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United to partner with Virgin Australia -- UA elite benefits starting 23 May 2022

United to partner with Virgin Australia -- UA elite benefits starting 23 May 2022

Old Dec 16, 2021, 3:48 am
  #31  
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Originally Posted by cfischer
true and there is a VA-SQ connection as well. With UA getting closer to SQ ,,, there could be some really interesting options on the table now
The UA-SQ partnership announcement was really short on details. We still don't know how far it will go and how elites in both programs will benefit.

Originally Posted by uanj
Yes, it has the potential to change travel between the US and OA since VA has dropped all long haul flying. As a result VA is now reliant on their US partner for all connectivity to/from the US. DL is only flying one flight, LAX-SYD. DL onward connections from LAX are limited unless you add two connections involving an additional DL hub. UA will first give VA pax more flight choices from SYD and MEL and much better connectivity within the US, especially from SFO or IAH. UA historically flies far more people into OZ than DL, if VA coordinates well they should pick up the lion's share of onwards domestic connections on the OZ side.

VA is emerging from bankruptcy and needs to focus on their core business. From their side I can see why they are looking for a partner who will deliver the most passengers into their domestic system. DL with one flight a day is of limited benefit.
Pre-COVID, did UA have more flights to Australia than DL?
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 5:38 am
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by lsquare
Pre-COVID, did UA have more flights to Australia than DL?
Short answer- yes. Long answer subject to memory loss: DL LAX-SYD daily. UA LAX-SYD daily, SFO-SYD daily, SFO-MEL daily, IAH-SYD 4X weekly. I am not sure about LAX-MEL. Hopefully someone will chime in with the correct info!

I think it is important for Australia to have two viable airlines. When VA was flying to the US the DL partnership worked to some degree. But with VA's bankruptcy and restructuring they will drop all long haul. They now need a US partner who will deliver passengers to them and a partner who wants to work with them. OZ seems to be more of an after thought to DL, a check-the-box type of destination as in yeah, we fly there, too.
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 5:49 am
  #33  
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Originally Posted by uanj
Short answer- yes. Long answer subject to memory loss: DL LAX-SYD daily. UA LAX-SYD daily, SFO-SYD daily, SFO-MEL daily, IAH-SYD 4X weekly. I am not sure about LAX-MEL. Hopefully someone will chime in with the correct info!

I think it is important for Australia to have two viable airlines. When VA was flying to the US the DL partnership worked to some degree. But with VA's bankruptcy and restructuring they will drop all long haul. They now need a US partner who will deliver passengers to them and a partner who wants to work with them. OZ seems to be more of an after thought to DL, a check-the-box type of destination as in yeah, we fly there, too.
What the heck? Why didn't VA team up with UA earlier?
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 6:42 am
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by lsquare
What the heck? Why didn't VA team up with UA earlier?
Years ago VA had bigger aspirations so having a US partner with limited flights to Oz but ability to do onward connections in the US did not seem like a bad fit. That would be my guess.

I'll add that for a company that has been around for 20 years they have had about 100 years worth of boardroom drama. I am glad they are still around, but also surprised they are still around.
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 7:48 am
  #35  
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Originally Posted by uanj
Short answer- yes. Long answer subject to memory loss: DL LAX-SYD daily. UA LAX-SYD daily, SFO-SYD daily, SFO-MEL daily, IAH-SYD 4X weekly. I am not sure about LAX-MEL. Hopefully someone will chime in with the correct info!

I think it is important for Australia to have two viable airlines. When VA was flying to the US the DL partnership worked to some degree. But with VA's bankruptcy and restructuring they will drop all long haul. They now need a US partner who will deliver passengers to them and a partner who wants to work with them. OZ seems to be more of an after thought to DL, a check-the-box type of destination as in yeah, we fly there, too.
UA had LAX-MEL. I don't remember an SFO-MEL at all.

-RM
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 12:05 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by RobOnLI
UA had LAX-MEL. I don't remember an SFO-MEL at all.

