Air New Zealand ends alliance with Virgin Australia [goes with Qantas]

[Cool Cat Phil]

'World's cheapest airline' Tigerair could land in New Zealand as parent company prepares to announce 'exciting news'

'World's cheapest airline' Tigerair could land in New Zealand as parent company prepares to announce 'exciting news'

I quite like reading Articles from “ Stuff” but this article is really highlightens nothing new, other than that we don’t already know.

Oh, and Richard Branson does not own VA

 

[pauly7]

'World's cheapest airline' Tigerair could land in New Zealand as parent company prepares to announce 'exciting news'

'World's cheapest airline' Tigerair could land in New Zealand as parent company prepares to announce 'exciting news'

This quote:

Virgin planned to bring its "full suite of product across" to New Zealand, Sharp said.

It already has right? Unless they are thinking of throwing a wide body on the route?

 

[Virgin Bart]

This quote:

Virgin planned to bring its "full suite of product across" to New Zealand, Sharp said.

It already has right? Unless they are thinking of throwing a wide body on the route?

Lounge, maybe?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I wonder if this will spur VA into TTing the TT () routes and adding some connecting NZ cities. Let's face it, the flight times/ crew shifts are not a problematic consideration and some good planning could really cause NZ some annoying hurtful pain, whilst at the same time freeing up some VA metal for AU domestic routes.

'World's cheapest airline' Tigerair could land in New Zealand as parent company prepares to announce 'exciting news'

'World's cheapest airline' Tigerair could land in New Zealand as parent company prepares to announce 'exciting news'

Ha ... yet again, VA taking my idea without any royalty payment offered!

This does seem to have a considerable level of distain about it all, firstly from the NZ boss and now from the VA boss. Surely the TT routes would struggle to support QF, NZ, VA, TT, JQ & EK et al

 

[pauly7]

This does seem to have a considerable level of distain about it all, firstly from the NZ boss and now from the VA boss. Surely the TT routes would struggle to support QF, NZ, VA, TT, JQ & EK et al

Honestly I doubt VA can afford to have a bloodbath on its hands trans tasman. Look at the list above, who has deeper pockets? Certainly not VA unless their Chinese owners shell out more money which appears unlikely given their own financial situation at the moment.

I think its all just tough talk / PR talk from VA. Sure they will throw a couple of TT flights on to scrape up the super price conscious and keep everyone honest price wise but doubt will be a major dent.

 

[Pleb Status]

Ha ... yet again, VA taking my idea without any royalty payment offered!

This does seem to have a considerable level of distain about it all, firstly from the NZ boss and now from the VA boss. Surely the TT routes would struggle to support QF, NZ, VA, TT, JQ & EK et al

Hate to be a buzzkill but a quote below from the Ausbt article dated 04 April 2018 -

Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti responded by saying the split "provides opportunities for the Virgin Australia Group on the Tasman, including operating both the Virgin Australia and Tigerair Australia brands in the market."

Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand end trans-Tasman alliance

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Hate to be a buzzkill but ..

Yeah, yeah, well I'm still going to take the credit for their marketing one liner "bringing the romance back to flying", which is basically word for word what I wrote on AFF well before they started using it … and it was in a time when we know they actively monitored this forum!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Yeah, yeah, well I'm still going to take the credit for their marketing one liner "bringing the romance back to flying", which is basically word for word what I wrote on AFF well before they started using it … and it was in a time when we know they actively monitored this forum!

So, are you going to make a claim on VA for them making use of it?
Back to the gist of the thread, ((I can still see (Air)NZ selling VA tix if they are a link onto or from an NZ flight, so I do wonder, if we still earn VFF miles & VFF SC from the NZ flight if its a linked ticket.
I have joined SQ's KF as I have some planned sole SQ flights on the back burner. So can put in my KF # onto the booking, but it then does not appear on my VFF account if I put in my KF # onto the booking made on VFF website.))
TigerAir, Australia's version of EasyJet.
No J seats, all Y, and all the bogans using it because its cheapest way to party in NZ.
Becomes our version of partytime Majorca Spain.
Scary thought if you ever watched the EasyJet tv shows.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

So, are you going to make a claim on VA for them making use of it?

