Chapter I: General Provisions
Specifying policies on Lotusmiles Membership as a basic legal framework that governs how Lotusmiles Members and Vietnam Airlines interact.
This instrument governs procedures for Lotusmiles enrolment, member account updating, crediting, purchase and transfer of miles; the granting of rewards; the upgrading and downgrading of Lotusmiles membership tiers; the maintenance and termination of Lotusmiles membership, and implementation of policies on privileges accorded to Lotusmiles members.
2. Lotusmiles members
3. Concerned units, affiliates and individuals within Vietnam Airlines.
Article 4. Definitions and Abbreviations
As used under this instrument, the following words and expressions shall have the following meanings:
1. VNA: an abbreviation of Vietnam Airlines
2. Lotusmiles: means a frequent flyer programme designed, developed and operated by VNA based on its core product which is the carriage of passengers and baggage so as to reinforce and further develop its long-term and sustained relations between VNA and its customers.
3. Partner: means any corporation, entity involving in airline and non-airline businesses such as banks, hotels, car rentals, telecommunication, services, etc., who are contracted by Lotusmiles to provide its members with added benefits in terms of services or economic values, offering its members convenience and comfort when travelling by air.
4. Member: means any individual who has successfully enrolled in Lotusmiles and received a welcome letter and a membership card number from Lotusmiles.
5. Registration Tier, Silver Tier, Titanium Tier, Gold Tier and Platinum Tier: mean Lotusmiles membership tiers in ascending order.
6. Qualifying Period: means a period used as a basis for determining a membership tier counted from the current month back to the previous 12 months.
7. Membership Card Number: means a unique identification number for each member documented in his/her record and printed on the membership card.
8. Membership Card: means an instrument to identify a member. Each tier of the membership card is associated with a separate design.
9. Mile: means a unit of measurement within Lotusmiles. There are two categories of mile: qualifying mile and bonus mile.
10. Qualifying Mile: means a mile used to determine the membership tier in each qualifying period.
11. Bonus Mile: means a mile which is redeemable for rewards from Lotusmiles.
12. Goodwill Mile: means a bonus mile or qualifying mile offered to the members by VNA to express its gratitude, apology or goodwill compensation under special circumstances.
13. Qualifying flight: means a flight the miles of which are credited to the member account and used as the basis for determining the membership tier in each qualifying period.
14. Member Account: means an account Lotusmiles designates for each member to contain personal information provided by the member upon joining the Lotusmles, and the mileage accumulated from the member’s activities: crediting miles, deducting miles for rewards, account expiry, expiration, and/or transferring miles to other account(s).
15. Award Table: means a table indicating the mileage to be deducted for rewards under Lotusmiles.
16. Password: means a string of characters chosen by a member upon enrolling in Lotusmiles. Members may change the password by logging into his/her member account via Lotusmiles website or mobile application. The password is used to ensure that only the owner can log into his/her own member account.
17. Account Statement: means a monthly statement delivered via email to each member indicating the changes made to the member account.
18. Ticket Office: means any VNA office that sells tickets or accepts booking for VNA flights and is operated by a VNA local or offshore branch.
19. Redemption Group Name List: means a list of up to 10 persons nominated by Gold or Platinum Members, who are allowed to use the award based on redemption miles from the member account.
20. Electronic Award Voucher: means a document issued by Lotusmiles and used as evidence for members to obtain award tickets by presenting the same to a ticket office. The award voucher shall only be valid within 45 days following its release.
21. Authorization Paper: means a document by which a member authorizes another person, on his/her behalf, to represent him/her in connection with the member account.
22. SKT: refers to any airline member of SkyTeam Alliance.
23. FFP: means a frequent flyer program.
24. Business Class Ticket: means a ticket of a special type associated with the highest standard services accorded to the passenger who uses it. These services include such things as priority seat, decent inflight meal, Skypriority services, and extra baggage allowance, which are mentioned in www.vietnamairlines.com. Besides, with a business class ticket, miles are credited at the top accrual rate. VNA business booking classes are C, D, J and O with miles credited at an accrual rate specified in Appendix 2.
25. Premium Economy Class Ticket: means a type of ticket associated with a number of high standard services accorded to the passenger who uses it. These services include such things as priority seat, decent inflight meal, and extra baggage allowance, which are mentioned in www.vietnamairlines.com. Besides, with a premium economy class ticket, miles are credited at an accrual rate lower than that for the business class ticket but higher than that for the economy class ticket. VNA premium economy booking classes are W, Z and U with miles credited at an accrual rate specified in Appendix 2.
26. Economy Class Ticket: means a popular ticket for passenger. VNA economy booking class are Y, B, M, S, H, K, L, Q, N, R, T, A, P, E and X with miles credited at an accrual rate lower than that for premium economy class and is specified in Appendix 2.
27. ID Ticket: means an industry discount ticket issued by VNA to its staff members.
28. QCTT-XTTM-TT and CA Tickets: mean types of free or reduced ticket issued by VNA to its partners (individuals or organizations) for the purposes of advertising, marketing, business promotion and offering financial assistance directly or indirectly for the good of VNA activities in these areas.
29. Optiontown product: means a type of airline product that a passenger can purchase via website www.optiontown.com if that passenger wishes to be upgraded to a higher class of service (if available) at the time of check-in.
