Chasing the online booking bonus...

I keep booking my VS flights online at VirginAtlantic.com and yet everytime I have to call the FC to get the online mileage award credit. It's really frustrating. In case you don't know about it...


As if flying with us isn't rewarding enough, we're now offering you a Flying Club mileage bonus on every qualifying round trip booked and flown with Virgin Atlantic from now until 31 December 2005.* The following bonus levels are now available for qualifying Virgin Atlantic round trip flights:
1,000 miles on Economy bookings
1,500 miles on Premium Economy bookings
2,000 miles on Upper Class bookings.

[Nottingham Nick]

I have never had a problem with it, it has always appeared shortly after I have returned home from the flights [8D]

Nick

I have to chase it every time too. Had a long chat with VS CS and pointed out that their web site said it would be credited within 7 days - after the chat the promise of 7 days was removed from the site, although I have not checked what is now said. I think the problem stems from the miles being added in a monthly computer run.

99

For flights on 9th and 15th August, the bonus on both sectors was added to my account some time around the 20th I think.

Anyone know if I'll get these bonus miles for flights booked via VH?

Regards

John

Anyone know if I'll get these bonus miles for flights booked via VH?

No has to be booked direct on vs web site,I have had all the bonus miles posted no problems after the completed flights.

Hi,
We got half the miles (1000) credited for our outward flight (UC)straight away.
The second 1000 miles didn't appear. I contacted CS and they initially said they didn't know anything about bonus miles for booking online, when I persisted and pointed out that they had already credited our accounts with half of the miles and that the offer was still advertised on the VS website they went away to investigate.
After about 10 mins holding they came back and said we were right and our miles would be credited in a few days.

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
I have never had a problem with it, it has always appeared shortly after I have returned home from the flights [8D]

Nick

You're lucky - two recent round trips required me to call for the bonus. And these weren't the only times I've had to chase...

Hi. I'm a long time lurker - apologies for bringing back such an old thread in my first post!

I was after some advice as I have been unsuccessfully chasing the online booking bonus for a couple of weeks now.

First, a bit of flight history:

I flew with my parents to the US back in June (booked tickets on VS website, entered FC number for all pax). Also, my dad flew to DEL earlier this month. I had to make his booking on the telephone with VS as the website was not allowing any UC bookings for the dates he wanted.

On the phone, I queried if he would receive the online booking bonus as it was not his fault that the website wasn't working properly. The agent put me on hold and came back to tell me that there was no online booking bonus going.

A week or so later, I was on the VS site and found the page which has details of the online booking bonus. I then realised that my parents and I should have received the bonus for our trip in June and my dad has every right to pursue the bonus for his DEL trip.

A quick check of our online statements found that my mum had received the bonus miles for the inbound flight in June, but that was all. None of us had received any further bonuses. So, I telephone VS and lady on the phone assures me that there is no online booking bonus. I point out that the website states that there is and also point out that my mum has received the bonus for her inbound flight. The agent tells me that she will e-mail the Special Offers team in order to rectify the situation and will also request the booking bonus for my dad's DEL flight.

Three days later and the situation is somewhat resolved - in that my mum has now received the bonus for her outbound flight in June. However neither my dad nor I have received the bonus for June, and no sign of the bonus for my dad's DEL trip.

Another call to FC, unfortunately the agent I spoke to previously was not available. Again, the agent I spoke to this time denied the existence of the online booking bonus. I directed him towards my mum's statement at which point he tells me that VS will be taking the offer has lapsed and VS will be updating the website to remove all mention of the online booking bonus. I tell him that as it was on the website at the time of our booking and is on the website as we speak, I feel that we are owed the bonus miles. He finally agrees to e-mail the Special Offer team again (although I feel that this was just to get me off the phone!).

It is now a good few days since my last call to FC and still no sign of the online booking bonus for my dad or I. I realise that it's only a few miles (total of 3,000 for my dad and 1,000 for me), but when it comes to mileage collecting - every little helps!

Hopefully that all made sense and someone is still reading this! The advice I was looking for is:

Does my dad have a legit claim for online booking bonus for his DEL trip? Booked on the phone as VS website not working properly. Is there a way I can contact the Special Offers team directly to request the credit as I am frustrated with talking to agents who deny the existence of the online booking bonus? Am I being petty for the sake of 4,000 miles?


Thanks for reading this rather long and jumbled message! Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

Cheers,
Neal

[Nottingham Nick]

Welcome to V-Flyer, neal.

This is an interesting one. One page on the VS website says the offer finished on 31st March but this page clearly says 31st Dec 05.

It does also say though:-
" # Members must either log in to their online Flying Club account and then make their booking or ensure that they enter their Flying Club membership number in the correct field at the time of booking.
# Bonus miles will not be credited retrospectively."

No one on here will ever say you are being petty for 4000 points . Some of us would do this for 40 points [:I]

I think your best bet is to write a letter to the FC, based on your post here - detailing the full circumstances and hope for the best.

Others may have some more constructive advice though.

Nick

In March I flew PE to NYC and received 750 miles added to my account. I phoned the FC helpline to be told that was correct and I wouldn't get the other 750 miles. [n]

The page I read said "you must book AND fly between 31st July 2004 and December 31st 2005".

There are exclusions though with flights paid in part by miles, codeshares etc.

This has happened to me three times so far this year - on each occasion the miles were posted outbound but not inbound. Simple 'contact us' email to Virgin has resolved it each time - however I don't think one should need to.

Thanks for the advice guys. I called FC again today to chase the bonus miles. Will wait a few more days to see if the points get credited before writing an email.

Neal