Will VA keep me gold?? Ok for status credits but not enough VA sectors flown

[superpang]

I wanted to ask if anyone knows if VA will keep me gold. Ive achieved enough status credits to maintain gold but did not fly one VA sector this year and my re-newal is up on the 10/9.

I flew a couple of Etihad and SQ sectors which was enough to achieve the status credits....I kinda want to keep it as I enjoy flying SQ in Asia but I dont want to have to take 4 sectors just to maintain it.

I have one domestic flight left that is unbooked a MEL - SYD prior to the 10/9 but I need to fly QF to reach WP.

Does anyone know my chances VA keeping me gold!!

Such a 1st world problem

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I guess you are the first AFF test case ;-)

 

[Greggsy]

Have they implemented the minimum amount of qualifying flights yet? A quick look at your profile online will confirm if these flights are counted or not.


Greg.

 

[leemin]

No offence, but I hope they don't. Especially considering those who actually fly DJ/VA are having some of their status benefits reduced, presumably because of people that are using it in a way that could be described as not in 'good faith'.

Even the QF status matched people with offers have to take a couple of flights on DJ metal...

 

[Mogul]

What jlm said.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I actually thought they'd start counting from this month (25th wasn't it?) but won't start rejecting until the 12 months is up. I can understand it both ways ie - they have already given 12 months notice and should start enforcing it from this month.......and starting the count from this month for the next 12 months, especially considering the "count" process seemed to be flawed a few months ago (I can't for the life of me figure out my count).

OT, I just logged on to see how many qualifying flights were counted as opposed to flights taken and I noticed my qualifying total (about 27 from memory....which doesn't tally with flights taken) has been replaced by this note:

We are currently assessing your activity over your membership year. You will still have access to your current benefits until 10 Sep 2012. Your new card will be with you shortly.

What's to assess? The SC balance is pretty transparent and clearly displayed so perhaps the qualifying flights are now being assessed. Hope they have better luck working them out than I did.

 

[leemin]

I actually thought they'd start counting from this month (25th wasn't it?) but won't start rejecting until the 12 months is up.

That's my understanding. So if you're Gold with >400SC but haven't flown on [insert appropriate number] DJ sectors and your review date is 24/08/12, congrats you will be renewed. But if your review date is 26/08/12, bad luck - back to Silver for you.

That's my take on it anyway...

 

[oz_mark]

I actually thought they'd start counting from this month (25th wasn't it?) but won't start rejecting until the 12 months is up. I can understand it both ways ie - they have already given 12 months notice and should start enforcing it from this month.......and starting the count from this month for the next 12 months, especially considering the "count" process seemed to be flawed a few months ago (I can't for the life of me figure out my count).

The way I understood it is that they more or less started the count 12 months ago. This month they start enforcing the sector requirement for status.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The way I understood it is that they more or less started the count 12 months ago. This month they start enforcing the sector requirement for status.

(My highlight above) It's the more or less part that I wonder about. It doesn't effect me as I'm well and truly over the minimum qual. flights required, but my tally doesn't tally. How can they start enforcing something that has been wrong in the recent past?

 

[medhead]

(My highlight above) It's the more or less part that I wonder about. It doesn't effect me as I'm well and truly over the minimum qual. flights required, but my tally doesn't tally. How can they start enforcing something that has been wrong in the recent past?

I'm not sure what you mean about your tally not tallying. My account days that I require 0 more flights to retain platinum. A count down from 8. Your platinum as well?


Sent from the Throne

 

[markis10]

I wanted to ask if anyone knows if VA will keep me gold. Ive achieved enough status credits to maintain gold but did not fly one VA sector this year and my re-newal is up on the 10/9.

I flew a couple of Etihad and SQ sectors which was enough to achieve the status credits....I kinda want to keep it as I enjoy flying SQ in Asia but I dont want to have to take 4 sectors just to maintain it.

I have one domestic flight left that is unbooked a MEL - SYD prior to the 10/9 but I need to fly QF to reach WP.

Does anyone know my chances VA keeping me gold!!

Whats the website saying on that third line?

[TH="bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: left"]Review Date[/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: right"]29 Aug 2012[/TD]

[TH="bgcolor: transparent, align: left"] Status Credits earned since 29 Aug 2011[SUP]1[/SUP] [/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 2, align: right"]2150[/TD]

[TH="bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: left"] Additional Status Credits required to maintain Platinum by 29 Aug 2012 [/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: #E9E9E9, align: right"]0[/TD]

[TH="bgcolor: transparent, align: left"] Additional sectors required to maintain Platinum by 29 Aug 2012[SUP]2[/SUP] [/TH]
[TD="class: accountRightCell, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]0[/TD]

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Your platinum as well?

No. Gold. From what I gather, the platinums aren't effected but the golds (at least some) have been. The gold "required" number is to reach platinum and is fixed at 8....doesn't count down at all. The "required" tally to maintain gold is a simple qualifying flight count...ie. counting up,not down (unlike what the plats do). My tally from memory was about 27 (or maybe 29) which does not tally with the number of qualifying flights I've actually flown in the past 12 months. Makes me wonder why both the maintain tally and the upgrade tally doesn't count down like the plats. The maintain could count down from 4 and the upgrade could count down from 8.......easy really, but that's not the way it works (well not for me anyway).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Whats the website saying on that third line?

The OP is gold, not plat.