Chapter II: Terms and conditions of Lotusmiles
Article 5. Enrolment, Accepting, Upgrading, Maintaining and Terminating Membership
1. Applicability
- Any individual aged 16 or older, regardless of nationality, with citizenship rights and a permanent mailing address which is not in conflict with the law of his/her home country, may apply for membership.
- The applicant is required to give his/her correct birth date and other personal information upon application.
- Any individual aged under 16 who became a member before 01 November 2018 continues to be a member.
- Reference to VNA's Privacy policy is recommended.
2. Enrolment
2.1. An individual wishing to obtain the Lotusmiles Member status may access to website www.vietnamairlines.com or use the Lotusmiles mobile application and follow the instructions for enrolment or else may enroll in some other way (if available)
2.2. Each person may create only one Lotusmiles account. Following successful enrolment, a welcome email will be sent to the applicant's email address informing his/her membership card number. A member is responsible for resetting the member account password after successful registration and making a secret of his/her own card number without making it known to any other person(s).
2.3. An individual is not allowed to create an account for any other person without that person’s authorization or permission.
2.4. Members are required to keep their membership card numbers and inform VNA and its partners of the card numbers when using their services and products.
2.5. Members are required to register their relevant contact addresses, emails and telephone numbers at the time they enroll in Lotusmiles and are legally responsible for such information. Members are also responsible for modifying and/or updating this type of information in their member accounts on website www.vietnamairlines.com, Lotusmiles mobile application or by direct contact with any VNA ticket office or via VNA customer care phone number.
2.6. VNA may request members to provide more relevant information as necessary so as to better serve the members.
3. Membership Tier Eligibility and Recognition of Membership and Membership Tier
3.1. The Registration membership tier shall be recognized after the applicant fully fills in the registration form on website www.vietnamairlines.com or Lotusmiles mobile application and VNA shall inform the applicant of his/her membership card number immediately after successful registration.
3.2. A Registration membership tier shall be upgraded to the Silver tier either after the qualifying miles of the first flight are updated to such member’s account or after the member uses VNA partners’ products or services provided that such use qualifies for the upgrade.
3.3. The Titanium membership tier shall be recognized either after no less than 15,000 qualifying miles are accumulated within the qualifying period or after 20 qualifying flights are taken or after VNA partners’ products or services are used provided that such use qualifies for the upgrade to Titan tier.
3.4. The Gold membership tier shall be recognized either after no less than 30,000 qualifying miles are accumulated within the qualifying period or after 30 qualifying flights are taken or after VNA partners’ products or services are used provided that such use qualifies for the upgrade to Gold tier.
3.5. The Platinum membership tier shall be recognized after no less than 50,000 qualifying miles are accumulated within the qualifying period or after 50 Qualifying Flights are taken.
3.6. A specific membership tier may be upgraded to Silver tier, Titan tier, Gold tier or Platinum tier depending on respective cooperation agreement(s) between Lotusmiles and its non-airline partner(s), which can be found on website www.vietnamairlines.com, and the upgrade shall be periodically informed to the relevant member.
3.7. Membership tiers, Membership cards shall not be transferred, inherited or mortgaged.
4. Maintaining Membership Tiers
4.1. Members holding membership tiers, within each qualifying period, must continue to take qualifying flights or use VNA partners’ products and/or services in order to maintain their tiers in accordance with the respective eligibility criteria set forth under Paragraph 3 of Article 5 hereof.
4.2. At the end of each qualifying period, members of Titanium, Gold and Platinum tiers who do not qualify the criteria to maintain their respective tiers shall be downgraded to either a lower tier corresponding to the qualifying miles accrued in the qualifying period or to the Silver tier.
4.3. As Silver tier has no expiry date excep cases of membership termination specified in Paragraph 5 under Article 5 hereunder.
5. Termination of Membership
The Lotusmiles membership may be terminated under the following circumstances:
5.1. At the member’s discretion.
5.2. Death of the member.
5.3. Member’s account showing evidences of misuse of member account, of violation against Paragraph 2 under Article 11, or violation against Paragraphs 1, 2 and 6.5 under Article 5, Paragraph 1.8 under Article 6, Paragraph 8.13 under Article 7, Paragraphs 3.2 and 3.6 under Article 8 of Chapter II of the Terms and Conditions.
5.4. Member’s commitment of acts detrimental to Lotusmiles, VNA and/or VNA’s partner(s).
5.5. Member’s commitment of offensive, violent acts against VNA staff.
5.6. Member’s commitment of acts that threaten the aviation security.
Under any circumstances, the remaining miles in the member's account shall be removed upon termination of the membership and shall not be transferred to any other member.
6. Member Account Inspection and Control
6.1 A member’s account may be subjected to inspection and control at any time without prior notice in order to ensure strict compliance with the Lotusmiles regulations.
6.2 Any inconsistency or doubt of non-compliance with the Lotusmiles terms and conditions arising from a member’s account shall lead to such member's being temporarily prohibited from claiming awards and crediting miles while such inconsistency or non-compliance is being verified.
6.2.1 Should it be determined, as a result of verification, that the miles were credited by acts of fraudulence, the miles so fraudulently credited shall be revoked, the member’s account shall be closed and the membership shall be terminated.
6.2.2 Should it be determined that the miles were credited as a result of system errors (e.g. inaccurate accumulation of miles, VNA’s partners’ report of inaccurate data of mile accumulation) the miles so credited shall be revoked and members shall be informed of such irregularities.
