What is Virgin Australia's strategy (post-administration)?

[HS-TQE]

Would also be very costly to upgrade as well. Very likely Bain will use their bargaining power for Star and/or UA to pay for those costs if they were to be theoretically interested or have already sent in the application forms under NDA (non-disclosure) agreements.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Lufthansa could be a good option.

Isn’t there a yawning gap between where LH flies and where VA flies?

cheers skip

 

[jakeseven7]

Off the top of my head I believe TAP, SAS, Copa, and Lufthansa/Swiss/Austrian might use Sabre well.

Even discounting Star Alliance, VA probably needs a new Europe partner (not that the previous ones were that great). Lufthansa could be a good option.

Maybe just a cost barrier then rather than an impossibility

 

[dajop]

Isn’t there a yawning gap between where LH flies and where VA flies?

cheers skip

LH puts their codes onto a number of services to Australia and VA puts their code onto a number of places LH/LX etc fly. (or they did prior to covid).

But it’s not so much about the connections it’s about passenger feed and reciprocity of benefits, increasing the value of the loyalty program and at the same time locking in some more potential customers. Before 2020, I’m sure there were plenty of Miles and More members who travelled to Australia on SQ, TG and NH and also plenty of Velocity members who flew to Europe on SQ and EY.

Whether this is enough to make such a partnership worthwhile to both parties, who knows.

 

[http_x92]

Exclusive interview with Pointhacks:

Virgin Australia eyes 'the world of possibilities' with international travel and alliances

Not saying much about the Star Alliance question but 'always open to the world of possibilities'.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

Isn’t there a yawning gap between where LH flies and where VA flies?

cheers skip

True, I was thinking more when people might go on a longer trip and travel around Europe rather than getting there and back from Australia. Same as Alitalia and Air Berlin didn't really have connections with VA flights.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Would be nice if NH's logo appears next on the confirmed list of their partners.
Feels like its an on and off and on again sort of alliance, this VA and NH alliance.
Going via SIN to parts of Asia is nice, but direct Au to Japan with NH while earning VFF points is faster.
I don't dare to book even when borders reopen without PCR tests, with NH and putting in my VFF # into the booking, without anymore info on the VFF and NH partnership.
It would indeed be great if news came out, and it was confirmed they would be joining *A.

 

[HS-TQE]

Exclusive interview with Pointhacks:

Virgin Australia eyes 'the world of possibilities' with international travel and alliances

Not saying much about the Star Alliance question but 'always open to the world of possibilities'.

In regards to VAi (short haul) expansion, BNE-AKL would be more viable than say SYD-AKL or MEL-AKL in mid 2022, as a extension of the UA partnership.

Although UA will not be able to stick their code on BNE-AKL-BNE due to the separate NZ JV, VA would be able to stick their code on AKL-SFO/LAX-AKL.

This would enable UA an increase in BNE/Qld customers without spending CapEx to use their own aircraft (unless of course the Qld Government waves the taxpayer subsidy carrot in front of UA's face)

By extension OOL-AKL-OOL may also be viable as well (same rules apply).

 

[jakeseven7]

Exclusive interview with Pointhacks:

Virgin Australia eyes 'the world of possibilities' with international travel and alliances

Not saying much about the Star Alliance question but 'always open to the world of possibilities'.

One world?!?!

If they had said a universe of possibilities that would have been more of a hint

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

JB's ideals seem to have carried over, re a bespoke FF relationship, till I am proven wrong, its seems so.
At this point in time, no confirmed alliance with either of the big 3, *A, OW or ST.

 

[HS-TQE]

LH puts their codes onto a number of services to Australia and VA puts their code onto a number of places LH/LX etc fly. (or they did prior to covid).

LH group had interlines with both VA and QF prior to COVID and VA filing voluntarily administration. Whether if the LH group sign with VA (or QF) for preferred codeshares on the other hand..?

(If the later, which would be in addition to their AF/KL agreement, it just puts LH into a situation where a theoretical QF codeshare is the primary Australian income with the VA interlines being the pocket change)

 

[dajop]

LH group had interlines with both VA and QF prior to COVID and VA filing voluntarily administration. Whether if the LH group sign with VA (or QF) for preferred codeshares on the other hand..?

(If the later, which would be in addition to their AF/KL agreement, it just puts LH into a situation where a theoretical QF codeshare is the primary Australian income with the VA interlines being the pocket change)

But a partnership is not just about interlines. My whole point was the value that lies in the loyalty program tie ups. This is what drives Qantas profitability - and their ability to capture premiums and incentivise people to find ways around BFOD policies, etc The interline connections are just icing on the cake.

 

[jakeseven7]

Isn’t there a yawning gap between where LH flies and where VA flies?

cheers skip

A gap that a very deep relationship with SQ could fix... one with 1:1 Velocity-KrisFlyer transfers too hopefully

 

[HS-TQE]

A gap that a very deep relationship with SQ could fix... one with 1:1 Velocity-KrisFlyer transfers too hopefully

With 'carrier charges' thrown in for the 1:1 in courtesy of Bain. Gotta make their money back from the drain to SQ/Velocity/Krisflyer somehow

 

[jakeseven7]

Just an interesting tit bit…

After they closed the Virgin Village and downsized to some floors in an office building in the city, everyone expected Sydney to be next. But apparently they’ve kept Sydney open for a couple of key strategic reasons…

 

[Saab34]

Sydney is Velocity also. Woolworths has also opened a Sydney specific office. They also moved the entire digital side of the business to the city, Velocity is in the city also.

That would be talent related. They will lose too many good people if they went completely Brisbane based.

 

[HS-TQE]

Velocity is still Sydney based to this day, post Bain takeover.

Whilst it was said that all Virgin HQ functions will move to Brisbane (Co-tenants taking up a few floors in the Flight Centre building in South Bank to be exact), this did 'not' include Velocity, as it is still a separate company (a (only) 'profitable' subsidiary as they say).

 

[jakeseven7]

Velocity is still Sydney based to this day, post Bain takeover.

Whilst it was said that all Virgin HQ functions will move to Brisbane (Co-tenants taking up a few floors in the Flight Centre building in South Bank to be exact), this did 'not' include Velocity, as it is still a separate company (a (only) 'profitable' subsidiary as they say).

Let’s just say a few Virgin corp people who survived the great cull managed to stay in Sydney

 

[HS-TQE]

Let’s just say a few Virgin corp people who survived the great cull managed to stay in Sydney

As was reported in a different forum, was reportedly digital related in both Velocity and VAH, inc.

BNE doesn't exactly have the Tech population as their bigger southern city brothers.

 

[HS-TQE]

Way to blow up a ️

I'd say the Star and any sighted 'plain white plane' registered to VA will be the new "will SQ taek ovah VA!!!!111!!!!!" topic that was across the internet between 2016 to 2020.