Virgin Australia and Qatar Announce Strategic Partnership

[aus_flyer]

Interesting given reports in other threads of poor access to QR award seats using Qantas points...

 

[Must...Fly!]

Interesting given reports in other threads of poor access to QR award seats using Qantas points...

Nothing new there, but I did find the increasing reports of QR not re-releasing inventory after Qantas ticketing delays a little curious.

 

[aus_flyer]

The fact that this now means Virgin frequent flyers can end up accessing OW lounges and redemptions is quite incredible

 

[dajop]

I wonder if there will be instant/immediate ticketing on QR if redeeming Velocity points?

 

[jase05]

I am glad I didn't transfer all my velocity points to another program now!

Same. Plenty of panic merchants bailed before the collapse so I’m glad I stuck with them.
Just need QR to credit VA domestic flights and it gives me a option to maintain Platinum with both. I would love if VA gets better award availability than QF

 

[exceladdict]

Competition can only be a good thing - especially if this does anything to keep surcharges/fees/taxes on QF redemptions down.

Brb, checking when the matched QR status expires...

 

[djkelly69]

I would love if VA gets better award availability than QF

Would be hard to be worse!!

 

[levelnine]

Gosh it'd be ironic if you could get better and cheaper access to reward seats on QR using VA over QF.

 

[Jack_OC]

The fact that this now means Virgin frequent flyers can end up accessing OW lounges and redemptions is quite incredible

I wouldn't get too excited. QR premium award availability via QFF is terrible - not sure why it would be better via Velocity?

As for lounges, do you mean to suggest that someone with Velocity status flying in Y with Qatar would get access to any OW lounge in the relevant airport? It would surprise me if that was the case. E.g. Velocity status gets you access to actual SQ lounges when flying in Y with SQ, but if there is no SQ lounge in the relevant airport, you do not get access to the *A or third party lounges that SQ uses. My guess is that Velocity members will only get access to actual QR lounges (of which there are not many). It's also worth noting that even in Doha, QR have created separate (lesser) lounges for people with status flying in Y - you need to be flying in J or F to get into the proper lounges.

 

[justinbrett]

The fact that this now means Virgin frequent flyers can end up accessing OW lounges and redemptions is quite incredible

It will be interesting to see how/if that is implemented. I can only see VA members accessing the QF Flounge if travelling First - and probably the same for the J lounge (Business).

I'd say it will be limited to QR run lounges.

As for oneworld redemptions - it will only be QR redemptions, unless you join the QR program instead of VA (which is arguably a smart idea).

 

[jase05]

unless you join the QR program instead of VA (which is arguably a smart idea).

Earning QR status and Avios on VA domestic flights would be a dream come true

 

[dajop]

As for lounges, do you mean to suggest that someone with Velocity status flying in Y with Qatar would get access to any OW lounge in the relevant airport?

Ah, not Velocity status holders, but I guess it depends on whether you can earn QR status from VA flights, whether the more frequent flyers on VA could access OW lounges. The precedent is there - SQ do not allow you to earn SQ status flying on VA. But in the oneworld domain, AS does allow SQ flights to contribute to AS status. So I guess, wait and see.

 

[dk4]

If this is a first strike move towards taking an ownership position in Virgin, then wow!

 

[Jack_OC]

Ah, not Velocity status holders, but I guess it depends on whether you can earn QR status from VA flights, whether the more frequent flyers on VA could access OW lounges. The precedent is there - SQ do not allow you to earn SQ status flying on VA. But in the oneworld domain, AS does allow SQ flights to contribute to AS status. So I guess, wait and see.

In addition to the question of whether QR will allow earning of QPoints (SCs) on VA flights at all, I believe QR requires members to complete 4 QR-operated flights per year (or gain 20% of the required SCs on QR-operated flights) to gain/retain status. I doubt if many Aussie residents would find that easy.

