VA2.0 International Partners

[jase05]

Anyone know if VA can link 2 seperate award flights on EY in different classes?
Was looking at CDG-AUH-KUL in J with VFF points and no availability yet CDG-AUH is available in F and AUH-KUL available in J.
If I have to book it as 2 seperate bookings I’ll obviously get hit with 2 sets of carrier charges.
If that doesn’t work I might just book ZRH-AUH-KUL in J which has availability or even LHR-AUH-KUL to try out the A350 J product even though the carrier charges are higher ex UK

 

[andye]

Anyone know if VA can link 2 seperate award flights on EY in different classes?
Was looking at CDG-AUH-KUL in J with VFF points and no availability yet CDG-AUH is available in F and AUH-KUL available in J.
If I have to book it as 2 seperate bookings I’ll obviously get hit with 2 sets of carrier charges.
If that doesn’t work I might just book ZRH-AUH-KUL in J which has availability or even LHR-AUH-KUL to try out the A350 J product even though the carrier charges are higher ex UK

I thought EY carrier charges were per sector anyway

 

[bernardblack]

I thought EY carrier charges were per sector anyway

This is also my understanding. But it's possible the total fare CDG-AUH-KUL at the F rate is cheaper than CDG-AUH in F plus AUH-KUL in J. And there also may be tax savings if AUH is just a connection.

 

[jase05]

I thought EY carrier charges were per sector anyway

I think you are correct but there often seems to be a slight saving booking it as 1 aswell as the slight points saving.
Just a quick example
As seperate legs
ZRH-AUH 53k plus $313
AUH-KUL 53k plus $334.30

Combined
ZRH-AUH-KUL 92k plus $613

So not a huge savings but for a couple of passengers it adds up plus I’d prefer it to all be on the same booking

 

[Mattg]

Anyone know if VA can link 2 seperate award flights on EY in different classes?
Was looking at CDG-AUH-KUL in J with VFF points and no availability yet CDG-AUH is available in F and AUH-KUL available in J.
If I have to book it as 2 seperate bookings I’ll obviously get hit with 2 sets of carrier charges.
If that doesn’t work I might just book ZRH-AUH-KUL in J which has availability or even LHR-AUH-KUL to try out the A350 J product even though the carrier charges are higher ex UK

You should be able to make a mixed-class booking over the phone with Velocity, i.e. CDG-AUH in F, connecting to AUH-KUL in J. AFAIK the number of points required would be either the F rate all the way or the sum of the two individual sectors (the F cost for CDG-AUH plus the J cost for AUH-KUL), whichever is cheaper.

The carrier charges are per sector, so wouldn't make a difference if on one or two bookings. However, you would pay fewer taxes (which are different to carrier charges) if you don't enter the UAE - i.e. by booking both flights on same booking and just transiting. Obviously having all on one ticket is also more convenient.

 

[jase05]

You should be able to make a mixed-class booking over the phone with Velocity, i.e. CDG-AUH in F, connecting to AUH-KUL in J. AFAIK the number of points required would be either the F rate all the way or the sum of the two individual sectors (the F cost for CDG-AUH plus the J cost for AUH-KUL), whichever is cheaper.

The carrier charges are per sector, so wouldn't make a difference if on one or two bookings. However, you would pay fewer taxes (which are different to carrier charges) if you don't enter the UAE - i.e. by booking both flights on same booking and just transiting. Obviously having all on one ticket is also more convenient.

Cheers.
I’m very keen to try out the A350 but I haven’t tried the 777 F yet so decisions, decisions

 

[Mattg]

Cheers.
I’m very keen to try out the A350 but I haven’t tried the 777 F yet so decisions, decisions

You'll save a bunch of points if you fly J on the A350, but will be slugged with the UK Air Passenger Duty flying from LHR.

 

[jase05]

You'll save a bunch of points if you fly J on the A350, but will be slugged with the UK Air Passenger Duty flying from LHR.

I’ve still got a decent stack of points so that’s no big issue but I’ll have to sit down and work out where it ties in with rest of trip

 

[SCM]

Any word on when SQ codeshare will be good to go? I want to book some tickets for Feb, and wondering whether it's worthwhile waiting or book now.

 

[bernardblack]

Anyone willing to speculate on what the Qatar partnership will give to Velocity? Will it be better than the benefits for most other OneWorld airlines (including QF), with the possible exception of BA/IB due to the ownership interest?

• Might Velocity Platinum get access to Al Safwa First in DOH (maybe contingent on also flying QR and/or being in J)? Al Mourjan for Velocity Gold flying QR?
• Similar earn structure (including redeemable points and status credits), and same award rates as, the top-tier partners UA and VS?
• Significant cash copay for award sectors, similar to EY/SQ, or cheaper?

I may be looking to redeem something back from Europe (or even North America the long way), and I'd kinda like to access a first-class lounge or similar incremental benefit of Velocity Platinum. EY has some availability, and I was happy flying them in J several years ago (before the cost-cutting). But I think QR would be better in-flight and probably DOH beats AUH (and certainly I would hope the copays on QR aren't quite as high as EY), although if there's no incremental first-class-equivalent benefit for Velocity Platinum on QR, maybe that might steer me back toward EY.

