Virgin Australia and Qatar Announce Strategic Partnership

[odysseus]

OK, I'll confess to being a dweeb here if needs be - how do you book QR marketed flights if not via QR? I don't see QR codeshares in a dummy booking on VA.


T&Cs say you can earn QPoints on Virgin flights marketed by QR.

It doesn't just have to be marketed by QR. Also solely Virgin marketed and operated is fine. Ref the first part of this point:
"

• Qualifying eligible flights must be marketed by Virgin Australia and/or operated by either of the two airlines, or marketed by Qatar airways and operated by Virgin Australia"

You may be confusing with the next point which is that "

• Members will earn Qpoints only on Virgin Australia flights that are marketed by Qatar Airways"

Qpoints is Qatar's version of what Velocity calls status credits, which you need to earn to get to higher tiers in their program i.e. Silver, Gold, Platinum. You don't earn those on VA sold flights. However Avios are Qatars equivalent of VFF points and they are earnt on VA sold flights. So per your initial comment you do get double Avios from VA sold flights just by entering your QR number on the VA booking any time up to check in.

 

[RooFlyer]

You may be confusing with the next point which is that "

• Members will earn Qpoints only on Virgin Australia flights that are marketed by Qatar Airways"

Qpoints is Qatar's version of what Velocity calls status credits, which you need to earn to get to higher tiers in their program i.e. Silver, Gold, Platinum. You don't earn those on VA sold flights. However Avios are Qatars equivalent of VFF points and they are earnt on VA sold flights. So per your initial comment you do get double Avios from VA sold flights just by entering your QR number on the VA booking any time up to check in.

Not confusing . For the moment, I'm crediting as much as I can to QR; I'm doing a good J/F trip on QR later this year and a few extra Qpoints via VA will tip me up to Gold and to accumulate the Avios. No point crediting the QR trip to Qantas .

Re earning double Avios (only), I'm not yet convinced that entering your Qatar Priv number into a VA booking will do it - I'm hoping someone like @AFF Editor may confirm what you say. But I still need to find out for sure how to book a QR codes VA flight.

 

[andye]

I'm pretty sure you will only be able to book them as an Int connection e.g fly DOH-SYD-ADL

 

[jase05]

I'm pretty sure you will only be able to book them as an Int connection e.g fly DOH-SYD-ADL

I think that is correct for QPoints unfortunately but looking at the terms I think the Avios earn will apply for VA domestic flights on their own.
Still could be a decent Avios earner if so and you are not worried about accumulating status or have already retained status. Something to think about for sure

 

[engbren]

Has anyone booked a Qatar codeshare flight on a VA flight number and been able to select a seat?

I'm trying to work out exactly this at the moment. I can see my flight in Velocity app as an upcoming trip but attempting to manage seats says "Action not allowed" with a message to try on partner website.

 

[simmomelb]

Has anyone had any luck entering their Velocity number on the Qatar site for an existing booking? When dropping down the FF option, "Velocity" does not appear.
Any help would be appreciated

 

[Mattg]

I'm trying to work out exactly this at the moment. I can see my flight in Velocity app as an upcoming trip but attempting to manage seats says "Action not allowed" with a message to try on partner website.

From what I've been told, seat selection doesn't seem to be possible at all when booked on the VA code

This is something that really ought to be fixed ASAP. I don't want to risk sitting in a middle seat all the way to Doha! That's almost a deal-breaker for me.

 

[engbren]

From what I've been told, seat selection doesn't seem to be possible at all when booked on the VA code

This is something that really ought to be fixed ASAP. I don't want to risk sitting in a middle seat all the way to Doha! That's almost a deal-breaker for me.

Ok - I was just able to login to the Qatar website. My travel agent (its a work trip) provided an itinerary with PNR which works on VA website. The PNR doesn't work at all on the QR website. However, there is also a ticket number on the itinerary which works on QR website as an eTicket number but only if I enter my surname in all caps. After logging in that way, I can see the QR PNR now as well. I can select seats using either the website or mobile app this way.
There appears to be a range of extra leg room and preferred seats that attract additional charges.