6.2.3 Should it be determined that the miles were legitimately credited, no later than two working days following the verification, the member account in question shall be reopened for crediting miles and claiming awards.
6.3 Should any fraudulent acts be detected in a member’s account, such member's information shall be provided to the competent authority for handling in accordance with the applicable laws.
6.4 Members shall have the right to request access to their member account information such as personal information, history of mile crediting and award granting within two preceeding years until the date on which such request is received by VNA.
6.5 Members are required to keep their flight documents (electronic tickets, boarding passes), invoices issued by VNA’s non-airline partner(s) for purchase of their services in order to verify their mile accumulation in case of doubt about fraudulent accumulation in the members’ account(s).
Article 6. Service Privileges
1. General Principles
1.1. Services privileges are only available to members on VNA scheduled flights which have the carrier code of VN and are operated by VNA (except for charter flights) and on SKT flights.
1.2. For flights operated under the cooperation between VNA and other airlines (with the carrier code of VN), services privileges are only available to members on the such flights that are specified under the codeshare/ joint venture agreements, which is notified from time to time.
1.3. The extent of privileges to which members and other VNA passengers are entitled shall be informed by Lotusmiles to members on www.vietnamairlines.com or via email from time to time.
1.4. Members of Silver, Titanium, Gold and Platinum tiers shall be entitled to the respective services privileges within the validity of the member cards.
1.5. In addition to the services privileges offered on VNA flights, holders of Lotusmiles member cards, when flying on any SKT airline, shall also be entitled to the services privileges respectively available to the Elite and Elite Plus tiers as prescribed on website www.skyteam.com (members of the Elite Plus tier are entitled to more privileges than those of the Elite tier). The Lotusmiles membership tiers are corresponding to the Elite and Elite Plus tiers of the SKT Alliance as follows:
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Tier
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Corresponding SKT tier
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Platinum
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Elite Plus
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Gold
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Elite
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Titanium
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Elite
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Silver
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-
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Registration
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-
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1.6. For irregularities such as: cancellation, delay, overbooking or others caused by VNA, passengers with award tickets shall be entitled to the same services accorded to passengers with purchased tickets.
1.7. In case a member has two or more FFP membership cards from STK Alliance (including one from VNA), only one shall be used on a flight for mile crediting and for inflight privileges.
1.8. Members are required to present their membership cards upon booking of ticket, reservation of seat and check-in so as to be entitled to service privileges accorded to their tiers. Use of any other member’s card is trictly prohibited
2. Structure of Service Privileges
2.1. Privileges available to members on VNA flights: Members on VNA scheduled flights with the carrier code of VN and operated by Vietnam Airlines (except for charter flights) shall be entitled to the services privileges specified under Appendix 1 - Services Privileges.
2.2. Privileges available to members on SKT flights are prescribed by the SKT Alliance on website www.skyteam.com.
2.3. Privileges available to members on flights of other airlines are specified in the specific cooperation agreement between VNA and a particular airline with terms and conditions on services accorded to Lotusmiles members, which shall be informed to the members and/or can be found on www.vietnamairlines.com and/or via email from time to time.
Article 7. Earning Miles
1. Flight Mile Calculation Formula
1.1. Qualifying Miles = Flight distance * Accrual rate of the booking class.
1.2. Bonus Miles = Flight distance * Accrual rate of the booking class * Tier bonus rate.
2. Earning Qualifying Miles
2.1. Purchasing tickets for and taking the following flights:
2.1.1. VNA regular flights and VNA marketed flights except special flights and charter flights (VN*/VN).
2.1.2. Flights operated and marketed by SKT (SKT*/SKT).
2.1.3. Flights operated by SKT and marketed by VNA (VN*/SKT).
2.1.4. Flights operated by VNA and marketed by SKT (SKT*/VN).
2.1.5. Flights operated by any other airline and marketed by VNA, which members are informed of from time to time (VN*/0V; VN*/BL; VN*/K6).
2.1.6. Flights operated and marketed by Jetstar Pacific (BL*/BL).
2.1.7. Flights operated by any airline other than STK but with FFP cooperation with VNA, which members shall be informed of from time to time.
2.2. Use of products and services offered by other partners (banks, hotels, telecommunication, etc.,) is specified under a specific Lotusmiles cooperation agreement between VNA and a particular partner, which members shall be informed of from time to time.
2.3. Participating in VNA special sales programs.
2.4. Purchasing Lotusmiles qualifying miles.
3. Earning Bonus Miles
3.1. Purchasing tickets for and taking the following flights:
3.1.1.VNA regular flights and VNA marketed flights except special flights and charter flights (VN*/VN).
3.1.2.Regular flights operated byany airline other than STK and marketed by VNA (VN*/OAL).
3.1.3.Flights operated and marketed by SKT (SKT*/SKT).
3.1.4.Flights operated by SKT and marketed by VNA (VN*/SKT).
3.1.5.Flights operated by VNA and marketed by SKT (SKT*/VN);
3.1.6.Flights operated or marketed by any airline other than SKT as specified under the FFP cooperation agreements with VNA, which members are informed of from time to time.
3.2. Use of products and services offered by other partners (banks, hotels, telecommunication, etc.,) is specified under a specific Lotusmiles cooperation agreement between VNA and a particular partner, which members are informed of from time to time.
