Virgin Blue & Emirates FF programme
Nov 14, 2005 | 11:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MEL, AU
Programs: DJ Velocity, Skywards
Posts: 134
Virgin Blue & Emirates FF programme
Hi there
This item from The Sydney Morning Herald Tue 15 Nov 2005
Virgin Blue is poised to launch an attack on Qantas today by revealing a joint frequent-flyer scheme with Emirates and the launch of an associated credit card.
A Virgin Blue spokeswoman would only say yesterday that chief executive Brett Godfrey would make a "significant announcement" at Sydney Airport this morning, the day before its annual profit results are released.
But an Emirates representative confirmed to the Herald that the carriers had joined forces to take on Qantas. Other industry sources said Virgin was preparing to launch a new credit card - possibly in partnership with National Australia Bank - which would allow customers to accumulate frequent-flyer points.
In newspaper advertisements targeted at business travellers yesterday, Virgin Blue promised to deliver a "next-generation loyalty program" without providing specifics.
But if Mr Godfrey's media conference proceeds as expected, it means Virgin Blue could begin to make inroads into the business travel market after being squeezed between Qantas and Jetstar.
"I think a loyalty program for Virgin is generally a good thing for corporate Australia," said Robert Dell, commercial director of Flight Centre's corporate travel arm, FCM Travel Solutions.
The Emirates deal will make Virgin Blue's frequent-flyer program attractive to business travellers who can use points from domestic flights toward destinations such as London and Dubai.
Virgin Blue already has code-share arrangements with Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines. In June a Virgin Group representative told the Herald that its code-share program would lead to shared frequent-flyer points once Virgin Blue's loyalty program was launched. That would add Hong Kong to the list of frequent-flyer destinations, and US destinations could be added through United.
A senior consultant at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Ian Thomas, said alliances with international carriers had made Ansett's loyalty program popular with business travellers before the airline's collapse in 2001 and could do the same for Virgin Blue.
But the deal with Emirates could prove a negative for Virgin Blue in one respect: Singapore Airlines said yesterday it had no immediate plans to join the loyalty program. Singapore Air spokesman Stephen Forshaw said it ended a frequent-flyer alliance with Emirates in 2004 and considered the Dubai airline a competitor rather than a friend.
Virgin Blue rose 5c to $1.60.
-End of news item-
Is DJ joining Skywards or will this be a DJ FF programme with EK as a member?
This item from The Sydney Morning Herald Tue 15 Nov 2005
Virgin Blue is poised to launch an attack on Qantas today by revealing a joint frequent-flyer scheme with Emirates and the launch of an associated credit card.
A Virgin Blue spokeswoman would only say yesterday that chief executive Brett Godfrey would make a "significant announcement" at Sydney Airport this morning, the day before its annual profit results are released.
But an Emirates representative confirmed to the Herald that the carriers had joined forces to take on Qantas. Other industry sources said Virgin was preparing to launch a new credit card - possibly in partnership with National Australia Bank - which would allow customers to accumulate frequent-flyer points.
In newspaper advertisements targeted at business travellers yesterday, Virgin Blue promised to deliver a "next-generation loyalty program" without providing specifics.
But if Mr Godfrey's media conference proceeds as expected, it means Virgin Blue could begin to make inroads into the business travel market after being squeezed between Qantas and Jetstar.
"I think a loyalty program for Virgin is generally a good thing for corporate Australia," said Robert Dell, commercial director of Flight Centre's corporate travel arm, FCM Travel Solutions.
The Emirates deal will make Virgin Blue's frequent-flyer program attractive to business travellers who can use points from domestic flights toward destinations such as London and Dubai.
Virgin Blue already has code-share arrangements with Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines. In June a Virgin Group representative told the Herald that its code-share program would lead to shared frequent-flyer points once Virgin Blue's loyalty program was launched. That would add Hong Kong to the list of frequent-flyer destinations, and US destinations could be added through United.
A senior consultant at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Ian Thomas, said alliances with international carriers had made Ansett's loyalty program popular with business travellers before the airline's collapse in 2001 and could do the same for Virgin Blue.
But the deal with Emirates could prove a negative for Virgin Blue in one respect: Singapore Airlines said yesterday it had no immediate plans to join the loyalty program. Singapore Air spokesman Stephen Forshaw said it ended a frequent-flyer alliance with Emirates in 2004 and considered the Dubai airline a competitor rather than a friend.
Virgin Blue rose 5c to $1.60.
-End of news item-
Is DJ joining Skywards or will this be a DJ FF programme with EK as a member?
^
Nov 14, 2005 | 12:27 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Saxony-Germany
Programs: EK Skywards silver
Posts: 24
That would certainly make the Skywards programme a serious contender for European frequent travellers to Australia !
