Hardly a different and definitely not original approach.... they could call Etihad and see how this approach is working for them
The approach is misguided for the following reason (among others).
The whole point of an alliance is to attract PAX through the offer of seamless travel with consistent benefits across a network of different carriers which is much bigger than the network of any one individual carrier.
Whenever this "different approach" is taken, travel is never seamless and benefits are never consistent.
More importantly, it is never easy for potential PAX to identify the benefits.
For example, look at the number of queries in these forums about lounge access for VA PAX travelling on partner airlines.
So the arrangements fail to acheive the core objective of attracting more PAX.
I know alliances like OneWorld also struggle to acheive the goals of seamlessness and consistency.
They fail at times. There are threads on here about that as well.
But they succeed in creating the expectation of seamlessness and efficiency, and that expectation is more commercially important than the reality.
The hole this will create in OW may create flow on problems for QF.
There is much to like about VA - especially The Business, which in my view is a superior product to QF J.
It can also be easier to acheive status with Velocity than with QFF.
Personally, it is OW which has kept me loyal to QF.
I love being able to walk into the Wing First Lounge in HKG and be treated as a VIP by the wonderful CX staff.
I love having access to the "green lanes" in EU airports.
Having recently qualified for long service leave I was looking forward to a RTW trip in the next couple of years.
If these alliance benefits are severely eroded I would reconsider my choice of domestic carrier.
AFTER I qualify for LTG!
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