Velocity Changes incl SC earn on ASAs, SC by sector and baggage changes

[777]

Changes with Sabre

Thought you all might be interested in this:

http://www.virginaustralia.com/cs/g...ent/~edisp/sales_trade_release_5_velocity.pdf

Summary:

* Changes to baggage allowances for Gold and Plat depending on Fare type (mostly seem like minor improvements to me but YMMV - see the link)
* SCs will be calculated by sector not by total distance!
* Any seat awards will earn SCs

All rolls over 13th of Jan.

 

[LiamR]

Once the Sabre transition happens we'll earn status credits for each sector taken, rather than for an entire trip.

http://t.co/Ak6GcKQJ

Bad news? Decreased baggage allowances.... Again.

 

[robbie1984]

Once the Sabre transition happens we'll earn status credits for each sector taken, rather than for an entire trip.

http://t.co/Ak6GcKQJ

Bad news? Decreased baggage allowances.... Again.

Where is the reduced baggage allowance? I could be missing it totally but it looks like you either get an increase or no change?

 

[serfty]

Re: Changes with Sabre

Interesting ... thanks for that.

Seeing:

It is important to note that complimentary baggage allowance will not be applied when booking a flight and therefore
will not appear on the itinerary. Complimentary baggage will be applied at time of check-in.

That indicates to me that VA will not be filing complimentary elite baggage allowances with [-]APTCO[/-] ATPCO.

 

[TonyHancock]

What's baggage allowance?...........

 

[777]

Re: Changes with Sabre

Interesting ... thanks for that.

Seeing:

That indicates to me that VA will not be filing complimentary elite baggage allowances with APTCO.

Excuse my ignorance but what is APTCO?

 

[mannej]

Status Credits earned per Sector from Jan 12

I can see issues with changing allowance from 1 piece at 32 kgs to 2 pieces at 23 kgs - I'm surprised they have gone down that way considering the issues QF had.

 

[nitrocdh]

I like the change that now allows ASA to earn points and status credits!

 

[TtiGeR]

Great news that ASA will earn SCs and calculated per sector!

 

[kevrosmith]

This is fantastic news - both the SCs earn on ASAs and SCs per sector. Big thumbs up Virgin Australia!

Baggage allowance... Phfttt. I'm a bit with TonyHancock on that one. It doesn't hit my radar when factoring airline/fare type choices.

 

[jazza1971]

Re: Changes with Sabre

Do you think there will be a change to the amount of points required to upgrade? Eg when I book an ADL-PER flight (which happens to go via MEL in the booking), its costs the same points upgrade as a direct flight instead of per each leg...

 

[nlagalle]

Well this is definitely a good change!!

Baggage, well that is no difference for me...

 

[madrooster]

Re: Changes with Sabre

Excuse my ignorance but what is APTCO?

It's actually ATPCO:

ATPCO

 

[markis10]

Baggage decreases, by actual weight yes but increase in pieces, makes sense from an OH&S perspective.

 

[serfty]

Excuse my ignorance but what is APTCO?

It's actually ATPCO:

ATPCO

DYAC!

ATPCO provide services to automatically calculate the taxes, levies and charges for e-tickets.

Also, they provide the facility to calculate the MSC based baggage allowance for each segment of a booking to using the application of IATA resolution 302 and MSC. This is based on information supplied by the airlines such as class of service, route, etc.

Airlines can also provide information regarding elite baggage allowances to this service so that may be taken into account but in general appear to choose not to. Based on that information sheet it seems VA have also decided not to.

 

[777]

Another unexpected detail from the ink:

We are changing the way we process Flight Upgrades for Velocity Members Flight upgrades and changes to upgraded bookings will need to be managed via the Virgin Australia Guest Contact
Centre.

I would have thought automating upgrades would have been one of the key benefits of the system and save them a small fortune in call centre time?

Hopefully this is just temporary.

 

[MadFairlane]

I knew there was a reason I chose business to Perth, via Melbourne on the 13th lol...

Bring on the extra SCs

$10 - says it doesnt post correctly lol

 

[Boris spatsky]

SCs by legs rather than origin to destination - about time VA. makes me a happy camper

 

[anat0l]

I think that VA status run thread is going to get a new breath of life!

So for a few extra dollars (except where seats are few) you can get SCs with your award booking? Sounds sweet.

So I assume the baggage issue will affect little here, since either (a) members are Platinums or Platinums-to-be, and/or (b) we don't check baggage?

 

[LiamR]

Another unexpected detail from the ink:



I would have thought automating upgrades would have been one of the key benefits of the system and save them a small fortune in call centre time?

Hopefully this is just temporary.

I was under the impression that all bookings made pre Jan 12, you'd have to call up, but all bookings made post Jan 12, could be done online.

FWIW this is true for any changes to a booking, if it was made before the changeover to Sabre, the only channel which you can change it will be the call centre.