East Coast Rewards Closure

A question about : East Coast Rewards Closure

I have just had an email with the said news that East Coast Trains rewards scheme will be closing and being replaced by Virgin and Stagecoach with lousy Nectar Points!

As you may be aware, the Department for Transport (DfT) recently announced that a company led by Stagecoach and Virgin will take over the East Coast Main Line franchise from 1 March 2015. The new company will be called Virgin Trains East Coast. We are emailing you to let you know about the new owner’s plans for the existing East Coast Rewards loyalty scheme.

Virgin Trains East Coast will be rolling out a new rewards scheme that will deliver a wide range of benefits for Virgin Trains East Coast customers. Nectar, the UK's largest loyalty programme, will replace the existing Rewards scheme. It will be launched on 1 March 2015 and customers will be able to start collecting Nectar points straight away. Nectar points can be collected on any Virgin Trains East Coast journey booked through the Virgin Trains East Coast website. Customers will also be provided with the option to collect Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points.

Customers will be able to use their Nectar points when booking a Virgin Trains East Coast Advance ticket through the Virgin Trains East Coast website, which is a first for the rail industry. Nectar also offers a range of other exciting rewards for customers to spend their points on with options for days out, entertainment and charity donations.

Many existing Rewards members will have Rewards Points they want to use, and whilst the scheme will close on 28 February, existing Rewards Points can be redeemed up to and including 30 September 2015 against the current range of rewards. Alternatively, existing Rewards Points can be converted into Nectar points. Virgin Trains East Coast will contact all members of the existing East Coast Rewards scheme from 1 March to provide information on Nectar and how they can redeem their existing Rewards Points or convert them to Nectar points.

Further details about Nectar and the closure of Rewards can be found by clicking on the following links:

• Closure of the existing Rewards scheme
• Rewards for Season Ticket Holders
• Business Rewards (Rewards for Business Travel Agent bookings)
• Nectar

We look forward to providing you with more information about Nectar from 1 March 2015. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the existing Rewards scheme please contact us.

Kind regards,
The East Coast team

Best answers:

• I feel your pain here.
  We used to love using the rewards for the First Class Lounges.
  Its not clear (to me at least) what 'redeemed' actually means. i.e. can I use the wesbite up to the 30th Sep but the reward (e.g. First class lounge or internet access) can be later?
  PS Do stagecoach/virgin offer complimentary wifi access?
• This has irritated the hell out of me too. It's a good loyalty scheme and I've amassed a load of points by buying most of my train tickets through the East Coast site over the last couple of years.
  Still, I've been expecting it since the moment they announced Virgin were taking over. I wonder what else they'll can in the name of profits.
• You will be able to earn Virgin Flying Club miles in the new scheme as well
• Why on earth was this change to Virgin brought in?The service on this line in my experience is great; hot food,excellent rewards system, lovely staff.Now we shall no doubt get a mediocre Virgin experience.I suspect they will cut down staff and reduce food quality.They have already started by debasing the rewards system.We have only 6 months to spend existing points accrued which is too short a period.
  I think this was an ideological decision to reprivatise a thriving, successful public company.I hope I am wrong but I suspect that the new Virgin line will be much worse for travellers if other Virgin trains are any indication.Profit will be all that matters.Shame!