United Airlines new Virgin Australia/Velocity Partner

[HS-TQE]

This was before my time, but there was a Tokyo route via Guam in Australia with United at one point? Ahh... too young to experience it.

Guam was a United (or Continental as they were pre-merger) hub in the Pacific.

Japan to Australia (CNS) via Guam on CO (later UA) were basically 2 separate flights that could be booked together if the customer chose to do so.

 

[ozstamps]

This was before my time, but there was a Tokyo route via Guam in Australia with United at one point? Ahh... too young to experience it.

Speaking of Haneda, wonder how that would be handled by VA2. Seems like they aren't giving up on that yet. No signs of handing it over to UA or NH.

You bet. They flew to a HEAP of Japanese cities direct from Guam and Saipan, mostly leaving 3am! Terminals there were zoos. Totally non air-conditioned in tropical heat. Near all were honeymooners to 'America'.

They often flew huge planes there - 747-100s with the large open bar up top deck for First Class etc!

United (well Continental Air Micronesia 'Air Mike' to be accurate) serviced Papua New Guinea and Manila, HK and all sorts of places from there. Same tail livery as used today - see below.

I flew them from Sydney to Guam about 30 times. They also flew Cairns-Guam.

Flights went onto Honolulu. I caught the 14 hour, Boeing 727 weekly 'Milk Run' a few times GUM-HNL via tiny atolls like Kosrae, Chuuk, Ponape, Majuro, and the secret US Nuclear base on Johnson Island etc.

Passengers had to lower window shades when there. I got off once there with the troops, arrived in the de-brief hall, and was frog marched back to the plane at gunpoint by very p!ssed off MP's.

Guam used a lot of these large DC10s via the Air Mike GUAM hub, as well as 747/100s.

 

[http_x92]

You bet. They flew to a HEAP of Japanese cities direct from Guam and Saipan, mostly leaving 3am! Near all honeymooners to 'America'.

They often flew huge planes there - 747-100s with the bar up top deck etc!

United (well Continental Air Micronesia 'Air Mike' to be accurate) serviced Papua New Guinea and Manila, HK and all sorts of places from there.

I flew them from Sydney to Guam about 30 times. They also flew Cairns-Guam.

Flights went onto Honolulu. I caught the 14 hour, Boeing 727 weekly 'Milk Run' a few times GUM-HNL via Kosrae, Chuuk, Ponape, Majuro, and the secret US Nuclear base on Johnson Island etc.

Passengers had to lower window shades when there. I got off once there with the troops, arrived in the de-brief hall, and was frog marched back to the plane at gunpoint by very p!ssed off MP's.

Very interesting history with United-Continental and Guam indeed. Didn't know it ran from Sydney as well, I just read about the Cairns-Guam route being no more in 2015. Ohh just saw it was DC-10s and 747-100s. Back in those days. Can understand running 747-100s from Sydney as it needed a stop to get to the States back then.

 

[ozstamps]

Yes, indeed Glen.

I'm now lifetime UA Plat, having travelled 2.5 million PAID miles on UA (the real one). I'm not sure how I actually managed it living in Australia, but it was a truly interesting experience. For example, going to Tokyo 6 times in one month. But, as you say, that was in the past.

I note that I have accumulated 120 PlusPoints (80 expiring Jul) through doing nothing, so I might well book a cheap SYD-LAX RT soon to secure confirmed upgrades to business each way. Haven't been to LA for quite a while.

Otherwise, this UA-VA tie-up, while generally a good move, does absolutely nothing for me personally.

2.5 million BIS miles just on UA is mightily impressive Clifford.

I am just shy of 2 million, and might well apply some Virgin flights to it, in years when I have easily re-qualified for Virgin. I'll have 800 SC by early June, so this year might see this start.

Seems a lot tougher these days.

I recall starting the Legendary 'Baht Run' thread where for $US1000 or so, some folks paid young kids in Northern Thailand to take 100 dirt cheap short flights on TG in the name of the Mileage Pus member, to thus get 1K status without setting foot on a plane! All totally legal. No security checks back then.

AND hence getting 6 x paper 'Systemwide' upgrade certs (often 12 if you used a loophole) worth very many $100s apiece, and fully transferable Bearer Bonds.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileage-plus-pre-merger/355420-baht-run-2.html

 

[openseat]

I'm now lifetime UA Plat, having travelled 2.5 million PAID miles on UA (the real one).

By the real UA, you mean the pre Continental takeover of UA? Up to the battleship grey livery, rhapsody in blue adverts, etc

 

[HS-TQE]

This was before my time, but there was a Tokyo route via Guam in Australia with United at one point? Ahh... too young to experience it.

Speaking of Haneda, wonder how that would be handled by VA2. Seems like they aren't giving up on that yet. No signs of handing it over to UA or NH.

I suspect the handover back to IASC (assuming that's the case) will likely be last minute, similar to when VA (under PS) applied for HND at the last minute.

If in the unlikely case of VA keeping the HND slot, my guess it would be paired with a VA-operated BNE-LAX, although chances of that happening would be close to 'zero'.

On the assumption VA hands back their slot to IASC, it'll be assumed that the HND slot co-ordinators will hand the slot back to Australia (unless if other circumstances happen, enabling JL or NH to apply), which would enable QF to apply for the 2nd slot.

 

[CPMaverick]

Can’t wait to see the full benefits revealed as there has even been whispers that VA/UA will allow points upgrades aswell

It seems like those whispers always are there with a new partnership, but the implementation of partner upgrades has always been clunky at best. And usually involves high base fares to be eligible.

Don't forget DL and VA had this already, yet it was pretty difficult to manage.

You can now upgrade Delta flights using Velocity Points

Velocity members can now use their Velocity points to upgrade on Delta Air Lines operated flights marketed by Virgin Australia (VA flight number)

www.pointhacks.com.au

 

[CPMaverick]

The partnership does include access to domestic United Clubs (which is probably the one benefit of the UA partnership over DL).

The DL partnership had this too, until the breakup started.

(Don't tell anyone but Velocity status still gets you domestic itinerary Skyclub access as of March 2022, I can personally vouch for that)

 

[grubbidok]

I have a US flight leaving end of March and coming back first week of April I need to book. For the life of me I can't work out what (if any) benefits I would get as a VA WP on UA or DL. The VA website is almost deliberately obtuse on this. Does anyone know what is happening pre-DL full breakup (June?) and pre-UA start-up (April?)

 

[AIRwin]

The VA website is almost deliberately obtuse on this. Does anyone know what is happening pre-DL full breakup (June?) and pre-UA start-up (April?)

Try the Velocity website instead?

Delta Air Lines

Earn Points with Delta Air Lines when you travel in an eligible fare class on flights with a DL flight number operated by Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection-branded carriers or Virgin Australia. You can also earn Status Credits and redeem Reward Seat. Learn more now.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

Delta Air Lines exiting the Velocity Program

Effective Monday 13 June 2022, Delta Air Lines will no longer be a Velocity partner. Points and Status Credit earn on Delta Air Lines flights will be in accordance with the below charts and continue through to and including 12 June 2022. Reward seat travel on Delta Air Lines flights must be ticketed on or before 12 June 2022, and must be flown within 1 year of ticketing date. Changes to Reward Seat bookings post 12 June 2022 not permitted except date changes for travel up to 1 year from ticket issue subject to availability; ticket reissues and route changes are not permitted. All other frequent flyer benefits will only be valid through to and including 12 June 2022.


Access to Delta Air Lines Owned and Operated Lounges

Domestic lounge access into Delta Air Lines owned and operated lounges within the USA is only available to Platinum and Gold members in conjunction with an International same day journey, where both flight sectors are booked on a single ticket. Lounge access is not available where a member is holding a domestic flight and an international flight on separate tickets.

International lounge access into Delta Air Lines owned and operated lounges outside the USA is only available to Platinum and Gold members in conjunction with an International same day journey. Access to 3rd party (e.g. SkyTeam owned and operated) lounges is currently not included in your ticket unless you travel in Business Class.

Last day to access Delta Air Lines owned and operated lounges is 12 June 2022.

 

[aaronm]

I am looking to book flights in July, presumably at this point the UA partnership will be in full swing. Is it safe to assume that any point/status earn will still apply to flights booked before the final partnership details are announced, or am I better off waiting?

 

[Thibault]

I am looking to book flights in July, presumably at this point the UA partnership will be in full swing. Is it safe to assume that any point/status earn will still apply to flights booked before the final partnership details are announced, or am I better off waiting?

I would assume that this should not be a problem.

As long as you book a normal fare (not a deep-deep promo fare), you would get points and SCs with any FFP.
It will just be a matter of adding the Velocity Frequent Flyer number once VA/UA provide all the benefits and limits of the new partnership.

Then again, we still don't know exactly when the partnership will be launched - apart from a vague indication around April.

 

[justinbrett]

It's a shame the CNS-GUM flights are gone. Guam should be a popular destination for Australia, it's a much closer Hawaii alternative. I have spent some time there and really enjoyed it.

It's so hard to get to without direct flights.

 

[mitchd]

I am looking to book flights in July, presumably at this point the UA partnership will be in full swing. Is it safe to assume that any point/status earn will still apply to flights booked before the final partnership details are announced, or am I better off waiting?

I am in the same boat, with wife a bit anxious to book soon but I’m looking to wait it out another month and hope the details start flowing soon. Especially since I’d like to do some upgrades between cabin classes with points!

 

[CPMaverick]

I am in the same boat, with wife a bit anxious to book soon but I’m looking to wait it out another month and hope the details start flowing soon. Especially since I’d like to do some upgrades between cabin classes with points!

I wouldn't wait to book anything. The partnership will be what it is regardless. You'll just add the VA number to your UA booking when it starts.

Points upgrades between partners historically take ages to get going. We'll be lucky if you can upgrade a UA flight with Velocity points by the end of 2023.

It's a shame the CNS-GUM flights are gone. Guam should be a popular destination for Australia, it's a much closer Hawaii alternative. I have spent some time there and really enjoyed it.

It's so hard to get to without direct flights.

It would be amazing if VA and UA could bring that back. So many great islands to explore that are a short flight from GUM too. And yes, I went from Micronesia to Australia in 2018 and it was tricky. Had to take a twice-weekly flight from TKK-POM to get within range of an Australian flight. Lots of opportunity there with UA now, hope they leverage it.

 

[henrus]

You'll just add the VA number to your UA booking when it starts.

The UA website has now had the option to add a VA number to a booking. It does verify the VA number length but isn't connected to check status as this does not show in the booking.

 

[HS-TQE]

It would be amazing if VA and UA could bring that back. So many great islands to explore that are a short flight from GUM too. And yes, I went from Micronesia to Australia in 2018 and it was tricky. Had to take a twice-weekly flight from TKK-POM to get within range of an Australian flight. Lots of opportunity there with UA now, hope they leverage it.

If I recall correctly, the CNS-GUM flight survived on the back of the USA military contracts. (Open to correction), once that contract finished up, the O&D alone without the contract wasn't enough to sustain the CNS-GUM flight on its own.

If CNS-GUM was to ever return (if at all) I'd suspect it would likely be through the Queensland Government/Queensland Airports subsidy through the International Airline Subsidy Program that was announced on February 11.

$200 million to fly international visitors to Queensland

 

[Zanzara]

If I recall correctly, the CNS-GUM flight survived on the back of the USA military contracts. (Open to correction), once that contract finished up, the O&D alone without the contract wasn't enough to sustain the CNS-GUM flight on its own.

If CNS-GUM was to ever return (if at all) I'd suspect it would likely be through the Queensland Government/Queensland Airports subsidy through the International Airline Subsidy Program that was announced on February 11.

$200 million to fly international visitors to Queensland

From memory it was a B737-700 that left CNS at OMG 3am or a horrible ungodly hour and was v expensive. $700-$800(AU) 1 way in Y?

 

[http_x92]

If UA restarted the Cairns-Guam route and/or the Sydney-Guam route I wouldn't mind having Guam as a stopover to Japan or South Korea as well. Think for Sydney-Guam an A320neo might be required though, which UA is getting in 2023.

 

[HS-TQE]

Think for Sydney-Guam an A320neo might be required though, which UA is getting in 2023.

They're standard A321neos coming to UA initially, followed by the A321XLRs the following years.