-RM
I used to keep tracked of USA<--->AU routes, Had this at 15 Mar 2020, but may not be correct
United UA (LAX - MEL, LAX SFO IAH SYD) (SFO - MEL from 31 Oct 2019)[Star Alliance].Reduced service IAH-SYD & LAX-SYD March 29 through October 25 2019
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 1:02 pm
  #37  
 
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This is amazing news. I keep (BA) OneWorld status, so that I get lounge access on QF for domestic trips. It will be great to have VA lounge access as well.

This will give me an additional luggage allowance on domestic Australian flights, something I don't get on QF with BA status.
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 2:31 pm
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by FLYMSY
Thats good news. One of the best meals that Ive had on a plane in recent years was on a Virgin Australia flight, SYD-AYQ, in First. Wines were pretty good, also. Much better than what is served on UA & LH in J.
Second this, as I had outstanding VA service in J SYD to PER. On par with a middle east/asian carrier.
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Old Dec 16, 2021, 5:33 pm
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by lsquare
What the heck? Why didn't VA team up with UA earlier?
UA did team up with the low cost carrier Virgin Blue in Australia (predecessor to Virgin Australia) with a simple interline and codeshare partnership. Whilst UA fliers were able to burn miles on Virgin Blue and get extra legroom seats on the LCC, VB passengers were not able to do the reverse on Virgin Blue Velocity.

The then-Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey ended the UA codeshare in favour of the DL partnership and JV when he and Branson set up V Australia for their own Australia-USA flights. VA also had VX as a second USA partnership until VX were merged into AS.
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Old Dec 17, 2021, 7:52 am
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Mwenenzi
I used to keep tracked of USA<--->AU routes, Had this at 15 Mar 2020, but may not be correct
United UA (LAX - MEL, LAX SFO IAH SYD) (SFO - MEL from 31 Oct 2019)[Star Alliance].Reduced service IAH-SYD & LAX-SYD March 29 through October 25 2019
Explains why I didn't know about SFO-MEL. I didn't fly to Oz after Sept 2019 so I wasn't looking at the schedules. Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like that one was short-lived as LAX-MEL came about with the 787 capabilities and no longer needing a 777 to go LAX-SYD-MEL (at least that's how I remember it).

-RM
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Old Dec 17, 2021, 11:37 am
  #41  
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Hopefully next step would be a full *A membership... SQ, NH are already their partners...
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Old Dec 17, 2021, 3:44 pm
  #42  
 
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I have always wanted to visit Australia. Idk which airline is the best for doing so, but I guess this is good for me as a 1k, right?
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Old Dec 18, 2021, 10:38 am
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by ekwang
I have always wanted to visit Australia. Idk which airline is the best for doing so, but I guess this is good for me as a 1k, right?
Having traveled intra-australia a lot over the past 20 years I can say that having a UA reciprocal partner is definitely a benefit. Aside from the initial awkward Intl-domestic transfer issue (SYD has separate terminals in which require a bus or taxi or train unless you are interlining) there is the issue of domestic travel once you are there. During the Ansett days it was great having the lounge and *G priority access with ticketing, seating, etc. Now you have to deal with cabin baggage issues, long check in queues, buy your way into lounges etc. unless you have status via QF or partners etc. My projects had me doing a lot of domestic australia flying so that was a useful benefit. Whether it means much for MP earnings or not is a TBD/YMMV scenario. Most of the fares in Aus. are quite reasonable though, particularly if they offer passes.
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Old Dec 18, 2021, 10:54 am
  #44  
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offish topic
Originally Posted by prestonh
........Aside from the initial awkward Intl-domestic transfer issue (SYD has separate terminals in which require a bus or taxi or train unless you are interlining) there is the issue of domestic travel once you are there.......
So fly into MEL where no such issues exist Some people chose to transit AKL (Air NZ - Star Alliance) instead of SYD if going to an AU airport other than SYD or MEL
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Old Dec 18, 2021, 11:26 am
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by Mwenenzi
offish topic

So fly into MEL where no such issues exist Some people chose to transit AKL (Air NZ - Star Alliance) instead of SYD if going to an AU airport other than SYD or MEL
Connection Fares on nz are not very reasonable and they do not have an extensive connection transtasman schedule, let alone one that is optimized for the ua connection.

Yes Mel is better but that assumes you are flying south. Doesn't always make sense for a north coast or qld conx.
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