Virgin Australia launches 'coronavirus status extension' plan

[Jurahn]

Does anyone know if you're a Red member are you getting any SC ?

It doesn't appear so from the two emails I've received - the emails still show my status as Silver, but unfortunately I'm in the process of dropping back to Red (review date 7 March, status "under review") as I've been pooling any SCs to Mr J to try to keep at least one of us at Gold, so I assume I'm going to miss out on any gift SCs which is a pity, as I would have pooled those to him as well. Status extension isn't going to do me any good anyway as a lowly Red!

I have a trip to NSW booked in May under the November DSC offer which would have been enough to push Mr J over the line to requalify for Gold this year, but I assume that trip will end up having to be cancelled, and therefore will lose the DSC eligibility. At least he will receive some gift SCs which will help, as well as getting the 12 month status extension.

 

[serfty]

Qantas offer was generous but I still have to earn 1200 SCs from 01 June to maintain Platinum status another year.

That 'another year' starts in 15 months - you will be QF WP at least until end of May 2021 with the extension. Any more SC earned before May 31 2020 could only help for 2400 bonus benefits or attaining P1.

See here: Qantas extends current status for 12 months

 

[klm597]

My anniversary date is in a few days and I've already re-qualified for Gold thanks to travel in January and February, so the status extension does nothing for me. The bonus SCs for the next three months do wonders however, as they will all go towards re-qualification for 2021.

I'm very happy with how Virgin are handling status so far but I understand it's impossible to cater for every single person's situation. Just hope they can weather this storm.

 

[knagelli]

I'm hoping this was the right move for the future...

Assuming the flights are not cancelled by that time and you make it Silver before April 1 I don't see why you wont be getting the status credit gifts.

 

[mickismick]

6 sectors and 250 SC's into my renewal year with 11 months to go to retain platinum. I was personally happy with the generous offer of monthly SC's, even happier with the automatic renewal.

I'm a bit confused as to what travel I'll need to do over the next 23 months though. I assume SCs still expire with the 12 months of receiving them?

 

[knagelli]

I assume SCs still expire with the 12 months of receiving them?

The 12 month requalification comes into picture after the one year extension gifted by VA. However you will need to have 800 SCs/8 sectors in any 12 month period when your account is reviewed.

 

[Harthagan]

The only people really that won't benefit at all (aside from reds) are platinums who had already requalified for their next year and whose review date is after the beginning of June 2020. Oh well lol

<Edit>

Assuming the additional SC received before their review don't help them in being able to gift a gold or platinum membership!

 

[mickismick]

Assuming the additional SC received before their review don't help them in being able to gift a gold or platinum membership!

I'll be able to gift gold to my wife with the gifted SCs from April.

 

[FTac]

I have travel booked with Delta (in comfort+) on Wednesday that was going to take me to platinum for the first time! Of course I won't be taking those flights. I've already requalified for gold and the gift of SCs aren't going to be able to enough for me to reach platinum.

So instead of a year of platinum and a soft landing to gold for another, I'll just get a year of gold.

I know everyone's situation is unique but it is unfortunate that what they're offering doesn't help me at all!

 

[ozstamps]

In that case I'd be emailing my PNR and details to Velocity Gold or Elite line real fast, and asking for a one time exception by made, to grant you the Plat status you had booked these to ensure.

Do not phone - their lines clearly are swamped right now. Om paper there is a trail of you asking.

Can never hurt, and a most reasonable request I think, and right now they are doing whatever they can to keep Elites happy it seems to me.

They have always been able to make manual exceptions if a strong case was put.

If they agree you'll get the Plat SC bonus in April.

 

[Ozliz]

I really wish they included a comparable eligible sector gift as well. I’ve already got enough SCs to re-qualify for Gold in May, but I only have 3 out of 4 eligible sectors. I had a return flight booked in April and would have been at 5, but I now won’t be travelling.

I can’t justify risking the health of myself and others just to maintain status, so if this is the deal, my Gold will fall back to Silver, taking the bulk of my benefits with it. Not great for when I can go back to travelling again unfortunately.

Potential opportunity for Qantas to pinch some customers on the other side of this if they wanted to offer a status match for people tumbling out of Velocity.

