Virgin "enhances" redemptions, changes to points + pay

[obrienja]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Could it be Virgin are playing a game to artificially lower yields (further) in J so that they can reduce the number of seats (we're all seeing they're underused) & squeeze in some more punters in Y on flexis to make up the difference? Shall we start a pool on when the J seats will start to come out? Someone at some point will eventually wonder why they're carrying around J hundred kgs of empty seats when they could put Y hundred kgs of self-loading cargo in the same place & make J more exclusive. That might artificially increase demand for J upgrades making them harder to get meaning Virgin could get even more points for them... </facetious>

 

[DSFlyer]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

I travelled Brisbane/Sydney/Perth/Melbourne/Brisbane last week and flew J in all cases except Brisbane to Sydney. Sydney to Perth on A330 was 50% full, Perth to Melbourne was 75% and Melbourne to Brisbane only had one spare seet in J. From what I am seeing, they dont appear to be struggling, I think they are only just beginning and think that it is going to be tougher in the coming months to score an upgrade using points.

 

[pointwilliams]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

All my flights over the last 2 months (including most in J SYD/BNE) have seen between 0 and 3 people in the cabin with me. Not sure you would call this an outstanding success....?

 

[lovestotravel]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

The Perth routes i can understand to be fuller than others..

In my experience

MEL-OOL-MEL - Have done this 5 times now, so 10 flights
2 Flights - J cabin full, but one was a group booking and the other a friday night back to OOL
5 Flights - I was the only 1 in J
3 Flights - 3 people in total in J

Have also completed a few MEL-SYD-MEL and MEL-CBR-MEL flights and usually only 2-3 people including me in the J cabin!

QF on the other hand, pretty much full most of the time

 

[anat0l]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Although this is a thread segue, for those talking about load factors, don't forget that QF notably fills up their J cabins with deadheading crew. Of course, no other paid passenger would have received that J seat via any instrument (including ODU), but let's not open up that argument again - this is not the time or place.

 

[777]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Am i the only one who just assumed the uber-cheap business class Points+Pay redemptions were a bug all along? It always struck me as too good to be true/ too good to last.

 

[pointwilliams]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Am i the only one who just assumed the uber-cheap business class Points+Pay redemptions were a bug all along? It always struck me as too good to be true/ too good to last.

Nope, 777, I always thought it was too good to last!

 

[pat25d]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

I think it's funny that people think Virgin should have honoured their relationship with FFs by warning them of changes, when they have been taken advantage of by many.

Its like finding out your missus was cheating on you, but giving her 30days notice to stop.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Its like finding out your missus was cheating on you, but giving her 30days notice to stop.

Not if you're the pimp and gaining from the deal!

Was it too good to last.....yes, I think we all agree on that part.
Was it a bug, or a maketing promotion?.................................

 

[markis10]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Was it a bug, or a maketing promotion?.................................

Given it was not promoted or even listed, I am firmly of the opinion it was an oversight and on the to do list for a while to be fixed.

 

[777]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Was it too good to last.....yes, I think we all agree on that part.
Was it a bug, or a maketing promotion?.................................

Wouldn't they have marketed and promoted it more if it was a marketing promotion?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Wouldn't they have marketed and promoted it more if it was a marketing promotion?

Why pay for marketing when AFF does it for you?

Of importance, I would have thought, is to have your recently implemented J cabins occupied. Too many (ala a full blown marketing campaign) could not be handled (a marketing faux pas) whereas a targeted campaign, that costs nix, that achieves the aims.......who could argue?

 

[pauly7]

Why pay for marketing when AFF does it for you?

Of importance, I would have thought, is to have your recently implemented J cabins occupied. Too many (ala a full blown marketing campaign) could not be handled (a marketing faux pas) whereas a targeted campaign, that costs nix, that achieves the aims.......who could argue?

Perhaps DJ have other plans coming up to try and get people into the J cabins and by increasing the points dramatically they are clearing the path for that?? (e.g heavily discounted J tix to corporate clients?)

 

[Moopere]

Perhaps DJ have other plans coming up to try and get people into the J cabins and by increasing the points dramatically they are clearing the path for that?? (e.g heavily discounted J tix to corporate clients?)

If they want to reserve space in the cabin for revenue pax all they need to do is reduce the number of H (rewards) buckets available.

 

[drewbles]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

I travelled Brisbane/Sydney/Perth/Melbourne/Brisbane last week and flew J in all cases except Brisbane to Sydney. Sydney to Perth on A330 was 50% full, Perth to Melbourne was 75% and Melbourne to Brisbane only had one spare seet in J. From what I am seeing, they dont appear to be struggling, I think they are only just beginning and think that it is going to be tougher in the coming months to score an upgrade using points.

I've not been on a 737 J flight with more than 3 guests (one I was the only one on a peak hour MEL-SYD flight) and i've done a dozen or so now.

All my 330 flights have not been even half full, the latest SYD-PER had 7 PAX in J.

Most my flying is to PER, so if they're getting 3 pax on a trans con (the Y cabin was heaving), then there's something not right (QF's would have been full I'm willing to put cash on).

I get the feeling people are still struggling to disassociate Virgin with the 'low cost' banner. They're well on the way to being nothing but a shadow of their former entity, even if there is still a ways to go.

 

[drewbles]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Am i the only one who just assumed the uber-cheap business class Points+Pay redemptions were a bug all along? It always struck me as too good to be true/ too good to last.

DJ publicly acknowledged it was not a fault or a bug, and they also mentioned it would eventually change. This was how it was going to be all along (and hence why I made good use of it whilst it lasted!).

 

[drewbles]

Perhaps DJ have other plans coming up to try and get people into the J cabins and by increasing the points dramatically they are clearing the path for that?? (e.g heavily discounted J tix to corporate clients?)

I suspect you're probably onto something there sir

 

[wafliron]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

Am i the only one who just assumed the uber-cheap business class Points+Pay redemptions were a bug all along? It always struck me as too good to be true/ too good to last.

I don't think it was a bug in the traditional "mistake in our software" sense, but it could have been an oversight by the people who set the redemptions rates. However, as I said earlier in the thread, when you take 6+ months to correct a mistake it's not unreasable for people to assume it's not a mistake.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

So what do people now think is the best value for burning velocity points? MEL/SYD - LAX J is 84,000 points 1 way which I guess is quite good?

 

[drewbles]

Re: Very cheap business class points + pay redemptions

I don't think it was a bug in the traditional "mistake in our software" sense, but it could have been an oversight by the people who set the redemptions rates. However, as I said earlier in the thread, when you take 6+ months to correct a mistake it's not unreasable for people to assume it's not a mistake.

DJ publicly acknowledged it was not a fault or a bug, and they also mentioned it would eventually change. This was how it was going to be all along (and hence why I made good use of it whilst it lasted!).

(making up space with characters)