Seems like Emirates has a bone to pick with Qantas....bring it on !! ^
Seems like Emirates has a bone to pick with Qantas....bring it on !! ^
Nov 14, 2005 | 6:43 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA, AB, AC, ..., ZZ
Posts: 1,086
Originally Posted by vflyer
Hi there
This item from The Sydney Morning Herald Tue 15 Nov 2005
Virgin Blue is poised to launch an attack on Qantas today by revealing a joint frequent-flyer scheme with Emirates and the launch of an associated credit card.
A Virgin Blue spokeswoman would only say yesterday that chief executive Brett Godfrey would make a "significant announcement" at Sydney Airport this morning, the day before its annual profit results are released.
But an Emirates representative confirmed to the Herald that the carriers had joined forces to take on Qantas. Other industry sources said Virgin was preparing to launch a new credit card - possibly in partnership with National Australia Bank - which would allow customers to accumulate frequent-flyer points.
In newspaper advertisements targeted at business travellers yesterday, Virgin Blue promised to deliver a "next-generation loyalty program" without providing specifics.
But if Mr Godfrey's media conference proceeds as expected, it means Virgin Blue could begin to make inroads into the business travel market after being squeezed between Qantas and Jetstar.
"I think a loyalty program for Virgin is generally a good thing for corporate Australia," said Robert Dell, commercial director of Flight Centre's corporate travel arm, FCM Travel Solutions.
The Emirates deal will make Virgin Blue's frequent-flyer program attractive to business travellers who can use points from domestic flights toward destinations such as London and Dubai.
Virgin Blue already has code-share arrangements with Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines. In June a Virgin Group representative told the Herald that its code-share program would lead to shared frequent-flyer points once Virgin Blue's loyalty program was launched. That would add Hong Kong to the list of frequent-flyer destinations, and US destinations could be added through United.
A senior consultant at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Ian Thomas, said alliances with international carriers had made Ansett's loyalty program popular with business travellers before the airline's collapse in 2001 and could do the same for Virgin Blue.
But the deal with Emirates could prove a negative for Virgin Blue in one respect: Singapore Airlines said yesterday it had no immediate plans to join the loyalty program. Singapore Air spokesman Stephen Forshaw said it ended a frequent-flyer alliance with Emirates in 2004 and considered the Dubai airline a competitor rather than a friend.
Virgin Blue rose 5c to $1.60.
-End of news item-
Is DJ joining Skywards or will this be a DJ FF programme with EK as a member?
This item from The Sydney Morning Herald Tue 15 Nov 2005
Virgin Blue is poised to launch an attack on Qantas today by revealing a joint frequent-flyer scheme with Emirates and the launch of an associated credit card.
A Virgin Blue spokeswoman would only say yesterday that chief executive Brett Godfrey would make a "significant announcement" at Sydney Airport this morning, the day before its annual profit results are released.
But an Emirates representative confirmed to the Herald that the carriers had joined forces to take on Qantas. Other industry sources said Virgin was preparing to launch a new credit card - possibly in partnership with National Australia Bank - which would allow customers to accumulate frequent-flyer points.
In newspaper advertisements targeted at business travellers yesterday, Virgin Blue promised to deliver a "next-generation loyalty program" without providing specifics.
But if Mr Godfrey's media conference proceeds as expected, it means Virgin Blue could begin to make inroads into the business travel market after being squeezed between Qantas and Jetstar.
"I think a loyalty program for Virgin is generally a good thing for corporate Australia," said Robert Dell, commercial director of Flight Centre's corporate travel arm, FCM Travel Solutions.
The Emirates deal will make Virgin Blue's frequent-flyer program attractive to business travellers who can use points from domestic flights toward destinations such as London and Dubai.
Virgin Blue already has code-share arrangements with Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines. In June a Virgin Group representative told the Herald that its code-share program would lead to shared frequent-flyer points once Virgin Blue's loyalty program was launched. That would add Hong Kong to the list of frequent-flyer destinations, and US destinations could be added through United.
A senior consultant at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Ian Thomas, said alliances with international carriers had made Ansett's loyalty program popular with business travellers before the airline's collapse in 2001 and could do the same for Virgin Blue.
But the deal with Emirates could prove a negative for Virgin Blue in one respect: Singapore Airlines said yesterday it had no immediate plans to join the loyalty program. Singapore Air spokesman Stephen Forshaw said it ended a frequent-flyer alliance with Emirates in 2004 and considered the Dubai airline a competitor rather than a friend.
Virgin Blue rose 5c to $1.60.
-End of news item-
Is DJ joining Skywards or will this be a DJ FF programme with EK as a member?
Check out the Emirates or Velocity pages on http://www.milemaven.com
Nov 22, 2005 | 10:49 am
#7
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,445
Its not yet showing on skywards website - but wouldnt be surprised to see it added.
As for DJ acknowledging EK status - doubt it. They dont even have status levels of their own.
As for DJ acknowledging EK status - doubt it. They dont even have status levels of their own.