Low-cost airline Tigerair has pulled off a kooky coup with the launch of an Infrequent Flyer Club – a rewards scheme for people who don't actually fly very much.
And no, this isn't an April Fool's joke sprung one week late. It's the real deal, and Virgin Australia's low-cost airline even has a website to go long with it – infrequentflyers.com.
Forget about the usual perks of lounges, extra luggage, priority checkin or anything else for that matter. But you do get to choose your own status tier.
Most frequent flyer will aim for the top of the ladder with triple emerald sapphire ivory...
... or the wanna-be elite ranks of really dark black.
Those who are less status-centric can settle for 2nd place school sports ribbon red...
... or indulge themselves with milk chocolate...
... or what may well be a favourite choice, beer.
Of course, having chosen your status you'll also need to print out your own membership card.
In effect, Tigerair's Infrequent Flyer Club is just a fancy way to create an email marketing list.
“The Infrequent Flyer Club will allow Tigerair to keep customers up-to-date with great deals to great destinations" says Vanessa Regan, Tigerair Australia’s Head of Communications, although she adds that the airline has a pocket of "small surprise and delight rewards" for Infrequent Flyer members.
This includes a kick-off deal where the first 5,000 members to sign up with receive a free $100 flight voucher.
For more, click through to Infrequent Flyer Club or check out the video clip below.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
The fun part for infrequent flyers (like myself) are earning miles to pay for flights in the future (premium airlines of course). Going through all potential outlets to earn the extra bonus miles. It's a challenge nonetheless to enjoy the journey of searching mileage loop holes (obvious or not).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Jan 2014
Total posts 31
I think it's a really clever way of spinning 'sign up to our mailing list.'
It will be interesting to see if Tiger gets a point where Velocity members can earn points on Tiger flights - like Qantas members can on Jetstar.
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 735
I have my doubts. Virgin knows it's not in their interests to start diverting premium pax to their cheap-arse airline. So they have a pretty thick wall between the two, unlike Qantas who will happily try to sell you a Jetstar ticket even after you search for a Qantas ticket.
They're playing different long games. Virgin actually wants to have a premium and a budget airline in order to scoop up two different kinds of pax, whereas Qantas seems to have some complicated strategy to kill off the Qantas brand, divert everything to the Jetstar brand, and then perhaps rebrand Jetstar to Qantas with a new lower cost structure. Well that, or they just don't know what they're doing, because otherwise nothing they're doing seems to make a lot of sense.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Jan 2014
Total posts 31
Hugo - I share your doubts though it would be nice to get some status points for those 'oh my goodness I am desperate' flights.
If there are some status points (even if it's 1/2 the Virgin rate) I would be more inclined to take a Tiger flight than Jetstar.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
Tiger seems to have gotten a sense of humour since purchased by Virgin Australia. First, the funny put-down on their cabin menu, now this. I think its smart marketing, despite the fact that I wouldn't fly Tiger myself (however, if I was twenty years younger, the value would mean more). Makes sense to position Tiger as cheap and cheerful.
15 Feb 2015
Total posts 1
This might sound hilarious but is a really very innovative way to cajole people into travelling more using Tigerair flights. And, infrequent flyers are always a bigger club to target... a potential sleeping elephant which needs to be woken up.
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