3.3. Tier bonuses on VNA flights, SKT flights and flights of airlines other than SKT are specified under the FFP cooperation agreements with VNA and such flights are notified from time to time.
3.4. Participating in VNA’s and its partners’ special sales programs.
3.5. Purchasing bonus miles from Lotusmiles or receiving miles from other members.
4. Booking Classes Eligible for Earning Miles
4.1. On VNA flights:
4.1.1. Business and Premium Economy booking classes (except for ID, AD tickets, Lotusmiles award tickets, CA tickets, QCTT-XTTM-TT tickets).
4.1.2. Economy booking class (except for certain Economy classes associated with special discounts, ID, AD tickets, Lotusmiles award tickets, CA tickets, QCTT-XTTM-TT).
4.2. On flights of SKT airlines and other airlines: as specified under the bilateral cooperation agreements between VNA and SKT airlines or other airlines and can be found on www.vietnamairlines.com, of which members shall be informed from time to time or when the signing of such agreement or of the appendix takes place.
4.3. Different earning rates are designated for different booking classes in such a way that the higher the booking class is, the higher the rate applies. Booking classes which are eligible for earning miles and the corresponding earning rates are specified under Appendix 2 - Accrual rate by booking class.
5. Tier-Based Earning Rate for Bonus Miles
5.1. Titanium tier shall be entitled to additional 30% mileage bonus of the miles flown according to the booking class.
5.2. Gold tier shall be entitled to additional 50% mileage bonus of the miles flown according to the booking class.
5.3. Platinum tier shall be entitled to additional 100% mileage bonus of the miles flown according to the booking class.
5.4. This tier-based earning rate for bonus miles shall not apply on GA, 9W flights.
6. Earning Miles in Other Situations
6.1. Members may credit to their accounts additional miles earned from special offer programmes which are jointly introduced by VNA and partners and shall be notified in advance by Lotusmiles.
6.2. Members may earn Goodwill miles as a gesture of VNA’s gratitude for their assistance and cooperation with VNA under certain special circumstances.
7. Claiming Retrospective Miles
7.1. New Lotusmiles members may retrospectively claim qualifying miles and bonus miles earned from flights with VNA and its airline partners taken within 6 months preceeding the date of enrolment.
7.2. Members may request recalculation and claim of Miles earned from VNA flights taken during 12 months preceeding the date on which the claim is received by VNA or the time such claim is submitted online by members. Should the claim for missing miles is made at a ticket office and/or other Lotusmiles contact points, the claiming member is requested to present the supporting documents for such claim which include the original/copies of boarding passes and the electronic tickets of these flights.
7.3. Members may claim retrospective Miles from flights with other airlines taken 6 months or 12 months (subject to the terms and conditions of the FFP cooperation agreements between VNA and its Partners) preceeding the date on which the claim is received by VNA or the time such claim is submitted online by members. If the claim for missing miles is made at a ticket office and/or other Lotusmiles contact points, the claiming member is requested to present the supporting documents for such claim which include the original/copies of boarding passes and the electronic tickets of these flights.
7.4. Members may claim retrospective miles for purchase and/or use of products, services provided by non-airline partners within 6 months preceeding the receipt of such claim by VNA. The supporting documents for such claim shall include a banking transaction statement (in case of banking partners) or a copy of the invoice on which the claiming member’s name is indicated for products, services used (in case of other partners).
7.5. Members are required to keep their flight documents (electronic tickets, boarding passes) used during the preceeding 12 months and invoices issued by VNA’s partner(s) for purchase of their services during the preceding 6 months in order to verify their additional mile accumulation (if any) when requested by Lotusmiles or by competent bodies.
8. Regulations on Earning Miles
8.1. Bonus miles shall be valid for up to 3 years from the date of accrual.
8.2. Qualifying miles shall be valid for up to 13 months from the qualifying month of the tier.
8.3. Qualifying flights shall be valid for up to 13 months from the qualifying month of the tier.
8.4. Each Lotusmiles member shall have only one account for personal mile crediting purposes. If a Lotusmiles member is a member of one or more FFPs of other airlines, such member shall determine his/her only FFP account of choice to which miles earned from each flight is credited. When a request for crediting miles to a Lotusmiles account is made by a member and the miles have been credited to the designated account accordingly, such member shall not be allowed to request cancellation of the credited miles in the member’s acount for the purpose of transferring them to another account.
8.5. If a qualifying flight a member intends to take is not operated for any reason including, but not limited to, adverse weather condition, cancellation or delay, technical or other irregularities, and the member does not or can not board the flight, then no miles shall be credited to such member’s account.
8.6. If a member is allowed to board another qualifying flight instead, miles shall be credited on the basis of the actual flight.
8.7. No miles shall be earned with banned tickets, expired tickets, Lotusmiles award tickets, Lotusmiles parners’award tickets, other free and discount tickets (ID, AD, CA) and other promotional tickets (QCTT-XTTM-TT).
8.8. If members get free upgrade, upgrade by exchange for bonus miles or by other sales policies of VNA (special sale promotion programs, OptionTown, etc.), miles shall only be credited according to the original booking class.
8.9. If a member has to change to another flight involuntarily and the substituting flight is not a qualifying one, miles shall be credited based on the original itinerary and booking class.
8.10. First Class, Business Class or Premium Economy Class passengers who are downgraded against their will shall be entitled to compensation in accordance with VNA existing regulations specified in www.vietnamairlines.com and miles shall only be credited based on the class of service they are actually in.
