Virgin cancels anytime access - they almost had me

[simongr]

The point being that rants/posts along the lines of "I am going to fly Qantas now as Virgin doesn't have ATA" are quite ironic given that Qantas also do not have ATA

I think you miss the point that ATA became differentiator for DJ that has now gone away - so an incentive to use DJ is gone.

 

[straitman]

48 pages of discussion isn't "hot" enough?
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....nytime-lounge-access-finishing-yes-41489.html

Admittedly, only a little under a third of the size of the equivalent QF discussion, but given given that the QF group represents 65% of domestic travel that seems fair!
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....tinum-anytime-lounge-access-ceases-25773.html

12 pages (472 posts) on Virgin access and 43 (1709 posts) on Qantas. Agreed that it seems approximately fair when you compare market percentage.

 

[pat25d]

I think you miss the point that ATA became differentiator for DJ that has now gone away - so an incentive to use DJ is gone.

The irony being the OPs admission that he often used ATA on unrelated (ie. non-flying) business, when he wasn't using DJ anyway...

I think DJ handled it all poorly, but think that the number of people who used ATA and are more than insignificantly disadvantaged is small enough for DJ not to care.

 

[anat0l]

there's no such thing as a free lunch - particularly for people who were status matched and thus had no commerical value to VA it seems only logical that ATA should have been on an introductory basis

I'd be surprised if VA had it through their minds that ATA was always going to be "introductory". But, we'll never know.

Irrespective, I think some people here might take offense at your labelling them as having no commercial value to VA, when the status match has strongly incentivised them to switch camps!

48 pages of discussion isn't "hot" enough?
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....nytime-lounge-access-finishing-yes-41489.html

Admittedly, only a little under a third of the size of the equivalent QF discussion, but given given that the QF group represents 65% of domestic travel that seems fair!
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....tinum-anytime-lounge-access-ceases-25773.html

12 pages (472 posts) on Virgin access and 43 (1709 posts) on Qantas. Agreed that it seems approximately fair when you compare market percentage.

An examination of the post content beyond a mere count would reveal that the weights of the severity of the ATA loss argument are quite different, even if you take into account the relative sizes.

In particular, there was almost nobody in the QF thread who argued that ATA was not a big loss or agreed that it was due to abuse (or free kicks), and anyone who raised such a point in said thread were ostracised or otherwise abused. Red Roo, in particular, copped a scathing, vitriolic going over by the general AFF collegiate.

A very different tone indeed in the VA thread; in fact, in general, people were far more accepting of the loss of ATA.

I don't know if that also is reflected in the types or characters of people (in general) on AFF who patronise QF or VA; I'd like to think not.

 

[MarkD]

The irony being the OPs admission that he often used ATA on unrelated (ie. non-flying) business, when he wasn't using DJ anyway...

I think DJ handled it all poorly, but think that the number of people who used ATA and are more than insignificantly disadvantaged is small enough for DJ not to care.

Yep, exactly the reason they claim it was removed. We all know the real reason though, it was never going to stay long


I'm too poor to own a signature

 

[simongr]

I'd be surprised if VA had it through their minds that ATA was always going to be "introductory". But, we'll never know.

Irrespective, I think some people here might take offense at your labelling them as having no commercial value to VA, when the status match has strongly incentivised them to switch camps!

An examination of the post content beyond a mere count would reveal that the weights of the severity of the ATA loss argument are quite different, even if you take into account the relative sizes.

In particular, there was almost nobody in the QF thread who argued that ATA was not a big loss or agreed that it was due to abuse (or free kicks), and anyone who raised such a point in said thread were ostracised or otherwise abused. Red Roo, in particular, copped a scathing, vitriolic going over by the general AFF collegiate.

A very different tone indeed in the VA thread; in fact, in general, people were far more accepting of the loss of ATA.

I don't know if that also is reflected in the types or characters of people (in general) on AFF who patronise QF or VA; I'd like to think not.

I agree - it is almost like people are blaming QFFers for the loss rather than DJ.

I remember the slings and arrows I suffered in that thread for even mentioning that I thought it was no great loss and in fact a negative thing to have - I respectfully recognise that others do not share that view.

 

[Justchecking]

Well I'm sure DJ will sorely miss your ocassional flight purchase and your frequent visits to their lounge on unrelated business. They will probably kick themselves that they've failed to convert you.

 

[munitalP]

When I was commuting SYD MEL, Mrs munitalP would park at the bus park between TT and VA terminal and use her Gold ATA to wait for me to get off a VA flight down from SYD and sometimes a QF flight down from SYD. OK, fair enough I will get pounced on for her having a comfortable seat waiting for me to arrive on a QF flight, but without the ATA, VA wouldn't have had 4/5 of the flights they got :|

Luckily that part of my commuting life is over, but for my own selfish reasons alone, the ATA loss sucks.

 

[lovestotravel]

Well I'm sure DJ will sorely miss your ocassional flight purchase and your frequent visits to their lounge on unrelated business. They will probably kick themselves that they've failed to convert you.

Probably by someone that was status matched as well.....

 

[lovestotravel]

I think you miss the point that ATA became differentiator for DJ that has now gone away - so an incentive to use DJ is gone.

Incentive would be to fly more to obtain gold/plat or fly in J!

 

[muppet]

I'd be surprised if VA had it through their minds that ATA was always going to be "introductory". But, we'll never know.

