Velocity Platinum Complimentary Upgrades

[TY24]

Adding a lifetime Platinum tier is an aspirational benefit after say 10 straight years as a Plat, and is one many would aim for if it were added.

In a world where VA LTP is a thing, I hope it's more achievable than QF's LTP, which is the equivalent of retaining Platinum every year for 50 years...

 

[ozstamps]

United's Lifetime Star Alliance Gold is a million flown miles.

I got that very easily, on the cusp of 2 million really, and you can nominate a companion to get one too for life, which I did. PLUS Marriott/Bonvoy Gold Membership forever too.

https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/mileageplus/premier/million-miler-program.html

If it was a dumb idea they'd have fine-tuned it - but they never have, for 20 or 25 years.

Virgin need to look at a few similar innovative things. VERY little real cost to them. Future owners can of course move the goalposts at any time. (If they dare!)

ASPIRATIONAL goals are essential in any scheme. United's global SYSTEMWIDE upgrades were another such juicy carrot for top tier flyers. We got six per year.

Many were the times I'd fly SYD-SFO-IAD-deep South America (Brazil/Chile/Argentina/Uruguay) for a few $1000 return and had all flights upgraded and fully confirmed in advance. 30 hours of wide body flying all upgraded for one Cert. Virgin's new rejigged domestic joke system in 737s is a laugh in comparison. Going back to one upgrade per domestic flight seems very sensible.

 

[jase05]

LTP would definitely be a good idea but it still has to be a pretty lofty target that many will try to reach but many will also fail to get to.
Something like 30k status credits and only ones you have earnt yourself, pooling doesn’t count.
For any top goal you still only want a limited amount to reach it. VA Platinum is far too easy as it is under the current model IMO

 

[PERLHR]

With a new incoming CEO at some point, and with the IPO clearly delayed, and with today's announced unexpected QANTAS loss (and the chaos and massive bad press that has gone on in there for the past year) keeping a few juicy bennies for top flyers would be savvy tactics.

Adding a lifetime Platinum tier is an aspirational benefit after say 10 straight years as a Plat, and is one many would aim for if it were added. And would spend a lot of money chasing. Their new partner United woke up to that juicy long term loyalty benefit of that, 20 years back. Unless you fly paid virgin flights, Virgin it is of no real use, so 'handcuffs' many to the airline for future travel.

Virgin have taken their eye off the ball a little in the past year in the prevailing 'cost-cutting' climate of cutting all benefits humanly possible.

Some of the current fleet STILL do not even have biz class dividers now - a cost-cutting and pretty lazy move, and the usual private Biz class cabin experience is not guaranteed on all aircraft now. Nor is WiFi. So even using these Plat certs for upgrades is a patchy 'benefit' right now. I'd hate to use mine on a flight with no Wi-Fi and a stream of pax using the Biz class loos.

The long-standing system seemed fair - one upgrade per domestic flight. Bring it back - easy for all to follow. Plats only get 4 a year. Virgin are totally in control of upgrade inventory at all times, so they cannot lose really. It really is one of the only plusses of Plat over Gold now. Airlines MUST have carrots and sticks.

The recent pared back and pretty convoluted 'not even double status credits' was very badly fluffed, seeing QANTAS offered it for flights for a year out. I managed to use it by pure luck, but most ignored it as too restrictive.

Beautifully said .. absolutely.

 

[Bagpuss]

With a new incoming CEO at some point, and with the IPO clearly delayed, and with today's announced unexpected QANTAS loss (and the chaos and massive bad press that has gone on in there for the past year) keeping a few juicy bennies for top flyers would be savvy tactics.

Velocity is a separate company to Virgin Australia.
It has it's own CEO, totally separate from the airline. (This was more highlighted when Virgin Australia went into administration and Velocity had given the airline a secured loan.)

In terms of your comments around the business class divider, yes annoying but it's being addressed. I don't think a capex spend over of $100 million on aircraft seating is cost-cutting when they haven't done too much with seating for a long time.

 

[PERLHR]

In terms of your comments around the business class divider, yes annoying but it's being addressed

That almost sounds like any Company blurb. . But when?

 

[Bagpuss]

That almost sounds like any Company blurb. . But when?