Oh, yeah! I've only just left my team of QCs after leaving them instruction to take it all the way to the Privy Council!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Tee hee, I think I read somewhere that only under Aust rules (these days) that nothing except the most extremene exceptional cases can go to the Privy Council.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

That's me harpooned then! Looks like I'll have to let it ride.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

Air NZ says "conscious uncoupling" with Virgin Australia first seen in 2015

 

[pauly7]

Air NZ says "conscious uncoupling" with Virgin Australia first seen in 2015

Maybe NZ should draw a line under the break up and move on now...! thinly veiled attacks on VA product and even ground handling not being up to scratch. It’s not like NZ are perfect their FF programme is pretty famously known as being one of the worst in the region / even world!

 

[Must...Fly!]

Maybe NZ should draw a line under the break up and move on now...! thinly veiled attacks on VA product and even ground handling not being up to scratch. It’s not like NZ are perfect their FF programme is pretty famously known as being one of the worst in the region / even world!

The ground handling from a VA perspective seemed fine when I went through AKL circa 6 weeks ago.

However the NZ lounge was a zoo!!

Back here now in the NZ lounge and it's great. Also flying on NZ this time and must admit check-in was a wonderful experience (used the Premier NZ check in, allocated my girlfriend on separate PNR in exit row next to me). This compares to VA check-in in MEL on Saturday, who refused to sit her next to me in YX without paying the requisite fee. They stated "we like to sell those seats".

The t/a stuffed up and split the PNRs, this went unnoticed as a comment. On boarding, I was very humbled to discover there were 2 completely unfilled rows in YX, and only 2 pax (one of which was me) in row 3.

Yes they were following the rules, and I understand that, but come on...

 

[Pleb Status]

After reading the article below, NZ FF may have preferred to stay with VA...

Earning Air New Zealand Airpoints, status credits on Qantas flights

No status credits/status points at all, even when booking on the NZ codeshare. No Airpoints earn if booked on the native QF code. No lounge access unless booked on the NZ codeshare and even then, Koru club members still will not get access.

I assume that all of this will be reciprocal, meaning no QF SC earn when booking on NZ using a QF codeshare, no Koru Club lounge access to QC members and no points earn on NZ coded flights (all TBC of course).

 

[AviationNZ]

No status credits/points at all, even when booking on the NZ codeshare.

The article says they earn Airpoints on the QF operated domestic flight (when coded on NZ)?!?!

Also, I don't believe NZ members currently get status credits with VA operated domestic flights, regardless on who it is coded to...I could be incorrect though.

 

[henrus]

Under the existing deal NZ ticket, VA operated domestic flights earn only Airpoints (however Status points are earned on VA operated NZ coded trans Tasman flights. The same will apply under the Qantas deal only Airpoints will be earned.

Lounge access will also be limited to Gold/Elite (with one guest only) prior to QF operated NZ coded flights. No other benefits like the additional baggage, priority baggage/boarding/seating/check-in will apply (benefits that NZ elites previously received on VA).

NZ typically only offers status points on Star Alliance operated flights and flights that are now known as Qualifying partner airline flights (currently Cathay and Virgin Australia are the only two non star alliance airlines on that list and Qantas won't be joining this list).

Qantas, on the other hand, doesn't operate in the same way. If flights are booked with a QF flight number, regardless of the operator you'll always earn QF points and status credits as if the flight was operated by QF. Therefore QF coded but NZ operated flights will count towards status and even the 4 flight requirements.

 

[MH_fan]

Qantas, on the other hand, doesn't operate in the same way. If flights are booked with a QF flight number, regardless of the operator you'll always earn QF points and status credits as if the flight was operated by QF. Therefore QF coded but NZ operated flights will count towards status and even the 4 flight requirements.

That hasn't always been the case. QF coded 3K operated flights previously didn't earn points or status credits, which was incredibly annoying. You had to book the flight as 3K-ticketed and then purchase a bundle for the points and status credits. Thank goodness they finally saw sense and changed the way that worked!