Velocity Platinum

[Nigelinoz]

See I can post something relatively nice towards Virgin Australia occasionally

Who are you and what are you doing on Mal's computer.:mrgreen::mrgreen:
Cheers
N'oz

 

[DJ 1D]

Great great news!!! Can't wait to hear all the details!

Hopefully my 100k SCs will qualify me...

 

[serfty]

I have a feeling this will relate somewhat to the tie up with AirNZ. Airpoints has 3 level have 3 levels: "Silver", "Gold" and "Gold Elite".

 

[Homer]

I like DJ’s chutzpah at the moment. It’s almost as if they can smell QF’s blood...

 

[Noob]

The platinum level card should be made of a polished chrome alloy. Imagine that! A real metal card *drools*.......

 

[LiamR]

The platinum level card should be made of a polished chrome alloy. Imagine that! A real metal card *drools*.......

I'd like a graphine one, then at the next F Lounge run someone can hold it and compliment me on how heavy it is, and then go on to say how they didn't even know it existed.

But thats is a good point, what colour should it be? I'm hoping they mirror QF and go for Black. Not attempt a silver/greenish/brownish card.

 

[allitsab]

I sure hope this new status level doesn't stop golds being able to select row 3, i'm loving the extra leg room....

Incidentally, I was on a flight today where row 3 was already booked up, and picked up an aisle a little further back - but once on board the hosties bumped me ahead to PE - a nice touch I thought.... I wonder if this is in any way related to these changes (though I doubt it)

 

[Keith009]

As I tweeted, it'll be interesting to see what additional benefits they can offer Plats, especially as they don't have First Class. It'll be sad not to be at the top of the podium anymore... unless Plat is a compelling enough proposition to aim for!

 

[Misha]

Interesting. Will be interesting to see how high the bar is to qualify. Shall we run a pool on how many SC's it will take?

Currently Silver = 20k, Gold = 50k, Plat = ?

Assuming that the current Silver and Gold requirements stay the same, I would say probably about 80K, though wouldn't be at all surprised if Plat was put at 100K, Gold raised to 75/80K and Silver up to the 35/40K mark... it's what I'd do... What's the prize?...

Fantastic news!

I think the qualification for Gold will reduce and Plat will only be marginally higher than current Gold.

I hope so!!!

Thanks for making the announcement....
[See I can post something relatively nice towards Virgin Australia occasionally]

:shock::!::shock::!::shock::!:

I'm hoping they mirror QF and go for Black...

Actually, though I do love almost anything in black (this last 4 years in Melbourne must be getting to me!) I would prefer them to have almost any other colour - the whole point is to provide a competitor to QF that is different... introducing a comparable status and then having it mirror the other players down to card colour seems pointless: we have an opportunity to change the landscape here people... I totally agree with previous posts saying that they want to see it be called anything other than platinum.

Still, if VA want to go down the QF-like path, I'd suggest they have a more charcoal thing than black - as that would gel really well with their purple, white* and charcoal branding....

Anyways - my thoughts

*I know this isn't white - but the white background makes that kind of hard

 

[malmacdowall]

Do we have any idea of what qualification requirements will be needed - and I assume of course that AFF Gold members will receive complimentary Platinum level... :

Hope so... Only just got Gold in May for the first time... Hate to drop a level..(no longer top)
This throws a spanner into my possible choice of carrier to Paris in October... Had been thinking that I might go Emirates as I already have Gold on Virgin and am using a Citibank card to build emirates flights... BUT now if I have to earn more SC with Virgin ... Then ????

Looking forward to more details...

 

[samh004]

Fantastic news!

I think the qualification for Gold will reduce and Plat will only be marginally higher than current Gold. I think they will go down a mileage based earn route rather than the current dollar spend (I actually prefer points based on dollar spend)... Time will tell!!

I thought likewise, because as it stands the dollar spend domestically for Velocity Gold is astronomical compared to what you can pay internationally, or in other programs. So with a mileage-based system I'd expect the dollar spend to drop, and thus the qualification to Gold to drop, with Platinum taking over for roughly the equivalent of what Gold is now.

