Inexpensive ways of enhancing the value of Gold

As a Gold Flying Club member who usually travels in UC, I am beginning to question whether it is worth the trouble I go to each year to earn the required number of tier points. I think I have reached the conclusion that whilst the bonus miles and additional baggage allowances are nice (though I have never had to make use of the latter and never likely to) I am not sure they are worth the effort of say having to take an additional internal flight when travelling to a non virgin destination. This got me thinking. Recognising that times are hard for the airline industry how could Virgin grow the loyalty of their most important customer base without it costing too much?

My suggestions as a starter for ten are as follows:

- Allow AU members first opportunity to book reward tickets. By providing an exclusive 4 week booking period before seats are thrown open to everyone this would solve the problem of having to wait until the date the return leg opens up and then finding that no outbound flights are available.

- Virgin to keep records of our preferred seats on each aircraft type. I get really cross when I have carefully chosen my seat only to find that I am sitting next to the bar when there is a change of equipment. Even if they don't keep our options they could contact us first to determine our preferences.

- In the event that the self drive thru checkin 'trial' is not extended, continue to automatically offer it to Au members as a matter of course

- Thought about an enhanced wine service and proper amenity kits being offered, but this would probably only serve to upset other UC passengers and wouldn't be practical

I think that part of the problem - and I say this as a FC Silver member - is that Flying Club Gold status is relatively easy to attain when compared to some other frequent flyer schemes. Putting aside people who get Gold status bundled in with a credit card / corporate travel deal with Virgin, all you need is 4 round trips in Upper Class or 7 round trips in PE (on any route other than London-Sydney) and you're Gold.

It's common knowledge on here that there is the 'level above Gold' for the serious frequent flyers who put an awful lot of business in Virgin's direction. What is needed, as the OP has suggested, is some kind of extras to entice the Gold member who always travels in Upper Class to continue to spend with VS once they've requalified for FC Gold that year, but have no chance of making it into the 'level above Gold'.

My thoughts...
* Use of the drive-thru check-in when on a Z / G fare (as suggested by the OP)
* A certain number of pre-bookable treatments allowed per membership year in the Clubhouse
* A certain number of guest vouchers for Clubhouse admission (allow you to take more than the 1 guest in, subject to capacity)
* Allow Gold card holders to reserve exit row seats at the time of booking on reward fares in PE / Y, subject to the pax meeting all the requirements for these seats

Just a few thoughts, but Virgin must have an awful lot of Gold card holders. Those who have to earn this status have little incentive to continue to fly with Virgin once they have requalified each year, especially if they always fly Upper Class. I know some Gold card holders who post on this site have started to venture over to BA for some of their travel - and in some cases they have been quite impressed with the product / service (whilst earning status in a rivals frequent flyer scheme).

[Scrooge]

This is a subject that comes up fairly regularly on here, while some ideas have been floated in the past, some of which IMHO would be workable for the most part I don't see VS doing anything in the short term.

The problem with the 4 week window is, while I do agree Golds should have a higher priority for reward seats VS will run into issues if it becomes totally impossible for lower levels to book reward seats. People like myself who fly once or twice a year will leave VS if we can't get that reward seat every few years, so then VS will have to rely on their Golds and new pax, which will not fill the planes.

[mcmbenjamin]

I don't know why most folks have miles credited to VS FC. There are loads of partners (SQ) that would yield a higher average travel benefit. As long as you are not London based, you will likely have to connect or fly LCC or charter.

[Scrooge]

quote:Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
I don't know why most folks have miles credited to VS FC. There are loads of partners (SQ) that would yield a higher average travel benefit. As long as you are not London based, you will likely have to connect or fly LCC or charter.


I have to agree somewhat with this, I am starting to have my flights credited to NZ, it opens up a whole new world.

Especially true if you're flying UC anyway. If not, then miles mean FAPP ability to fly UC without paying UC.

quote:Originally posted by Kraken

Just a few thoughts, but Virgin must have an awful lot of Gold card holders. Those who have to earn this status have little incentive to continue to fly with Virgin once they have requalified each year, especially if they always fly Upper Class. I know some Gold card holders who post on this site have started to venture over to BA for some of their travel - and in some cases they have been quite impressed with the product / service (whilst earning status in a rivals frequent flyer scheme).


Don't know how manu Au they have and I guess it will be commercially sensitive so we can only guess.

I agree wholeheartedly re there being no incentive. After struggling to get AU status for ages I have managed to renew it within 6 months for the last 2 years. I have even taken indirect flights in order to do it. However, I have a trip coming up to BLR which is direct with BA. I see no reason to go indirect with VS when I have already renewed (apart from the dire landing time with BA - which may indicate why I have not done it before).

Now there's a really good suggestion, once reaching Au then direct all points at Kris Flyer or the like. I'm a lazy git [}:)] ... could I get to a premium level *A by joining say Kris Flyer and having all my VS flights credited to that?

The level above gold only has minor benefits really, VS is losing the art of looking after its passengers.

What about offering Silvers the chance to buy some tier points to get to gold. I'll be 4 points short when I come back from Dubai in a week or so and even though we're off to MIA in UC in April the 13 month rule means I'll be 14 points short by then.

Problem is we don't seem to be able to fit in enough trips (all ours are pleasure) each year to get the required number of points but always get very close. As part of the reason for this has been lack of UC availability on trips in the last 12 months it is frustrating as you can imagine but I guess rules are rules.

If we went Gold I can't imagine going to the dark side at all but right now I'm considering a couple of CW tickets to MCO in September because of the price difference. With Gold we'd be happy to go PE out and UC back as we'd get access to the CH etc. and PE is fine for us on a daytime flight.

Just thought I'd add a different perspective to the OPs ideas.

Miopyk[8D]