 

[henrus]

Anyone willing to speculate on what the Qatar partnership will give to Velocity? Will it be better than the benefits for most other OneWorld airlines (including QF), with the possible exception of BA/IB due to the ownership interest?

I don't expect anything amazing. Similar to the recent VA/UA relations I'd expect similar benefits to oneworld status.

Might Velocity Platinum get access to Al Safwa First in DOH (maybe contingent on also flying QR and/or being in J)? Al Mourjan for Velocity Gold flying QR?

Not a chance!

Qatar Airways only allows their own platinums flying business class to access the Al Safwa lounge (I can't see them extending this benefit to velocity).

Qatar's Platinums holding an economy boarding pass (or oneworld emerald) only get access to the "platinum lounge" which despite the name is not anywhere near the Al Safwa or even Al Mourjan lounge quality. Similarly Qatar Gold's (or oneworld sapphire) in Economy only get access to the "gold lounge".

Frankly the bigger question is if access is provided to 3rd party lounge. Qatar has a handful of lounges globally but they're marketed as "premium lounges" and no status gets you through the door (only ticketed business or first class). What this means is that in every airport Qatar flies to they rely on 3rd party lounges. Normally through agreements like the oneworld this isn't a problem however with Velocity common approach to only allow access to partner owned/operated lounges this will become a huge issue with Qatar given they really only have lounge accessible to status holders in Doha.

Etihad/Velocity is an outlier to the above as Velocity Gold/Plats do get access to 3rd party lounges. This created some unique things such as when Eithad was flying from Perth and using the Qantas lounge, VA Gold/Plats had access to the Perth Qantas lounge when flying Etihad.

Similar earn structure (including redeemable points and status credits), and same award rates as, the top-tier partners UA and VS?

I'd expect if Qatar was to be such a strong partner like the media releases pitched it, then they would use the cheaper rate that VA/UA uses.

 

[paros_fan]

UPDATE:
The United flights are now available to be booked via the AIA Vitality / Virgin portal.
An example is below, as you'll see that the economy tickets have the AIA Vitality flag, meaning I'll get back 50%.View attachment 283573
View attachment 283574
However, the benefit is also on Premium Economy flights. The problem I'm having now is I don't see any PE flights on United via Virgin. Am I missing something?

Has anyone been able to book PE tickets (cash or points) for SQ flights on VA's website?

 

[EuroKick]

Has anyone been able to book PE tickets (cash or points) on SQ on VA's website?

They’re there.

 

[paros_fan]

They’re there.

Great. When was this for reward seat for, as I've just tried a bunch of dates and still see nothing?

And nothing for cash yet?

 

[Mattg]

Great. When was this for reward seat for, as I've just tried a bunch of dates and still see nothing?

And nothing for cash yet?

What route are you looking for? Is it possible that there is no Premium Economy cabin on that flight?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Though, I would say that most of the A350 that SQ uses on its Aust run/flights, that I have seen, are the ones that do not have a premY cabin, only have a J and Y.

 

[paros_fan]

Though, I would say that most of the A350 that SQ uses on its Aust run/flights, that I have seen, are the ones that do not have a premY cabin, only have a J and Y.

Thanks. But I've tried a number of different routes and I can find PE for rewards and then as soon as I change to cash, it disappears.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For Parsos_fan, ah, I see.
(OffT, every time I go onto the SQ website, that is where I keep seeing Y and J planes only, no premY when I go onto the SQ website.
Probably its what type of seats that SQ releases to VA, in your case.
I would love to support the tie in/liaison between VA and SQ, but there is a lot to be desired, when certain types of seats or flights are not available, in your case, or where points are denied/declined (in my case), because the flight I took wasn't a "codeshare", codeshare being the operative word in the tie in between SQ and VA, not like in the old AN and SQ days, where it was a true FF program join, ie, AN was in *A).OnT.

 

[MooTime]

Great. When was this for reward seat for, as I've just tried a bunch of dates and still see nothing?

And nothing for cash yet?

I've seen plenty PE SQ on VA site for MEL/SYD to SFO/LAX for July 2023.
That's for rewards seats, not sure about cash fares.

 

[paros_fan]

For Parsos_fan, ah, I see.
(OffT, every time I go onto the SQ website, that is where I keep seeing Y and J planes only, no premY when I go onto the SQ website.
Probably its what type of seats that SQ releases to VA, in your case.
I would love to support the tie in/liaison between VA and SQ, but there is a lot to be desired, when certain types of seats or flights are not available, in your case, or where points are denied/declined (in my case), because the flight I took wasn't a "codeshare", codeshare being the operative word in the tie in between SQ and VA, not like in the old AN and SQ days, where it was a true FF program join, ie, AN was in *A).OnT.

Yes, very frustrating. Just before COVID I booked a SQ PE seat to Europe from SYD with cash via VA's website.. Seems since COVID and the collapse of VA things aren't the same