Virgin Flyer 2-For-1

[bcworld]

I have got this credit card also recently but always travel alone.

If I chose to redeem the 2 for 1 flight offer does the other person have to be my partner or related or can I nominate anyone?

Anyone you like.

 

[Beta4Me]

Do they have to fly for me to get status credits if it is someone family pooling to me? That is, can I book for them and then they don't turn up and I still get the SCs plus the bonus of an empty seat next to me?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Do they have to fly for me to get status credits?

No show, no credits!

 

[Beta4Me]

No show, no credits!

Pity. I could've had some fun with this...

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: A disappointing change to the 2-4-1 policy

That's horrendous. Can they truly claim "2-4-1" then? Gah I only got mine a month back was about to use it after the Sabre dust had settled, very very disappointing.

Don't wait for the Sabre dust to settle for too long.
VA told me tonight that they are waiving the taxes etc for 60 days from today. They said this was to enable Virgin money to "correct" their misleading T&Cs to state 241 on base fare only.

I didn't dare ask about points& SCs. My experience with that question is that they will give a different reply every time. I just hope the Sabre change doesn't suddenly "innovate" them away as well. Hopefully someone within the Virgin companies does actually realise those cards have nothing going for them except SC & point earning 241 fares. The 241 fares are cactus, really just leaves points and SCs.

Are we taking bets on how soon they deem it "doable" to innovate them without anyone of importance noticing?

 

[oz_mark]

Re: A disappointing change to the 2-4-1 policy

Don't wait for the Sabre dust to settle for too long.
VA told me tonight that they are waiving the taxes etc for 60 days from today. They said this was to enable Virgin money to "correct" their misleading T&Cs to state 241 on base fare only.

Thanks for that. I've got a couple to book....(not that I buy the "correct" bit of the statement - more that they have changed the rules!)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: A disappointing change to the 2-4-1 policy

Thanks for that. I've got a couple to book....(not that I buy the "correct" bit of the statement - more that they have changed the rules!)

I don't buy it either, but I have thought that perhaps they just couldn't do it under Navataire but can add taxes with Sabre. I've got 8 sectors to book! The VA lady did say we only have to book within 60 days. The flights can occur at anytime.

 

[smit0847]

Re: A disappointing change to the 2-4-1 policy

Don't wait for the Sabre dust to settle for too long.
VA told me tonight that they are waiving the taxes etc for 60 days from today. They said this was to enable Virgin money to "correct" their misleading T&Cs to state 241 on base fare only.

Everytime I've called up about this I've got a different answer (and wasted at least 40 minutes on each call).

Any tips for booking from anyone whos actually managed to get the second person free?

 

[Jama]

Re: A disappointing change to the 2-4-1 policy

Don't wait for the Sabre dust to settle for too long.
VA told me tonight that they are waiving the taxes etc for 60 days from today. They said this was to enable Virgin money to "correct" their misleading T&Cs to state 241 on base fare only.

I didn't dare ask about points& SCs. My experience with that question is that they will give a different reply every time. I just hope the Sabre change doesn't suddenly "innovate" them away as well. Hopefully someone within the Virgin companies does actually realise those cards have nothing going for them except SC & point earning 241 fares. The 241 fares are cactus, really just leaves points and SCs.

So they're going to change it from what would be false advertising to bait advertising. That makes it better :!: People will get to find out the T&C's after signing up when they go to use the "2for1" for the first time.

 

[medhead]

I just double checked the conditions. Currently they say the cc surcharge and baggage fees are payable. Might someone have got confused with taxes?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Hi team.....and by that I mean all of us.

I don't consider myself an expert flyer, but I do think I'm far from a newby and my head is currently swimming......against the current it would seem.

I don't know where to begin, or even if this is the appropriate thread.

I wanted to book a 241, OOL-CBR. Easy? Yes of course......not.

All flights on the days I need/want are via somewhere (SYD or MEL) fine, extra SCs, but they're two flights so 2 x 241 rtn. All 241 used in one hit and that fact confirmed yesterday by Velocity.

BNE-CBR are predominently direct, but I don't wish to go to BNE when I can fly from OOL so I look for the outright fares OOL-CBR. WOW......$300 + each, each way! Dream on VA. So I take a quick look at Webjet. QF $139 OOL-CBR, VA $99 CBR-OOL.......................Hang on! Where did that CBR-OOL fare come from? Back to the VA web site and re-enter the booking and fares are now OOL-CBR circa $130 and CBR-OOL about the same. Wow. Huge difference over the first search which returned upward of $300 each way. GREAT, but where is this Webjet $99 fare? Look again on Webjet, VA 1693 - $99. Go to VA site and look for VA 1693 and it's there (for $101), my mistake I missed it because the site lists late PM direct flights before early AM non-direct flights.

So OK, I can book that, try VA Gold desk (cannot book 241 on line) and this is now a HUGE problem.
First attempt took me four phone prompts to be transferred to......Asia (where, ?). Nicely ask for Gold desk and transfered to ......Asia (where, ?). Ask for Gold desk and transferred to........nowhere call hung up whilst attempting transfer.
Second attempt took me five phone prompts to be transferred to.....Asia (where, ?). Nicely ask for Gold desk and transfered to .....Asia (where, KL). Ask for Gold desk (great operator in KL BTW) and transferred to.........BNE YES GREAT. BNE guy very nice but knew nothing of the 241 taxes amnesty (sounds like the ATO) but agreed to waive the taxes/surcharge component of the second fare. Questioned directly about No. of 241 to be used for in connecting flights. The gentleman was very adament it is just one flight (regardless of sectors) with respect to 241. You beaut, lets put this baby to bed. Instructed to book it and many minutes on hold and............hung up on :evil:.