 

[oz_mark]

No. Gold. From what I gather, the platinums aren't effected but the golds (at least some) have been. The gold "required" number is to reach platinum and is fixed at 8....doesn't count down at all. The "required" tally to maintain gold is a simple qualifying flight count...ie. counting up,not down like the plats do. My tally from memory was about 27 (or maybe 29) which does not tally with the number of qualifying flights I've actually flown in the past 12 months. Makes me wonder why both the maintain tally and the upgrade tally doesn't count down like the plats. The maintain could count down from 4 and the upgrade could count down from 8.......east really, but thsat's not the way it works (well not for me anyway).

In the Upgrade To Platinum section, the second line I have tells me the number of eligible sectors flown, which tallies with the number of eligible flights I have flown (i.e. The Amex free flights, reward flights etc are excluded), and is a number greater than 8

The Maintain Gold count for me was a countdown, and it is currently saying I need 0 more sectors.

(Interestingy, the line about additional status credits on mine says 'Achieved' rather than '0'.)

Status Credits earned since 28 Sep 2011[SUP]1[/SUP]
Additional Status Credits required to maintain Gold by 28 Sep 2012
Additional sectors required to maintain Gold by 28 Sep 2012[SUP]2[/SUP]

[TD="class: accountRightCell, colspan: 2"]420
[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"]Achieved
[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"]0[/TD]

 

[Deleted member 29185]

In the Upgrade To Platinum section, the second line I have tells me the number of eligible sectors flown, which tallies with the number of eligible flights I have flown (i.e. The Amex free flights, reward flights etc are excluded), and is a number greater than 8

I'd love to do a screen save to explain, but because my membership year just rolled over a few days ago, I can't, but that sounds like what I'm trying to describe (maybe). A tally of qualifying flights taken as well as a fixed number (8) which just says number of qualifying flights to upgrade to platinum.

Surely there's not multiple page versions out there? Are there?

 

[markis10]

The OP is gold, not plat.

Will still have a third line that says sectors required to maintain, which is the point.

 

[oz_mark]

I'd love to do a screen save to explain, but because my membership year just rolled over a few days ago, I can't, but that sounds like what I'm trying to describe (maybe). A tally of qualifying flights taken as well as a fixed number (8) which just says number of qualifying flights to upgrade to platinum.

Something like this?
The first two lines tell you where you are at, and the last two tell you where you have to get to?

Status Credit balance[SUP]3[/SUP]​
Eligible sectors flown[SUP]2[/SUP]​
Status Credit balance required to upgrade to Platinum​
Eligible sectors required to upgrade to Platinum[SUP]2[/SUP]​

[TD="class: accountRightCell"]460[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"]9
[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"]1,000
[/TD]

[TD="class: accountRightCell"]8 [/TD]

 

[serfty]

I am very interested in how it's handled for downgrades.

My expiry is next month, but I will have had two eligible flights (and 6 award flights). The T&C's indicate "soft landing" with no reference to eligible sectors:

The only reference to eligible sectors is in relation to Qualification and re-qualification.

...
Eligible Sector means a flight journey from an origin to a destination:

(a) that has been flown;
(b) that has been purchased using cash or credit;
(c) that has not been purchased in whole or in part using Points; and
(d) where Virgin Australia is the marketing carrier (This means that the flight number starts with a DJ or VA prefix).
​

...

6.20 To upgrade to, or maintain, a Silver, Gold or Platinum Membership, you need to fly the required number of Eligible Sectors each year and earn the number of Status Credits set out in clause 7.14 each year. The required number of Eligible Sectors you need to fly before your Review Date to upgrade to, or maintain Membership Levels are:

6.20.1 Silver Membership - two Eligible Sectors;
6.20.2 Gold Membership - four Eligible Sectors; and
6.20.3 Platinum Membership - eight Eligible Sectors.

​

...

Downgrading a Membership Level

7.12 If the total number of Status Credits earned at your Review Date does not meet the criteria in clause 7.14 to maintain the same Membership Level, then, your Membership Level will be downgraded to the Membership Level below your current Membership Level.

Clause 7.14 & 7:15 only refer to the number of SC's and eligible sectors required to maintain/attain a membership level:

Status Credits required
7.14 The number of Status Credits required to upgrade to and maintain each Membership Level is set out below:
[TABLE="width: 100%, align: center"]
[TR]
[TH="class: first"][/TH]
[TH]

Silver​

[/TH]
[TH]

Gold​

[/TH]
[TH]

Platinum​

[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Status Credits to upgrade to Membership Level[/TD]
[TD]

250​

[/TD]
[TD]

500​

[/TD]
[TD]

1,000​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Status Credits to maintain Membership Level[/TD]
[TD]

200​

[/TD]
[TD]

400​

[/TD]
[TD]

800​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

7.15 In addition to clause 7.14 you also need to fly the number of Eligible Sectors set out in clause 6.20 to maintain your Membership Level.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Something like this?

Similar. Can't access account at the moment so I won't trust my memory any further, but that's immaterial. The issue for me is the tally of "elligible sectors flown" doesn't equal the actual elligible sectors I've flown. There's a discrepancy and I remember others also commented about this previously. I haven't flown any reward flights and I don't have AMEX.....all my DJ flights have been elligible. I'm expecting when my tallies are reset following my year rollover, that it will tally correctly, but the previous 12 months did not.

 

[oz_mark]

I am very interested in how it's handled for downgrades.

My expiry is next month, but I will have had two eligible flights (and 6 award flights). The T&C's indicate soft landing with no reference to eligible segments:

Sounds like you'll be another test case