Virgin Australia flights to Doha now on sale

[I love to travel]

By the book, the answer is no because it is a VA flight and VA doesn’t interline with TK. It also answers your second question because with a wet lease, all of the handling, baggage, catering, amenities etc is the responsibility of the lessee, unless it’s included in the agreement.

The Finnair wet lease flights for QF have QF catering, bedding, ammenities and IFE. Everything on the ground including check in and baggage is identical to QF metal flights.

That said, the VA/QR lease agreement isn’t typical and is effectively a full QR flight. I think everything will be the same as QR, except the bags at DOH - that is an interesting question. There will be differences though, non-QR oneworld status won’t be recognised.

That is what I thought re baggage. About the catering etc, I have spent considerable time trying to find where it specifically states it will be QR food, bedding etc. There is nothing, everything is very carefully worded around service and Q-Suite. There may be some very disapointed people expecting a QR experience and getting VA transcontinental J service

 

[jase05]

By the book, the answer is no because it is a VA flight and VA doesn’t interline with TK

OT but How does that work when Aeroplan has award seats available for VA-TK flights from Australia. I’ve looked at a few ADL-MEL-SIN flights but sounds like I’ll have to collect bags at MEL which is not ideal

 

[jase05]

There is nothing, everything is very carefully worded around service and Q-Suite.

I don’t always believe the online chat answers but in a couple of interactions with QR they indicated that the aircraft would all be QSuite equipped but the food/ammenities would be by VA. I would suspect though that QR won’t want their brand tarnished too much though and will have a very big input into meals etc. They will be pulling the strings

 

[justinbrett]

OT but How does that work when Aeroplan has award seats available for VA-TK flights from Australia. I’ve looked at a few ADL-MEL-SIN flights but sounds like I’ll have to collect bags at MEL which is not ideal

The equivalent would be using QR PC to book a VA domestic flight connecting to a QF international flight. QR may well sell you the trip but you’re still going to have to recheck your bag.

Actually have just seen VA and TK do have a baggage agreement just not full interline so I think that would mean VA could tag your bag to IST (or wherever) but you’d probably have to go to the transfer desk in DOH to get it assigned to your next flight.

 

[I love to travel]

I don’t always believe the online chat answers but in a couple of interactions with QR they indicated that the aircraft would all be QSuite equipped but the food/ammenities would be by VA. I would suspect though that QR won’t want their brand tarnished too much though and will have a very big input into meals etc. They will be pulling the strings

I think I might wait to see how this plays out before pulling the trigger on anything. Surely @DavidFlynn or AFF editor will run with all the details at some stage.

 

[jase05]

I think I might wait to see how this plays out before pulling the trigger on anything. Surely @DavidFlynn or AFF editor will run with all the details at some stage.

I would probably book one ex Australia to DOH as lounges are still ok and I’d be very confident that QSuites will be used. Ex DOH is probably a no though for me as no AS lounge access is probably the deal breaker

 

[Bolter]

I would probably book one ex Australia to DOH as lounges are still ok and I’d be very confident that QSuites will be used. Ex DOH is probably a no though for me as no AS lounge access is probably the deal breaker

Sorry what's 'AS'? Not listed in the acronym page.

 

[PERLHR]

Sorry what's 'AS'? Not listed in the acronym page.

Alaskan Airlines.

 

[jase05]

Sorry what's 'AS'? Not listed in the acronym page.

Al Safwa first class lounge in Doha

 

[justinbrett]

Al Safwa first class lounge in Doha

There’s probably a better way to refer to it

 

[LokiMc]

Anyone seen availability on J rewards EX Doha from beyond Tuesday 09 DEC? Can only find economy at the moment.

 

[I love to travel]

Gee the flight loads on Expertflyer are really low for August. They must be getting a tad worried. Or there is a massive sale coming at some point in time

 

[I love to travel]

Changed my mind and bit the bullet with an Aeroplan award. If it all goes pearshaped, will just have to buy a one way and suck it up in Y.

 

[I love to travel]

Go to MMB on Air Canada app or website and it gives you the partner reference numbers. Need to go on VA site to select seats

I could not get it to work for an Aeroplan booking as there was no Qatar reference number. First person at Virgin could not do it, second person could. Interestingly Qatar could not even see the flight booking reference number at all on their website or when I phoned them. As Virgin could however, am not worried as it is probably just a wet lease quirk. Turkish airlines could easily see the connecting flights on their metal too.

 

[jase05]

I could not get it to work for an Aeroplan booking as there was no Qatar reference number. First person at Virgin could not do it, second person could. Interestingly Qatar could not even see the flight booking reference number at all on their website or when I phoned them. As Virgin could however, am not worried as it is probably just a wet lease quirk. Turkish airlines could easily see the connecting flights on their metal too.

Yes, I believe the wet leased flights you have to call VA to select seats no matter how it’s booked

 

[I love to travel]

Yes, I believe the wet leased flights you have to call VA to select seats no matter how it’s booked

So moral of the story is when you call VA, if they say you can;t book seats HUCA