AFFers, I'm only typing all this as I was bored, frustrated, confused and becoming cranky. I've been on hold for just under 2 hours, spoken to many people in Asia, have been hung up on twice (not from rudeness, just the bloody phone systems), have numerous pieces of conflicting information, have had some excellent (albeit limited) assistance from BOTH BNE and Asia, found numerous problems and inconsistancies in the VA/velocity systems and am currently waiting for Jamie in BNE to phone me back as we were soooooooo close to actually completing ONE bloody booking! At the end of a it all, I've no idea what the actual rules/allowances/dispensations are with 241, I've no bookings that I want, I have no idea yet of the cost of the most hopeful ones, I have no idea whether 2 sectors count as one flight, I have no idea whether I should confirm my temp. accommodation booking in CBR and I reckon I'm one step up on not so frequent flyers.

VA.....please listen. You have less cohesiveness than a mad dogs breakfast and honestly............you CANNOT do business like this. I'm running my points down currently on award bookings because fair dinkum, YOU SUCK right now at the most basic of issues. I can't even BUY an airfare off you and I'm coughping myself over the flights I'm taking this week with you. I think I made a huge mistake booking VA this week.

What a shambles!

 

[bcworld]

The 2 for 1 has ALWAYS been used PER SECTOR (one free flight per sector for connecting flights) so this is nothing new and is very clear in the terms and conditions. If you want to take a connecting flight then you should be prepared to use up your entire 4 flights in one return trip.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The 2 for 1 has ALWAYS been used PER SECTOR (one free flight per sector for connecting flights) so this is nothing new and is very clear in the terms and conditions. If you want to take a connecting flight then you should be prepared to use up your entire 4 flights in one return trip.

Not according to my new best mate at VA in BNE.

The point is, I don't want to take 2 sectors. Just 1 but I can't (in fact I can't even manage to book two sectors). But thanks for the clarification (which has been given to me previously), it's very much appreciated.

 

[bcworld]

Not according to my new best mate at VA in BNE.

The point is, I don't want to take 2 sectors. Just 1 but I can't (in fact I can't even manage to book two sectors). But thanks for the clarification (which has been given to me previously), it's very much appreciated.

Sorry for clarifying. I just wasn't sure why you spent so much time on this point after you seemed to suggest at the beginning you knew this was the case. Yes, I appreciate that someone at VA told you otherwise and doesn't know the rules.

The offer is for up to 4 flight segments per year and a segment is defined as a non stop flight. So if your flight has a pitt stop on the way to your destination, that is classified as two flight segments (e.g. a flight from Brisbane to Melbourne, with a Sydney stopover will be considered as 2 flight segments, Bris → Syd then Syd → Melb).

 

[Jama]

The 2 for 1 has ALWAYS been used PER SECTOR (one free flight per sector for connecting flights) so this is nothing new and is very clear in the terms and conditions. If you want to take a connecting flight then you should be prepared to use up your entire 4 flights in one return trip.

This may be the case but I don't see at as being fair in the cases where there is NO direct option. It undermines the whole point of the incentive.

 

[bcworld]

This may be the case but I don't see at as being fair in the cases where there is NO direct option. It undermines the whole point of the incentive.

No one is forced to have a Virgin CC...the terms & conditions and marketing materials make it very clear that this is the case so I'm not sure where fairness comes into it.

 

[medhead]

241 terms and conditions are here. Clearly still say the second seat is free.

http://virginmoney.com.au/downloads/credit-cards/Buy_one_seat_get_one_free_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I just wasn't sure why you spent so much time on this point after you seemed to suggest at the beginning you knew this was the case.

I think I mentioned it in just two lines. I might also mention that I've had the Gold desk operators book two x 241 fares previously based on "Happy Hour" sale fares, which also is not in the rules, but hey.......I have my own business to run. I'm not here to look after the best interests of VA shareholders. If I can use 2 x 241s rather than 4 x 241s, I'm callous enough to take it and say zip about me knowing otherwise. (Aren't I a nasty piece of work).

But the main thrust of my diatribe, was not 241 T&Cs, it was the state of absolute shambles in which VA seem to currently find themselves.

 

[Jama]

I am about to book 2for1 to Perth from OOL. Well I was! Given the issues using it and the cost increase in multi-sector, even when there is no choice, I might be on Jetstar. I'm not a bottomless pit, even if I do fly enough to reach WP

 

[Jama]

No one is forced to have a Virgin CC...the terms & conditions and marketing materials make it very clear that this is the case so I'm not sure where fairness comes into it.

That's right, and I probably won't for long. 2for1 sounds great but what good is a 2for1 that will soon actually be just a discount, due to compulsory fees, and will only get you to two places because they choose to put a stop I don't want everywhere else, meaning I need to use four of them to get back. I certainly wouldn't recommend it any longer.