When it gets installed.
On the other page there's comments of delays getting approvals. Ideally they would have installed with the seating to refurb to save rolling to aircraft back in for engineering work.

Aviation approvals are very slow. If I remember right, the last one or two a330's had to be delivered with the original business class seats because the approval for the suites took way too long. (That would have had a massive cost.)

 

[PERLHR]

When it gets installed

 

[muppet]

I recently used my WP upgrade credits. I value these at between 9,900 - 14,900 points each as that would be the points cost of upgrading a flexi fare. So not very valuable.

However, interestingly I was able to redeem it for a MEL-CNS flight that had no Business Reward availability, which I usually thought was the criteria. Anyway, happy to redeem for a longer flight - although paid a $400 premium on the return airfare between choice and flex… so dubious value.

 

[Warks]

Today's email has this as a topic. Having recently qualified as VA WP for the first time I was intrigued at the possibility of a free J upgrade. But that went straight out the window when I read it had to be a fully flexible fare, something which I, as a self-employed business operator, would never buy. Oh well, they know their market I guess.

 

[antycbr]

Today's email has this as a topic. Having recently qualified as VA WP for the first time I was intrigued at the possibility of a free J upgrade. But that went straight out the window when I read it had to be a fully flexible fare, something which I, as a self-employed business operator, would never buy. Oh well, they know their market I guess.

There was a short period where you could burn the upgrades from choice at 2x the rate (ie use 2 credits instead of one for a 750mi sector.) Wish they’d bring that back but the aircraft are full of triple status run pax - inckuding myself - in business.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Today's email has this as a topic. Having recently qualified as VA WP for the first time I was intrigued at the possibility of a free J upgrade. But that went straight out the window when I read it had to be a fully flexible fare, something which I, as a self-employed business operator, would never buy. Oh well, they know their market I guess.

For the major trunk routes I have found it cheaper to buy business class outright for $379 than to use the upgrades.

The only place of interest was to say Bali, where the flex fare was $1200 return, which would be upgraded to business. But you really need to book a year our as awards get snapped up super fast.

 

[wandersen]

Today's email has this as a topic. Having recently qualified as VA WP for the first time I was intrigued at the possibility of a free J upgrade. But that went straight out the window when I read it had to be a fully flexible fare, something which I, as a self-employed business operator, would never buy. Oh well, they know their market I guess.

Particularly not when advance purchase J is often cheaper than flexible Y

 

[dxwell]

There was a short period where you could burn the upgrades from choice at 2x the rate (ie use 2 credits instead of one for a 750mi sector.) Wish they’d bring that back but the aircraft are full of triple status run pax - inckuding myself - in business.

Did the upgrade from Choice fare x 2 get cancelled?
I've got until September 12 to book my upgrades but can't for the life of me find 2 Reward seats on any flight to a suitable destination.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Did the upgrade from Choice fare x 2 get cancelled?
I've got until September 12 to book my upgrades but can't for the life of me find 2 Reward seats on any flight to a suitable destination.

It was a temporary promo, long since gone away I'm afraid.

 

[the8guy]

Hi everyone, just trying to understand some experience from fellow members who have had success on getting complimentary business class upgrade from Flex economy fare for Platinum member. I can see there are business class seats available for purchase for my flight and was told by CS that it's not available for my upgrade. The only available upgrade for me is a flight 12 hours later. Am I not doing something right here or is this just the way the complimentary business upgrade benefits work? If so, this is a very poor benefit for Plat member as the system will allocate their availability based on their own algorithm instead of what's really available for sale?

 

[markis10]

Upgrade me upgrades require availability of a seat in the appropriate fare bucket, it doesn’t mean any available seat. For instance J seats may show as available but there maybe deadheading crew expected on the flight.

 

[Bagpuss]

You need to see a "Business Reward" seat available as the upgrade uses the availability of rewards seats when searching for points based bookings on the Virgin Australia booking website.

 

[Steven of Mysore]

It's just another example of a benefit which sounds fab but isn't.

 

[the8guy]

Thanks for the clarification. Indeed it sounds fab but hardly usable. Guess it’s time to find other alternative frequent flyer program