Not Flying VA / VS through HKG Again to LHR

[Wozza]

So you don't feel the love as a VS member too on this route?

Sounds like they might be fixing this based on today's helpful AFF article.

It just felt a bit weird to me as VS and VA do have some commonality and connection, but you felt like a stranger.

Etihad treated that partnership seriously. From the check-in and priority queues, all the way through the senior hostie personally greeting me after the seat belt sign went off and saying - if there is anything I can do, just ask for me, to the amazing lounge experience.

Maybe Etihad has just spoilt me and raised my expectations too high. Probably.

But it's definitely going in the right direction with the Plaza First Lounge and arrivals LHR lounge. A 7 hour layover with a 4 hour lounge experience is still a deal breaker for me.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I have over 300 000 k sitting in my VS Flying Club, don't know what to do with them.

You used to be able to use VS miles to redeem SYD-AUH on VA. Not entirely sure if that has changed.

 

[jase05]

This applies to VS as well, not just VA, and who knows if it is VA or VS or both of them being half butt about it. Meanwhile, I have over 300 000 k sitting in my VS Flying Club, don't know what to do with them.

DL or NH redemptions?

 

[Obzerva]

I asked VFF FB team about this, here is the reply.

Hi Ken, we have heard back from the team. As this is effective 17 December, our website will be updated at midnight on Sunday to reflect this. In Hong Kong, access is available at the Plaza Premium First lounge 4 hours before the Virgin Atlantic departure. In Heathrow, the Revivals lounge is available to Platinum members but no guest allowance due to capacity unfortunately. We hope this clarifies! ^LG

And true to their word, the website has been updated.

 

[Chicken]

It just felt a bit weird to me as VS and VA do have some commonality and connection, but you felt like a stranger.

Not really. With Virgin Atlantic, they link up with Virgin credit card, Virgin train, etc. Here, Virgin Australia does not link up with Virgin anything.

Maybe Etihad has just spoilt me and raised my expectations too high. Probably.

I have always said that Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is a cult group for most people, unless you fly a lot between UK / US or UK / Hong Kong. Their partnership with other airlines are very restrictive. I only like flying Virgin Atlantic because of their service and their personality onboard. I would fly VS over any American or even SQ any day, I am clearly a cult member brainwashed by Rich.

DL or NH redemptions?

I don't have a need to fly to US, nor is it a holiday destination for me. NH stopped flying Pikachu, so meah.

But yes, you are right, I do need to start investigating flying ANA, long term.

 

[jase05]

Not really. With Virgin Atlantic, they link up with Virgin credit card, Virgin train, etc. Here, Virgin Australia does not link up with Virgin anything.



I don't have a need to fly to US, nor is it a holiday destination for me. NH stopped flying Pikachu, so meah.

But yes, you are right, I do need to start investigating flying ANA, long term.

ANA redemptions between Tokyo and Europe is pretty good value in J or F from what I understand. You could also redeem with NZ if that works.

 

[serfty]

Here, Virgin Australia does not link up with Virgin anything.

Hmmm ... so where does my 240 points per month from mobile phone services come from?

 

[Chicken]

ANA redemptions between Tokyo and Europe is pretty good value in J or F from what I understand.

Yes I saw the VS miles required for ANA are on par when comparing against Singapore.

Hmmm ... so where does my 240 points per month from mobile phone services come from?

I didn't know Virgin mobile is still here! I checked years ago, it wasn't part of it I don't think.

Anyway, I personally never taken Virgin Australia program into consideration, as things like BP got many people excited but I don't have a car, and the miles required for redemption is still quite high e.g. SYD MEL to HKG is 119000 return in business, way more than SQ

 

[Mattg]

Anyway, I personally never taken Virgin Australia program into consideration, as things like BP got many people excited but I don't have a car, and the miles required for redemption is still quite high e.g. SYD MEL to HKG is 119000 return in business, way more than SQ

Isn't SQ 116,000 KrisFlyer miles for SYD or MEL to HKG return in J?

