Virgin Australia and Qatar Announce Strategic Partnership

[MG1]

My read of this (I'm neither an agent not lawyer) is that for VA metal, Avios can earn on either VA or QR flight numbers, but QPoints are only on the QR number. And I would expect (but have not tried) that you can't get a QR flight number on a standalone VA domestic booking; the codeshare would typically only be on VA domestic ticketed in conjunction with QR international sectors.

Thank you for your response.

 

[JayTee]

Can someone provide me with some tips. When searching the QATAR AIRWAYS website for award availability in business class, I am forced to go through each day to see if there are any seats available for redemption. For example, in the month of May.

Is there a quicker to know which day of the month has availability in business rather than click each day, hoping one would suddenly pop up?

 

[SYD]

Can someone provide me with some tips. When searching the QATAR AIRWAYS website for award availability in business class, I am forced to go through each day to see if there are any seats available for redemption. For example, in the month of May.

Is there a quicker to know which day of the month has availability in business rather than click each day, hoping one would suddenly pop up?

Try searching on AA.com or BA.com (you need a free account for the later) then go back to VA to see if it's there.

 

[andye]

Not sure how to help the searching problem but if you are using Avios there seems to be much more availability than released to partners

 

[adamphosho]

You can use it, but ONLY if you get a pass from the check in desk first. If you miss doing this you will have no luck getting entry.
Not that this is ideal, as many wouldn't know this.

This is a good tip, wish I read it earlier. Experience today at SYD was one of teething issues. QR check in staff weren’t sure what VA Gold lounge status would be, but said try AirNZ lounge. Didn’t give me a lounge pass. Sure enough, AirNZ turned me away saying VA status doesn’t get entry on anything, and they hadn’t heard of VA status on QR getting access to their lounge

 

[Thibault]

Can someone provide me with some tips. When searching the QATAR AIRWAYS website for award availability in business class, I am forced to go through each day to see if there are any seats available for redemption. For example, in the month of May.

Is there a quicker to know which day of the month has availability in business rather than click each day, hoping one would suddenly pop up?

I had to check each and single day and city combinations to find a J ticket on QR.

The Velocity Call Centre refused to check manually for 2 sectors showing on BA and AA but for some reasons wasn’t showing on Velocity BCN-HKG as well as BCN-BNE.
I wonder if it’s a lack of training or just a cannot be bothered to check.

Was able to find a J ticket Thursday last week for today BCN-ADL - currently enjoying the first flight.

 

[simmomelb]

I'm trying to book a fully paid for airfare to Brasil with Qatar, can book no issues via the Qatar site and enter my "Virgin Australia" (Velocity) number, yet on the VA site, when I search it says "no availability" even though Sao Paulo can be selected.
Am I better off just booking direct with Qatar & ignoring the VA website issue?
Any advantages/disadvantages?

 

[simmomelb]

This is a good tip, wish I read it earlier. Experience today at SYD was one of teething issues. QR check in staff weren’t sure what VA Gold lounge status would be, but said try AirNZ lounge. Didn’t give me a lounge pass. Sure enough, AirNZ turned me away saying VA status doesn’t get entry on anything, and they hadn’t heard of VA status on QR getting access to their lounge

I had this happen to me, so my better half flew and received a pass for entry from Qatar and no issues at all.

I guess because they are OneWorld it's really up to Qatar to approve the entry as there is no agreement between OneWorld lounges with VA, so Qatar would be effectively reimbursing them for the entry (something along those lines).
That's how it makes sense in my mind

 

[jase05]

Any recent datapoints on how long points and status credits for QR-operated-and-marketed flights take to post to Velocity?

So as a data point I credited my flights to BA and each flight credited 4 days later. Mrs Jase credited hers to VA and both flights credited today so that’s taken near on a fortnight for the first flight to credit and just on a week for the second flight. I’m wondering if QR send the data over to VA in batches because it was weird that they both showed up at the same time

 

[Milefest]

Does anyone find it frustrating that the ticket doesn't acknowledge velocity status and therefore the priority boarding benefit?

Priority boarding is important for me as I like to get my carryon luggage in the bins before it's overflowing with oversized luggage, the problem is I have to keep educating gate staff that I'm eligible for priority boarding.

 

[simmomelb]

Does anyone find it frustrating that the ticket doesn't acknowledge velocity status and therefore the priority boarding benefit?

Priority boarding is important for me as I like to get my carryon luggage in the bins before it's overflowing with oversized luggage, the problem is I have to keep educating gate staff that I'm eligible for priority boarding.

Yes, that is a pain. I carry the physical Platinum card in my hand next to the ticket and found this helps.
But I totally get your point and agree QR need to update their ticketing system to add this field for partners airlines like VA.
Same for entry to lounges, it messes this up, I've found if you don't get an entry pass from QR check-in desk, good luck getting into some lounges, particularly in Australia.

 

[Milefest]

Some more frustrations with QR: flew out of CPT flying Y with my platinum VA number linked yesterday.

Upon using the business class check-in, I was told I was ineligible to use that line as it's for oneworld priority or business class customers only. I showed them the press release on the Qatar website stating that the VA partnership included priority check in and I got a grunt saying they'll let me off this time.