I’m in exactly the same boat. I have 6 eligible sectors booked between now and June and while I was never going to quite make it to platinum I’m well past the SC requirement for gold. I would prefer a status pause including status credit expiry extension for 12 months rather than what they’re offering. I’ve quite a while to get that last sector in for gold so hopefully before the end of the year I’ll have a chance to get on a plane again. I just keep reminding myself that there’s no point in having status if I can’t use it because I’m not flying anywhere.

 

[jase05]

I’m in exactly the same boat. I have 6 eligible sectors booked between now and June and while I was never going to quite make it to platinum I’m well past the SC requirement for gold. I would prefer a status pause including status credit expiry extension for 12 months rather than what they’re offering. I’ve quite a while to get that last sector in for gold so hopefully before the end of the year I’ll have a chance to get on a plane again. I just keep reminding myself that there’s no point in having status if I can’t use it because I’m not flying anywhere.

They ARE giving a status extension of 12 months. Did you not receive the email?

 

[Jack_OC]

The only people really that won't benefit at all (aside from reds) are platinums who had already requalified for their next year and whose review date is after the beginning of June 2020. Oh well lol

<Edit>

Assuming the additional SC received before their review don't help them in being able to gift a gold or platinum membership!

I'm in exactly that situation. Review date in August, already requalified Platinum, but not close to having enough SCs for the free SCs to get me across the threshold to gift Gold. However, I would have earned enough SCs within the next few months to gift Platinum if future bookings hadn't been cancelled.

The email didn't actually seem very clear to me - it says "we’ll also be extending and preserving the current Status of all Velocity Frequent Flyer Silver, Gold and Platinum members for a further 12 months." A further 12 months suggests 12 months more than what we have already qualified for, which in my case would take me up to Aug 2022. However, I suspect what they actually mean is they will comp requalification to those who don't achieve it prior to their review date (which is actually quite different to what they have written).

Anyway, such is life, I can't say it bothers me a great deal - either way I still have Platinum status until Aug 2021 and I doubt if I'll be making much use of any airline status any time soon - more important to things to worry about right now!

 

[Ozliz]

They ARE giving a status extension of 12 months. Did you not receive the email?

Yes but the problem is I’m only silver and if all my SC which put me over the line for gold expire then all I get is an extension of silver and not an extension of gold (if I can’t fly that last sector in 2 weeks like I had planned to to get gold). I’m still waiting to see how it actually works when they process the extensions.

 

[wendlle]

Yes but the problem is I’m only silver and if all my SC which put me over the line for gold expire then all I get is an extension of silver and not an extension of gold (if I can’t fly that last sector in 2 weeks like I had planned to to get gold). I’m still waiting to see how it actually works when they process the extensions.

Yes this is the same boat that I'm in. I had DSC flights booked for May that would get me to Gold. I'm just hoping that with the extension they also stop SC that we currently have from expiring, that way I could make it to Gold again. As it stands all my SC will expire before this whole virus thing is gone, leaving me at Silver with little chance of getting back to Gold.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

My Curiosity is pushed more to gifted membership. I have enough to gift Mrs Phoenix Plat. do I do it now before the extension, or hold out till may to maximise status anyway?

 

[mickismick]

My Curiosity is pushed more to gifted membership. I have enough to gift Mrs Phoenix Plat. do I do it now before the extension, or hold out till may to maximise status anyway?

If she gets platinum and is pooling to you, you'd get 70+70 (140) gifted SCs for each of April, May, and June for 420 total. That's past halfway to renewal.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

If she gets platinum and is pooling to you, you'd get 70+70 (140) gifted SCs for each of April, May, and June for 420 total. That's past halfway to renewal.

I'm already sitting at enough SC to have renewal on my mid May review date plus gifting status.

 

[mickismick]

I'm already sitting at enough SC to have renewal on my mid May review date plus gifting status.

Maybe do it now and pool all the points to her then

 

[SheikYerbouti]

I don't think status is that important right now.

After all, in the next 6-9 months:
- Virgin could cease to exist
- Your business and/or your job could cease to exist
- Travel as we knew it last year may not exist again till mid-late 2021
- 50 other situations that you can't imagine right now, like you couldn't imagine this week's events as recently as January.