Virgin booked Flights to Canada all coming up Air Canada and NOT Delta?

[ozstamps]

Virgin booked Flights to Canada all coming up Air Canada and NOT Delta?

Was just idly playing around on Virgin website with flights to somewhere Canada in May.

Do not care where we go, as have been to all of them many times before, but a long Biz Class mileage run will be handy.

Everything I type in – Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal all give me Virgin to and from LAX of course, but from there are Air Canada flights ONLY as options.

Weird as AC are not partners at all, and Delta are SERIOUS top end partners, and fly to all these cities.

DL First Class SC earns are VERY juicy, even more so if fights go via a DL USA hub.

Indeed I often saw ZERO fights on any days I looked at, that offered even a single DL connection. Now and again they appeared but AC was the dominant option shown on days I looked at, like to Toronto often the only one, which s silly as DL fly them all.

Anyone know why?

Having full on partners is a big plus – but not if you do not feed traffic through them wherever possible!! I'd have assumed they woud be the default option.

If D see feeder traffic is low they may bail and Virgin cannot afford that at all right now.

 

[jase05]

My only guess is that because VA does have a codeshare agreement with AC from LAX to 4 Canadian cities (YVR, YYC, YYZ and YUL) they push you over to AC as the default.
Under the agreement you will get SC’s and points if booked with a VA flight number but not sure about lounge access and other VA FF perks?
Quite a weird partnership IMO especially when as you said DL flys to those cities and is VA’s closest partner

 

[ozstamps]

jase05 - great info.

Had no idea I could earn SC on Air Canada flights if booked via Virgin.

So would one get as many SC for say LA-YYZ on AC metal compared to DL flights if booked into revenue domestic First?

We are lifetime Million Miler Star Golds, so the AC lounge access and baggage limit is automatic for us for any AC fight, but amazed that for someone who is not, they woud not have AC lounge access on a Business Class ticket on Air Canada. Weird.

 

[jase05]

jase05 - great info.

Had no idea I could earn SC on Air Canada flights if booked via Virgin.

So would one get as many SC for say LA-YYZ on AC metal compared to DL flights if booked into revenue domestic First?

We are lifetime Million Miler Star Golds, so the AC lounge access and baggage limit is automatic for us for any AC fight, but amazed that for someone who is not, they woud not have AC lounge access on a Business Class ticket on Air Canada. Weird.

Apparently initially they didn’t have lounge access in the partnership but they have tweaked it by the looks and now do have lounge access and honour other VA benefits.
No idea on what the SC earn is as VA don’t seem to have even added them as a partner to their website

 

[ozstamps]

How bizarre - we can see the juicy Delta SC earns but cannot book Delta flights on the Virgin website!

Hope the new Velocity CEO tidies up such loose ends.

 

[Must...Fly!]

The information is there on the VA/Velocity websites. Status will not get you any lounge access with AC. Class of travel will.

On the Velocity website you need to go to the VA earning page, and down the bottom is a separate section "Flying to Canada"

Virgin Australia

Earn Points with Virgin Australia and Partners, also earn status credit when travelling with eligible fare types. Offering include trans tasman flights, short haul and long haul flights and international long haul flights

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

Virgin Australia is a proud codeshare partner of Air Canada, the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada.
Velocity members can earn Points and status credits when flying to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.
Earn Points per mile flown and Status Credits when you travel in an eligible class on an Air Canada operated flight, with a Virgin Australia (VA) flight number.

I would assume as VA flight number, that the VA earning tables and fare basis calculations will apply.

I do recall part of the deal being to preference AC connections over DL. Perhaps a travel agent can assist with a routing that you might prefer, perhaps through MSP or ATL. Double connection though, obviously.

 

[ozstamps]

Well again the sloppiness of Velocity shows again - Air Canada does not rate a mention re SC earn -

 

[Must...Fly!]

I would hazard a guess that is intentional to avoid any confusion, as if booking on an AC flight number you will earn nothing.

Delta partnership may also have something to do with not showing AC, as I'm quite sure they had to give their blessing to the VA/AC agreement. The AC arrangement is purely a codeshare with some limited frequent flyer courtesies attached. And only as a through booking with VA.

 

[ozstamps]

Well booking a stand alone Alitalia or SAA Flight (A Star Alliance partner) gets nothing to a Virgin account either so not sure any ''confusion'' is averted!

All they need is the relevant asterisk - ONLY WITH A VA FLIGHT NUMBER

 

[Must...Fly!]

Well booking a stand alone Alitalia or SAA Flight (A Star Alliance partner) gets nothing to a Virgin account either so not sure any ''confusion'' is averted!

That is also incorrect.

South African Airways

Earn Points with South African Airways when you travel in an eligible class on flights with an SA flight number and operated by South African Airways. You can also earn Status Credits and redeem Reward Seat. Learn more now.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

Earn Status Credits when you travel in an eligible fare class on South African Airways operated flights, with a SA or VA flight number. The Status Credits you earn will depend on where you fly and the fare purchased.

Alitalia Partnership Update

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

Earn Status Credits when you travel in an eligible fare class on Alitalia operated flights, with an AZ or VA flight number. The Status Credits you earn will depend on where you fly and the fare purchased.

 

[ozstamps]

Ha! We flew all around Africa recently and directed all the SAA points into my United account.

Had no idea Virgin miles could accrue!

 

[Must...Fly!]

Ha! We flre all around Afrcia recently and directed all the points into my United account.

Had no idea Virgin miles could accrue!

I guess that's a problem in and of itself, in that the patch work of partners and conditions leads to uncertainty and missed revenue for Velocity as a result.

Though I guess Qantas is not much better as you have to be very careful what fares you actually book to earn points/SC. At least with VA partners , even if you book the cheapest tickets you are usually going to earn something.