Welcome to another year of Velocity Platinum membership

[awilcockson]

VA seem to have forgotten the old saying "it's cheaper to keep an existing client than to attract a new one"

Why do you say that? By comping Plat renewal to high value targets (which really doesn't cost them anything, especially since the removal of ATA), then they have a chance to easily bring in more revenue.

 

[Mogul]

Why do you say that? By comping Plat renewal to high value targets (which really doesn't cost them anything, especially since the removal of ATA), then they have a chance to easily bring in more revenue.

No higher value than anyone else with the same number of SC's.

If the status matched pax were serious about switching carriers they would have done it by now. So VA throw away status and erode benefits and at the same time alienate your actually loyal pax to the point that they switch carriers and take their $$$$$ elsewhere.

 

[simongr]

If one of them is a QF P1, and the other a QF SG, then it's pretty obvious which one has more potential to bring business over to Virgin.

How would they know if you were a P1?

 

[jmphoto]

How would they know if you were a P1?

They saw my bumper sticker

 

[JohnK]

I saw this thread at the top of the list and panicked. No email and my activity is still being reviewed.

To be honest I do not want Platinum for another year. I have enough flights booked by September 2013 to get me Gold again. If I am comped Platinum then those flights I booked are wasted.

And I would also be extremely disappointed if I had accepted the Platinum challenge last month and booked 2 return business class flights.

I know it may sound strange but I wish both of these airlines stopped these stupid games of double SCs and comping status and let people earn status by doing the flying.

 

[drewbles]

I got this email too - but completed the challenge presented to me last month to retain WP - kind of pisses me off to be honest

I don't begrudge the OP his comp'ing, but I agree with you.

I got (as a 100% BIS re-qualifier):

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[TD="width: 510"]Dear Mr drewbles,

As a valued member of Velocity Frequent Flyer and guest of Virgin Australia, I am pleased to welcome you to another year of Platinum membership. [/TD]
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Obviously anyone with a few SC's is 'valued' too. Heres hoping the comping drops off sooner than later, and the BIS people who keep their status are rewarded.

 

[awilcockson]

How would they know if you were a P1?

You don't think they read forums like this?

 

[awilcockson]

I got this email too - but completed the challenge presented to me last month to retain WP - kind of pisses me off to be honest

I was given the "take any flight and we'll give you another 200SCs" challenge. I didn't bother as I'd already re-qualified Gold (by directing flying to Virgin that I didn't have to, and even though I knew I would have soft-landed at Gold anyway, but I thought they deserved at least some of my custom for the way they have treated me), and now I'm really glad I didn't (accept the challenge). I too would have been mighty pissed to have accepted the challenged and then seen other people being comped.

 

[MadFairlane]

I just want to come across and say I have nothing against awilcockson... I'm just bummed I seem to miss out on every damn thing that DJ ever sends out.... hahaha

 

[Fifa]

I have dropped down to Gold.
I'm very happy as I had pooled all my SCs to my +1.
I currently have enough bookings in the system to maintain Gold next year

 

[pauly7]

oh goodness, this is going to really really annoy lots of people here.

Agreed and they probably have the right to feel annoyed!!

Renewed at 400.... Phew!

Well congrats to the people being comped yet again!

 

[Simo]

I got about 400 as well,

I still have a week left in my SC year so will see what happens.

 

[djchuckles]

Finally got round to sending some feedback about my unhappiness that status match peeps seem to be getting a better deal than loyal customers like me (I've earned 900 SC's in last 10 months) and got the following reply back from Phil Gunter. Am sure the final sentence is a blatant lie!!


Firstly I would like to thank you for choosing to fly with Virgin Australia. I can assure you that we do value your custom and there is no intention to treat you as a second class citizen. We do try to offer very strong and relevant promotions to our members, but to do so we do need to restrict many promotions to only limited numbers. The alternative would be to only offer bland and often irrelevant offers that would not be valued by anyone. I can however confirm that we do not specifically target status matched members for any promotion.

 

[anat0l]

Finally got round to sending some feedback about my unhappiness that status match peeps seem to be getting a better deal than loyal customers like me (I've earned 900 SC's in last 10 months) and got the following reply back from Phil Gunter. Am sure the final sentence is a blatant lie!!

Firstly I would like to thank you for choosing to fly with Virgin Australia. I can assure you that we do value your custom and there is no intention to treat you as a second class citizen. We do try to offer very strong and relevant promotions to our members, but to do so we do need to restrict many promotions to only limited numbers. The alternative would be to only offer bland and often irrelevant offers that would not be valued by anyone. I can however confirm that we do not specifically target status matched members for any promotion.

That's a direct quote?!

Off topic, but I must that that message is rather.... ummm... honest! I'm sure if QF sent an email like that, it'd be sent straight to NoNews for publication!

On topic, it seems, at least amongst the cohort here, that awilcockson's case is isolated. Is there anyone else here who has come up short on trumps but still been given the same status that they've been matched (in many cases, Platinum)?

For my case, I'm still being evaluated. I've only got a handful of SCs, so I would've thought that it's a sure fire no-brainer that I shouldn't be given Platinum again!

 

[djchuckles]

I was more referring to the stories of all the status match people who get offers like 100 or 200 bonus sc's with their next flight or offers such as book a business class flight (or 4 was it?) to automatically requalify. All those stories seemed to be for/from status matched people - many with little or no flying on virgin

 

[malmacdowall]

Received my email this week welcoming me ti another year of platinum. Earnt mine the hard way, loggin many hours in the air.
Requaled 6 months into the first platinum year and by 9 months my wife had her complimentary platinum .. Off to Milan in a few weeks to get a start on requalifying for 2014....

 

[kpc]

My review date was 1st Sep. Despite requalifying for DJ Plat, I still have " We are currently assessing your activity over your membership year. You will still have access to your current benefits until 01 Oct 2012. Your new card will be with you shortly." showing in my account

 

[bullerdude]

As a BIS Platinum it is very frustrating to see other people continually bumped up to Platinum without having to spend money. On top of that, I never get any of the promotion email that are always being discussed here.

You need to do better Virgin.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

As a BIS Platinum it is very frustrating to see other people continually bumped up to Platinum without having to spend money. On top of that, I never get any of the promotion email that are always being discussed here.

You need to do better Virgin.

While I somewhat agree with you - there are two important factors:

1) It's Virgin's business and they can do whatever they like
2) *Real* platinums rank higher than comp'd platinums... so you're always higher

 

[dfcatch]

No higher value than anyone else with the same number of SC's.

If the status matched pax were serious about switching carriers they would have done it by now. So VA throw away status and erode benefits and at the same time alienate your actually loyal pax to the point that they switch carriers and take their $$$$$ elsewhere.

Other than ego - no benefits are eroded if the matched pax aren't flying.

IE: If I am matched Platinum - then I get a shiny card in my wallet - so at the DYKWIA bar - I get to show off just like you - so in that sense your benefit is eroded.

But as far as real benefits go - such as you having to compete with me for Row 3, or seats in the Lounge, or Award seats/upgrades etc - well you're only competing with me if I ACTUALLY fly and utilise my status benefits. In which case - VA win - because they have earned custom that might not have been given to them.


Once you remove the ego factor of jealousy and exclusivity - then there are no benefits eroded by VA granting matched/renewed status.