Virgin Australia and Qatar Announce Strategic Partnership

[M@rcoPolo]

I'm trying to find a C seat redemption from SYD (or BNE) to Europe for May 2023 using VA points.

I think points are great value at 139,000 - taxes are high at approx. $750 and availability is dreadful, hardly anything available

Couple of questions:

- if I score a C redemption seat can I access the Al Mourjan Business Lounge?
- is there a way to add an overnight in DOH if the layover is < 24hrs? Cannot see an option online so perhaps calling VA?

 

[PlaneCrazy]

Yes, you should have access to the AM lounge on a redemption ticket. Not sure about the second point.

 

[BNEFlyer]

- is there a way to add an overnight in DOH if the layover is < 24hrs? Cannot see an option online so perhaps calling VA?

I don't think QR do stopovers (like SQ do for example). You may need to do a multi-city booking to include DOH.

 

[SYD]

I don't think QR do stopovers (like SQ do for example). You may need to do a multi-city booking to include DOH.

Or look for the longest flight time = longest layover option.

But no idea what would happen with checked luggage if it is a transit (< 24 hrs) v an actual stopover in DOH.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Or look for the longest flight time = longest layover option.

But no idea what would happen with checked luggage if it is a transit (< 24 hrs) v an actual stopover in DOH.

Transit it's checked through, stopover (or non-connecting flights) it would just be checked to DOH.

I'm flying AMS-DOH-BNE next month and my layover is 20 hours. Unfortunately I can't leave the airport, but my bag will be checked to BNE.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Transit it's checked through, stopover (or non-connecting flights) it would just be checked to DOH.

I'm flying AMS-DOH-BNE next month and my layover is 20 hours. Unfortunately I can't leave the airport, but my bag will be checked to BNE.

I've been trying to book a J reward trip BNE-DOH-AMS (or alternatively SYD/MEL-DOH-AMS) for April/May/June 2023 but I cannot find a single seat, problem seems to be the Aussie leg of the trip where there's no availability on VA (plenty on QR website but I don't have enough Avios)

I might need to go for SQ although I was keen to check out the Q-suites!

 

[SYD]

Transit it's checked through, stopover (or non-connecting flights) it would just be checked to DOH.

I'm flying AMS-DOH-BNE next month and my layover is 20 hours. Unfortunately I can't leave the airport, but my bag will be checked to BNE.

Yep. But if someone wants to leave the airport during a transit, some airlines can be a bit thingy about only checking your luggage to the transit point. No issue HLO obviously or a 2nd carryon with essentials for your stopover.

 

[Milefest]

I've been trying to book a J reward trip BNE-DOH-AMS (or alternatively SYD/MEL-DOH-AMS) for April/May/June 2023 but I cannot find a single seat, problem seems to be the Aussie leg of the trip where there's no availability on VA (plenty on QR website but I don't have enough Avios

I've been having a similar problem out of SYD. Ended up getting flights to and from PER with QR (using velocity points).

I still have to book the connecting SYD-PER flights that will probably be with cash.

Random question though - if my flight is delayed due to VA and it causes me to miss my flight to DOH with QR which I booked through VA, will they accommodate me or am I on my own? Can VA link these flights to the ticket after booking?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For Milefest, as they are an unlinked PNR, you are on your own.
What I would do, is try to give a 24 hour buffer, between when your VAd flight comes into T1d, and then out again on QR from T1i.
Not knowing when the QR flight to DOH departs T1i PER, maybe if you take a first flight out from the east coast, to get to PER lunch time, and the QR flight leaves about 6pm, or later, would be ok, I guess, if unlinked PNR.
If linked PNR, your passport would be swiped in SYD/MEL/ADL/BNE, and you don't have to approach the QR desk at T1 PER, but if you are on an unlinked PNR, you would still need to get your passport swiped at QR desk, even if you have done OLCI.
Don't assume that just because you have done OLCI, that its ok, as the airline would still need to swipe your passport on that slit on their keyboard.
If its on the same PNR, then its a different kettle of "foishe" so to speak, you are then covered, as its the airline who should contact QR, or at the least, they have a knowledge that you are on your way, QR that is, via the booking data.
Unlinked PNR, its like neither side would be aware of that the other is doing, airline wise.
Edit: as to can VA link the VAd PNR and the QR PNR after booking, not sure about that, guess it would depend on how knowledgeable the VA outsourced CSA in MNL is.
***
Right now, there is QR901, dep PER at 23.00/11pm, so that would be ok to fly into PER T1 VAd term maybe lunch time.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Yep. But if someone wants to leave the airport during a transit, some airlines can be a bit thingy about only checking your luggage to the transit point. No issue HLO obviously or a 2nd carryon with essentials for your stopover.

