Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: AUS - Formerly MSP, IAD/DCA, SYD, CBR, BNE, JNB
Programs: QF & NW Clubs. Will never buy another ticket on UA or US.
Posts: 1,100
I doubt that Virgin Blue will share Virgin Atlantic's FF program. More likely, the Virgin Atlantic reference related to a code share relationship like the one already in place between Virgin Blue and United.
Other reasons I think it is unlikely:
*Virgin Atlantic's program is geared for long distance sectors, Virgin Blues would need to be related to short segments.
*Ownership - the companies do not have the same ownership. Virgin Atlantic is half owned by Singapore Air, while Virgin Blue is half owned by Virgin Atlantic - this would require Virgin Blue to buy miles from Virgin Atlantic and then Virgin Atlantic to buy seats from Virgin Blue - lots of overhead and potential liability.
*Virgin Atlantic's program is geared to be competitive with UK and US programs while Virgin Blue's Program needs only to be competitive with Qantas and Air New Zealand.
*Virgin Blue likes to portray itself as an innovator and frankly there is nothing innovative about Virgin Atlantic's FF prog.
That all said it would be nice if there had been a unified FF program for some time for Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Express, Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue, Virgin Nigeria etc and it would be nice if they created a merged program going forward (or better yet drop the plethora of brands and just have a unified Virgin Airlines brand covering them all) but I won't hold my breath (ownership is probably the biggest issue).