Virgin Australia: Velocity status extended and preserved

As a way of encouraging loyalty through and beyond the COVID-19 crisis, Velocity, the frequent flyer program of Virgin Australia is extending the life of its Silver, Gold and Platinum members, and even those offered ‘Pilot Gold’ can extend their status.

Preservation and Extension

If you are Silver, Told or Platinum, then you get another 12 months of status. The extension is plus 12 months from your review date. Your review date will be updated.

Importantly, if your status recently expired (‘downgraded’ in Velocity speak) between 4 and 29 march 2020, then you will be ‘upgraded’ back to your previous status, and given an extension for 12 months also.

Pilot Gold members extended for 12 months too

As part of the corporate Accelerate Program, some members are offered Pilot Gold, which is a three month trial of Gold status, which corporate members can consolidate into a 12 month membership by hitting particular status targets with the offer period.

If you were a Pilot Gold, and your qualification period ferminated between 4 and 29 March 2020, the you will get an upgrade to full Gold membership for another 12 months (damn it! – I got that offer, and declined!). If you were still a Pilot Gold member at the end of March 2020, then you will also get the 12 month extension.

Status credits gift to you

Because their frequent flyers are probably flying less frequently at the moment Velocity/Virgin Australia are gifting status credits based on your membership level as at 29 March 2020. Here is the table:

MONTH	Silver	Gold	Platinum
April	20	35	70
May	20	35	70
June	20	35	70
Total Status Credits Gifted	60	105	210

You can review the full detail of the extension, and the fine print here.

2PAXfly Takeout

This in the main matches their competitor Qantas. In some ways, it exceeds, particularly in the Pilot Gold and gift area. This is a wise move since Virgin Australia is and is perceived to be in a less secure financial position, and many of us still remember the demise of Ansett and the loss of points that entailed. The drop in catering (on both Qantas and Virgin, is eerily similar to the tales from cabin crew about the non-loading of even water in the final days of Ansett.