Virgin Expands Loyalty Program In Europe
<B> Virgin Expands Loyalty Program In Europe</B>
By Amon Cohen
Virgin Atlantic has expanded and rebranded its corporate frequent flyer mileage program and is considering introducing it in the United States.
The airline prefers to describe Corporate Freeway, now renamed Flyingco, as a sales incentive for small to medium companies rather than a loyalty program. Offered to companies that do not have a route deal with Virgin, the relaunched scheme enables companies to collect points on all flights made by their travelers in upper class, premium economy and now full-fare economy as well.
Previously, the points could be redeemed for Virgin Atlantic flights only, but the rewards list has been expanded to include upgrades, limo transfers, Gatwick and Heathrow Express rail tickets, British Midland flights and Eurostar tickets. Crucially, given the recent downgrading by many businesses, there is a chance to make good the loss of ground benefits. Five lounge passes can be purchased for 15,000 miles (London-New York return earns 1,038 miles in economy), although these give access not to Virgin's own celebrated airport establishments, but rather to more mundane ones run by airport service companies.
"We expanded the program after going to our smaller corporate clients and asking them what would make it valuable for them," said Virgin business development manager Leslie Peden. "We have made sure we have incorporated these new benefits at an affordable level."
Virgin intends to research its overseas markets and gauge the reaction to Flyingco in the United Kingdom before deciding whether to introduce it elsewhere. Peden confirmed the airline was considering introducing the program across the Atlantic.
Like all airlines, Virgin constantly is told by corporate clients that they, rather than individual travelers, should gain loyalty rewards. However, travelers whose companies are members of Flyingco continue to receive their own mileage in addition, which, Peden said, "aids their compliance with their company mandate."
Lufthansa is thought to be the only other European airline to offer mileage to corporate customers as well as individual travelers. Until last year, short-haul Danish airline Maersk was the one airline in the world that gave mileage to the corporate only. However, this unique claim ended when it signed an agreement with rival SAS and joined the latter's frequency program.