V Australia 777 vs. Qantas A380 LAX-SYD in economy
Oct 14, 2009, 10:21 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bargara Australia
Programs: VA, SQ, IHG, HH,ALL, Europcar
Posts: 1,530
Business Colleague recently flew SYD LAX premium economy on VA and Business on the return LAX SYD -said V Australia was outstanding. Could not fault the crew or the facilities in either class.
My colleague is a fussy person who would find fault in anything if he could.
My colleague is a fussy person who would find fault in anything if he could.
Oct 18, 2009, 2:35 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: ANZ G; QF G; DJ S
Posts: 77
Cheers, Starbear
Oct 18, 2009, 3:50 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Australia
Programs: QF LTS, Marriott LTP, ALL GOLD
Posts: 2,440
He posted this over on another website frequentflyer.com.au
"I'm not saying we won't ever do it. Just that SkyTeam is pretty weak in this part of the world and joining them could make it harder to have partnerships with airlines like Thai, Emirates and Malaysian and even say ANA that would be more useful to us.
There is a lot of baggage that comes will alliance membership which we can avoid with bilateral arrangements and still deliver most of the benefit of a global alliance to our guests."
also
"Still some issues to be sorted on reciprocity but I understand we are getting the highest levels of reciprocity that Delta has ever given to non-SkyTeam airlines. The plan is that Lounge members (including Velocity Gold) and J class guests will get access to all Delta lounges when travelling on an international itinerary. I believe the intent is that Velocity members will get points + status on VA-coded flights and points only on DL flights without VA code.
We would like to get to this level of reciprocity with Atlantic, Emirates, Malaysian and maybe SkyTeam airlines such as Korean and China Southern. Frankly we would like Singapore but they don't seem to like us - something to do with them not being able to fly trans-Pacific and Richard Branson tearing up a check for the purchase of VB in Ansett's dying days . Also given our level of competition with AirNZ and United and indirectly Air Canada we are probably persona-no-grata within Star. Essentially we want to be able to offer the same benefits as alliances, but without the overhead and being able to pick and choose who we deal with.
"
"I'm not saying we won't ever do it. Just that SkyTeam is pretty weak in this part of the world and joining them could make it harder to have partnerships with airlines like Thai, Emirates and Malaysian and even say ANA that would be more useful to us.
There is a lot of baggage that comes will alliance membership which we can avoid with bilateral arrangements and still deliver most of the benefit of a global alliance to our guests."
also
"Still some issues to be sorted on reciprocity but I understand we are getting the highest levels of reciprocity that Delta has ever given to non-SkyTeam airlines. The plan is that Lounge members (including Velocity Gold) and J class guests will get access to all Delta lounges when travelling on an international itinerary. I believe the intent is that Velocity members will get points + status on VA-coded flights and points only on DL flights without VA code.
We would like to get to this level of reciprocity with Atlantic, Emirates, Malaysian and maybe SkyTeam airlines such as Korean and China Southern. Frankly we would like Singapore but they don't seem to like us - something to do with them not being able to fly trans-Pacific and Richard Branson tearing up a check for the purchase of VB in Ansett's dying days . Also given our level of competition with AirNZ and United and indirectly Air Canada we are probably persona-no-grata within Star. Essentially we want to be able to offer the same benefits as alliances, but without the overhead and being able to pick and choose who we deal with.
"
Oct 18, 2009, 8:52 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: ANZ G; QF G; DJ S
Posts: 77
Hi AN_Boy, and thanks for your comprehensive answer. The 2nd section is more positive, but based on that I won't yet forgo my QF Gold or NZ Gold statuses, by giving V Oz my USA trip in Jan '10 (which would have been a PE+Biz combo).
I understand DJ's desire to keep their options open as well as the obligations attached to alliance m'ship, but I really think that their eternal fence-sitting is holding them back from being a viable alternative for Australian biz & govt travellers.
I understand DJ's desire to keep their options open as well as the obligations attached to alliance m'ship, but I really think that their eternal fence-sitting is holding them back from being a viable alternative for Australian biz & govt travellers.