VA route suspensions due to Omicron outbreak Jan/Feb 22

[HS-TQE]

On a related note, VA's partner HA is being reported/rumoured to have 'indefinitely' suspended BNE from their resumption plans.

Edit: Only just confirmed, HA has formally axed BNE and will leave SYD as it's sole Australia destinations (via Executive Traveller)

Thus any Queensland based passengers wishing to travel to the USA from Mid January will have to go via SYD or MEL on UA (from April) or DL (before April).

The only non SYD/MEL alternatives is via NAN (on FJ) or (depending on NZ government) AKL on NZ from mid/late 2022. Whether UA will resume AKL-LAX (along with the VA codeshares) depends on the NZ International Borders opening later in 2022.

Then there's also the infamous Queensland Government AAIF (which is a hotly debated topic on Murdoch Media's Social Media sections) that is funded by the taxpayers to dangle in front of UA if the Premier and Tourism Minister wish to 'provide tourism and competition for QF' for Queenslanders later in 2022

Gotta feel for those Queensland-USA travellers that are not aligned to QF and Oneworld, from many options pre-COVID in 2019 to virtually zero in 2022.

 

[BNEFlyer]

On a related note, VA's partner HA is being reported/rumoured to have 'indefinitely' suspended BNE from their resumption plans.

Edit: Only just confirmed, HA has formally axed BNE and will leave SYD as it's sole Australia destinations (via Executive Traveller)

Thus any Queensland based passengers wishing to travel to the USA from Mid January will have to go via SYD or MEL on UA (from April) or DL (before April).

The only non SYD/MEL alternatives is via NAN (on FJ) or (depending on NZ government) AKL on NZ from mid/late 2022. Whether UA will resume AKL-LAX (along with the VA codeshares) depends on the NZ International Borders opening later in 2022.

Then there's also the infamous Queensland Government AAIF (which is a hotly debated topic on Murdoch Media's Social Media sections) that is funded by the taxpayers to dangle in front of UA if the Premier and Tourism Minister wish to 'provide tourism and competition for QF' for Queenslanders later in 2022

Gotta feel for those Queensland-USA travellers that are not aligned to QF and Oneworld, from many options pre-COVID in 2019 to virtually zero in 2022.

If I was going to the US and wanted to use status and earn on Velocity I'd fly SQ.

 

[madrooster]

If I was going to the US and wanted to use status and earn on Velocity I'd fly SQ.

SQ is a huge detour to get to the US... it adds at least 50% more travel time.

 

[straitman]

SYD-NAN will need to be routed via MEL if that service continues.

MEL-NAN had already been cancelled prior to all of this.

 

[antycbr]

MEL-NAN had already been cancelled prior to all of this.

Given some of the horror stories about testing positive and being stuck in NAN for multiple weeks, I'm not surprised people are staying inside Australia for beach holidays.

 

[straitman]

Given some of the horror stories about testing positive and being stuck in NAN for multiple weeks, I'm not surprised people are staying inside Australia for beach holidays.

Plenty of horror stories but plenty of positive ones also.

 

[antycbr]

Plenty of horror stories but plenty of positive ones also.

Hahaha, the positive (test) stories can become the horror ones!

I am booked for June so things might have settled down by then.

 

[straitman]

Hahaha, the positive (test) stories can become the horror ones!

I am booked for June so things might have settled down by then.

Assuming we get home OK we are booked for a bigger trip in June-July.

 

[jakeseven7]

Family who had their outbound Tassie flights cancelled and had to rebook on Qantas, now have their inbound flights cancelled too. To Virgins credit with just a little push (after 1.5 hours on hold) they agreed to a refund not credit.

 

[cmon0005]

Given some of the horror stories about testing positive and being stuck in NAN for multiple weeks, I'm not surprised people are staying inside Australia for beach holidays.

We had a great stay in Fiji over the new year period, no issues very smooth. As always YMMV.

 

[straitman]

Family who had their outbound Tassie flights cancelled and had to rebook on Qantas, now have their inbound flights cancelled too. To Virgins credit with just a little push (after 1.5 hours on hold) they agreed to a refund not credit.

