United Airlines new Virgin Australia/Velocity Partner

[justinbrett]

According to a paywall article in The Australian (News Corp), QF has written to the ACCC to reject the VA/UA codeshare & FF arrangement, which is probably a stretch for them considering their current dominant position in the TransPacific market with or without the current AA JV (which I'll assume that JV is currently suspended as AA are currently not operating TransPacific Australian flights atm).

In addition to the fact that VA aren't going to be operating Long Haul for the foreseeable either.

It's tradition in the duopoly here that the other has to complain to ACCC whenever an airline makes a new deal. Sometimes they win but most often they don't.

VA went to ACCC over the NZ/QF deal even though the deal wasn't subject to regulatory approval.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Well they have to keep up appearances but ultimately that's all it will do.

 

[cbourl]

According to a paywall article in The Australian (News Corp), QF has written to the ACCC to reject the VA/UA codeshare & FF arrangement, which is probably a stretch for them considering their current dominant position in the TransPacific market with or without the current AA JV (which I'll assume that JV is currently suspended as AA are currently not operating TransPacific Australian flights atm).

In addition to the fact that VA aren't going to be operating Long Haul for the foreseeable future either.

Still more Qantas delusions
Im an "Australian" subscriber thankfully non-paid only by virtue of my Amex Plat Charge Card and nothing about this QF challenging VA/UA tie up
what I can see on The Australian is

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/we-are-angry-retirees-slugged-15k-by-qantas-for-flights-from-hervey-bay-to-melbourne/news-story/fa16bdb6c270331d0310aaeab41f073f

posted today - way to go Qantas, from leaps to bounds in desperate ineptness

and also

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/bu...p/news-story/0731192552502cd05c700e0a030c79f9 Just 1 hour ago


And I can find this also
Travel Daily | TD breaking news - VA granted interim authorisation for UA codeshare posted today

and concerning Qantas' Alliance takeover in the AFR

Qantas deal tests ACCC’s new chair

ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb faces the first real test of her attitude to possible anti-competitive behaviour in a concentrated market thanks to a Qantas takeover of Alliance Aviation.

www.afr.com

Way to go Qantas! The only reason I fly Qantas( Business only) is to burn my hundreds of thousands of American AAdvantage miles . Joyce must be beetroot red like his federal pollie namesake , whilst Qatar CEO Al Baker and the Qatar Airways owner Emir of Qatar must be laughing their heads off

 

[muppet]

Which is why American have closed their exclusive, often empty or 1-2 or us Flagship First Dining Rooms which were solely for International First passengers,and Domestic Flagship First passengers. Loved the ala carte dining and non stop champagne, much nicer than a cruddy Qantas First Lounge , and similar, but not comparable to Qatar Al Safwa First at DOHA which is positively non-bling but palatial)No OneWorld Platinums unless connecting to a OneWorld First Flight or flying American Airlines First A321T soley JFK-LAX/SFO/MIA vv in American Airlines. The outer Flagship First Lounges are/were much less exciting and full . Just my 5 cents worth

Flagship First Dining is open again and serving Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle.

 

[cbourl]

Flagship First Dining is open again and serving Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle.

Yum!!!! Good to hear! Can't wait to get back to good food and good wine/champagne, and to the USA. I love Grand Siecle, and it is one of Swiss First's regulars, and Lufthansa even do a sorbet/slushy of liquid Laurent Perrier Alexandra Rose 2004 with Grand Siecle ice (last in 2019 pre COVID) 3 Bottles of LP Grand Cuvee Rose Alexandra 2004 go down very easily in Lufti First FRA-JFK during the 8 hours on the A380, 1A or 1K all the way!

 

[henrus]

According to a paywall article in The Australian (News Corp), QF has written to the ACCC to reject the VA/UA codeshare & FF arrangement, which is probably a stretch for them considering their current dominant position in the TransPacific market with or without the current AA JV (which I'll assume that JV is currently suspended as AA are currently not operating TransPacific Australian flights atm).

Even though AA may not be operating flights to Sydney they are still selling codeshare JV flights operated by QF.




Today the JV was green an "interim" green light:

Interim authorisation for Virgin Australia and United Airlines codeshare pricing

The ACCC has granted interim authorisation for a proposed codeshare pricing arrangement between Virgin Australia and United Airlines. Currently Virgin Australia operates domestic services and limited short-haul international services and United Airlines operates long-haul services between...

www.accc.gov.au

QF did complain about VA on 3 May but less about the UA partnership and more about VA's codeshare agreements in general:

https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/public-registers/documents/Submission%20by%20Qantas%20-%2003.05.22%20-%20PR%20-%20AA1000608%20Virgin.pdf

 

[Mattg]

re paid Syd lounge flying to LAX on UA, I have no idea without research, but I assume there's always a paid lounge you can enter (barring capacity limits).