After check-in I asked about the lounge, they said I was ineligible due to Virgin not being in one world. I was frustrated by this so I escalated to the supervisor who told me that Qatar does not operate any lounges in CPT and only uses one world partner lounges, therefore I had no lounge access. I gave them the benefit of the doubt but still not entirely sure if this is true.

Upon boarding, unsurprisingly I was denied priority boarding. I was prepared for this and had documentation to educate the gate agent of my eligibility. They gave no apology after they let me through.

Qatar is amazing when flying in premium cabins but when flying Y with VA status, it's been very bumpy for me.

 

[Mr H]

Qatar is amazing when flying in premium cabins

That has not been my experience.

 

[N860CR]

Some more frustrations with QR: flew out of CPT flying Y with my platinum VA number linked yesterday.

Upon using the business class check-in, I was told I was ineligible to use that line as it's for oneworld priority or business class customers only. I showed them the press release on the Qatar website stating that the VA partnership included priority check in and I got a grunt saying they'll let me off this time.

After check-in I asked about the lounge, they said I was ineligible due to Virgin not being in one world. I was frustrated by this so I escalated to the supervisor who told me that Qatar does not operate any lounges in CPT and only uses one world partner lounges, therefore I had no lounge access. I gave them the benefit of the doubt but still not entirely sure if this is true.

Upon boarding, unsurprisingly I was denied priority boarding. I was prepared for this and had documentation to educate the gate agent of my eligibility. They gave no apology after they let me through.

Qatar is amazing when flying in premium cabins but when flying Y with VA status, it's been very bumpy for me.

Ground service in CPT (tbh anywhere in ZA) is coughe. I’ve had similar battles as a paid J SQ pax. I’m fairly sure QR would send their pax to the bidvest lounge (as every other airline does) so unsure about the “one world” lounge dribble. I suspect you’d have received similar treatment as a QF Plat.

 

[simmomelb]

I originally had similar issues on my first flight with QR, but all was fine getting access to lounges and priority on my return leg.
It's definitely hit and miss and really depends on whether the staff know/have been trained or bother to look at their partner documents if unsure.

 

[henrus]

Does anyone know how awards work when making changes.

I currently hold a DOH-BNE award ticket booked through VA however I know want to change it to be DXB-DOH-BNE. There is no longer award space on the DOH-BNE flight but there is on the DXB-DOH flight, are they able to just add that flight on without destroying the existing DOH-BNE or would I be best to just book separately?

 

[JayTee]

Does anyone know how awards work when making changes.

I currently hold a DOH-BNE award ticket booked through VA however I know want to change it to be DXB-DOH-BNE. There is no longer award space on the DOH-BNE flight but there is on the DXB-DOH flight, are they able to just add that flight on without destroying the existing DOH-BNE or would I be best to just book separately?

Since it’s booked with VA, only they can make the changes . Don’t bother calling Qatar as they will tell you to call VA.
I believe VA will cancel your ticket and issue you a new ticket with the requested sector ( pending availability ) .

Good luck

Post automatically merged: Mar 12, 2023

Since it’s booked with VA, only they can make the changes . Don’t bother calling Qatar as they will tell you to call VA.
I believe VA will cancel your ticket and issue you a new ticket with the requested sector ( pending availability ) .

Good luck

Sorry I also wanted to confirm with you .. You hold a ticket for DOH- BNE but now you’re saying there is no availability .

How is it they issued you a ticket if there was no availability?

 

[henrus]

Sorry I also wanted to confirm with you .. You hold a ticket for DOH- BNE but now you’re saying there is no availability .

Sorry I hold a confirmed ticket but there is no more award space left.

If there was more DOH-BNE award space then I'd just cancel the booking via VA and rebook again myself but the issue is I'm just interested in keeping my already confirmed DOH-BNE seat whilst adding on a DXB-DOH flight on the same day.

 

[Mr H]

Does anyone know how awards work when making changes.

I currently hold a DOH-BNE award ticket booked through VA however I know want to change it to be DXB-DOH-BNE. There is no longer award space on the DOH-BNE flight but there is on the DXB-DOH flight, are they able to just add that flight on without destroying the existing DOH-BNE or would I be best to just book separately?

Is there any advantage to doing this on the same booking or does VA charge per sector? If the latter, then just get a new booking for the DXB-DOH flight.

 

[henrus]

Is there any advantage to doing this on the same booking or does VA charge per sector? If the latter, then just get a new booking for the DXB-DOH flight.

Less points really and security of a single ticket, It's tempting to just buy a cash fare SHJ (Sharjah 20km North of DXB) to DOH for $331, they've got a nice 11:40am flight that would give me ~8hrs connection in Doha (spend the afternoon in town).

If I got it on a single ticket there is a 5:50pm flight from SHJ which leaves a 1hr 50min connection in Doha, ideally this would be even better but I'd never risk that short time on split tickets.

I've currently paid 56k VA points + $187.84 taxes. The change fee would be $60 and the new taxes are $275.94 meaning it'll be no change in points and just $148.10 to make this change.

Regardless I'll call and figure out if it's possible but will have to wait until tomorrow when it's open again.