8.11. No miles shall be credited for excess baggage or extra seats purchased by a member on the same flight.
8.12. Unused purchased tickets (whether refunded or not) shall not be considered for mile crediting.
8.13. A member is neither allowed to enter other members’ membership card numbers into his/her own booking with the purpose of gaining miles nor allowed to use other members’ flight data for the purpose of gaining additional miles online.
Article 8. Use of Bonus Miles
1.1. Platinum, Gold, Titanium, Silver and Registration members.
1.2. Persons whose names are on the Redemption Group Name List and nominated by Platinum and Gold members.
1.3. Persons whose names are not on the Redemption Group Name List but designated by Platinum and Gold members to receive awards.
2. Types of Awards
2.1. Award Ticket: means a ticket issued for travelling with VNA or other airline partners.
2.2. Upgrade Award: means an award for upgrading the mile-earning Economy/Premium Economy class to a higher class (Premium Economy/Business class) on flights with VNA in accordance with the existing regulations.
2.3. Excess Baggage Award: means an award by which members are allowed to carry, free of charge, an amount of extra baggage in addition to the standard baggage allowance. Excess baggage award is only applicable on flights operated by VNA.
2.4. Lotusmiles Lounge Access Award: means an award which applies to one companion who travels on the same flight with the Platinum or Gold member.
2.5. Awards for Non-Airline Partners: an award for Lotusmiles’ non-airline partner(s).
3. General Regulations
3.1. Members may claim awards by deducting valid accumulated award miles in the member account. Miles first accumulated shall be first deducted, in that order.
3.2. Members are not allowed to sell award miles and other Lotusmiles awards.
3.3. No miles shall be re-credited to the account of the member who has received award but has not used or has only partly used them, except the cases in which the member has not used the award due to VNA’s error(s).
3.4. Miles in a valid online-issued award voucher may be re-credited to the account of the member who has received the award at the cost of 50% of the miles that have been deducted in the voucher.
3.5. In a valid online-issued award voucher, change is permitted for such details as: type of award, name of award, itinerary and class of service at the following costs of miles:
3.5.1. Initial award request of less than 50,000 miles: deduct 3,000 miles per transaction.
3.5.2. Initial award request of above 50,000 miles: deduct 6,000 miles per transaction.
3.5.3. If the miles to be deducted for the new award request are more than those in the initial one, the mile difference shall be further deducted from the account of the member who has received the award.
3.5.4. If the the miles to be deducted for the new award request are less than those in the initial one, the mile difference shall not be redeemed to the account of the member who has received the award.
3.6. A member who cannot directly receive the award may authorize someone to receive the award ticket .The authorized person is required to present his credential, the member’s credential and an authorization paper (in a prescribed form) at the ticket office designated in the on-line issued award voucher for receiving the ticket. If the member is under 18 years of age, the member’s parent or guardian may receive the award instead without an authorization paper.
3.7. In the Redemption Group Name List, no name of any person shall be deleted but names of more persons can be added if the list contains less than 10 nominated persons; and in 1 calendar year (1st of January to 31st of December), 2 persons can be replaced free of charge.
4. Award Tickets:
4.1. Qualifying Flights:
4.1.1. Flights operated and participated by VNA (VN*/VN).
4.1.2. Other airlines’ flights with VNA hard-block seats (VN*2000 to VN*2999).
4.1.3. Flights of STK airlines and airlines other than STK with which VNA has FFP cooperation agreement(s), of which members shall be notified from time to time.
4.2. Validity of Award Tickets:
4.2.1. Award tickets shall be valid within 01 year following the departure date of the first flight segment indicated on the ticket as specified under the following circumstances. Change of departure dates on unused tickets (revalidation/exchange) is required to make within 01 year of the issuance of the the original tickets and the validity is the same as that of the original tickets.
4.2.2. Award tickets with itineraries on VNA flights including flights operated by VNA or other airlines’ flights with VNA hard-block seats (VN*2000 to VN*2999),
4.2.3. Award tickets with combined itineraries involving VNA and SKT flights.
4.2.4. Award tickets shall be valid within 01 year following the date of issuance under the following circumstances:
4.2.4.1 Award tickets with itineraries entirely on SKT flights.
4.2.4.2 Award tickets with itineraries entirely on flights operated by airlines which have executed FFP agreements with VNA.
4.2.4.3 Award tickets with combined itineraries involving VNA flights and non-SKT flights which have executed FFP agreements with VNA.
4.3. Regulations on Use of Award Tickets
4.3.2. If a member requests a reward ticket for a child aged between 2 and 12 (based on the date of the flight), mile reduction in this case shall be the same as one in the adult’s case.
4.3.3. A Platinum or Gold member may request a reward ticket for an infant under 2 years of age, whose name is on the redemption group name list, travelling with an adult with a reward ticket. Mile reduction in this case shall be 10% of the adult’s case. The infant shall share the same reservation code with the accompanying adult.
4.3.4. With regard to an award ticket for an infant under 2 years of age whose intenerary includes VNA and its partners’ flights: if the infant reaches 2 years of age on the partners’ flights, mile reduction for the children shall apply on these flights.
4.3.5. Mile reduction from the award shall be based on the specific operating carrier, class of service, itinerary, operating season (peak and off-peak) award zone and the individual entitled to award. Mile reduction for members and persons on the redemption group name list is specified in Appendix 4 – Award Table.