Genuine question - what paid lounge currently exists in SYD T1?

 

[justinbrett]

Genuine question - what paid lounge currently exists in SYD T1?

Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures)

Your airport moment, in a class of its own. Plaza Premium Lounge is the world's largest award-winning independent lounge network, open to all travellers.

www.plazapremiumlounge.com

 

[justinbrett]

"Shower facilities are temporarily closed due to COVID-19".

I guess the QF Flounge has special anti-covid showers?

 

[SYD]

"Shower facilities are temporarily closed due to COVID-19".

I guess the QF Flounge has special anti-covid showers?

Or more reliable cleaners?

 

[justinbrett]

Or more reliable cleaners?

Charging $50/visit you think they could afford to hire some

 

[SYD]

Charging $50/visit you think they could afford to hire some

After all the AFF’rs and VA WPs slumming in whY and feasting on the F&B offerings - that doesn’t leave much for a clean toot or shower…

 

[MooTime]

Plaza Premium Lounge (International Departures)

Your airport moment, in a class of its own. Plaza Premium Lounge is the world's largest award-winning independent lounge network, open to all travellers.

www.plazapremiumlounge.com

Been in plaza lounge in bris international as flew J on HA. I knew you could pay for entry there.
Little ordinary.

 

[dajop]

It's not really surprising at all, it matches lounge access rules for UA MileagePlus members and other *A partner members. If VA customers got lounge access on UA domestic flights, then that would be an anaomoly making VA status more valuable than UA status on UA flights.

It doesn't match the rules for * A partner members, but does match those for UA MileagePlus members. If using UA a lot to and from, and on separate itineraries within, the US, it may make sense that KF Elite would be more valuable proposition than either UA or Velocity gold status.

From here:

Lounge Access Policy - Star Alliance

Access policy for the Star Alliance member airline lounges around the world.

www.staralliance.com

You are entitled to bring one guest travelling on any Star Alliance flight departing from the same airport on the same day. As of May 3, 2021, the guest must be traveling on the same flight.

If you are a United MileagePlus Star Alliance Gold customer, you may only access the United Clubs within the U.S. when departing from that airport on an international Star Alliance flight, not when departing on a domestic flight with United.

 

[henrus]

Genuine question - what paid lounge currently exists in SYD T1?

Plaza Premium and the House.

Sydney Airport The House - Executive Lounges

Take a seat in the lounge, bar or dining room and relax before your flight at The House in Sydney Airport. Book online at Executive Lounges today.

www.executivelounges.com

Sydney Airport (SYD) | The World's Largest Independent Lounge Network

Your airport moment, in a class of its own. Plaza Premium Lounge is the world's largest award-winning independent lounge network, open to all travellers.

www.plazapremiumlounge.com

 

[cbourl]

It doesn't match the rules for * A partner members, but does match those for UA MileagePlus members. If using UA a lot to and from, and on separate itineraries within, the US, it may make sense that KF Elite would be more valuable proposition than either UA or Velocity gold status.

From here:

Lounge Access Policy - Star Alliance

Access policy for the Star Alliance member airline lounges around the world.

www.staralliance.com

Thats a well know tweak for we of multiple Star Gold statuses. When in the USA flying UA you use the lounge with your Lufthansa Senator card or similar Thats the great thing about flying with the world's largest alliance

 

[dajop]

Thats a well know tweak for we of multiple Star Gold statuses. When in the USA flying UA you use the lounge with your Lufthansa Senator card or similar Thats the great thing about flying with the world's largest alliance

Same for oneworld if flying AA or AS. It's only with DL and Scaryteam that this does not work.

 

[EuroKick]

Crisis averted - Phew!

While United has no lounges at Australia, Virgin has confirmed to Executive Traveller that on international flights out of Sydney and Melbourne, Velocity Gold and Platinum members booked into United economy or premium economy will be ushered into the Singapore Airlines lounge.

Executive Traveller

 

[Bagpuss]

Point hack seems to have the run down.

Everything you need to know about the Virgin Australia-United partnership

Here are all the details on the Virgin Australia and United Airlines partnership, including how to earn and use Velocity Points.

www.pointhacks.com.au

 

[henrus]

Crisis averted - Phew!

Shows the strength of the VA/SQ alliance if they're able to agree on that. I was under the impression that UA pushed *G and J pax towards the NZ lounge unless there has been a shift in policy?