 

[Mwenenzi]

The fact that this now means Virgin frequent flyers can end up accessing OW lounges and redemptions is quite incredible

To me the announcement reads access to QR (operated) lounges or by class of travel. The only OW lounge (of sorts) is at LAX. Even that is a QF lounge. All others are the airlines lounges which the equivalent OW status or class of travel gets you access.
VA redemption will be on QR flights (not other OW airlines)
But what is unusual is the QR avios (but not status) can be transfer other ffp's that use avios ff currency (subject to t&c's). So in AU could fly VA, earn QR avios, and transfer avios to BAEC.
Cross and out of alliance ff partnerships are not new: QF - AF/KLM. AA-EY.

1 + 1 does not equal 3

 

[jase05]

In addition to the question of whether QR will allow earning of QPoints (SCs) on VA flights at all, I believe QR requires members to complete 4 QR-operated flights per year (or gain 20% of the required SCs on QR-operated flights) to gain/retain status. I doubt if many Aussie residents would find that easy.

I’ve switched over to BAEC and all my QF Dom flights are credited to that but I still need to fly 4 BA/IB segments so something similar with QR and VA would be doable for me.

 

[justinbrett]

To me the announcement reads access to QR (operated) lounges or by class of travel. The only OW lounge (of sorts) is at LAX. Even that is a QF lounge. All others are the airlines lounges which the equivalent OW status or class of travel gets you access.
VA redemption will be on QR flights (not other OW airlines)
But what is unusual is the QR avios (but not status) can be transfer other ffp's that use avios ff currency (subject to t&c's). So in AU could fly VA, earn QR avios, and transfer avios to BAEC.
Cross and out of alliance ff partnerships are not new: QF - AF/KLM. AA-EY.

1 + 1 does not equal 3

It's pretty unlikely VA and QR will allow for points to be transferred between the programs - so the only way a VA pax can benefit from avios is to join QR instead.

And if you're in QR, then you don't need to transfer the points, as you already have access to all oneworld awards.

I think VA will be careful here, as there is real potential to sabotage their own loyalty scheme (which is a moneymaker) - if they make it too easy for QR members to gain and retain status on VA domestic flights and have status recognition, then why would you join VA?

It will probably end up a lot like the QF/EK deal, which has a lot of caveats and is no comparison with full oneworld alliance recognition.

 

[williamsf1]

Earning QR status and Avios on VA domestic flights would be a dream come true

I think the rules of OneWorld would not allow this... The only way would be on the QR*VA flight and that would be sold only in connection with a QR flight
This is a similar way the AB relationship worked.
Points earn for a QR member, but no status credits

 

[Mwenenzi]

Should be possible for QR status. Different ffp's have a rules as what "own flight" means. BA is generous on what is a qualifying flight.

I’ve switched over to BAEC and all my QF Dom flights are credited to that but I still need to fly 4 BA/IB segments so something similar with QR and VA would be doable for me.

From https://www.qatarairways.com/en-au/Privilege-Club/membership-tiers.html

In addition to the below tier qualification and retention criteria, you will need to have earned at least 20% of your Qpoints or have flown 4 sectors (within 12 months prior to retention) or 8 sectors (within 24 months prior to retention) on flights either marketed* or operated** by Qatar Airways.

*Marketed refers to the airline whose flight number is specified on your booking.
**Operated refers to the airline you are flying on

From Executive Traveller formerly AusBT | Travel News, Reviews & More

Qatar Airways’ QR prefix will appear on all Virgin Australia flights, enabling a passenger to journey all the way from London to Brisbane (for example) with Qatar Airways and then seamlessly connect onto a Brisbane-Cairns flight by Virgin Australia, all on the same booking.

Likewise, Qatar Airways flights to over 140 destinations worldwide will sprout a VA code, so that Virgin Australia travellers could venture from Melbourne to Madrid on a single ticket.

But normally only bookable as tag on to a long haul. eg QR/VA tag on BNE-SYD to SYD-DOH (all QR marketed). But not able to book a stand alone QR marketed VA operated BNE-SYD flight.

 

[aus_flyer]

I think the rules of OneWorld would not allow this... The only way would be on the QR*VA flight and that would be sold only in connection with a QR flight
This is a similar way the AB relationship worked.
Points earn for a QR member, but no status credits

Not true.