4.3.6. If a Platinum or a Gold member requests an award for a person not on the redemption group name list, mile deduction shall be 20% higher than what is specified in the Award Table.
4.3.7. Mile deduction for award itinerary that includes all VNA sectors shall be applied according to VNA Award Table. If the itinerary includes other airline’s sectors, mile reduction shall be applied according to the award table of any airline that has FFP cooperation with VNA. With itinerary that includes VNA sectors and other airline’s sector, mile deduction shall be applied separately according to the award table of the airline involved.
4.3.8. Award itinerary that includes sector(s) of flights operated by non-STK airline(s) having FFP agreement(s) with VNA shall be booked separately, not in combination with VNA or STK sector(s) on the same award ticket. Mile deduction in this case shall be applied according to the award table adopted for itineraries on flights of STK and those of other airlines.
4.3.9. An award itinerary is one that has one or more sectors. Mile deduction for a sector shall be calculated from the boarding point to the deplaning point based on the award table
4.3.10. With regard to an international award itinerary with a connecting point inside Vietnam within 24 hours: Mile deduction shall be applied as follows
- Deduction on the international sector if two sectors are of the same class of service or else the international sector has a higher class of service.
- Combined deduction on both sectors if the domestic sector has a higher class service than the international one.
4.3.11. Members may redeem awards online (at least 6 hours before the flight) or at a ticket office. If awards are expected to be redeemed at a ticket office, request has to be submitted at least 2 working days before the flight by Platinum and Gold members and 3 days by Titanium, Silver and Registration members.
4.3.12. With awards tickets, change of carrier, change of itinerary, extention of validity and transfer to other person(s) shal not be allowed, but change of flight, change of date of flight and flight time may be made free of charge subject to availability of comparable seats (note the peak season restrictions).
4.3.13. In case of the change of flight date on which there is no direct flight, a flight with a transit point in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City may be allowed and a fee for ticket re-issuance shall apply (if applicable).
4.3.14. With award tickets, members may apply for use of some special services available onboard VNA flights or airline partners’ flights on condition that fees for these special service shall have to be paid according to VNA’s current applicable regulations for purchased tickets specified on www.vietnamairlines.com and according to the partners’ current regulations specified on their websites..
4.3.15. An unused valid award ticket is eligible only for refund of fees and surcharges (except fee for ticket issuance, and system charge, if applicable), and fee for the ticket refund shall not be paid. However, miles that have been deducted for this award ticket shall not be redeemed.
4.3.16. With valid award tickets, change of class of service is possible subject to payment of ticket issuance fee. Mile deduction in case of mile difference due to this change shall apply as follows:
4.3.16.1. If mileage deduction for the new award request is more than the old, the mile difference will be deducted from the member’s account
4.3.16.2. If the mileage deduction for the new award request is less than the old, the mile difference is not refunded to the member’s account.
4.3.17. Conditions for earning miles in peak periods are as follows:
4.3.17.1. With award tickets, date of flight may be changed if seats are available but more miles shall be deducted if the flight is in a peak period.
4.3.17.2. Members are not allowed to use award tickets in peak periods (mentioned in www.vietnamairlines.com) if they do not have seat confirmation.
4.3.17.3. Members are required to pay the applicable fees if they change the flight, flight date and flight time in peak periods (if available)
4.3.18. Conditions for use of VNA’s and SKT’s round-the-globe award tickets:
4.3.18.1. An itenerary is required to be either continually westward or continually eastward.
4.3.18.2. An itinerary is required to include a transpacific flight and a transatlantic flight.
4.3.18.3. An itinerary is required to include a maximum 6 stopovers of longer than 24 hours each, of which no more than 3 stopovers are in the same continent (namely America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania).
4.3.18.4. An award ticket may be used for an open jaw journey in which the user takes a flight back to the original point from a city other than the one he/she has previously arrived at. An open jaw is counted as a stopover.
4.3.18.5. 200,000 miles are required for an economy class ticket; 300,000 miles for a business class ticket; and 380,000 miles for a first class ticket.
5. Upgrade Award
5.1. An upgrade award shall apply on VNA operated and participated flights (VN*/VN), on other airlines’ flights on which VNA has purchased hard-block seats in the business class cabin (VN*2000-VN*2999). If the purchase ticket includes other airlines’ sectors, the upgrade award shall only apply on VNA operated flights..
5.2. The validity of an upgrade award shall go with that of the accompanying purchased ticket.
5.3. If a member requests an upgrade award for a child aged 02 to 12 (on the date of the flight) mile deduction in this case shall be the same as an adult’s case.
5.4. A Platinum of a Gold member may be allowed to get an updrade award for an infant under 2 years of age whose name is on the redemption group name list and who boards the same flight with an adult who has an award ticket or an upgrade award. Mile deduction in the infant’s case shall be 10% of the adult’s award miles. This infant shall share the same reservation code with the accompanying adult.
5.5. Mile reduction from the award shall be based on the specific operating carrier, class of service, itinerary, operating season (peak and off-peak of the route) award zone and the individual entitled to award. Mile reduction for members and persons whose names are in the Redemtion group name list is specified in Appendix 4 – Award Table..
5.6. A Platinum or a Gold member may be allowed to get an upgrade award for a person whose name is not in the Redemtion group name list. As such, mile deduction in this case shall be 20% more than what is specified in the Award Table.
