Qatar Airways to acquire 25% of Virgin Australia

[twinaisle]

People love jumping the gun with their conspiracy theories hey. It's 25% investment. I'm pretty sure nothing too drastic will change.

 

[HS-TQE]

Agreed. If there was to be any (if at all) joint lounge arrangements between VA and QR for all international flights (including VA short haul internationa), chances are it'll be in partnership with a third party contractor operating it than either party operating it themselves (which those scenarios is next to zero chance).

 

[ozstamps]

People love jumping the gun with their conspiracy theories hey. It's 25% investment

And AFAIK has NOT yet been approved by the relevant regulators here, correct? Likely - YES. Certain - NO.

 

[twinaisle]

Agreed. If there was to be any (if at all) joint lounge arrangements between VA and QR for all international flights (including VA short haul internationa), chances are it'll be in partnership with a third party contractor operating it than either party operating it themselves (which those scenarios is next to zero chance).

Well I guess the LCC+ model now doesn't even care around lounge access.

They'll announce stuff when they do but in the meantime there's priority pass

 

[RooFlyer]

But importantly QR doesn’t discriminate by airline. All of their lounges allow oneworld premium pax.

No, they don't (re OW premium pax). Al Safwa First does not admit Oneworld Emerald, which they should under OW rules. Its for First pax only. OW Emerald get shunted to the 'Platinum' lounge, as I said. Try it next time you are there.

Point I made stands. QR could establish an exclusive lounge, not observing OW rules, if they chose to. Whether or not they did choose, is another question.

 

[twinaisle]

No, they don't (re OW premium pax). Al Safwa First does not admit Oneworld Emerald, which they should under OW rules. Its for First pax only. OW Emerald get shunted to the 'Platinum' lounge, as I said. Try it next time you are there.

Point I made stands. QR could establish an exclusive lounge, not observing OW rules, if they chose to. Whether or not they did choose, is another question.

But what does all this have to do with them investing 25% into VA?

 

[jase05]

No, they don't (re OW premium pax). Al Safwa First does not admit Oneworld Emerald, which they should under OW rules. Its for First pax only. OW Emerald get shunted to the 'Platinum' lounge, as I said. Try it next time you are there.

Point I made stands. QR could establish an exclusive lounge, not observing OW rules, if they chose to. Whether or not they did choose, is another question.

I absolutely love QR’s setup at DOH and fully support the Al Safwa access rules but I just can’t see anything like that happening here.
They may have a bottomless money pit but they are often shrewd with their decisions and it just doesn’t make any business sense whatsoever to build lounges in Australia for a couple of flights per day and for an airline they own a tiny 25% of. I’m sure they will have a workaround though

 

[RooFlyer]

But what does all this have to do with them investing 25% into VA?

About as much as a lot of discussion on AFF has about the actual topic, after a while. What would we do if not discuss possibilities, wishes etc?

I was going to say any possible QR lounges could/would be shared with the VA flights. Would that do?

 

[twinaisle]

About as much as a lot of discussion on AFF has about the actual topic, after a while. What would we do if not discuss possibilities, wishes etc?

I was going to say any possible QR lounges could/would be shared with the VA flights. Would that do?

As nice as it would be to imagine the would open their own QR lounges in Australia I doubt that would happen.

Look at what happened to the House last time EY/VA went together for a joint adventure. QR/VA are disciplined these days so I doubt they'd throw money for a lounge to cater for pax who upgrade to J for $200.

They barely want to spend extra money providing a bread roll or a dessert on the J tray

 

[justinbrett]

No, they don't (re OW premium pax). Al Safwa First does not admit Oneworld Emerald, which they should under OW rules. Its for First pax only. OW Emerald get shunted to the 'Platinum' lounge, as I said. Try it next time you are there.

Point I made stands. QR could establish an exclusive lounge, not observing OW rules, if they chose to. Whether or not they did choose, is another question.

Not talking about OWE.

QF and other F/J pax would get access to a QR lounge. That’s the point. They’d have to completely change their lounge rules to exclude them, and thus see my posts about why bespoke rules for Australia isn’t going to happen.

Unless QR leaves oneworld.

Edit - Premium = F/J; Elite is status.

 

[ozstamps]

Well if this stake is actually approved, and if the wet Qatar lease planes plans are also approved, it seems the Air NZ Lounge in SYD will be the go for the apparent VA flights.

Getting to be quite a zoo in there these days at many times, so this will add to it.

The one plus is, if Virgin need to do a deal for that, it might mean Biz pax to Pacific etc on Virgin metal also can FINALLY have some lounge access. A joke there is none now.

 

[serfty]

[Moderator hat]

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Enough of the Off Topic lounge discussion. Further such may lead to sanction.​

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[/Moderator hat]