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#960616 by Silver Fox
24 Dec 2022, 09:59
Tempted by this:

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/pk/e ... match.html

I decided to apply and provide the evidence they asked for:

“To status match, we just need: Proof of your other airline loyalty status, like a photo or screenshot of your membership card”

“You'll also need to have a future revenue flight booked with Virgin Atlantic in either Premium Economy or Upper Class for Gold.”

The application came back:

"The member needs to be top tier of a competitor loyalty programme – Criteria met."
"The member needs to have a future revenue flight booked with Virgin Atlantic in either Premium Economy or Upper Class – Criteria not met"

A fair point as it was a miles/money flight. Knowing that I had a trip to NY in the May/June timeframe and I'd run out of miles, I thought I would re-apply once I had booked a qualifying revenue flight in PE. I duly did this.

And that's when the fun started.

Sending in the same 1K loyalty status proof that resulted in "criteria met" now resulted in "criteria not met". Very odd I thought. When questioned they said "we need to see the date on the card". Again, a fair point I thought, so screenshotted the card with the expiration date of 31/1/23 (all United status ends then across the loyalty program).

And it came back with criteria not met. Huh? Apparently there is a "framework" that they have to work to and because I cannot prove 1K status at the time that I will take the revenue flight, I do not meet the criteria. All rather odd and amusing for an airline that seems to want to attract other airline programs frequent flyers. And certainly not anything I have ever encountered in other airlines status match offers.

Now, if those are the rules then don't waste my time. The funny thing is that the status match carrot did have the desired effect of tempting/encouraging me to use Virgin to give them a go and see how they compared to 1K status. I'd been reviewing my "loyalty" strategy and this was absolutely the perfect opportunity for me to do so. I thought the qualifying criteria was fair and doable so took that leap of faith.

I've gone back to them again, but it really has left a bit of a sour taste to be honest when you clearly match the criteria until some secret "framework" is trotted out. The attitude of the agent in the email exchanges has been a little condescending in my 'umble opinion too but that is not my issue here. The suggestion was that I apply when my 1K status is renewed until Jan 24. Hmmmm. Not exactly in the spirit of their offer I thought and if there is one thing I don't like it is situations like this that are not of my making and when I am trying to abide with what I thought were a vary fair, concise, simple set of criteria.

Anyway, I shall see what they say and if the answer is a solid no then I will cancel the flight, and ditch the credit card (I'm not using that as any sort of threat btw, just out of disappointment). I might try and dig out the email address of whomsoever is in charge of the loyalty program and just lay out the facts and my dismay.

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