I suspect it would not be in VA's favour to calculate LTSC this way.

 

[twinaisle]

I suspect the number of pax with 12,000 SC in 10 years under these current guidelines will be VERRRRY few. A high bar already.

And of those, most will be serious road warriors who will qualify for the new Platinum Plus level already, and will not be stopping flying Virgin with that cool card in their pocket.

You are correct. Most who will have P+ will mostly fly more than Beyond members. P+ will be the most frequent flying platinum members and I know there are a few. Can't wait to fully recognise P+ onboard.

 

[twinaisle]

Half this board would be Forever Gold IF they counted.

It's pretty much like the process of self elimination

 

[kevrosmith]

I'm very hopeful to qualify for this... getting my spreadsheets out tonight, and doing some very conservative calculations, taking out Pooled SCs, Flybuys SCs, any Double/Triple SCs (just in case), other airline flights (only a couple on DL) and other bonuses, such as the Amex Velocity Platinum annual 100 bonus (pre-COVID), I still count around 13K SCs from Jan 2013.

Under the new scheme, I probably won't be able to afford $9.6k per annum to maintain Platinum, so with LTG on QF already, locking Forever Gold in for VA will now actually free me up to choose whichever airline I like for the limited Domestic travel I now do, and I can spend the money on either J or Economy X on VA if I choose.

 

[ozstamps]

taking out ... any Double/Triple SCs (just in case)

This has barely been touched upon in this thread ... one would ASSUME they'd be counted .. but when Bean Counters run the Circus .... who can say?