 

[cbourl]

Sad to hear - VA pass on full taxes n fees on QR awards, like Qantas. American Airlines have miniscule takes even on Qatar First Awards

 

[BNEFlyer]

From what I've been told, seat selection doesn't seem to be possible at all when booked on the VA code

This is something that really ought to be fixed ASAP. I don't want to risk sitting in a middle seat all the way to Doha! That's almost a deal-breaker for me.

Correct, no “preferred” seat selection for VA Gold/Plat. Hopefully this is coming.

Post automatically merged: Sep 10, 2022

Has anyone had any luck entering their Velocity number on the Qatar site for an existing booking? When dropping down the FF option, "Velocity" does not appear.
Any help would be appreciated

Yes, it’s either Virgin Australia or Va (not VA).

 

[Milefest]

Heads up for anyone wanting to make any QR redemptions in/out of PER.

QR has swapped their usual 777 for the PER-DOH route to an a380 between the end of December and end of March '23. This has resulted in QR releasing a large number of F reward seats. I've managed to snag a few but still heaps of availibility between Feb-Mar if you get in quick.

 

[SYD]

QR F PER-DOH discussed here

QR F award availability ex Perth

Qatar Airways is upgrading its PER-DOH route to an A380 from December. From around 16 January onwards, there are now up to 2x First Class reward seats available per flight to book on this route using Velocity points or a Oneworld currency other than Qantas points. You might also be able to get...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[SYD]

Another bit of lounge news for VA (and QF/OW) status PAX travelling in QR whY ex LHR T4.

Qatar opens new frequent flyer lounge at London Heathrow

The LHR T4 lounge will welcome frequent flyers from Qantas, Virgin Australia and Oneworld.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[Milefest]

QF F PER-DOH discussed here

QR F award availability ex Perth

Qatar Airways is upgrading its PER-DOH route to an A380 from December. From around 16 January onwards, there are now up to 2x First Class reward seats available per flight to book on this route using Velocity points or a Oneworld currency other than Qantas points. You might also be able to get...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Thank you! Haven't been monitoring that thread

 

[simmomelb]

Qatar has now updated their site and added "Virgin Australia" (corrected it from "Va") under FF programs. If you have any existing bookings you can now add your Velocity number as I've just done this myself.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Qatar has now updated their site and added "Virgin Australia" (corrected it from "Va") under FF programs. If you have any existing bookings you can now add your Velocity number as I've just done this myself.

Just beware that if you have preferred seat selections if you’re a OW status holder, these will be removed when you add your VA FF number.

 

[simmomelb]

Just beware that if you have preferred seat selections if you’re a OW status holder, these will be removed when you add your VA FF number.

Not a OW status holder here, but that totally makes sense.
Cheers.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Just checked.
Tie in might be good for route apart from
ADL - AKL, in QR J for Dec this year is asking for nearly AUD$2100!!!!!!!
One way.
NO thanks.
For a 4 hrs flight plus time diff of 2.5 hrs, what is QR thinking?
Granted it's not VA setting fares, but still, puts me off flying direct on this flight out of ADL to AKL.

 

[andye]

ADL - AKL, in QR J for Dec this year is asking for nearly AUD$2100!!!!!!!
One way.
..For a 4 hrs flight plus time diff of 2.5 hrs, what is QR thinking?

I'm sure they are thinking that someone (or some business) will stump up oodles of cash for one of the last seats in a top fare bucket

 

[jase05]

Just checked.
Tie in might be good for route apart from
ADL - AKL, in QR J for Dec this year is asking for nearly AUD$2100!!!!!!!
One way.
NO thanks.
For a 4 hrs flight plus time diff of 2.5 hrs, what is QR thinking?
Granted it's not VA setting fares, but still, puts me off flying direct on this flight out of ADL to AKL.

QR can charge a Premium because they have us over a barrel in ADL.
Bear in mind that there would be limited seats available as I’m guessing maybe 1/2 of the J seats are already taken by passengers going all the way through to AKL from DOH.
Then we have the option of a garbage Y only product on NZ or have to head East and transit through SYD/MEL/BNE to get a substandard QF J product to AKL or NZ which is often costly.
Most of the times I’ve looked for the direct QR flight it’s between $1700-2500 return in J which is unbelievable value and by far the best way to NZ for us