Alitalia and Virgin, anybody?

[andrewlorien]

Since the Air Berlin bankruptcy, Virgin is now a partner of Alitalia. That's very convenient since i'm going to Italy in a couple of weeks.... but the details aren't clear. Does anybody know how status benefits (especially baggage, lounge access, and point/status earn) actually work?
Virgin's website says

Access to the Alitalia Lounges Eligibility for lounge access varies according to your fare class, Velocity membership level and destination. For information on worldwide lounge access, simply select your eligibility from the drop down box on Virgin Australia's International Lounge Access Guide.
Increased check in baggage allowance The checked baggage allowance varies according to your fare class and Velocity membership level at the time of travel. Please visit the Virgin Australia Baggage section for further information.

but neither the baggage link nor the lounge link have any specific information.

I'll find out the hard way in two weeks... but has anybody travelled on Alitalia with Virgin status in the last few months?

 

[Jack_OC]

Since the Air Berlin bankruptcy, Virgin is now a partner of Alitalia. That's very convenient since i'm going to Italy in a couple of weeks.... but the details aren't clear. Does anybody know how status benefits (especially baggage, lounge access, and point/status earn) actually work?
Virgin's website says

but neither the baggage link nor the lounge link have any specific information.

I'll find out the hard way in two weeks... but has anybody travelled on Alitalia with Virgin status in the last few months?

There is specific info on the Velocity website about points/SC earn and status benefits when flying with Alitalia (including baggage and lounge access). It all seems pretty clear to me. What are you trying to find out that isn’t covered there?

PS, this partnership isn’t all that new - it commenced in mid 2016.

 

[andrewlorien]

hmm, thanks.
can you give me a link to that info? the points/SC are pretty clear (i think all of the international partners share a pretty generous allowance which isn't complicated by fare class etc). But for baggage and lounge access all i could find was what i quoted above, which says they vary by fare class.

 

[Jack_OC]

hmm, thanks.
can you give me a link to that info? the points/SC are pretty clear (i think all of the international partners share a pretty generous allowance which isn't complicated by fare class etc). But for baggage and lounge access all i could find was what i quoted above, which says they vary by fare class.

The points/SCs definitely can vary depending on partner, and in some cases route/fare class etc, so you do have to check this for your specific circumstances.

Anyway, here are screenshots of the relevant info:

​

 

[Jack_OC]

PS: this info comes from:

https://experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com/partners-offers/airlines/Alitalia

and

https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/experience/at-the-airport/international-lounge-access/

And I should clarify that the screenshot shows eligibility for Platinum, but you can also find eligibility for Gold via the same link (and in this case I think it’s the same either way).

 

[mayoh]

Velocity platinum status next to useless at check in. I recently flew Rome - Palermo return. The only way to get my second bag onto the flight was pay the $60 euro charge.

No one including supervisors from Alitalia recognised my platinum velocity status.
I showed the supervisors the velocity website showing the status benefits inc luggage I should receive with Alitalia they practically laughed at me

I got sick of fighting with them paid the fees and enjoyed the holiday

Lounge access was also a struggle

 

[Jack_OC]

Velocity platinum status next to useless at check in. I recently flew Rome - Palermo return. The only way to get my second bag onto the flight was pay the $60 euro charge.

No one including supervisors from Alitalia recognised my platinum velocity status.
I showed the supervisors the velocity website showing the status benefits inc luggage I should receive with Alitalia they practically laughed at me

I got sick of fighting with them paid the fees and enjoyed the holiday

Lounge access was also a struggle

Unfortunately there seems to be a reasonably widespread issue in getting partner airlines to actually honour Velocity benefits, even when you are clearly entitled to them. I've never tried to utilise the additional baggage benefit (with any airline), but lounge agents sometimes seem completely unaware of the existence of Velocity/VA, never mind what benefits are supposed to come with Velocity status.

 

[davidj]

Yes Velocity recognition is a problem. If you're expecting to use the benefits other than status credits, PRINT out the relevant information that will support your case (eg. lounge eligibility). Don't just show them some pixels on your phone.

I would even research who to contact and (quickly) escalate to should the justification fail.

A little while ago I made a booking and the operator didn't where to enter a Velocity member number.

The only way to get my second bag onto the flight was pay the $60 euro charge.

Be prepared for this. Keep receipts and on return, send a claim through to Virgin for reimbursement.

Good luck.

 

[andrewlorien]

Thanks everybody. Exactly the help i needed, as usual. I'll update this after the flight (Prague to Catania via Fiumicino)

 

[henrus]

Yes Velocity recognition is a problem. If you're expecting to use the benefits other than status credits, PRINT out the relevant information that will support your case (eg. lounge eligibility). Don't just show them some pixels on your phone.

I guess it depends on the airline and port...