5.7. An award itinerary is an itinerary that includes one or more sectors. Mile deduction for a sector shall be based on the origin-destination basis specified in the Award Table.
5.8. An award itinerary is an itinerary that includes one or more sectors. Mile deduction for a sector shall be based on the origin-destination basis specified in the Award Table.
5.8.1. With regard to an international award itinerary with a connecting point inside Vietnam within 24 hours: Mile deduction shall be applied as follows:
- Deduction on the international sector if two sectors are of the same class of service or else the international sector has a higher class of service.
- Combined deduction on both sectors if the domestic sector has a higher class of service than the international one.
5.8.2. Upgrade Award on the same initial flight will be waiver of rebook fee. Members must pay the difference amount of service fee/tax/any other charges if any.
5.8.3. The granting of upgrade awards shall be in accordance with limited conditions imposed on the original purchased tickets. If extension of validity and change of itinerary apply to the original purchased tickets, then the same shall apply to the upgrade award tickets. When change of itinerary is allowed for upgrade award tickets, the mile difference shall be deducted if the new itinerary has more miles than the original one. If the miles to be deducted for the new itinerary are less than those in the original one, the mile difference shall not be redeemed to the member’s account.
5.8.4. An upgrade award shall have the same validity with the purchased ticket and constitute an inseparable part of the purchased ticket.
5.8.5. An upgrade award voucher shall not result in any change of restrictions being imposed on the ticket purchased for the upgrade purpose. Once the purchased ticket has expired or has been refunded, the voucher shall no longer be valid for upgrade with other purchased tickets.
6. Baggage Award
6.1. The validity of a baggage award shall be the same as that of the accompanying purchased ticket.
6.2. Mile deduction for use of baggage award is specified in Appendix 4 – Award Table.
6.3. A Platinum or a Gold member may get a baggage award for a person whose name is not on the redemption group name list. As such, mile deduction in this case shall be 20% more than the sum specified in the Award Table.
6.4. Excess baggage award shall be granted on a 10-kg-package basis. A maximum of 3 packages shall be allowed on a flight. Once the baggage award is granted, the change of date of its use is free of charge if the accompanying purchased ticket has the same change of date of flight.
7. Lotusmiles Lounge Access Award
Lotusmiles lounge access award is applied as follows:
- For 1 person whose name is on the redemption group name list travelling on the same flight with a Platinum or a Gold member.
- On flights operated by VNA with carrier code VN.
- At Lotusmiles lounges inside Vietnam.
- If the ward is granted for a person whose name is not on the list nominated by Platinum or Gold members, mile deduction in this case shall be 20% more than the sum specified in the Award Table.
8. Award Relating to Non-Airline Partners
The granting of awards relating to non-airline partners is specified in bilateral agreements separately signed between VNA and non-airline partners, which can be found on www.vietnamairlines.com and of which members shall be notified at least 1 day before they come into effect.
The termination of any of such agreements shall be mentioned on www.vietnamairlines.com and members shall be informed of the event at least 1 day before such termination becomes effective.
Article 9. Purchase of Miles and/or Flight Segments
1. Applicability
1.1.Members who wish to purchase additional qualifying miles and/or qualifying flight segments so as to make them enough for upgrading or maintaining their membership tiers.
1.2.Members who wish to purchase additional bonus miles so as to make them enough for redeeming Lotusmiles awards.
1.3.Non-members who wish to purchase miles in order to enjoy some immediate privileges.
1.4.Individuals or institutions wish to purchase miles to offer to their relatives or customers as gifts.
2. General Regulations
2.1. Members may purchase qualifying miles, qualifying flight segments and bonus miles from Lotusmiles.
2.2. Qualifying miles and bonus miles shall be sold or transferred by package of 1,000 miles each. Purchase of at least 1,000 bonus miles and at least 2,000 qualifying miles shall be accepted.
2.3. Purchase of at least 2 flight segments shall be accepted.
2.4. Prices of qualifying miles, qualifying flight segments, bonus miles and fees for offering bonus miles are specified in Appendix 5 - Mile Unit Price
2.5. Qualifying miles, qualifying flight segments and bonus miles once purchased shall not be refunded under any circumstances.
3. Regulations on Purchase of Qualifying Miles and/or Qualifying Flight Segments
3.1. Qualifying miles and/or qualifying flight segments may be purchased at a ticket office or online.
3.2. Qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments may be purchased for a current or past qualifying period by using the rolling period model.
3.3. The additional qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments required for maintaining or upgrading a tier shall be based on the difference between the standard qualifying miles/qualifying flight segment and the accumulated qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments during the qualifying period.
Example of purchasing qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments in order to maintain the tier for the current qualifying period: On 15 March 2017, a Gold member wishes to purchase qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments in order to maintain the Gold tier which is due to expire on 31 March 2017. The additional qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments to be purchased shall be used for the qualifying period (from 01 March 2016 to 31 March 2017). The Gold tier is effective as of the date of upgrade until 31 March 2018.
Example of purchasing qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments in order to maintain the tier for the past qualifying period: On 15 March 2017, a Titanium member wishes to acquire additional qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments in order to maintain the Gold tier which already expired on 31 January 2017. The additional qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments to be purchased shall be used for the qualifying period (from 1 January 2016 to 31 January 2017). The Gold tier is effective as of the date of upgrade until 31 January 2018.