I know I wont re-qualify my Velocity Gold this year, so wonder... no, hope... that Gold's will become Platinum's and then when my year ends I'll drop to... Gold! Haha. I'd be fine with Silver though.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Can't wait to hear more shortly

 

[Noob]

It would be silly to put Platinum close to Gold in regards to points to qualify as the only people that go for platinum are regular flyers. If you have to really work for something tis' all the more sweeter at the end I say make the qualifying amount 200,000 and give Platinum member's their own private lounge, guaranteed upgrades (Business then PE then extra leg room, then if all are booked near the front of the plane) and food & beverage no matter what class

 

[yogi]

So, I'm just going to throw an idea out there.

I know that the current default base level is a red colour and the forthcoming higher level is some sort of platinum or black or similar, but what about having the highest level as red.

You have your three or four levels, with Velocity Red being the highest. It totally throws everything on it's head and would be unique.

I haven't thought much about the naming of any particular levels, but having a limited edition VA Red card surely would be cool. I should think about level names but I dare say this is pretty much done already.

On a related note, I wonder if the program will be changing to the Flying Club - it has a very glamorous, old world sort of feel to it.

 

[Noob]

So, I'm just going to throw an idea out there.

I know that the current default base level is a red colour and the forthcoming higher level is some sort of platinum or black or similar, but what about having the highest level as red.

You have your three or four levels, with Velocity Red being the highest. It totally throws everything on it's head and would be unique.

I haven't thought much about the naming of any particular levels, but having a limited edition VA Red card surely would be cool. I should think about level names but I dare say this is pretty much done already.

On a related note, I wonder if the program will be changing to the Flying Club - it has a very glamorous, old world sort of feel to it.

I love this name, it really does have a old world charm to it and goes with the ad 'bringing the magic back into flying'

 

[kamchatsky]

On a related note, I wonder if the program will be changing to the Flying Club - it has a very glamorous, old world sort of feel to it.

Of course "Flying Club" is already Virgin Atlantic's program ....

https://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/au/frequentflyer/index.jsp

 

[yogi]

Of course "Flying Club" is already Virgin Atlantic's program ....

https://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/au/frequentflyer/index.jsp

Yeah, like a sister partnership or like a global Virgin group of airlines earning something?

Hmm, Virgin America uses Elevate. Maybe they will keep the name. Or some new name that is connected to the feel of Flying Club but not in the same wording - maybe something with an Australian touch. I am sure there were multiple whiteboards of names.

Just throwing ideas around...

 

[leemin]

I haven't thought much about the naming of any particular levels, but having a limited edition VA Red card surely would be cool. I should think about level names but I dare say this is pretty much done already.

On a related note, I wonder if the program will be changing to the Flying Club - it has a very glamorous, old world sort of feel to it.

I like the idea of a non-rare-metal card for the 'elite' top tier too. Although, I would suggest purple. Still goes with the new colour scheme, but would not require the mental change that using red would.

Also, in times gone by, purple was only ever seen on royalty - it was the most expensive dye and therefore fabric to produce. Fits well.

I also like the idea of changing the name to Flying Club. Fits within the Virgin groups branding, is obvious what it is (unlike Velocity) and just sounds nice.

Sample description: "A step above Gold, Virgin Australia Flying Club Elite members carry a royal purple coloured card, providing them access to..."

 

[kamchatsky]

Yeah, like a sister partnership or like a global Virgin group of airlines earning something?

Hmm, Virgin America uses Elevate. Maybe they will keep the name. Or some new name that is connected to the feel of Flying Club but not in the same wording - maybe something with an Australian touch. I am sure there were multiple whiteboards of names.

Just throwing ideas around...

Or just call it "Flying Pub" ......

 

[yogi]

I like the idea of a non-rare-metal card for the 'elite' top tier too. Although, I would suggest purple. Still goes with the new colour scheme, but would not require the mental change that using red would.

Also, in times gone by, purple was only ever seen on royalty - it was the most expensive dye and therefore fabric to produce. Fits well.

I also like the idea of changing the name to Flying Club. Fits within the Virgin groups branding, is obvious what it is (unlike Velocity) and just sounds nice.

Sample description: "A step above Gold, Virgin Australia Flying Club Elite members carry a royal purple coloured card, providing them access to..."

I actually really like your purple idea. There is a certain sort of royalty to it. The first thing that it made me think of was anyone of the particular Middle Eastern airlines. Hey wait, isn't VA partners with one of them?? (rhetorically). There are also a whole lot of really amazing colour names that you could use as either level names or colours associated with each level.

Your point is also a good one that a lot of programs do use metal / mineral / gem related names. I wonder what else could be used. Maybe some sort of a colour based system starting at the red and moving up to purple.

Let me look up something...