Air New Zealand, Delta and Singapore Airlines are usually good (even at ports that wouldn't normally see VA status)

Silk Air in Singapore is good but everywhere else I've been has no clue and thinks that it's a Star Gold card I'm trying to show them.

Next month I'll likely be in China and get to try Hainan Airlines. It'll be interesting to see which if any published benefits get recognised.

 

[Jack_OC]

I guess it depends on the airline and port...

Air New Zealand, Delta and Singapore Airlines are usually good (even at ports that wouldn't normally see VA status)

Silk Air in Singapore is good but everywhere else I've been has no clue and thinks that it's a Star Gold card I'm trying to show them.

Next month I'll likely be in China and get to try Hainan Airlines. It'll be interesting to see which if any published benefits get recognised.

NZ I agree. SQ mostly ok but not always - e.g. I had to argue my case for priority boarding with SQ from Wellington recently. DL really make a point of acknowledging status on board, but I have found them hit and miss when it comes to lounge access. Generally no issues with EY.

 

[davidj]

I guess it depends on the airline and port...

I was referring to Alitalia specifically. Other airlines I find are much better.

 

[henrus]

SQ mostly ok but not always - e.g. I had to argue my case for priority boarding with SQ from Wellington recently

Ok interesting to hear, I've been through a few SQ ports in Asia and Europe without problems but then again Priority Boarding with SQ is really hit a miss... Often they palm *G and Elite gold into the Economy queue.

I was referring to Alitalia specifically. Other airlines I find are much better.

Yep but sadly it's not just Alitalia that VA status card holders have got problems with...

I've had a similar as mayoh in Hanoi on Silk Air. They had no idea about Virgin Australia Gold and was basically laughed off and handed an A4 info sheet explaining that Silk Air is not a Star Alliance carrier. (Hanoi has two flights a day, one on SQ and one on MI so I can understand why they've got those info sheets on the ready.)

 

[EuroKick]

I can't even add my Velocity number to my booking. This is going to be interesting.

 

[andrewlorien]

I could add my velocity number (chose velocity from the dropdown)... But under my name on the ticket it says "null 2112518425". So I don't expect the points will be credited automatically.

 

[Mattg]

Thanks everybody. Exactly the help i needed, as usual. I'll update this after the flight (Prague to Catania via Fiumicino)

Have you taken this flight yet? How was it?

 

[andrewlorien]

Nothing conclusive to add to the unsurprisingly complete thread...
I had planned to purchase on bag, based on the replies above (you can't buy them on booking, you have to do that later). But between Scotland and Ireland and Berlin I forgot. So when I arrived at the airport they said I had no checkin allowance.
There were three people at the checkin desks, of whom one knew their job properly (I know this because there was quite a queue of people trying to get her attention). We were told that our frequent flyer details were already on the booking, but we would still have to pay for the bag (contrary to the details above). So we paid the EU50 and got a receipt, which I doubt we'll get around to claiming.
We didn't have time to try the lounge in Rome (hilariously, we got off the plane onto a bus, which drove italian-style across the tarmac where we unloaded and ran to follow the transit signs, up escalators and down corridors until we made it to another bus which sped across the tarmac to put us back on THE SAME PLANE WITH THE SAME CREW).
Points and status were credited, although the partner points and status were not. I suspect the "NULL" i quoted above was the problem, and the checkin person who was unable to give us a free bag did at least manage to update one of the velocity numbers correctly.
So, executive summary:

• frequent flyer details recognised manually, not by the details entered on purchase
• baggage allowance not recognised
• lounge access not tested

By then we had enough credits for status, so on the way back from Sicily we took an EasyJet flight which was half the price and non-stop.

 

[jasecao]

I guess it depends on the airline and port...

Air New Zealand, Delta and Singapore Airlines are usually good (even at ports that wouldn't normally see VA status)

Silk Air in Singapore is good but everywhere else I've been has no clue and thinks that it's a Star Gold card I'm trying to show them.

Next month I'll likely be in China and get to try Hainan Airlines. It'll be interesting to see which if any published benefits get recognised.

HNA Club Lounge in Beijing took photos of my Velocity Platinum card from the time late August, the person at the counter had to call in her supervisor, who had to check a few internal emails before allowing me in.

 

[TripleB]

I few AZ on 4 sectors around Europe last year and it was just too hard to credit to VA.

The self check in machines at LIN had the option to add a Northwest or Continental number but neither a Delta, Etihad nor VA number.

 

[anthonycarusi]

All Velocity FF numbers added at time of booking online with Alitalia.

No SC & points after flights

Unfortunately did not keep boarding passes but managed to get confirmation of “used status and booking class” from Alitalia which I’ve sent to retro claims @ Velocity.

Mission to find lounge in Italy we just gave up. Info point you in the wrong direction..