Irrespective, I think some people here might take offense at your labelling them as having no commercial value to VA, when the status match has strongly incentivised them to switch camps!





An examination of the post content beyond a mere count would reveal that the weights of the severity of the ATA loss argument are quite different, even if you take into account the relative sizes.

In particular, there was almost nobody in the QF thread who argued that ATA was not a big loss or agreed that it was due to abuse (or free kicks), and anyone who raised such a point in said thread were ostracised or otherwise abused. Red Roo, in particular, copped a scathing, vitriolic going over by the general AFF collegiate.

A very different tone indeed in the VA thread; in fact, in general, people were far more accepting of the loss of ATA.

I don't know if that also is reflected in the types or characters of people (in general) on AFF who patronise QF or VA; I'd like to think not.

You're accurate in your claims Anat0l. Perhaps this is due to the constant "enhancing" by QF that people are now used to it.
But I think it's because QF never gave status away for free, only earned status and a benefit was being taken away.
DJ gave heaps of people free status, then took away a benefit they didn't earn, therefore the feeling of loss was dimished and the understanding of "potential abuse" exagerated and people thought "hey they never earned it anyway and are sitting there all weekend drinking".

Just my thoughts.

m

EDIT: Disclaimer - I was status matched, so maybe my sense of loss has dimished (plus never used ATA)

 

[mella2007]

hey QANTAS types,

Just tried to get into a Virgin Lounge and was told ATA had been cancelled.

When I got comped to Gold with Virgin, ATA was a big deal for me because I am so often at the airport on unrelated business. I was seriously considering replacing my QANTAS WP with Virgin WP.

Now, about a year after the status matching, it's all over.

The whole thing was just a bald faced attempt to con customers into the Virgin camp and there was no intention of allowing it to continue beyond the status match period. I really resent that sort of scam marketing.

Bad show, and the occasional Virgin flight I used to take will now remain a thing of the past. I'd rather pay $600 for a QANTAS economy ticket.

You've said it yourself. You had/have no plans to be a loyal customer to Virgin and are probably the exact reason why they stopped ATA (as told to me by one of the lounge reps, they were getting too many QFF's who never travelled with VA ever)
It wasn't a con or a scam...you've had a whole year of being able to come and go as you please and enjoy the free food/beverages/facilities...as you've said...on unrelated business very often. Disappointing for the genuine QF flyers who only use the lounge when they are actually flying and have no other options.

 

[amaroo]

I've lumped ATA & PB in the same silo.

If I want access to a lounge - I'll purchase a ticket.

I expect PB on Int flights only.....otherwise, I'm happy to rock up at the start of a DOM flight to secure the all important O/H locker - the days where I'm hands free, I like to be one of the last to board the tube!

 

[eastwest101]

While a bit of a loss - the loss of ATA from VA was just one black mark in the "negative" column for me - comparing having to pay for both VA and QF lounge membership. As I fly on both QF and VA, and my home port is without a VA Lounge yet, and given that I sometimes transit to Rex flights it all went into the equation about keeping both memberships active or sacrificing one.

That said I will probably try to justify keeping some sort of status on both just so they keep eachother honest.

 

[lovestotravel]

That said I will probably try to justify keeping some sort of status on both just so they keep eachother honest.

Exactly right!

A while back I was very anti-Qantas, as lots of people were, and started flying VA exclusively!

However, the grass is not always greener and now I try to spread the love around!

Plat with VA until March 2014, but Silver with Qantas, but will make Gold by April 2013 with Platinum by the end of the year

Plat with both - Can't complain

 

[eastwest101]

However, the grass is not always greener and now I try to spread the love around!

Plat with VA until March 2014, but Silver with Qantas, but will make Gold by April 2013 with Platinum by the end of the year

Plat with both - Can't complain

That is exactly right - I would be aiming for that too. You never know whats going to happen in the future - VA or indeed QF could dissapear in the blink of an eye, your home port could get JQ-ized, Velocity or QFF could be "enhanced" out of existence, airline alliances rise and fall, you could change employer or your own location.

Its just too risky having the golden handcuffs on in this world, just ask the ex Ansett Golden Wing Lounge members?

 

[amaroo]

That is exactly right - I would be aiming for that too. You never know whats going to happen in the future - VA or indeed QF could dissapear in the blink of an eye, your home port could get JQ-ized, Velocity or QFF could be "enhanced" out of existence, airline alliances rise and fall, you could change employer or your own location.

Its just too risky having the golden handcuffs on in this world, just ask the ex Ansett Golden Wing Lounge members?

Earn & burn solves most of the issues.....IMO the best point is one that has already been cashed in!

 

[kpc]

Earn & burn solves most of the issues.....IMO the best point is one that has already been cashed in!

Agree 100%....in the past year, I have "burnt" >700k QF points on flights

 

[justinbrett]

To say it was a con however is drawing a particularly low bow IMHO.

It's either a long bow or low blow...

 

[amaroo]

Agree 100%....in the past year, I have "burnt" >700k QF points on flights

Way to go. Just burnt 648K for a 11 day trip to Hong Kong & Tokyo for the school holidays later this month.....get to do CX new J, 2 x Syd Flounge visits (one at the start CX100 & one at the end QF19) + other great stuff

I always get the best felling after I've punched the key that confirms the transaction.

Earn & Burn.....Use or Lose!