Qatar Airways to acquire 25% of Virgin Australia

[PERLHR]

I did have a chuckle the other night in the VA lounge at ADL. For the first time, at least for me, I was a bit surprised to hear an announcement for boarding of the Qatar flight to Doha and quite a few people make their way out of the lounge to the departure gate ...,. So, if they were booked on VA codeshare would it be they get rejected from the QF lounge or is it that VA lounge is actively encouraged by QR? ,

 

[jase05]

I did have a chuckle the other night in the VA lounge at ADL. For the first time, at least for me, I was a bit surprised to hear an announcement for boarding of the Qatar flight to Doha and quite a few people make their way out of the lounge to the departure gate ...,. So, if they were booked on VA codeshare would it be they get rejected from the QF lounge or is it that VA lounge is actively encouraged by QR? ,

QR direct passengers to the VA lounge but obviously you can head to the QF lounge too. QF lounge is a much further walk though and shuts a good hour before the QR flight though

 

[Bagpuss]

Somehow missed this thread, can someone recap what are the thoughts on EY?

I am assuming any tickets booked before April 2025 will be honored for SCs and points. I'm also wondering about F lounge access, since this is really the main reason I like flying EY now, in terms of what kind of timeframe is safe for that

Thinking Face Emoji​

I actually think EY will get booted when Qatar acquire 25% of Virgin Australia.
Therefore, it's not in the program changes.

When they get booted you may find that existing bookings will remain valid for Velocity benefits for a few months and in line with the Velocity SC changes.

I think EY is safe up until 1st April 2025.

To be honest with EY's current flight operations in Australia I thought Qatar may have let them remain in some sort of sense such as interlining etc. so it seems a little harsh.

 

[PERLHR]

QR direct passengers to the VA lounge but obviously you can head to the QF lounge too. QF lounge is a much further walk though and shuts a good hour before the QR flight though

That's very "OneWorld" of QF....,

 

[simmomelb]

That's very "OneWorld" of QF....,

VA Lounge remains open in Adelaide for the last QR flight. QF lounge does not, how surprising...

 

[jase05]

That's very "OneWorld" of QF....,

I guess it’s no different to QR using NZ lounges at other Australian ports or when in AKL we were given passes to the Strata lounge (which is better than the QF lounge anyway IMO)
All sorts of weird and wonderful lounge access rules and peculiarities

 

[jase05]

VA Lounge remains open in Adelaide for the last QR flight. QF lounge does not, how surprising...

VA does have a few later flights out of ADL so lounge would be open anyway. I think the last VA flight out of ADL is at the same time as the QR flight still

 

[simmomelb]

Oh yep, looks like the last flight out is 2150 with VA and 2200 with QR. Makes sense. You're right.

 

[PERLHR]

VA does have a few later flights out of ADL so lounge would be open anyway. I think the last VA flight out of ADL is at the same time as the QR flight still

Yeah a Brisbane and a Perth i think...I was on the latter. I get your point fe lounges but I still think it's funny that in Australia QR are sending pax to VA lounge as existing oneworld lounge of QF is closed.

 

[simmomelb]

Yeah a Brisbane and a Perth i think...I was on the latter. I get your point fe lounges but I still think it's funny that in Australia QR are sending pax to VA lounge as existing oneworld lounge of QF is closed.

Melbourne and Perth look to be the last out of ADL @ 2150. BNE has a curfew 2200 to 0600.

 

[jase05]

Oh yep, looks like the last flight out is 2150 with VA and 2200 with QR. Makes sense. You're right.

I believe the QF lounge wasn’t prepared to stay open.
As I said at other ports around the place we see similar things such as QR directing passengers to Air NZ lounges

 

[simmomelb]

I believe the QF lounge wasn’t prepared to stay open.
As I said at other ports around the place we see similar things such as QR directing passengers to Air NZ lounges

Yeah, I think it's safe to say we all know QR & QF aren't exactly BFF's, despite OW

 

[antycbr]

Melbourne and Perth look to be the last out of ADL @ 2150. BNE has a curfew 2200 to 0600.

BNE doesn’t have a curfew…

 

[simmomelb]

BNE doesn’t have a curfew…

Wasn't this introduced in 2022? Perhaps it was just proposed?

edit: oh I see it didn't proceed or is limited to 45 flights per hr 2200-0600, ignore

Brisbane Airport Curfew and Demand Management Bill 2022

Helpful information Text of bill First reading: Text of the bill as introduced into the Parliament Third reading: Prepared if the bill is amended by the house in which it was introduced. This version of the bill is then considered by the second house. As passed by

www.aph.gov.au

 

[SYD]

I believe the QF lounge wasn’t prepared to stay open.
As I said at other ports around the place we see similar things such as QR directing passengers to Air NZ lounges

QR weren’t prepared to pay QF to stay open?

As per other threads, QR direct PAX to non OW lounges around the world to save money.

 

[HS-TQE]

To be honest with EY's current flight operations in Australia I thought Qatar may have let them remain in some sort of sense such as interlining etc. so it seems a little harsh.

The agreement does allow for airlines in the highlighted areas to do a unilateral domestic codeshare with VA, however VA won't be codeharing on them on any services out of Australia, where applicable.

Considering the current EY/VA agreement is a unilateral domestic codeshare with VFF redemptions available (reverse of the NZ agreement but for EY putting their code on VAd), and that they're basically neighbours with QR, I can't see QR letting EY continue with the current unilateral agreement as they will likely not want their rivals taking up seats on VAd.

it's tipped that EY will likely be demoted from a unilateral/VFF redemption partner to an interline only partner as what happened with DL.

 

[jrfsp]

BNE doesn’t have a curfew…

But ADL does anyway...

 

[justinbrett]

Yeah a Brisbane and a Perth i think...I was on the latter. I get your point fe lounges but I still think it's funny that in Australia QR are sending pax to VA lounge as existing oneworld lounge of QF is closed.

With respect I think you need to get out more.

I could probably come up with a hundred examples of lounges around the world, from all alliances, that don’t stay open for lounges within the alliance.

Alliance said each airline will contract a primary lounge to send its pax, sometimes it’s within the alliance, often it’s not. It’s quite often about money.