It's good though like Oz you need to be careful. The real issue is if one of the group does test +ve then it can get really messy really quickly.

 

[ozstamps]

My direct SYD-TSV flight this weekend on VA was canceled last week and is now going via BNE. This flight was booked several months ago and this was the 4th change.

This morning QF sent me an email axing my early February direct TSV-DRW flight. I'm now via BNE and a 06:00 flight out of TSV - so not overly thrilled about that. I suspect QF has quietly deferred the start of the TSV - DRW service.

I'm now waiting for the third leg - DRW - ADL to fall into a heap as well.

It is a mess. I've cancelled THREE SYD-TSV recently, as I hate connections.

The one for next week was initially direct, now it is via BNE, and even the SYD-BNE, BNE-TSV keeps changing near daily.

Started off with 1D/1F.

Stayed at 1D/1F for one sked change via the BNE connection.

Now back in 2A/2C due to another change, seats I dislike.

Same with ADL for early Feb. Lost track of how any changes - seems to be only 3 or so directs a day now.

Surely SYD-ADL warrants more flights?

 

[jase05]

It is a mess. I've cancelled THREE SYD-TSV recently, as I hate connections.

The one for next week was initially direct, now it is via BNE, and even the SYD-BNE, BNE-TSV keeps changing near daily.

Started off with 1D/1F.

Stayed at 1D/1F for one sked change.

Now back in 2A/2C due to another change, seats I dislike.

Same with ADL for early Feb. Lost track of how any changes - seems to be only 2 or 3 directs a day now.

Surely SYD-ADL warrants more flights?

2-3 per day is about right under current circumstances. QF back to 3-4 per day too and was only about 30 pax on our flight home this arvo and it’s normally fairly full at that time of day
Demand just isn’t there currently. Hopefully things change in the coming months

 

[ozstamps]

Olny TWO directs right now for Sat Feb 12.

We have a midday wedding and had booked the 3pm direct ADL-SYD that worked fine.

That was cancelled so we were then booked on 1.30pm direct, and now this 11.35am direct neither of which worked.

I guess I can call the Plat line and ask if they might be happy to put us on the 3.40pm via MEL, but it often comes at a higher cost as that prices more than original direct ticket, being 2 flights.

Not sure how flexible they are re their own flight cancels?

 

[jase05]

Olny TWO directs right now for Sat Feb 12.

We have a midday wedding and had booked the 3pm direct ADL-SYD that worked fine.

That was cancelled so we were then booked on 1.30pm direct, and now this 11.35am direct neither of which worked.

I guess I can call the Plat line and ask if they might be happy to put us on the 3.40pm via MEL, but it often comes at a higher cost as that prices more than original direct ticket, being 2 flights.

Not sure how flexible they are re their own flight cancels?

On Friday they canned my direct ADL-SYD flight and automatically put me on a ADL-MEL-SYD combo that didn’t work so I called Plat line and changed to time that suited us. No charge

 

[Harrison_133]

I guess I can call the Plat line and ask if they might be happy to put us on the 3.40pm via MEL, but it often comes at a higher cost as that prices more than original direct ticket, being 2 flights.

I called the Platinum line a few weeks ago when I had time changes to a direct flight that no longer worked for me. Asked to switch to new flights via Sydney which were showing up $600 online, but the times were more ideal. They processed the change, no questions asked and I got the new flights at no extra charge. The platinum team are usually very accommodating and don’t quibble when you make such changes.

 

[ozstamps]

Excellent advice - many thanks folks.

 

[henleybeach]

We were booked ADL-DRW to depart this Sunday and then that got changed to ADL-DRW on Saturday and then that got changed to ADL-BNE-DRW on Saturday.
This ticket was originally $520 business class special. Now we get double the fun!

 

[AIRwin]

Now we get double the fun!

And bonus status credits!

 

[antycbr]

Well you can scrub all the WA flights that will improve the schedule reliability everywhere else