This is great! If VA joins *A that'd be even better = I can consolidate on two alliances with FFPs based at home.
The main thing to see will be how SQ and VA tee up their earning structures. SQ aren't the friendliest of airlines in *A, what with restricting (i.e. pretty much outright blocking) redemption of new J, new F and Suites, and only granting points earn on non-sale fares (e.g. "Sweet Deals" or "Hot Deals" on SQ's website do not earn points or status, even for their own KF members).
What is
interesting is if this tie up will break down some of those barriers. One key one seems to have already been broken, i.e. VA/SQ reciprocal lounge access. *G members can only access the KrisFlyer Gold lounge in SIN, which is admittedly inferior. AFAICT the only Economy pax that get access to the true SIN T3 SilverKris lounges (even the J one) are SQ KF Gold and PPS members. If I'm speculating this tie up correctly, VA Gold members may be the only non-KF flyers that can hold a Y ticket and use the SilverKris lounge. Certainly, that's going to create a
real stir for all the other members of *A. Tip in the ability for VA members to redeem at least even on new J and new F (i.e. on new 777 aircraft, all-business 345 and A380 (except Suites)), and not only will this really rile up all other *A FFP members, but you just might see a
real surge in VA FFP membership.
I wouldn't go so far as to say this is the nail in coffin for QF. Sure, I've been in QF's camp for eons and still will be, but the most I see is that VA will achieve its business goals. QF will survive, but it won't like its new position, and probably most here won't, but then we don't represent all fliers around the country (whether you like to regard them as "suckers" or free thinking people for flying QF is up to you). And whilst we can blame all of QF's demise on the
should-have-never-been-born-and-neither-should've-his-god-forsaken-mother Alan Joyce
, again I see QF as basically losing its market share as planned (i.e. there was really nothing they could do about it, it was going to happen irrespective of the success of VA and its Game Change Plan).
What I
really want to see is the market heat up so much that we will have real drivers for cost reduction, with VA and QF (amongst other worthy contenders) sporting toe-to-toe product with toe-to-toe pricing. Only when we have a critical market similar to that around the world (e.g. in the UK and the USA) will we start to get the kinds of prices we wish for long haul travel (especially in premium classes) we only see from various other regions around the world. This is especially challenging since the Australia/New Zealand market alone doesn't have the bare bones capacity compared to other regions to create a large market with good economies of scale.
Next announcement: VA introduces First Class (hey! Whilst we're dreaming....)
