Mileage earning - are VS miscalculating?

[preiffer]

Haven't ever thought about it before, but I have noticed a few discrepancies in the "100% miles flown gold bonus" over the past few flights (different amounts for the same flight sectors) and it got me wondering...

So, a few numbers:

VS say:
LHR-HKG is 5,970
LHR-PVG is 5,719
LHR-SFO is 5,358
LHR-JFK is 3,458

However, on either aeroplanner (flight planning tools) or http://www.gcmap.com/ (straight line distance) the numbers are as follows:

LHR-HKG is 5,994
LHR-PVG is 5,755
LHR-SFO is 5,367
LHR-JFK is 3,451

Now, it can't be a "nautical miles compared with statute miles" thing as the differences vary from 0.2% to 0.4% (so non-standard) - and while it's a TINY difference, over many millions of flights, that's quite a large "skim" they're taking from everyones' trips. (Think Brewster's Millions)

And get this...

My return through Hong Kong last month...

12 Jun 2012 Gold Membership, 100% Miles Flown Bonus in Upper Class. = 6000

15 Jun 2012 Gold Membership, 100% Miles Flown Bonus in Upper Class. = 5970

Did Hong Kong get closer on the way home?!?


Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... ?| ):

[Darren Wheeler]

Continental Drift

[Nottingham Nick]

If VS were trying to to rip off their most loyal customers, they would impose some sort of huge unjustified draconian financial penalty on their redemption flights, then dress it up as a temporary 'surcharge' and say they are only doing it because other UK airlines do it ......
Oh...... Wait!!!!
They have!!!

Nick

If VS were trying to to rip off their most loyal customers, they would impose some sort of huge unjustified draconian financial penalty on their redemption flights, then dress it up as a temporary 'surcharge' and say they are only doing it because other UK airlines do it ......
Oh...... Wait!!!!
They have!!!

Nick

I have pressed the "Like" tick for this one... Well said

Haven't ever thought about it before, but I have noticed a few discrepancies in the "100% miles flown gold bonus" over the past few flights (different amounts for the same flight sectors) and it got me wondering...

So, a few numbers:

VS say:
LHR-HKG is 5,970
LHR-PVG is 5,719
LHR-SFO is 5,358
LHR-JFK is 3,458

However, on either aeroplanner (flight planning tools) or http://www.gcmap.com/ (straight line distance) the numbers are as follows:

LHR-HKG is 5,994
LHR-PVG is 5,755
LHR-SFO is 5,367
LHR-JFK is 3,451

Now, it can't be a "nautical miles compared with statute miles" thing as the differences vary from 0.2% to 0.4% (so non-standard) - and while it's a TINY difference, over many millions of flights, that's quite a large "skim" they're taking from everyones' trips. (Think Brewster's Millions)

And get this...

My return through Hong Kong last month...

12 Jun 2012 Gold Membership, 100% Miles Flown Bonus in Upper Class. = 6000

15 Jun 2012 Gold Membership, 100% Miles Flown Bonus in Upper Class. = 5970

Did Hong Kong get closer on the way home?!?


Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... ?| ):

By way of comparison on the HKG bonus miles, I got 6000 both ways on the 23rd and 29th June.

Sucks to be you, huh

(And no, smileys don't work when I post on my blackberry...)

[preiffer]

Right - time to have a word! (Although, in fairness, I DID get those 15k bonuses x 3 flights, from memory. So, that HKG trip was a 50,000 mile earning trip.

But still - I don't get the discrepancy in mileage. What "calculator" do they use?!?