Lifetime Gold and Status Extensions: do they count?

Hi,

I have had my status generously extended by VS over the last 18 months. But with the Lifetime Gold qualification requirement of:

10 Years
+
7500 Tier Points

I'm concerned as to whether the extensions count toward this "10 years" period. Specifically, it 10 calendar years (rather than having qualified for Gold "10 times")?

Apologies if this has been addressed before; I had a quick search and couldn't find anything.

[mitchja]

I've wondered this too?

As far as I'm aware, this is something which has never been answered directly unless anyone knows for sure?

Yes, the extensions count - as long as you still hit the 7500 tier points with actual flying on VS Metal during those 10 years and its 10 calendar years (not renewal years).

Does anyone know if award flights count then, since it is now possible to earn TP's via award flights? Theoretically I suppose you can earn lifetime gold now without any revenue flights, provided you fly enough award flights to hit 7500 TPs and 10 consecutive years of gold.

Given how murky this benefit is, I'd be surprised if half the VS staff even know how to answer the question!

You would imagine that the extension does count and the TPs from reward flights during this period would also count. But given that a lot of this was made up on the spot... who knows.

Given how murky this benefit is, I'd be surprised if half the VS staff even know how to answer the question!

You would imagine that the extension does count and the TPs from reward flights during this period would also count. But given that a lot of this was made up on the spot... who knows.

Indeed, I wish it were a little more transparent (with a visible tracker) like how many of the other airlines do their lifetime programs. I've seen reports on this forum where there was no notification upon receiving lifetime gold, and the member only found out after proactively asking about it with CS.

Or maybe this was the whole point of making it unclear?

Given how murky this benefit is, I'd be surprised if half the VS staff even know how to answer the question!

You would imagine that the extension does count and the TPs from reward flights during this period would also count. But given that a lot of this was made up on the spot... who knows.

Indeed, I wish it were a little more transparent (with a visible tracker) like how many of the other airlines do their lifetime programs. I've seen reports on this forum where there was no notification upon receiving lifetime gold, and the member only found out after proactively asking about it with CS.

Or maybe this was the whole point of making it unclear?

I don't think it's deliberate. I think VS have just under-invested in its membership portal capabilities. The CS staff know more about your profile than you do yourself as they can see things on there that you cannot. Up until fairly recently, there was no way of knowing what vouchers you had on file other than calling up. Now there is a notification in the activity feed, but even that is vague and doesn't specify which voucher it refers to!

[mitchja]

Your online profile does update as if you remember several of us (myself included) saw an account error a few months ago in the tier point section saying something along the lines of 'you don't need to earn any tier points to remain gold' which is the message GFL members see.

Your online profile does update as if you remember several of us (myself included) saw an account error a few months ago in the tier point section saying something along the lines of 'you don't need to earn any tier points to remain gold' which is the message GFL members see.

There have been so many FC quirks over the last 18 months, that I forget what errors have happened!

They need a transparent tracker of lifetime status, showing years of consecutive gold status, lifetime TP's, and lifetime miles...