Air New Zealand / Virgin Australia Trans-Tasman Alliance Information
#271
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,580
Having said that, nothing will surprise me with NZ nowadays. Like why would they classify DPS as Pacific Island?
#272
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,580
From KC T&C's:
The Koru Member must be departing on one of the following flights (if they wish to access an Air New Zealand International Lounge):
1. an Air New Zealand operated aircraft (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number); or
2. a Virgin Australia operated aircraft for travel within Australia and between New Zealand and Australia (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number); or
3. on a Cathay Pacific operated aircraft if travelling between Hong Kong and Auckland (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number).
The Koru Member must be departing on one of the following flights (if they wish to access an Air New Zealand International Lounge):
1. an Air New Zealand operated aircraft (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number); or
2. a Virgin Australia operated aircraft for travel within Australia and between New Zealand and Australia (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number); or
3. on a Cathay Pacific operated aircraft if travelling between Hong Kong and Auckland (with an Air New Zealand ticket and flight number).
English is my second language but I thought I understood English better than these guys.
#274
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 899
Interesting. I missed the KC bit. That directly contradicts to the information on the Virgin Australia page. Most NZ employees don't know that beside trans-Tasman flights, NZ have a wider FFP relationship with VA which covers other international flights not Pacific Islands, which effectively mean AUH, LAX and HKT.
Having said that, nothing will surprise me with NZ nowadays. Like why would they classify DPS as Pacific Island?
Having said that, nothing will surprise me with NZ nowadays. Like why would they classify DPS as Pacific Island?
#275
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: NZ*G, United.
Posts: 194
A recent data point. Flying Virgin Australia Sydney to Auckland booked from AirNZ website (outbound was on NZ metal). Directed to the AirNZ lounge at checkin. Told there that my wife's Elite Partner status wouldnt get her in, but that I could bring her in as my guest. This is consistent with the website if you read it right. Not sure how happy she would have been if I wasn't travelling with her.
#278
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,580
All VA fares will include free baggage from next month apart from tran-Tasman routes. On the Tasman, now VA has Business Class on their 737's and they are retaining a single booking class to accommodate their alliance with NZ. I can see a lot of conflicts in terms of pricing between the 2 carriers. How can 2 carriers with complete different fare structures coordinate marketing and sales is totally beyond me. Wait until VA add meals to all fares to add to the already complicated and confusing alliance.
Effective 17 March 2015, Virgin Australia will commence a Fare Class re-alignment across our Domestic and Trans-Tasman markets, removing the Saver Lite brand from all markets except Trans-Tasman. All fares will now include complimentary luggage across the network. This change has been made as a result of strong customer feedback and streamlines the airline's product offering.
We are retaining a single booking class on Trans-Tasman sectors as bagless to maintain parity with our Trans-Tasman partner Air New Zealand. All ticketed Saver Lite fares remain valid.
Effective 17 March 2015, Virgin Australia will commence a Fare Class re-alignment across our Domestic and Trans-Tasman markets, removing the Saver Lite brand from all markets except Trans-Tasman. All fares will now include complimentary luggage across the network. This change has been made as a result of strong customer feedback and streamlines the airline's product offering.
We are retaining a single booking class on Trans-Tasman sectors as bagless to maintain parity with our Trans-Tasman partner Air New Zealand. All ticketed Saver Lite fares remain valid.
#280
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,990
#281
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, KQ Gold, Accor Gold, IHG Gold, Choice Gold
Posts: 672
Unfortunately that means no lounge access flying to Honiara, regardless of whether I fly VA or IE.
Priority Pass really need to get their act together in Australia...
#282
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: NZ*G ELT, VA-G
Posts: 3,580
Well, I flew SYD-NAN on VA last year with my Airpoints number attached and it scanned green at the machine and they let me in. Wouldn't hurt to try.
#283
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: VA Silver, NZ Gold
Posts: 327
For status credits how does VA know you paid with Airpoints?
I just made a dummy TT booking using Airpoints into a "T" fare class. The same fare class is assigned when paying in cash. The flight has an NZ number, but is operated by VA.
According to this chart this fare class should accrue VA status credits.
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...EarnFareClass/
But this page makes me realise it doesn't...
"Any Air New Zealand flight where AirPoints Dollars have been used as a form of payment irrespective of the fare class flown."
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...es/PointsEarn/
So how does VA know I paid with Airpoints?
According to this chart this fare class should accrue VA status credits.
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...EarnFareClass/
But this page makes me realise it doesn't...
"Any Air New Zealand flight where AirPoints Dollars have been used as a form of payment irrespective of the fare class flown."
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...es/PointsEarn/
So how does VA know I paid with Airpoints?
#284
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Usually Auckland, NZ
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), QF S (OWR), UA 0.14MM
Posts: 690
I just made a dummy TT booking using Airpoints into a "T" fare class. The same fare class is assigned when paying in cash. The flight has an NZ number, but is operated by VA.
According to this chart this fare class should accrue VA status credits.
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...EarnFareClass/
But this page makes me realise it doesn't...
"Any Air New Zealand flight where AirPoints Dollars have been used as a form of payment irrespective of the fare class flown."
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...es/PointsEarn/
So how does VA know I paid with Airpoints?
According to this chart this fare class should accrue VA status credits.
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...EarnFareClass/
But this page makes me realise it doesn't...
"Any Air New Zealand flight where AirPoints Dollars have been used as a form of payment irrespective of the fare class flown."
https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.co...es/PointsEarn/
So how does VA know I paid with Airpoints?
In short, if you buy a TT ticket on NZ's site, NZ's flight number but on VA metal, as long as your Airpoints number is properly attached in the system (important: shows on the boarding pass), even if you pay with Airpoints dollars, you will earn Status Points AND Airpoints Dollars for whatever fare class it was booked into.
Worked every single time for me as recently as this year in April.
Also note that when travelling on such a flight, I check in with VA, NOT NZ. So the boarding pass is a VA issued one (not sure how important it is for this glitch to manifest itself). Because on these flights I've seen people board with NZ issued/printed boarding passes.
I am sure NZ is aware of this but seems not interested in fixing.