Velocity points now worthless in 2023 (extreme stealth devaluation)

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Just a side note, A few months ago cancelled 2x Y UA reward tickets and didn't pay a fee. Not sure why or how.
Via velocity points on the phone.

Looks like the 7500 points is still charged manually if my Velocity account is anything to go by. I'm thinking you may have lucked out with someone not following the full process.

 

[CaptJCool]

Oh yes, it doesn't bother me personally as I collect AA/BA/CX. I just feel sorry for Australian-only points collectors. They get screwed either way — either no availability or high surcharges. There really needs to be way more competition in the Australian travel rewards space.

so the assumption I make from that Sorry Statement is that

because under partner arrangements (and since there's been a few added on) Australian airline must make XX reward seats available to the partners instead of to its own membership base thus severely diluting the capacity available to say 10 million Australian resident members vs the 1 reward seat for each of the partners where there's a bare handful (alright alright, AFF members bump up the handful by perhaps 100s or 1,000s) Australian resident members of foreign airline rewards programs

UNLESS its EK

 

[levelnine]

so the assumption I make from that Sorry Statement is that

That is an incorrect assumption. I never made any statement about what an Australian airline must or must not do.

 

[CaptJCool]

That is an incorrect assumption. I never made any statement about what an Australian airline must or must not do.

Agreed you didn’t

The point is no one seems to know what the airlines do behind closed doors when they issue reward seats but one might take an educated guess

It seems somewhat obvious that if you are endeavouring to obtain rewards seats through multiple rewards programs that the “Australian flights” are easier to obtain from a rewards program where fewer Aussies are enrolled

10,000,000 trying to access reward seats versus 100s and 1000s of Aussies who for example join American rewards program

 

[deangelj]

haven't read the whole thread but I concur that there is some "new" behaviour by VA only releasing 1 reward ticket at a time. I was looking for 2x J reward tickets SYD->PER next Feb. Only 1 available on every flight in/out. So I booked a return ticket hoping another would become available. It did the next day... what do we read into that?

 

[MooTime]

haven't read the whole thread but I concur that there is some "new" behaviour by VA only releasing 1 reward ticket at a time. I was looking for 2x J reward tickets SYD->PER next Feb. Only 1 available on every flight in/out. So I booked a return ticket hoping another would become available. It did the next day... what do we read into that?

so your saying only 1 reward ticket released at a time.
You grabbed one & following day another 1 reward seat was released for that same flight you booked the reward seat the day prior?

If so that's a pity for many who want 2 reward seats....don't really understand the logic in releasing only 1 at a time......could say to get a revenue pax for those requiring a 2nd, now we know to grab 1 & grab a 2nd following day, ah gotta love AFF.

 

[deangelj]

so your saying only 1 reward ticket released at a time.
You grabbed one & following day another 1 reward seat was released for that same flight you booked the reward seat the day prior?

If so that's a pity for many who want 2 reward seats....don't really understand the logic in releasing only 1 at a time......could say to get a revenue pax for those requiring a 2nd, now we know to grab 1 & grab a 2nd following day, ah gotta love AFF.

yes exactly.

just to add to that, I also checked when picking my seat that there were no other allocated seats in J so as to maximise the chance of snagging another seat

 

[jase05]

so your saying only 1 reward ticket released at a time.
You grabbed one & following day another 1 reward seat was released for that same flight you booked the reward seat the day prior?

If so that's a pity for many who want 2 reward seats....don't really understand the logic in releasing only 1 at a time......could say to get a revenue pax for those requiring a 2nd, now we know to grab 1 & grab a 2nd following day, ah gotta love AFF.

I think this has been reported on for a while now but it must be stated that there is no guarantee that another reward seat will open up

 

[anyonebutqantas]

Note that if you use VA's automated cancellation program then it will charge you 7,500 points for the cancellation. If you'd prefer to use cash (generally $60 fee) then you need to call and request.
Did this with my recent US trip with UA rewards - booked BNE-SFO in Y and LAX-MEL-SYD return on separate bookings. When J availability came up on each leg, cancelled and rebooked accordingly.

I find that quite surprising. Wouldn't they prefer cash flow over clawing back points?

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

I find that quite surprising. Wouldn't they prefer cash flow over clawing back points?

It may be more about what's simplest to apply - easier to take points out of a Velocity account than charge sometimes credit card??

 

[albatross710]

Would the management of the VA flyer asset be one of the main considerations in the future float of the airline. I can imagine the only thing that matters to the analysts inside Bain is how the various financial benchmarks are coming together.

Liabilities to Partner for future redemption flights
Monies already paid to SQ/Partners
Some ratio to current commercial revenue on the same flights
Possible limits on VA contribution to bookings flow to partners
Some valuation on the size of the program and the points being held
Some valuation on the market power of partner deals ie 7-11, Flybuys

Mix all that up and maybe someone things it's beneficial to hold the points, less cash out to partner airlines.