 

[Chicken]

Isn't SQ 116,000 KrisFlyer miles for SYD or MEL to HKG return in J?

 

[Mattg]

View attachment 147058

Ah, sorry I was thinking about it being on SQ/Star Alliance metal. Fair enough then!

 

[Chicken]

I know that, for me, when I fly, I either want:
- ability to recover when bad things happen, and I do not consider VA to have the ability to do so from what I have seen and heard, and also from their timetable frequencies. I consider CX / QF / SQ of having the ability to recover from a disaster.
- offer me something different, which is why I fly the cult of VS, I flew the flag carrier for Korea (north) last month, flew Travel Service (where the inside of the plan is painted Mongolian Air WTF).

What happened to OP, confirmed all the red flags I found for this relationship between VS and VA. That's all really.

Or maybe I should consider trying VA? I dunno

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I didn't know Virgin mobile is still here! I checked years ago, it wasn't part of it I don't think.

It is for another year and a bit for those with an account.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

Not really. With Virgin Atlantic, they link up with Virgin credit card, Virgin train, etc. Here, Virgin Australia does not link up with Virgin anything.

In addition to the above mentioned Virgin Mobile, don't VA sometimes have tie-ins with Virgin Wines and Virgin Money too? I think that's pretty much all the Virgin branded services in Australia?

 

[Chicken]

In addition to the above mentioned Virgin Mobile, don't VA sometimes have tie-ins with Virgin Wines and Virgin Money too? I think that's pretty much all the Virgin branded services in Australia?

Thanks for that, I didn't know there is a specific Virgin Australia credit card. Or maybe I knew, but I just didn't pay attention because it was Virgin Australia.

This thread is eye opening for me.

 

[Bagpuss]

Thanks for that, I didn't know there is a specific Virgin Australia credit card. Or maybe I knew, but I just didn't pay attention because it was Virgin Australia.

This thread is eye opening for me.

Which bank will Virgin Australia partner with? | finder.com.au

Virgin Australia credit card is probably coming in 2019.

Though there is currently this offer which indicates the partnership maybe with Westpac, as they havent previously done such Velocity offers ... Home Loan with Velocity Frequent Flyer Points | Westpac

 

[Chicken]

Which bank will Virgin Australia partner with? | finder.com.au

Virgin Australia credit card is probably coming in 2019.

They already have a fully Virgin Australia branded card, with the word Citi hidden?

Anyway, this still does not fix the problems we hear about flying with VA, or that no one outside of VA knows what is Velocity.

Though there is currently this offer which indicates the partnership maybe with Westpac, as they havent previously done such Velocity offers ... Home Loan with Velocity Frequent Flyer Points | Westpac

I think anyone who chooses a home loan based on air miles has a much bigger problem than playing with air miles!

 

[mikenz]

I'm a VA Platinum and trying this route soon, mainly to try out the Clubhouse and arrivals lounge in LHR which I've never visited.
I'm not looking forward to the stopover in HKG, though it will be more manageable with the lounge access now available.

Maybe I'm being picky but it's a not great that you can't take a guest into the revivals lounge at LHR.

I'll be travelling in Economy and looking forward to trying the VS product which I haven't done since they were flying the A340 on the route.

 

[Muppet501st]

I'm a VA Platinum and trying this route soon, mainly to try out the Clubhouse and arrivals lounge in LHR which I've never visited.
I'm not looking forward to the stopover in HKG, though it will be more manageable with the lounge access now available.

Maybe I'm being picky but it's a not great that you can't take a guest into the revivals lounge at LHR.

I'll be travelling in Economy and looking forward to trying the VS product which I haven't done since they were flying the A340 on the route.

When are you travelling?
Im travelling thru BNE-HKG 2 nights then onto LHR, with wife and 14yo, first week of Feb. Both wife and i are WP, so really hoping they let my daughter into the arrivals lounge, though i have told her, there's a high possibility of her having to wait out side the lounge for us

 

[mikenz]

Good luck with that!
I'm not travelling until April - let us know how the lounges are!