Virgin Platinum Pointless?

[boylero]

I recently dropped to SG also, after being plat for 3 years I noticed I have been offered IHG or HH Gold complimentary membership again after not having it for the last two years. It seems a gold reset is effective for this benefit at least?

 

[mlob]

Interesting. I just dropped back to gold after one year at Platinum and my benefits are showing as opted in already. No reset there for me.

 

[Sbv72]

You get Platinum benefits for a month after review date so the car hire/hotel benefits won't reset until you truly drop to gold at the end of that month.

 

[Mattg]

I recently dropped to SG also, after being plat for 3 years I noticed I have been offered IHG or HH Gold complimentary membership again after not having it for the last two years. It seems a gold reset is effective for this benefit at least?

I do believe that this resets each time you change your status level.

 

[danpez]

Yep, all mine reset eventually. They do take a month or so to review it. I was still using my platinum card 4 weeks after as I hadn't received my gold one yet.

 

[Caversham04]

So after having WP for a year (just dropped to SG) here are my thoughts:

Row 3 - I got this just as much with SG, no noticeable difference

My understanding is that SG's are only allowed to reserve seats in Row 7 and further back at the time of purchase, so you're taking a punt that seats in Row 3 are still available at check-in?

 

[im.daniel]

My understanding is that SG's are only allowed to reserve seats in Row 7 and further back at the time of purchase, so you're taking a punt that seats in Row 3 are still available at check-in?

That would be right, but depending on the time and route, there will normally be seats free (row 3) at check-in for gold members in my experience.

 

[danpez]

I've never had an issue booking row 3 with SG. Maybe I've been lucky with flights but the only time I've been further back is when I've booked really late.

 

[flying_duck]

Row 3. Immediate response when you need to call the guest centre. A couple of benefits I enjoy as a WP.

That would be great, but their recognition system is down 90% of the time, and last night it took them over 15 minutes to answer my call as a WP.

 

[Edge]

I'm SG and I can never get row 3. Like others, only row 7 is available for selection at the time of booking. Then at check-in I've never seen row 3 available. But I guess I'm generally flying at the start & end of the day on generally busy routes.

I would class row 3 as a major benefit of WP

 

[JohnK]

My understanding is that SG's are only allowed to reserve seats in Row 7 and further back at the time of purchase, so you're taking a punt that seats in Row 3 are still available at check-in?

My preference is for row 4 now. That way I can board as late as I like and put laptop bag under the seat in front without having FA rush over try to tell me where I can put bag when there is no overhead bin space.

And I find most times better chance of vacant seat next to you. Can't remember the last time I saw a vacant middle seat in row 3 on VA flights between SYD-BNE or SYD-OOL.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Can't remember the last time I saw a vacant middle seat in row 3 on VA flights between SYD-BNE or SYD-OOL.

After that survey many of us received, I'm hoping that if VA changes the row 3 policy, it will be to strengthen the plat benefit. It would be nice for VA to protect row 3 similarly to what they do with business and fly with vacant row 3 seats rather than allow all comers to jump in 3B or 3E. I already think row 3 is a major plat benefit and by restricting it to plat, it would mean less of a likelihood of it being chockers on all flights. Perhaps not to the extent of a genuine shadow system, but preferable to what it is now.

Alas though, I fear it will go a different path, and perhaps become a "paid" privilege.

 

[Caversham04]

After that survey many of us received, I'm hoping that if VA changes the row 3 policy, it will be to strengthen the plat benefit. It would be nice for VA to protect row 3 similarly to what they do with business and fly with vacant row 3 seats rather than allow all comers to jump in 3B or 3E. I already think row 3 is a major plat benefit and by restricting it to plat, it would mean less of a likelihood of it being chockers on all flights. Perhaps not to the extent of a genuine shadow system, but preferable to what it is now.

Alas though, I fear it will go a different path, and perhaps become a "paid" privilege.

Yikes - I hope they go for the first option!

 

[Fiches Mouser]

After that survey many of us received, I'm hoping that if VA changes the row 3 policy, it will be to strengthen the plat benefit. It would be nice for VA to protect row 3 similarly to what they do with business and fly with vacant row 3 seats rather than allow all comers to jump in 3B or 3E. I already think row 3 is a major plat benefit and by restricting it to plat, it would mean less of a likelihood of it being chockers on all flights. Perhaps not to the extent of a genuine shadow system, but preferable to what it is now.

Alas though, I fear it will go a different path, and perhaps become a "paid" privilege.

Absolutely swanning_it. I'd love to see that.

For me, it's all about the lounges. It's the one thing that makes me want to go for QF Plat one year (but I'd need a status match to get started on that... ). Being able to use the beautiful CX and QF F lounges would be great. I'm sure it's a 'grass is always greener' thing though. Neither program is perfect.

There definitely needs to be something to separate SG and WP further. I know VA aren't opening up J lounges anytime soon, so a good start would be negotiating use of SQ's SilverKris lounge in SIN, and F lounges elsewhere. Particularly considering how crucial SQ is to VA's international network.

 

[Ausbt]

On a HBA-SYD last week there was a Red member in 3C. I was 3A with a shadow. ...or maybe the shadow was for Mr Red, who knows!

 

[Qld4101]

Seems a pretty common theme from VA, BNE/DRW last week, half full flight, me 3A, told there was a block on B but a non member (saw BP seated there), was speaking to the person in 3C, they were also told when they checked in that a block was on 3B (we were both plat members), seems irrelevant to VA as they seated a non member in B in a half full flight (not sure why I persist with them.......)

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Absolutely swanning_it. I'd love to see that.

For me, it's all about the lounges. It's the one thing that makes me want to go for QF Plat one year (but I'd need a status match to get started on that... ). Being able to use the beautiful CX and QF F lounges would be great. I'm sure it's a 'grass is always greener' thing though. Neither program is perfect.

There definitely needs to be something to separate SG and WP further. I know VA aren't opening up J lounges anytime soon, so a good start would be negotiating use of SQ's SilverKris lounge in SIN, and F lounges elsewhere. Particularly considering how crucial SQ is to VA's international network.

Hahaha I take it all back... maybe things aren't so bad?

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....t-qantas-business-lounge-extremely-71613.html

 

[razors_girl23]

I'm SG and I can never get row 3. Like others, only row 7 is available for selection at the time of booking. Then at check-in I've never seen row 3 available. But I guess I'm generally flying at the start & end of the day on generally busy routes.

I would class row 3 as a major benefit of WP

I've just gone up to platinum from gold. I fly ADL-SYD quite a bit and I'd say I used to get row 3 as a gold member about 80% of the time. You can't do it yourself though; you need to ask one of the people at the check in/bag drop desks. If row 3 was unavailable, I'd ask for the emergency exit and always at the very least got that.

 

[n7of9]

i just did a status run for 80SC to upgrade to WP...i did it on purpose because i don't think i will have an o/s trip in the next 12 months. So WP until Oct 2016 and then soft-land to SG - that's a benefit, i reckon, it gives me time to figure out what my future flying will be (self-funded)

 

[im.daniel]

A complementary snack off the BOB menu would be a nice perk for Plat members traveling in Y (similarly to that on AA for OWE members).
Seat blocking would also be appreciated, not just row 3, but other rows too!