Example of purchasing qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments in order to maintain the tier in the future qualifying period: On 15 March 2017, a Gold member wishes to acquire qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments in order to maintain the Gold tier which is due to expire on 30 April 2017. The additional qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments to be purchased shall be used for the qualifying period (from 1 April 2016 to 30 April 2017). The Gold tier is effective as of the date of upgrade until 30 April 2018.
3.4. Bonus miles shall be credited to the designated member account in proportion to the qualifying miles purchased and may be used in accordance with the Lotusmiles regulations on bonus miles.
3.5. Should qualifying miles/qualifying flight segments be purchased for giveaway purposes, the buyer shall undertake that the same has been agreed upon by the receiving member. Should a member refuse to receive the giveaway miles or flight segments card, the purchasing member shall inform VNA of the same immediately after receiving the card and return the card to VNA within 30 days. Following receipt of a notice of refusal from a member, VNA shall downgrade the tier to the original tier and/or close the member account.
4. Regulations on Purchase of Bonus Miles
4.1. Bonus miles may be purchaed at a ticket office or online.
4.2. If additional bonus miles are purchased at a booking office in order to make them enough for redeeming awards, a request for purchase of bonus miles should be attached to the request for award. Members shall pay for the miles purchased and any charges, fees and taxes arising out of the award tickets.
5. Regulations on Offer of Bonus Miles between/among Members
5.1. Offer of bonus miles between/among members may take place at a ticket office or online.
5.2. Both the donor and the beneficiary must be Lotusmiles members.
5.3. The request for offer of bonus miles shall be signed at the ticket office by the offerring and receiving members. This request shall specify the number of the bonus miles to be offered and any fees arising out of such offer shall have to be paid by the members.
5.4. The receiving members shall present the member cards, original identity cards or passports of both the offering and receiving members upon paying for the fees at the ticket office.
Chapter III: General Provisions
Article 10. Rights and Responsibilities of Vietnam Airlines
1. VNA may amend the contents of the Terms and Conditions at any time provided that the amendment has been accepted by the State’s competent authoriries. Members shall be informed of the amendment at least 10 days before it comes into effect.
2. VNA shall not be liable for failure to grant awards or for cancellation of awards due to force majeure stipulated by applicable laws.
3. VNA shall not be liable to the members for its refusal to grant awards and its handling of member accounts if it detects evidences of fraudulent transaction(s) as specified in Paragraph 2 of Article 11, or evidences of violations of Paragraphs 1, 2 and 6.5 of Article 5, Paragraph 1.8 of Article 6, Paragraph 8.13 of Article 7, and Paragraphs 3.2 and 3.6 of Article 8 at Chapter II of the Terms and Conditions.
4. VNA shall not be liable to the members for failure to provide the Lotusmiles privileges in whole or in part to the members due to force majeure.
5. VNA shall not be responsible for loss of mails, cards, and publications available to members in case addresses provided are inaccurate or not timely updated.
6. VNA shall be indemnified against any liability to the Members for disclosure of their information due to force majeure.
7. VNA shall be responsible for keeping the members’ data confidential as specified in VNA’s regulations on protection of secrecy of VNA’s customers’ information, which can be found on www.vietnamairlines.com. These data shall be kept registered in the Lotusmiles data system for up to 30 years after the members’ last transaction with Lotusmiles.
8. Lotusmiles members’ personal information shall be kept confidential, except required by the competent authorities.
If a member’s personal information is collected, used and transferred, VNA shall be responsible for:
a) Notifying the member of the purpose for the collection and use of the member’personal information before these actions take place;
b) Use of the member’s personal information according to the purpose that has been notified to the member and with the member’s consent;
c) The safety, accuracy and completeness of the member’s personal information upon collection, use and transfer;
d) Updating or modifying by itself the member’s personal information when it is found that such information is inaccurate or else taking other measures so that the member can update or modify it.
e) Transferring the member’s personal information to the third party only with the member’s consent, except otherwise specified by applicable laws.
Article 11. Rights and Responsibilities of Lotusmiles Members
1. By enrolling in Lotusmiles, Members are required to agree on and be responsible for complying with the Lotusmiles Terms and Conditions.
2. Members may not create dummy account(s), credit dummy miles, redeem award(s) from dummy account(s) and/of from other members’ account(s), update other members’s accounts for earning miles and/or for gaining privileges.
3. Members of Registration, Silver, Titanium, Gold and Platinum tiers shall receive their respective account statements, Lotusmiles newsletters through email and be provided with information regarding the Lotusmiles Programme, new products and other special sales programmes offered by VNA (if registered).
4. When members wish to contact Lotusmiles via various channels, the following should be done:
- Contact to the operator 19001800 (in Vietnam) or +84 24 38320 320 (call from overseas): Call must be from the registered phone number
- Contact to Lotusmiles email: members must send from registered email
- In the event that a member wishes to authorize another person to conduct transactions relating to his or her own Lotusmiles account, the member is required to submit an authorization paper in the form of the Lotusmiles.
5. Members shall have the right to enroll in the program, have their tiers assessed, earn miles, redeem for awards, purchase and transfer miles, receive privileges for the respective membership tier, maintain and terminate Lotusmiles membership in accordance with the Lotusmiles Terms and Conditions.
6. If members lodge complaints about VNA’s services relating to the carriage of passengers, the complaints shall be handled in accordance with VNA’ conditions of carriage.