VA2.0 International Partners

[HS-TQE]

Hmmm so perhaps it means not much at all

What about Air Asia and all its affiliates? Would give good Asia coverage?

VA may as well join this for Asian coverage.

 

[Albert Hoffman]

If VA does indeed lose SQ as a partner, Thai Airways would be a good replacement, Thai has increasing European coverage and good Asian frequencies. Surely they don't think the Velocity customer base will put up with paying obscene fees to Etihad just to fly to Europe?

 

[HS-TQE]

If VA does indeed lose SQ as a partner, Thai Airways would be a good replacement, Thai has increasing European coverage and good Asian frequencies. Surely they don't think the Velocity customer base will put up with paying obscene fees to Etihad just to fly to Europe?

There are many alternatives across the Star and Skyteam stables. Korean, EVA, Vietnam are also other alternatives.

 

[jakeseven7]

Maybe they could renew their partnership with Alitalia?

 

[jase05]

Maybe they could renew their partnership with Alitalia?

Well ITA has signalled their intentions to join SkyTeam so perhaps they will renew ties with VA

 

[henrus]

If VA does indeed lose SQ as a partner, Thai Airways would be a good replacement, Thai has increasing European coverage and good Asian frequencies. Surely they don't think the Velocity customer base will put up with paying obscene fees to Etihad just to fly to Europe?

If they lost SQ then I'd actually be more incline to try and maintain star gold annually. I was never too impressed by Thai and the cherry on top was they're the only travel company that has totally stuffed me around during COVID. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this view.

 

[HS-TQE]

If they lost SQ then I'd actually be more incline to try and maintain star gold annually. I was never too impressed by Thai and the cherry on top was they're the only travel company that has totally stuffed me around during COVID. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this view.

If the long mooted SQ "to do a merger with QF" eventuates again (which even had AusBT/ET covering it briefly over a decade later) then who knows. Reportedly then-QF CEO Dixon was to be CEO of the combined entity had that got off the ground.

Maybe SQ could be the 'majority' owner? 4th time lucky for them after wasting billions on the Ansett, Tiger (Mark 1) and Virgin failures?

Then perhaps SQ could take QF out of Oneworld and into the Star Alliance

Singapore Airlines warms to Qantas merger

Singapore Airlines said a merger with Qantas was an "interesting idea", following Prime Minister John Howard's comments that increased speculation about a potential tie-up.

www.abc.net.au

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Hope VA go with Skyteam, (Delta/Korean/China Airlines etc).

 

[jase05]

Hope VA go with Skyteam, (Delta/Korean/China Airlines etc).

That has been a dream of mine for a long time but just wishful thinking unfortunately.
Personally I’d be over the moon if it happened

 

[Notyourbag]

Hope VA go with Skyteam, (Delta/Korean/China Airlines etc).

Likely to stay with the 'build our own alliance' with the recent re-signing of Air Canada's partnership.

 

[jakeseven7]

Likely to stay with the 'build our own alliance' with the recent re-signing of Air Canada's partnership.

But QF has very strong alliances with partners outside of Oneworld… Emirates, Air France, KLM etc. I don’t think this should be a deal breaker. Also Air Canada is awful

 

[henrus]

But QF has very strong alliances with partners outside of Oneworld… Emirates, Air France, KLM etc

I hope you're joking. Whilst recognition on Emirates is good, the Air France/KLM partnerships that QF has is a joke. After a recent interaction with Air France twitter I'm guessing they don't even understand that Qantas is a partner. In airports other than AMS or CDG the recognition is non existent and when booking flights the codeshares really only cover the flights from Asia to/from AMS/CDG.

VA's partnerships with SQ and EY are significantly better than what QF has got going with KL/AF but I guess that's to be expected given they are VA's main partners.

 

[jase05]

I hope you're joking. Whilst recognition on Emirates is good, the Air France/KLM partnerships that QF has is a joke. After a recent interaction with Air France twitter I'm guessing they don't even understand that Qantas is a partner. In airports other than AMS or CDG the recognition is non existent and when booking flights the codeshares really only cover the flights from Asia to/from AMS/CDG.

VA's partnerships with SQ and EY are significantly better than what QF has got going with KL/AF but I guess that's to be expected given they are VA's main partners.

Agreed on the QF partnership with Air France/KLM, just seems like a cobbled together mess but I guess after experiencing the brilliant EK/QF partnership most of us were hoping/expecting similar with that partnership too. Plenty of other airlines have good partnerships with those outside of their alliance so I don’t see how it can’t be done

 

[HS-TQE]

But QF has very strong alliances with partners outside of Oneworld… Emirates, Air France, KLM etc. I don’t think this should be a deal breaker. Also Air Canada is awful

This was a deal breaker for some intending applicants applying to join either Oneworld, Skyteam or Star some years back before Alliances fell into irrelevance for existing non-aligned members, in addition to existing members starting to partnerships outside of their own groupings.

Some existing members reportedly wanted intending members to dump existing partnerships outside of the relevant alliance before applying. This would be a deal breaker for many.

 

[HS-TQE]

I hope you're joking. Whilst recognition on Emirates is good, the Air France/KLM partnerships that QF has is a joke. After a recent interaction with Air France twitter I'm guessing they don't even understand that Qantas is a partner. In airports other than AMS or CDG the recognition is non existent and when booking flights the codeshares really only cover the flights from Asia to/from AMS/CDG.

VA's partnerships with SQ and EY are significantly better than what QF has got going with KL/AF but I guess that's to be expected given they are VA's main partners.

I'd say the QF/KLM group partnership would be on the equal as the old VA/AZ (and for that matter that old) VA/AB partnership when it comes to recognition from the SQ/EY ownership era.

 

[henrus]

I'd say the QF/KLM group partnership would be on the equal as the old VA/AZ (and for that matter that old)

I'd say the VA/AZ was better as it included lounge access to AZ operated lounges regardless of flight number. AZ signage also always impressed me because VA status was actually mentioned (found this image on shutter stock but all AZ check in and boarding signage mentioned Velocity):

 

[jakeseven7]

I hope you're joking. Whilst recognition on Emirates is good, the Air France/KLM partnerships that QF has is a joke.

I managed to redeem multiple FF seats via the deal so it wasn’t a joke for me, sorry it hasn’t worked for you it’s certainly not as close as the EK partnership but still another good option. But your experience is your own!

 

[henrus]

I managed to redeem multiple FF seats via the deal so it wasn’t a joke for me, sorry it hasn’t worked for you

Haha true I'm being a bit extreme calling it a joke but I did look like an idiot trying to claim Qantas is a partner of KLM on a couple of intra-europe flights. This was in the early days when a QF number could only be added at the airport and they simply refused saying Qantas isn't a partner.

They still seem to have problems with Qantas simply listed as "QF":


At least VA's partners allow you to add your FF number (except HA but then they didn't allow any partner numbers to be added online only via chat/phone).

 

[Mattg]

I could be wrong, but I have a hunch that VA may announce a reopening of international partner airline redemptions (and reveal what partners they will be available on) around 1 November.

 

[Notyourbag]

I could be wrong, but I have a hunch that VA may announce a reopening of international partner airline redemptions (and reveal what partners they will be available on) around 1 November.

Including SQ or is that gonezki?