Virgin Australia introduces bidding system for empty adjacent seats on select flights

Passengers in certain frequent flyer tiers—Velocity Gold, Platinum, Platinum Plus, and Forever Gold—do not need to bid as their seats are pre-selected and will not be affected by others bidding for neighbor-free options. The program is available only on bookings with one or two passengers; those seated in Economy X or Business Class are not eligible.

Neighbor-free seating does not come with extra baggage allowances or meals; it only secures an empty seat next door.

Virgin Australia continues to expand its customer offerings, having recently launched pet-friendly flights that allow animals in cabins under specific conditions. The airline operates a wide network within Australia as well as short-haul international routes including destinations such as New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and several South Pacific islands.

In addition to changes onboard, Virgin Australia's Velocity Frequent Flyer program has expanded redemption options. Members can now use points at Myer department stores across Australia by scanning a QR code via the Velocity app at checkout—a feature that builds on online redemptions introduced in 2022. Points can be used alone or combined with cash through 'Points + Pay.' Myer operates 56 stores nationwide offering various products.

The Velocity Frequent Flyer program serves over 13 million members who can redeem points for flights to more than 600 destinations globally through partner airlines such as Qatar Airways (which holds a 25% stake in Virgin Australia), Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines.