VA Flights from CHC to MEL

[knagelli]

Hello Experts , is there any option to use my velocity points to book from Christchurch to Melbourne. I want to make use of my stash of velocity points and unfortunately cannot find anything.

ta

 

[Human]

Hello,

Unfortunately you’ve discovered what I think is Velocity’s greatest weakness: you currently can‘t use Velocity points to fly from/to any city in NZ except for Queenstown.

Your only option is to drive or fly to Queenstown and to fly to Melbourne from there.

 

[Mwenenzi]

As above the only NZ airport VA now fly to is ZQN. Nor do I expect VA to expand to the NZ market.
I used to take VA MEL-CHC and CHC-MEL flights at times.

 

[Steven of Mysore]

As above the only NZ airport VA now fly to is ZQN. Nor do I expect VA to expand to the NZ market.
I used to take VA MEL-CHC and CHC-MEL flights at times.

Given the marketplace, I fully expect a codeshare to appear once the IPO is out of the way or even before to further enhance the offer.

 

[AIRwin]

Given the marketplace, I fully expect a codeshare to appear once the IPO is out of the way or even before to further enhance the offer.

Codeshare with NZ?

 

[Human]

Codeshare with NZ?

In many ways and for many reasons, it does make sense for Air NZ to partner with Virgin Australia. I would not be surprised at all if, once the current agreement between Qantas and Air NZ ends, Air NZ jumps ship from Qantas to Virgin.

 

[jakeseven7]

In many ways and for many reasons, it does make sense for Air NZ to partner with Virgin Australia. I would not be surprised at all if, once the current agreement between Qantas and Air NZ ends, Air NZ jumps ship from Qantas to Virgin.

Apart from the fact that NZ is making a lot more money with the QF arrangement than they ever did with VA1, with all the huge volumes of QF code flowing into them. Plus VA2 doesn’t have the reach or capacity of VA1 to deliver their NZ code onto domestically anymore, so they’d then end up interlining and selling QF flights without the cut of a codeshare just to get the reach they need, so less $ for them.

Plus QF will just turn up the intensity of JQNZ again which will bite them again on yield domestically. Right now NZ is in a cosy domestic duopoly with JQNZ ever since QF backed them off, funnily enough and I’m sure coincidentally around the time the ‘Frenemy’ QF/NZ alliance was formed…

I do think you are right though, in basic competitive theory it makes more sense for NZ to partner with VA1 again but it comes with some pretty big price tags and risk for NZ to consider.

Plus the lingering wounds from their first catastrophic relationship with VA1 will still be fresh for some NZ execs I’m sure.

 

[Mattg]

Hello Experts , is there any option to use my velocity points to book from Christchurch to Melbourne. I want to make use of my stash of velocity points and unfortunately cannot find anything.

ta

You could transfer Velocity points to KrisFlyer and book an award seat on Air New Zealand, if Air NZ has availability.

 

[justinbrett]

In many ways and for many reasons, it does make sense for Air NZ to partner with Virgin Australia. I would not be surprised at all if, once the current agreement between Qantas and Air NZ ends, Air NZ jumps ship from Qantas to Virgin.

Very unlikely IMO - something about the definition of insanity is trying the same thing that failed before...

I also don't think the regulator would approve it with the current market. TT is far less competitive than it was back in 2010. I would think removing a competitor, as small as VA is on TT, would not be palatable for the regulators.

 

[Saab34]

NZ flights with Virgin 1.0 ran with an average LF of only 70%, slightly worse inbound. High taxes, low yield, high fuel burn, not really a recipe for making money. Also chews up a lot of flight blocks. Queenstown does carry a yield premium.

The success with Virgin going forward is to stick to those money making markets.

 

[dajop]

You could transfer Velocity points to KrisFlyer and book an award seat on Air New Zealand, if Air NZ has availability.

My thoughts too.

There is another way, and a third come summer, but neither are particularly good use of points or time … MEL-SIN-CHC and MEL-SFO-CHC

 

[knagelli]

Thanks everyone for the good tips are suggestions , I did not find success with krisflyer as there is no availability shown at this moment. I have decided to book revenue tickets with AirNZ from CHC -- MEL .

 

[henrus]

NZ flights with Virgin 1.0 ran with an average LF of only 70%, slightly worse inbound. High taxes, low yield, high fuel burn, not really a recipe for making money. Also chews up a lot of flight blocks. Queenstown does carry a yield premium.

I'd say about half my flights CHC-BNE never had anyone in the business cabin meanwhile the J cabin was always full (or close to) on ZQN flights.

 

[HS-TQE]

In many ways and for many reasons, it does make sense for Air NZ to partner with Virgin Australia. I would not be surprised at all if, once the current agreement between Qantas and Air NZ ends, Air NZ jumps ship from Qantas to Virgin.

As mentioned previously, NZ were reported to be making more revenue with the QF codeshare than their previous JV with VA 1.0.

NZ would have to find a good excuse to 'leave the money' on the table to switch from QF to VA, which I can't see happening anytime soon. Which would then leave the onus on VA 2.0 to 'convince' NZ to switch from QF as a domestic codeshare partner, which I can't see the current Private Equity owners, or any potential future owners such as QR (in any post-IPO/Sale scenario) bothering to do.

 

[Saab34]

QR as an owner might push Virgin to WLG and CHC from one port to potentially feed their network. Once daily MEL-CHC and SYD-WLG or something would then give QR feed from all four Kiwi ports.