If someone wanted to leave the airport during a transit and bags were checked through to final destination, the pax could still leave the airport during the transit. The airline won't know they've left.

 

[SYD]

If someone wanted to leave the airport during a transit and bags were checked through to final destination, the pax could still leave the airport during the transit. The airline won't know they've left.

Correct. The issue is if you need the contents of your luggage during the stopover.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Correct. The issue is if you need the contents of your luggage during the stopover.

Then it goes into a carry on, that's what I'll be doing.

 

[SYD]

Then it goes into a carry on, that's what I'll be doing.

Yep. But if someone wants to leave the airport during a transit, some airlines can be a bit thingy about only checking your luggage to the transit point. No issue HLO obviously or a 2nd carryon with essentials for your stopover.

 

[Milefest]

as to can VA link the VAd PNR and the QR PNR after booking, not sure about that, guess it would depend on how knowledgeable the VA outsourced CSA in MNL is.

I'll give them a call and report back, thanks for your feedback!

 

[Mattg]

But no idea what would happen with checked luggage if it is a transit (< 24 hrs) v an actual stopover in DOH.

As a data point, I had a ~21 hour overnight transit through Doha in 2019 (I went into the city and checked into a hotel). I asked for my bag to be checked to Doha so I could access it overnight, but the staff at WDH (where I was checking in) were not able to do so. Apparently it's QR policy that the bag must be checked through to the final destination if the stop in Doha is less than 24 hours on the same ticket.

 

[AFF Editor]

Virgin Australia tells us that lounge access arrangements at the Australian ports have now been finalised for Velocity Gold & Platinum members flying on Qatar Airways.

Eligible passengers in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth should have access to the Air New Zealand lounge by showing their Velocity membership card and collecting a lounge invitation at checkin. In Adelaide the Virgin Australia Lounge is used and in Melbourne it's the Marhaba Lounge.

Virgin, Qatar Partnership Teething Issues

It's just over a month since Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways launched a new strategic partnership. As well as earning and redeeming points on each

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[BNEFlyer]

Very good news! I'm flying on Sunday, but I think I'll still check in as QR Gold (then switch to VA for earning). If they could arrange complimentary seat selection that would really seal the deal.

 

[HS-TQE]

Looks like the 'old' Borghetti era of Haphazard lounge access for international flyers has returned for the foreseeable future. Bain not very willing to spend the CapEx on * Alliance membership in the short term is one factor, but at the same time not going the predecessor's (Scurrah) approach of using a common contract lounge (VA used the old No. 1/ now Aspire lounges) in the East Coast Capitals' international terminals doesn't help either.

 

[jrfsp]

Would be simpler if they used the NZ lounge at MEL but i guess the lack of an evening NZ flight at MEL makes this prohibitive. If NZ128 returns to daily this should enable the change.

 

[Muppet501st]

Virgin Australia tells us that lounge access arrangements at the Australian ports have now been finalised for Velocity Gold & Platinum members flying on Qatar Airways.

Eligible passengers in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth should have access to the Air New Zealand lounge by showing their Velocity membership card and collecting a lounge invitation at checkin. In Adelaide the Virgin Australia Lounge is used and in Melbourne it's the Marhaba Lounge.

Virgin, Qatar Partnership Teething Issues

It's just over a month since Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways launched a new strategic partnership. As well as earning and redeeming points on each

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

So as a QR WP, and QF SG, and VA WP, i could access the QF ( open at 10pm ) and ANZ lounges in BNE ?